Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Samuel Jelley, a shoe trade finisher, born 21st June 1864 in Nuneaton, Warwickshire and his wife Mary Ann Jelley (nee Boyer, married on the 8th December 1884 in St. Mary de Castro Church, Leicester), a shoe trade machinist, born 23rd January 1866 in Leicester. Samuel was born in the 2nd quarter of 1889 in Leicester, his siblings were, Ada, born 27th June 1887 and baptised on the 15th December 1889 in St. Mark’s Church, Leicester and Sarah Ann, born 1890, both his siblings were born in Leicester, in April 1891 the family home was at 16, Woodboy Street, Leicester. In March 1901 Samuel was residing in the family home at 126, High Street, Barwell, Leicestershire, together with his father, a shoe trade finisher, his mother and siblings, Mary Ann, a shoe trade fitter, born 9th August 1886 in Leicester, Ada, a shoe trade worker, Sarah, Nellie A., born 1891, Jane Ann, born 1894 and Norah, born 1896, the latter three siblings were all born in Leicester, Annie, born 21st October 1897 and Sarah, born 12th September 1899, the latter two siblings were both born in Barwell. On the 10th April 1909 Samuel married Betsy Maria Ellen Clarke in the Parish Church, Earl Shilton, Leicestershire. In April 1911 Samuel was employed as a quarry labourer and was residing in the family home in Huncote, Leicestershire, together with his wife Betsy, a Griswold knitter, born 12th November 1887 in Stoney Stanton, Leicestershire and their son Arthur H., born 18th September 1909 in Huncote. Samuel also had the following younger siblings, George Amos, born 6th April 1902 in Barwell, and twins Florrie and Gladys, born 9th July 1906 in Earl Shilton. Samuel’s widow married John Pickering in the 2nd quarter of 1919 in the Blaby, Leicestershire district, they resided at Main Street, Huncote. In 1939 Samuel’s father, a retired boot and shoe trade clicker, his mother and brother George, a boot and shoe trade finisher were residing in the family home at 15, Highfield Street, Earl Shilton.
Samuel’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the Leicestershire Regiment, being allotted the service number 16322 and the rank of Private. He was posted to the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment and with this unit he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 29th July 1915, and was reported as being killed in action on or since the 14th July 1916. He was awarded the 1914-15 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 14-17 July-16 - FRICOURT. The 110th Brigade attacked and captured BAZENTIN – LE – PETIT WOOD and village and held same. Appendix I. The action attached.
Narrative of action of the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment from 3.00am 14/7/16 to 8.00am 17/7/16.
The Battalion moved from FRICOURT WOOD via the southern and eastern edge of MAMETZ WOOD and reached the north east corner of this wood just before 3.00am. The Battalion was formed in four lines by 3.15am under a fairly heavy bombardment and lined up with the 7th Battalion LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT on its left about 100 yards in front of MAMETZ WOOD. At 3.25am 1st and 2nd lines advanced on German first line, and five minutes later the third and fourth lines advanced, and, crossing first line, assaulted and took the German second line. The first German line was very much knocked about and some 25 or 30 prisoners were taken in it. The right Company blocked German first line trench on right of the attack, and also the same in the German second line. While crossing “No man’s” land the barrage was not very severe but the two right Companies suffered a good many casualties from enemy machine guns in BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD, which had not then been cleared by 7th Division on our right. There were also two enemy machine guns in the south east corner of BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD. These were charged by the third and fourth lines and the detachments killed, and the guns taken. There were not a large number of Germans in second line when it was entered. The trenches had been so knocked about that it was difficult to consolidate them. At 4.00am first and second lines, leaving small parties to deal with any dugouts, advanced to German second line, which was also being consolidated by the third and fourth lines. At 4.20am three platoons remained in German second line, and the rest of the Battalion advanced to the “one hour” line, which was reached after suffering a good many casualties from enfilade fire from the direction of BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD. Soon after this the enemy, retiring in front of the 7th Division from BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD on our right, were enfiladed from the eastern edge of the wood by our Lewis guns, and suffered heavy losses. For some time the right Company had to form a defensive flank as many of the enemy were trying to get from BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD to BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD. At 5.20am the Battalion advanced to the “two hour” line and remained there till 6.00am, waiting for the 7th Division to come up on our right. At 6.00am the Battalion was reinforced by several platoons of the 9th Battalion LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT At 6.05am the line advanced against the village, and, the left of the 7th Division not being up, the whole village was assaulted and taken, and 3 officers and 200 prisoners. At 6.40am the ROYAL IRISH RIFLES entered the village and the eastern portion was handed over to them. At 7.15am the Battalion occupied and began consolidating the line from the northern end of the village, thence southwards to the north eastern point of BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD, thence along northern edge of wood halfway to the railway. An attempt to get the real objective was heavily enfiladed from a point just outside the wood near the railway. About 50 prisoners were taken in a trench along northern edge of wood. At 8.30am the enemy made a counter attack against the northern portion of village. The 7th Division who were not very strong here fell back on cemetery. The Battalion conformed and held northern edge of wood and the prolongation of same through the village. At 9.15am the 7th Division were reinforced and retook eastern portion of village, and the Battalion resumed its previous line, joining up with the 7th Division north of the village. At 3.00pm the enemy made another counter attack against northern and north eastern edge of village. Many of them reached the road running from north end of village to railway and were at once stopped by our rifle and Lewis gun fire. The Battalion held and consolidated this position on the night of the 14th and also on the 15th there was no change. At 2.00am on the 16th a party of one officer and 50 men were sent out to try to consolidate the original objective along the road. They were preceded by a party of one officer and 40 men of the YORKSHIRE REGIMENT The latter party got to the road and held it for some time while our party was trying to consolidate, but were heavily bombed and enfiladed from enemy post just outside wood near railway, and was forced to retire. On the night of the 16th the Battalion was relieved by the 10th KING’S OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY and the Battalion went into bivouac just south of FRICOURT WOOD, arriving there at 1.00am the 17th instant. The Battalion suffered the following casualties 7 officers killed and 20 wounded. 500 other ranks killed, wounded and missing.