PREWER, Frederick
No. 12752, Lance Corporal, Frederick Francis PREWER
Aged 18
1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on Sunday 3rd October, 1915
|
Born in Exning in Q2-1897 [Newmarket 3b:509], the 2nd son of George and Sarah PREWER (née CLAYDON) of 3 Eleanor Terrace, Exning . 1901 census...At 3 Elderside Terrace, Exning were Frederick [4] with his father George [36] a groom born in Hargrave, mother Sarah [33] born in Kirtling and brother David[8] born Exning, sisters Florence [6] born Burrough Green, and Lilian [2] born Exning. Also there was his uncle Willie Claydon. 1911 census...Still at 3 Elderside Terrace, Burwell Road was Frederick [14] an errand boy with parents, brother David was now a grocers assistant, sister Lilian [12] and new siblings, brothers Tom [9], Jack [7] and sister Evelyn [4], all Exning born. One child had died, but not sure if it was Florence since she does not appear in census or death registers. His parents later moved to Ness Road, Burwell |
|
The 1st battalion's last attack before being sent to Egypt was a complete muddle. They were ordered on 1st October to move up and cover 1st Welch and 2nd Cheshires
attack on Little Willie, a trench near Vermelles. On the 2nd October (minus "D" Coy, and 70 men of "B" Coy who had been diverted to help the Northumberland
Fusiliers) the 1st Suffolks reached the support trenches. Next morning HQ and "A" Coy moved to Central Keep, "B" occupied a nearby trench whilst "C" remained
in support. "D" still had not arrived. Orders came for an attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt, directed initially at Little Willie at 8:30 pm , which was, if
successful, to carry on beyond Fosse 8 and dig in. At 7pm after recce was made they began winding up Central Bergeau but made very slow progress due to the
crowded state of the communication trench. This delay led to zero hour being put back to 10 pm and then midnight. In the event that was eventually 2 am. They
were to aim at a red light outside the German trench, but with the delay meant the position of the moon had shifted and the Germans, aware they were coming,
had inconveniently failed to display the lamp. There was no artillery support, no one had any real idea where they were going and the whole dismal affair ended
with about 160 casualties. The missing "D" Coy, it later transpired, had been diverted en route and sent to a different part of the line. The order to repeat
the attack was cancelled, and the 1st Suffolks returned to Annequin and then Perriere. On October 21st they received orders to entrain to Marseilles from where they
sailed to Egypt. The death toll in this sorry affair was 32 on the 3rd, which under the circumstances was very fortunate. The Cambridge Independent Press of 15th October 1915:- Death of a Burwell Lad Mr,. and Mrs. Prewer of 1 Ness Road, Burwell have received information from Serg. Griffiths, of the Welsh Regiment, of the death of their second son,Lance Corpl. Fred Prwer, of the 1st Suffolks, in the trenches in France on Sunday, October 3ed. Mr Prewer is road foreman to the Newmarket Rural Council. Young Prewer was 18 years of age on August 13th. he worked as Messrs Laing's grocery shop before the war. When he enlisted he was only 17 years of age, but he allowed his age to be recorded as 19. He was wounded in the arm some four months ago, when he wrote home to the Rev. J.W.Upton, sating that he hoped top come home on a short furlough, but he could not get leave, although for some weeks he was not sent to the firing line. Sergt.Griffiths, who appears to be attached to the Suffolks, writes to his parents to say that he was struck on the back of his head by a piece of shrapnel and died about ten minutes later. He was talking to the sergeant just before the shrapnel hit him. The sergeant sent home the photographs of his sister and his sweetheart and of a Burwell friend that were found in his pockets. On Tuesday morning the Vicar caused the bell to be tolled. On Sunday evening a memorial service will be held at the Burwell Congregational Church. The Newmarket Journal of 16th October 1915 reported:- KILLED IN ACTION - We regret to learn that Lance Corpl.Fred Prewer, of A Company, 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, has been kille din action. The sad news cast quite a gloom over the village. Lance-Corpl.Prewer was a son of Mr. Prewer, road foreman in the employ of the District Council and formerly road foreman at Newmarket. A particularly bright and intelligent lad, he was a brave and promising soldier, and his early death will be regretted by all who knew him. He was only 18 years of age. General sympathy is felt for his parents in the loss of their gallant son. The deceased was connected with the Burwell Congregational Church, at which an "in memoriam" service will be held on Sunday evening next.. From the Newmarket Journal 23rd October 1915 CORPORAL PPREWER'S DEATH - Information as to the manner in which Corporal Fred Prewer, 1st Suffolk Regt.(son of Mr. and Mrs Prewer of Ness Road, Burwell) met his death is given in the following letter received by Miss. F.Prewer from Sgt. W.Griffiths, No.10 platoon, C Co., 6th Welsh Regt., now serving with the British Expeditionary Force in France:- "Dear Miss Prewer it is with deepest regret that I have to inform you of the death of your brother, No.12752 Corporal F.Prewer, A Co. 1st Suffolk Regt., which occurred about 2:30 pm on the 3rd inst. He had just spoken to me when a fragment of a shell struck him in the back. He lived about ten minutes, then he passed away.I can assure you he suffered no pain, and every means was taken to save him, but with no result. It was my very unpleasant duty to take charge of all articles found on him, which I handed over to the Platoon Sergt. of his Company. I retained the photographs which I enclose. You and your family have the great consolation of knowing that he died in the defence of his country, doing his duty as a son of our glorious ERmpire. I sincerely pray that God will console you all in the great loss you have sustained, and that He will assist you to be it with great fortitude. Again expressing my deepest sympathy I am , yours truly, W.Griffiths. and also IN MEMORIAM SERVICE:- On Sunday evening a last memorial service was held in the Congregational Church. The Rev. J.W.Upton (pastor) conducted the service, and paid tribute of esteem to the memory of Lance-Corporal Fred Prewer of A.Co.,1st Suffolk Regiment, who was killed in action, in France, on October 3rd. Hymns which were known by the deceased were sung, and the pastor took as the text of his discourse "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends"> |
© Pierre Vandervelden www.inmemories.com
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details