3386, Corporal, Frederick William CHALLICE
Aged 18
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Born in Newmarket, in Q2-1897 [Newmarket 3b:508], 2nd son of James William and Lily Susannah CHALLICE (née HOWLETT), of Lower Station Road (now All Saints Road), Newmarket. 1901 census...Frederick [4] was living in Lower Station Road, Newmarket with his father James William [31]a solicitor's clerk; his mother Lily Susannah [28]; brother Richard Arthur [5] and sisters Hilda Jeanette [2] and Emily Sarah Agnes [9 months]. The entire family were born in Newmarket. 1911 census...Frederick, a scholar, was at 5 Stamford Villas, Stamford Street, Newmarket with the same family unit plus a new sister Phyllis Mary [4]. His parents were later at 2 All Saints Terrace before moving to Holker House, High Street, Newmarket (next to the Memorial Hall). |
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The Newmarket Journal of April 1915 reported that he had been sent home, under age, after his first attempt to enlist. His age was given
by the Newmarket Journal of 30th October 1915 as 18 years. Frederick was a railway clerk prior to eventually enlisting in Bury St Edmunds. He was too young
to have officially been sent to serve overseas.
The Newmarket Journal reported:- DEATH OF CORPL. F.C.CHALLICE - We regret to state that Mr.J.W.Challice,of 2 All Saints Terrace, Newmarket, received a notification from the War Office on Tuesday that his younger son, Corpl.Fred C.Challice, died of dysentry at the Dardanelles on the 23rd inst., on board H.M. hospital ship "Soudan". Corpl.Challice, who was only 18 years old last March, was a clerk in the goods department at Newmarket Railway Station.Like his elder brother Dick, he enlisted in the earlier stages of the war, but was sent back, after reaching Bury St.Edmunds, because he was under age. Still keen on serving his country, he offered himself again in April last, and was then accepted for service in the 3/5th Suffolk Regiment. Having learnt the earlier drills at school, he rapidly gained promotion, and had reached the rank of corporal when he went out with a draft to the 1/5th Suffolk on Sept. 21st last.he had thus been at the Dardanelles just over a month. There was every reason to anticipate further advancement for him at an early date. In the loss of such a promising lad Mr Challice (whose wife died early in the present year) and his family will have the deepest sympathy of everyone in the town and district. He would have sailed from Liverpool on July 29th 1915 on HMT Aquitania and arrived in Gallipoli via Mudros, on the Greek island of Lemnos. He died of dysentry aboard H.M. Hospital Ship Soudan on his way back from Gallipoli. The rest of the battalion withdrew from Gallipoli in December 1915 It seems quite likely that Fred Challice, Frank Stacey , John Glyde , and Walter Argent all arrived together to Gallipoli on 10th August 1915. "H" company of the 5th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment consisted 83 Newmarket and 25 Mildenhall men. |
H.M. Hospital Ship "Soudan"
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