Oswald Harry Balls was born in Tibenham on the 7th February 1891 and baptised in the parish church. His parents were Ellis (from Shelfanger) and Mary Ann (Marianne) Bailey from Burston. His father was a farmer and employer who moved his family to Turnpike Farm, Carleton Rode in 1895. Oswald was the third of six children; his siblings were Cecilia (Cissy – who in 1911 married Frederick C Hinchley from New Buckenham) Herbert, Margaret May (Maggie), Ethel Susannah and Walter William.
School records show the Balls’ children had a mixed educational experience; Cissy was reported to the attendance officer, Maggie was sent to a Roman Catholic School in Bacup, Lancashire for part of 1906 – although Ethel did well at school, winning many prizes. His brother Walter received a Labour Certificate in 1912 on the condition that he went to work on his father’s farm. It is probable that Oswald also worked for his father as he is described as a ‘horseman on a farm’ on his attestation papers.
Oswald enlisted in December 1915 under Lord Derby’s Scheme, which meant that he carried on working on the farm until being called up in June 1916 when he joined the Royal Garrison Artillery 94th Siege Battalion as a Gunner. He was in training at home until posted overseas with the BEF in December of the same year.
The RGA were involved in the preliminary bombardment prior to the Battle of the Somme, although Oswald wasn’t sent out to join them until December of 1916. The 94th Siege Battery were stationed on the Ancre and then moved to positions in Thiepval village early in 1917. This involved blasting the frozen ground with explosives so that the battery crew could move the heavy guns.
This would have been Oswald’s first experience of the battlefield and the War Diaries as well as other eye-witness accounts (see book below) give very vivid descriptions of these huge Howitzer guns being dragged through miles of thick, filthy mud as the roads had long since been destroyed, and of numerous intersecting trenches that criss-crossed the landscape with stinking shellholes full of water.
There was a brief respite in March when the 94th battery was ordered to ‘stand easy’ as the Germans retreated out of range, but back in action in April in a futile attempt to take Bullecourt and breach the Hindenburg Line. After their failure to do so, the battery was moved to Albert as part of a huge artillery build-up for the Battle of Messines. The bombing ‘duel’ was intense, and Oswald’s battery were on the receiving end of gas shelling most nights and ammunition dumps being blown up all around them.
The official assault on Messines Ridge began on the 7th June with the British and Anzac Corps forming a creeping barrage. Nineteen huge mines had been detonated to protect the Allied troops – and these left nineteen large craters. These joint detonations rank among the largest non-nuclear explosions of all time – truly horrific as they killed around 10,000 German soldiers. The battle continued for another week as the British advanced the front line.
The 94th siege battery was moved to a suburb of Armentieres, mounting their guns on the banks of the River Lys. However, although camouflaged, Oswald was severely wounded by a stray shell on the 13th of June 1917 and died a day later.
He is buried in Armentieres Cite Bonjean Cemetery.
A memorial service for Oswald was held in Carleton Rode Church on the 1st July 1917 and there were two ‘In Memoriam’ entries in the EDP, one from his family and one from ‘Alice’ in London. We have not yet been able to trace this mystery woman.
Both entries say the family lived at Ash Tree Farm. However, in April, 1918, Oswald’s personal effects were sent to his parents at Turnpike Farm (signed for by his mother) and it isn’t difficult to picture her grief as she opens the small package delivered by the postman that spring morning to reveal his few surviving possessions – letters, photos, pocket case, metal ring, purse, knife, two pencil cases, coins and his identification disc. Two years later, Oswald’s medals were sent to Mr William Balls (his brother Walter was known as William) also living at Turnpike Farm. Walter also fought in the First World War and is recorded on the Roll of Honour board. His biography can be read in the Survivor’s books.