Military History

Fred is listed as having been killed in action on 24 August 1918. All documents point to this being the date he was killed except the 16th Battalion war diary, the diary does not mention any operations that started on the 23rd and ended on the 24th or ones that started on the 24th and ended on the 25th. Therefore the diary entry for the 24th is transcribed below.

Aug 24^th 1918 – 2am: 15^th Infantry Brigade BM 119 received to say Battalion would withdraw to trenches round old Battalion HQ. The Battalion withdrew without incident and was back in position at 3.30am

The day was spent in resting and reorganising. Cookers and water carts were brought up and the men well fed and washed. During the evening 15^th Infantry Brigade OO no 214 received to say Battalion will be ready to move forward to position captured by the Battalion on the morning of 23^rd inst.

10pm: I issued orders accordingly (attached) no 214

12 Midt: Captain W. Sewell, 2 Lts H.R. Wilks MC, E.K. Mould, W.J. Beateson and B. Milner reported from the Dump Personnel.

Aug 25^th 1918 – 9am: The Battalion moved forward to the new area as ordered, on arrival it was met by the B.M [Brigade Major] who gave orders that it was to move forward from there northwards to the S side of Bihucourt to rest, recuperate & reorganise. The Battalion moved on again at 12.30pm & reached the new position at 1.30pm.

3pm: The Battalion was settled in huts & trenches and the cookers and water carts came up. The night of the 25^th was very wet and cold & no rest was obtained by the men.

Aug 26^th 1918: The day was spent in resting and reorganising.