WICKS, Frederick (son of Georgina)


No.200452,Lance Corporal, Frederick WICKS
Aged 28


1st/4th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment
formerly No 2677, Norfolk Regiment
Killed in Action on Friday, 2nd November 1917



Frederick Wicks was born in 1888 in Mundford (Thetford Q4-1888 4B:368) son of Darius and Georgina WICKS (née SAYER).

1891 census...Aged 2, he was at Cottage, Mundford with his father Darius WICKS [30] Ostler born Ickburgh; his mother Georgina [30] born Great Cressingham and sister Ethel [8] born Ickburgh.

1901 census...Aged 12, he was at London Road, Brandon with his parents and sisters Emily [9]and Alice [3], both born in Mundford.

1911 census...Aged 23, a sawyer, he was at The Avenue,Brandon with his widowed mother and sister Alice. His father had died in 1904.

In 1915 he married Alice Maud Mary DENT [25] born Stoke Ferry. Her address, from CWGC, was 47 London Road, Brandon


click here to go to the Brandon at War website for more information

He enlisted in Norwich.
Third battle for Gaza
From Loraine Petre OBE "History of the Norfolk Regiment" it appears that on 2nd November 1917 "D" Company was "carrying for the 5rth Suffolk and 8th Hants who took Half Way House and then reached their objectives around El Arish and El Burj trenches.
The rest of the 1st/4th Norfolks at 2:15 am formed up in support behind the 8th Hants. As they advanced the enemy barrage, passing over the 8th Hants caused them heavy casualties. "B2 and "C" companies then veered right of their proper direction towards Triangle Trench and at 3.55 am , when they should have been passing through 8th Hants they found themselves in hand to hand fighting in El Arish Redoubt which upset all the timing and prevented the intended attack on Crested Rock. Instead they were in the area of the 5th Suffolks. Finally they consolidated the line from Bertha Trench to the junction of Grace and Violet Trenches, having lost 2 officers and 23 OR killed, 3 officers and 102 OR wounded and 4 OR missing, and were well short of their objectives.


The following is from "Brandon at War":-
Alice received an official notification that her husband had been killed in Palestine and a couple of months after this she received a letter from Lance Corporal Isaac Field:-
"It is with the deepest regret that I write these few lines to you to inform you that your dear husband was killed on the 3rd. He was a perfect hero, and died doing his duty. Our battalion made an attack on the front line of the Turks' trenches, and we took them and held them for two days. But on the night of the 3rd we were being relieved, when he was killed by shell fire, so I thought I would write and relieve your anxiety, and close with my deep sympathy."
The letter conflicts with the information held by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission that stated he had been killed on the 2nd.

The Bury Free Press of 24th November 1917 reported:-
BRANDON SOLDIER MAKES THE GREAT SACRIFICE
Mrs.Wicks, London Road, Brandon received official notification on Friday that her husband, Prvt Fredk Wicks, 4th Norfolk Regiment was killed in action in Palestine on November 2nd. He was 29 years of age.



photo:Commonwealth war Graves Commission



Frederick Wicks is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial,panels 12-15

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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