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Trevor Tuffrey. Died 31 July 1917
Trevor was born in 1895 to father, Sidney and mother Sophie in Islip, Oxfordshire. He was the first born and had only one sibling, a sister called Livina. By the age of 15, Trevor had already become a soldier, albeit a musical one, as in 1911 he had joined the Oxford Light Infantry as a musician. His parents lived in Station Road, Wokingham by 1917.
By 1917 he had died on the 31st of July, during the Battle for Mesopotamia. It is likely Trevor suffered during this period. Wikipedia tells us:
“On 26 April 1916—supplies had dwindled significantly and many of the garrison’s defenders were suffering from sickness—the garrison negotiated a cease-fire with the Ottomans and on 29 April the British-Indian force of 8,000 surrendered to the Ottomans, including 300 men of the 1st Ox & Bucks. Many of the Ox & Bucks taken at Kut, like the rest of the prisoners, suffered mistreatment by the Ottomans and did not survive the war; it is estimated that just under 2,000 British and up to 3,000 Indians perished in captivity”.
Name: TUFFREY, TREVOR SIDNEY
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: 1st Battalion.
Age:21
Date of Death: 31/07/1916
Service No: 9391
Additional information: Son of Sidney and Sophie Tuffrey, of Station Rd., Wokingham, Berks.
Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference:Panel 26 and 63.Memorial:
BASRA MEMORIAL
82 Islip Hill, Islip, Oxfordshire (1901)
Station Road, Wokingham, approx 1916 (parents)
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I am the great niece of Trevor Tuffrey. There were two siblings, Lavinia and Violet Maude born 4.6.1902. Violet was my Grandmother, who continued to live in Wokingham until her death in 1988. My Grandmother told us her mother Sophia had saved up to buy Trevor out of the Army as he was so unhappy, but £5 was so much for them. while she was saving he was sent to India and war started and he never returned. She writes about Trevor wearing a red uniform with white facings which were cleaned with pipe clay. She also mentions he carried a swagger cane as part of his uniform.
Hi Marilyn. Many thanks for your contribution; I means everything to receive a personal memory about Trevor. I wonder if your Grandmother felt guilty about not being able to buy him out of the Army? I hope not, because had she done so, he still would have been the first to be re enlisted for the War. It sounds like you have no photograph on Trevor, but if either of us manage to find one I would be proud to place it onto Trevor’s page. If there is anything else you would like to add to his page, I would be pleased to do so.
Many thanks again,
Mike Churcher