Name
Lewis John Dean
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
28/03/1918
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
43472
Suffok Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CABARET-ROUGE BRITISH CEMETERY, SOUCHEZ
XIV. F. 12.
France
UK & Other Memorials
Croxley Green Village Memorial, Croxley Green
All Saints' Church Shrine, Croxley Green
Rickmansworth Urban District Memorial
Pre War
Lewis Dean was born and christened in Croxley Green in 1886, the eldest of three children. In 1911, Lewis was living with his parents, John and Isabella, at 1 Briery Close Cottages, Croxley Green. He was a labourer and his father worked for the County Council as a roadman.
Recorded as enlisting in Watford.
Wartime Service
Previously in the 8th Bedfordshire Regiment with service number 19727. He also served as 43472 in the 11th and 12th Battalions Suffolk Regiment.
Lewis Dean was killed in action on 28th March 1918 in the first battle of Arras of 1918. This was exactly one week after the start of the German Spring Offensive. At 3 am on 28 March there was a violent German bombardment, including heavy gas shelling of the 3rd Division’s gun areas. All three Brigades of the 3rd Division were in the line and the front covered 8,000 yards from Croisilles to the Arras-Cambrai Road in the north. At 5.30am two German Divisions assaulted the British front line and one hour later the 76th Brigade (which included the 2nd Suffolks) was attacked by the enemy. From 7am onwards the three German Divisions surging from Fontaine Wood continued their assaults. Throughout the day the 3rd Division, with the 15th and 4th Divisions, conducted one of the hardest fought defensive battles on record.
Acknowledgments
Tanya Britton, Brian Thomson Croxley Green in the First World War Rickmansworth Historical Society 2014
