Private 30857 Frederick Howard

Died of Wounds on Wednesday, 13th November 1918, age 21.
Buried in Grave B. 27. at Denain Communal Cemetery, Nord, France.

'C' Company of 7th Bn., South Staffordshire Regiment. 33rd Brigade of 11th Division.
Formerly 30857 8th Bn. South Staffordshire Regiment.

Son of Mr Edmund Howard and the late Mrs Emily Howard, of 75 Horseley Heath, Horseley Heath, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Tadcaster, Enlisted: Tipton, Resident: Tipton.

First landed France & Flanders, post 31st December 1915.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Not commemorated on any Tipton memorial.
Commemorated here because a Tipton resident.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/319730/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Frederick Howard registered September quarter 1897 at Tadcaster.

1901 Census
41 Holloway Bank, Hill Top, West Bromwich, Staffs.
Edmund Howard (41, Coal Carter, born Tipton), his wife Emily (34, born Bridgnorth) and their 4 children: William (9, born Yorkshire), Gertrude (8, born Yorkshire), Frederick (4, born Yorkshire) and new baby (4 days, born West Bromwich).

1911 Census
43 Bridge Road, Toll End, Tipton, Staffs.
Edmund Howard (51, Widower, Marine Stores Dealer, born Tipton), and his 3 children: William (18, Carter, born Yorkshire), Frederick (13, School, born Yorkshire) and Florence (10, School, born West Bromwich).

Personal Data

Frederick was born in Yorkshire, but in 1901 was living in Hill Top, West Bromwich, and by 1911 was living in Bridge Road. Toll End, Tipton. His mother, Emily, died in 1909, and his father married Ann Marie Cutler in 1913. Frederick's Pension Records shows his father and step-mother living at 75 Horseley Heath, this was Ann Cutler's address in 1911.

After Frederick's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £8/2/4d (8 pounds, 2 shillings and 4 pence); this was paid to his father, Edmund, in May 1919. His War Gratuity was £12/0/0d (12 pounds exactly), this was also paid to his father in May 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Frederick had enlisted in approximately April 1916.

It would appear that application was made for a Dependant's Pension by Mrs Ann Howard (actually Frederick's step-mother). No pension appears to have been made, but a gratuity of £30/6/8d (30 pounds, 6 shillings and 8 pence) was paid.

Action resulting in his death

As Frederick enlisted in approximately April 1916, he may well have been abroad by the end of 1916. He was initially with the 8th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, but at some stage transferred to the 7th Battalion (7/SS). We know that Frederick was with the 7/SS at the end of 1917.

The 7/SS War Diary for 10th December 1917 records that they were in front line trenches near St. Pierre, about 2 miles north-west of Lens, and “the enemy appear to have used gas from projectors but only on a small scale”. On that day Private George Fellows of Netherton died from Gas Poisoning, and Private 30857 Frederick Howard was wounded (Gassed). We do not know when Frederick returned to his unit as there is no further mention of him until the last days of the war.

In the final months of the war, in a period known as the ‘Hundred Days’, the Germans were continually pushed back and beaten in battle even though providing stiff opposition. The 7/SS, as part of 11th Division, were at the forefront. From September to November 1918, they advanced over 50 miles eastwards from Arras to Goegnies-Chaussée. Here their war ended, just 7 miles south of Mons where the British had first seen action in August 1914.

On 8th November, an advance of 5 miles had been made from Bavay, crossing the Grande Honnelle river, to Aulnois. It was from Aulnois that the advance was to continue of the 9th November which would be the final action in the war for the 7/SS. The final advance commenced at 07.30hrs, crossing the railway east of Aulnois at 10.00hrs, then through Goegnies-Chaussée to the final objective of the Mons-Maubeuge road. This final objective, just inside Belgium, was reached at 13.45hrs.

On that final day of action, one man was killed (Pte Charles Mardle of Derby), and 6 men were wounded, mainly from “C” Company. One of the men was Frederick Howard, and he was to die from his wounds 4 days later on 13th November. Frederick was buried in Denain Communal Cemetery; Denain had been in German hand for almost all of the war but after its capture in October 1918 became the location of No. 33 Casualty Clearing Station from 1st November.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.