Was Jacob Venney the last Ely War casualty?
Jacob Venney was born in Prickwillow Bank in 1878 into a family of farm workers. By 1891 thirteen year old Jacob was a farm labourer at Welney, where his family was then living; they then moved on to Prickwillow and again to Stuntney.
At the age of 25, in March 1904, Jacob attested into the 4th Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment and fought in South Africa.
Jacob married Sophia Reed Lee in Ely early in 1906 and they lived in the Ship Inn on Waterside, where he acted as publican, but also worked as a labourer at the nearby Cutlack and Harlock Brewery.
With the outbreak of the War Jacob was called up as a reservist and rejoined the Army on 20th November 1914, being placed in the 11th Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment (No. 16645). He reached the Front in the autumn of 1915 and almost immediately was hospitalised with the effects of a gas attack. In August 1916 Jacob suffered severe shrapnel injuries with wounds to his left shoulder and head - he also had a piece of shrapnel lodged in his left lung which could not be removed. He was consequently transferred into the Labour Corps (No. 504982).
Like many Ely men, Jacob carried with him both the physical and mental scars of his war service. Sophia told how he frequently complained of shock from the war and was "always seeing soldiers being killed". One of the lodgers at the Ship, George Smith, told how Jacob said to him: "There is a big battle on and the Germans are all in front of me. I think we shall win, although the shelling is terrible." In medical terms, Jacob suffered from polyneuritis with nerve pains in every limb and in his head; at times he would fall unconscious and when his head was particularly bad he believed "that piece of shrapnel is moving around again". The brewery foreman described Jacob as "lost of late" and needing to be given instructions several times over.
Late in November 1920 Jacob learnt he would not be given the army pension he was expecting. On 6th December he left home for work, promising Sophia he would go to the doctor later in the day. Shortly afterwards she heard running footsteps and a splash; twenty minutes later neighbours came to tell her that Jacob had been pulled out of the river. He had drowned before he could be reached.
The coroner recorded a verdict of suicide "while temporarily insane". He stated that Jacob's death was clearly "the awful result of the horrible war".
At the age of 25, in March 1904, Jacob attested into the 4th Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment and fought in South Africa.
Jacob married Sophia Reed Lee in Ely early in 1906 and they lived in the Ship Inn on Waterside, where he acted as publican, but also worked as a labourer at the nearby Cutlack and Harlock Brewery.
With the outbreak of the War Jacob was called up as a reservist and rejoined the Army on 20th November 1914, being placed in the 11th Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment (No. 16645). He reached the Front in the autumn of 1915 and almost immediately was hospitalised with the effects of a gas attack. In August 1916 Jacob suffered severe shrapnel injuries with wounds to his left shoulder and head - he also had a piece of shrapnel lodged in his left lung which could not be removed. He was consequently transferred into the Labour Corps (No. 504982).
Like many Ely men, Jacob carried with him both the physical and mental scars of his war service. Sophia told how he frequently complained of shock from the war and was "always seeing soldiers being killed". One of the lodgers at the Ship, George Smith, told how Jacob said to him: "There is a big battle on and the Germans are all in front of me. I think we shall win, although the shelling is terrible." In medical terms, Jacob suffered from polyneuritis with nerve pains in every limb and in his head; at times he would fall unconscious and when his head was particularly bad he believed "that piece of shrapnel is moving around again". The brewery foreman described Jacob as "lost of late" and needing to be given instructions several times over.
Late in November 1920 Jacob learnt he would not be given the army pension he was expecting. On 6th December he left home for work, promising Sophia he would go to the doctor later in the day. Shortly afterwards she heard running footsteps and a splash; twenty minutes later neighbours came to tell her that Jacob had been pulled out of the river. He had drowned before he could be reached.
The coroner recorded a verdict of suicide "while temporarily insane". He stated that Jacob's death was clearly "the awful result of the horrible war".
