"I Have Lost A Big Friend And The Whole Company Was Very Fond Of Him"

In early May, the local newspapers in Suffolk reported the loss of a young man from Cockfield Green near Stowmarket.
Mr and Mrs Stone received news that their youngest son had been killed in action on the continent on 28th March whilst serving with 2nd Suffolk.
The Battalion had been in the front line trenches around St. Eloi near Ypres, where they were to relieve the 2nd Royal Scots that evening. Around 6.00pm, an enemy artillery barrage came down along the front, killing Private Stone and wounding the CO; Colonel D'Arch-Smith.
No. 12236, Private Christopher James Stone enlisted into the Suffolk Regiment in 1914 with his chum Harry Sparkes. The two men were both labourers for Mr Jennings who farmed considerable land around the village.
The pair soon found themselves at the 3rd Battalion at Felixstowe for their basic for training. For Christopher or "Jimmy" as he was better known, his Army service suffered a temporary set-back. After a medical examination, it was discovered that he suffered deafness in one ear. The condition was however, operable and keen to serve, he had his ear operated on in the Military Hospital at Colchester in late 1914 and after being graded fit for service again, he rejoined his pals at Felixstowe before they were posted overseas in February 1915 to join 2nd Suffolk who were gradually being brought back up to strength in Belgium.
Later that month, Jimmy was wounded by shrapnel in the both legs and invalided home to a hospital in Nottingham, where after numerous operations to remove the dreaded shards of steel, he was again passed fit and allowed to return to the fight in Belgium, arriving back in December of 1915.
Writing to his parents following his death his Sergeant paid tribute to a gallant and tiresome warrior; "I have lost a big friend and the whole Company was very fond of him. He suffered no pain, being killed instantly." 

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