No.9766, Private, Frederick WARD
Aged 19
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Frederick Henry Ward was born in 1898 (Mildenhall Q1-1898 4A:847) , son of Alfred and Eliza Catherine J. WARD(née EVANS).
1901 census...Aged 3, he was at Avenue Farm, 60, Icklingham with his mother Eliza WARD [31] born Chester, Cheshire; his grandfather (widower) John WARD [69] stockman on farm; brother Alfred B [6]; sisters Dorothy [5] and Charlotte [1]. All except his mother were born in Icklingham. His father, Alfred WARD [36 ] farm labourer, born Hampshire, has not been identified in this census. 1911 census...Aged 13, he was at Avenue Farm, Icklingham with his parents; brother Alfred B (farm labourer); sisters Dorothy, Charlotte M., Mary J W [9], Martha L [7] and Violet E [5], new sisters all born in Icklingham. |
photo courtesy Gary Ingram
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He enlisted in Bury St Edmunds. The 7th battalion was at Acheux when they received orders to amalgamate with the 1/1st Cambridgeshires and then spent their last tour of duty in the trenches from 11th to 17th May before becoming a cadre unit and then later being affiliated to the American Army to give them instruction. The Battalion had 5 men killed on the 17th May and one the next day, probably the last of the battalion to die in action. The Bury Free Press of 29th June 1918 reported:- IN MEMORIAM SERVICE AT ICKLINGHAM The news of the death of Prvt Frederick Henry Ward, the younger son of Mr.and Mrs. Alfred Ward of Avenue Farm was received with much regret in the village, where he was universally respected as a young man of exceptionally high character. The deceased enlisted in 1916 in the 3rd Suffolks and went through his course of training at Felixstowe before proceeding to France. He was severely wounded in the shoulder and back last April. After recovery from his wounds he was drafted back to the front, and fell in action on 17th May. A memorial service was held in the parish church last Sunday evening................his eldest brother Cyclist Basil Ward was unable to be present owing to military duties. His father had served with distinction for many years in the Suffolk Regiment in India.....
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission and also commemorated on the Weather Heath Memorial (Elveden Column by the A11) click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
