Military History

Frederick is listed as dying of wounds received in action at Metz-en-Couture. The report on operations from the 11th Battalion war diary is transcribed below.

11^th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corp – Report on Operations of the 4^th [April 1917]

On the evening of the 3rd April 1917 at about 8.15pm the battalion were relieved in Vallulart Wood by 12^th King’s Liverpool and proceeded to Fins to wait there until the time came to attack Metz. The night was spent in fetching water and rations sufficient to carry us through till after the attack was over. At 1pm on the 4th the battalion left Fins by Coys To take up their positions at the assembly posts P 35 D 82 to V 6 a 72. Dispositions:- A Coy on the right, C Coy on the left, D Coy in support on the left, B Coy in reserve, Battalion HQ’s being established at V.6.c.9.9.

At 2pm The two leading Coys A & C left the assembly point and then bounced on the objective, Metz, an extended order at 5 paces interval in two lines at 50 yards distance. The 10^th Battalion King’s Royal Rifles Were operating on our right. We advanced under moderate shell fire to the road running through Q 25 Central, where we obtained liaison with the 10^th King’s Royal Rifles who were directing. 2 Vickers guns attached to the battalion for the attack moved over with the last line. The advance continued towards the objective on the moderate shell fire, slight machine gunfire being brought to bear on the leading Coys from P 30 central and onwards to about 500 yards from the village were the leading Coys came under intense machine gunfire.

At 2.35pm the first line Coys, D Coy in the meanwhile having come up on the left of C Coy had to lie down until our artillery barrage lifted at 2.40pm, here the enemy machine gunfire and sniping caused many casualties including Capt Meredith, 2^nd Lts Mason and Robinson. During this period Battalion HQ moved forward to Q.31.a.4.7.

At.240pm the advance was recommenced, the left Coys being stopped for a time by two strong systems of wire. However this obstacle was overcome, way through the wire being caught or discovered and both Coys soon had detachments making for the village, the left Coy however having to move to a flank viz: the right, in order to get through. Leading detachments of the two Coys entered the village and started the work of clearing the houses of enemy, the enemy however did not wait long after the leading troops entered and started retreating, leaving behind them a few dangerous snipers. During this operation some 30 prisoners were taken, together with 1 T.M. and 1 M.G. At 3pm The VA was still holding the left of the village in Q 19 b.

At 2.45pm the left flank was being held up by machine guns in a trench, strongly wired, running towards the western corner of the village, a detachment of Lewis Gun worked its way up this trench and cleared it and captured a M.G. In the meantime heavy fire was brought to bear on this flank from a trench at about Q 19 c central, the second line then swung round to the left and doubled up the hill with their Lewis guns, captured the trench and killed about 6; about 30 Germans then evacuated the trench and ran towards Mill Farm, the Lewis Gun immediately opened on them and about a dozen fell. 4 prisoners were also taken from this party.

This Coy Then came under a very heavy M.G. fire from  the NW corner or Metz and from the wood between Mill Farm and SW corner of the wood. 2^nd Lts Pirrrett and Davis and a few men worked their way up to the machine guns, both officers being killed; Capt Smyth then took up small reinforcements, the M.G’s were silenced and the left started consolidating on the forward slope about Q 19 central, 1 Lewis Gun being knocked out.

At 3.15pm Lt. Barlow had worked his way through the left of the village, rejoining his Coy on their right  with two platoons collected from the village party, and the clearing party of the trench at the western corner of the village mentioned above.

3.30pm: This Coy saw thirty or forty Germans retiring in groups to the wood near Mill Farm and brought rifle and Lewis gun fire to bear on them, some fell. When the R.B’s [Rifle Brigade] came up to the edge of the wood, this Coy recommenced their advance simultaneously with them onto their final objective, reaching it at about 6pm and consolidated thereon.

4.00pm: Battation HQ’s established itself at Q.25.b.18 with a line to Brigade which was broken three times before being opened for use. Telephone communication was established with the front line Coys by 9pm. The centre Coy worked its way through the village in Q 2 a etc as mentioned above, systematically clearing all houses, cellars and other places of concealment. It was this Coy which captured the main body of prisoners. Having cleared the village of all resistance the Coy began consolidating on their objective at about 5.15pm.

At 2.40pm the right Coy continued its advance simultaneously with the left Coys and the 10^th K.R.R.C. Temporarily checked by the wire the leading detachment entered the village at about 2.50pm. The enemy retreating before the advancing troops; however snipers and well placed M.G’s in the houses caused many casualties, including Lt. Everett and had to be ejected by circumventing movements. This Coy’s right was in the main street and kept communication with 10^th K.R.R.C. the whole way through. During this operation about a dozen prisoners, 2 T.M’s, 1 M.G were taken. A German Doctor and his staff, who after gave valuable assistance to our wounded were also captured. This Coy started consolidating on its objective at about 5pm.

The reserve Coy moved up in extended order at about 300 yards behind the front Coys and consolidated in the rear of the village. The village of Metz was very heavily shelled by the enemy with 4.2’s, 5.9’s and 8 inch from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

The artillery barrages were good but had the time for lifting being 5 minutes earlier in the 1st and 2nd stages some casualties would have been saved and probably more prisoners taken. The R.A.M.C stretcher bearers were numerically insufficient to cope with the number of casualties.

Final dispositions after the objective had been occupied were:- 3 Coys from Q.19.a.9.3 to Q.20.c.14; 3 platoons in Q.19.c; 1 platoon in Q.25.b, Battalion HQ at Q.19.d.11. The work of consolidation extended until 6am [on 5^th].

Total Captures: 3 M.G’s and 1 extra M.G. carriage, 3 T.M’s and 60 odd prisoners, prisoners were taken from 229^th and 230^th Regts.

Our Casualties: 2 Officers, 28 other ranks killed and 4 officers 96 other ranks wounded.

Losses: Officers: killed 8, wounded 6; Other Ranks 293.