Military History

Frederick is listed as dying on 29th May 1915 from wounds incurred in action on 24th May 1915. He would have been treated at one of the Casualty Clearing Stations situated in or near Hazebrouch who used the cemetery there for their burials. Red Cross records reveal that Frederick was part of a Maxim Gun Section within the 1st Battalion. The 1st Battalion war diary entries for the 23rd and 24th May are transcribed below.

La Brique – 23 May 1915: in trenches, fine & quiet day

La Brique – 24 May 1915: In trenches. Just before dawn at about 2.30am enemy attacked with gas, there was a good deal of shelling & rifle fire, but no attempt at infantry attack. The Coy of Royal Irish on our right remained but the rest of the Battalion, between them & Shell Trap Farm retired from their trenches, most of 9^th ? of H from the support line went also. The remaining Coy Royal Irish were moved down to occupy the vacant trench and we moved our 2 reserve platoons into their portion of the trench.

At about 3.30am enemy advanced by Shell Trap Farm and captured trenches held by Royal Irish, enemy now tried to bomb down our trenches but were held up by Lt. Leach, Capt Woodgate and a bombing party who drove them back and recaptured about 50 yards of the Royal Irish trench. They captured a flag on two uprights used by the Germans to show their artillery their positions in trench and erected a barricade.

Enemy also captured the trenches on right of Shell Trap occupied by Dub[lin] Fusiliers and they also held the Royal Irish communication trench on our right flank. 20 of our men were placed at our HQ’s dug out to held them on this flank.

Enemy were now shelling nearly all our line. A counter attack by Irish Fus, Warwick’s & South Lancs was held up in being ? of Cross Roads Farm.

At about 1pm enemy advanced in force to right of Shell Trap & occupied portion of trench held by A & S High [Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders]. At 2pm enemy began to shell us with gas shells from large howitzers (5cm ?) which continued until 6pm. Some of our own field guns also dropped their shells into our trenches with great accuracy for about 1½ hours. The parapet of our trench from Listening Patrol Farm to right was nearly all flattened.

When shelling cleared at about 6pm about 10 of enemy got out of their trench opposite and advanced to the barbed wire. They were all killed.

After dark we were informed that a counter attack was going to be made to reserve trenches lost by Royal Irish & Dub Fus and almost immediately afterwards that this counter attack would not be made and that King’s Own & Essex were to retire from trenches through Divisional Support line which was being held by Lancs Fus & South Lancs. King’s Own [the subject Battalion] to retire first followed by Essex.

All our wounded were sent back and at about 10.30pm Battalion retired by Coys, a covering party of men to keep up ? being left behind. Everything was very quiet and relief was carried out successfully. The Battalion went back to the Canal Bank for the night.

Casualties for day Lt Leach and 2/Lt Blacklaw? Wounded. Other ranks killed wounded & missing about …. left blank.