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BEDLINGTON

Stern, M., Pte., 1917
In Somer Farm Cemetery, West Flanders, Belgium, is the Commonwealth War Grave of 15720 Private Marcus Stern serving with 8th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry who died 19/08/1917.

Carole Fife has provided the following:

Marcus was the younger brother of Philip who also died. Although the 1911 census shows his place of birth as Hungary, his military record shows him as born in Colchester and enlisting in Amble. Marcus's parents, Isaac Jacob and Celia, had evidently fled to Britain during the pogroms, which makes it seem strange that they should return to Hungary and have two more children there in the late 1890s, although Marcus gave Cheltenham as his place of birth when he enlisted. The family do not appear on the 1901 census, and Isaac is missing from the 1911 census. Although the family lived in Newcastle and appear to have been involved in the clothing industry, Philip and Marcus must have lived in Netherton at some time prior to 1917 and to have worked at Netherton Colliery. Although serving with the Somerset Light Infantry at the time of his death, Marcus was previously no. 14477 in the Northumberland Fusiliers.

He is remembered in Bedlington on B15.07 and in Newcastle on NUT096, NUT120, NUT180 and NUT212


The CWGC entry for Private Stern

If you know more about this person, please send the details to janet@newmp.org.uk