No.R/1544, Able Seaman, Frederick WEBBER
Aged 19
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Frederick Webber was born in Isleham on 25th November 1898 (Newmarket Q1-1899 3B:516), son of David and Ann WEBBER (nee HARVEY).
1901 census...Aged 2, he was at East End, Isleham with his father David WEBBER [42] general labourer; his mother Ann [39]; sister Rose [13] and brother Walter [8]. All were born in Isleham. 1911 census...Aged 12, he was at East End, Isleham with his parents, married sister Beatrice EDWARDS; sister Maggie [9] and brother Harry [6]. His mother had born 11 children but 4 had already died. He was the brother in law of Driver George William EDWARDS of the Royal Horse Artillery, died in September 1920, who has his military grave in Exning Old Cemetery. click here to go to George's entry. |
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Enlisted in Army Reserves 2nd March 1916, mobilised 6th June 1916. Next of kin given as David WEBBER, Coates Drove, Isleham. Posted to BEF 3rd December 1917 and transferred to Hawke Battalion, Royal Naval Division. Off sick 1st to 8th January 1918 with PUO (Pyrexia Unknown Origin ie a fever and they had no idea what was wrong!) Rejoined Hawke Battalion and reported missing between 15th -21st March 1918 and confirmed as Prisoner of War. German records have him captured at Rubicourt {Ribecourt} on 21st March 1918, the first day of the Kaiserschlacht . Interned in No.11 Camp, Munster, he died in PoW Hospital, Sennelager, Germany from consumption. Another report says it was from Pulmonary Tuberculosis on 29th November, 1918. The Royal Naval Division was formed in August 1914 from naval reserve forces when warships of the fleet were fully crewed. The tradition of naval personnel serving on land had been long established and a shortfall in infantry divisions in the Army led to the formation of the RND to supplement the Army. The RND was retained under Admiralty control even though they were fighting on land alongside the Army. Reserve personnel from the Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Fleet Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve with a brigade of Marines were assembled at Crystal Palace to form the RND. The battalions were named after famous naval people and were: 1st Brigade: Collingwood, Hawke, Benbow, Drake 2nd Brigade: Howe, Hood, Anson, Nelson 3rd Brigade (RM): Portsmouth, Plymouth, Chatham, Deal After May 1916, they became part of the 63rd (RN) Division, supplemented by additional army battalions. 188th Brigade: Anson, Howe, 1st and 2nd RM battalions 189th Brigade: Drake, Hood, Nelson, Hawke The above from:- www.royalnavalmuseum.org/info_sheets_RND.htm On 21st March 1918 the German Spring Offensive overwhelmed the British. At Ribecourt, the Army battalions on either flank were forced back, leaving the Royal Naval Division exposed and forced into a fighting retreat.
Thanks to his Great Nephew we have the following photographs of his funeral and last postcard home.
Presumably the funeral photos were taken at Sennelager. After the war all British graves were moved into four location, Berlin South West, Hamburg, Cologne South and Niederzwehren (near Kassel) Frederick was one of the 32 moved from Sennelager |
photo; Commonwealth War Graves Commission
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details
