No. L/105138, Gunner, Frederick TREDGETT
Aged 30
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Frederick Arthur Tredgett was born in Moulton in 1886 (Newmarket Q4-3B:530) and baptised in St Peter's, Moulton on 13th February 1887, the son of Fred
and Annie Mary TREDGETT (née TWEED).
1891 census...Aged 4, he was at Folly Hill, Chippenham Road, Moulton with his father Fred [27] agricultural labourer, born in Chevington; his mother Annie Mary [24] born in Dalham, and sister Phyliss L. [1] born in Moulton. 1901 census...Aged 14, an agricultural labourer, he was at Bury Road, Kentford with his parents, sister Phyliss and new siblings, Margery O.[8], William J. [5], both born in Moulton, Dorothy E.[3] born in Bardwell and Emily [4 months], born in Kentford. 1911 census...Aged 24, still single and a labourer, he was in Kentford with his parents, sister Margery, brother William [labourer], sister Emily and three more siblings, Lilian [7], Harry [5] and Thomas [4] all born in Kentford. On September 2nd 1911 he married Olive Annie TREDGETT [2-1-1885] at Mildenhall Registry Office. Their daughter Elsie Winifred was born on 4th June 1916 in Mildenhall. In Q2-1919 she married George SCRIVENER of Chippenham Road, Moulton. His parents moved to 70 Eastgate St, Bury St.Edmunds. His brother William John was also killed, in France in September 1918,whilst in the Suffolk Regiment. see here Both brothers are named on the Bury St Edmunds Roll of Honour, for some reason only Frederick is on the Kentford memorial Fred and Olive Tredgett with daughter Elsie 1914 |
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Enlisted in Newmarket. Ancestry has many images of his Army records of service. In summary:- He enlisted on 10th December 1915, giving his age as 29 and a garden labourer. 5' 7.5" (171.5 cm)tall, chest 38.5" to 40" (97.8 to 101.6 cm) , weighed 146 lbs (66.4 kg). Mid brown hair, grey eyes. Next of kin was his wife, Olive Annie TREDGETT of Kentford. Mobilised on 18th July 1916 he was posted to RGA depot and then to TF ASSE ? Aberdeen on 29th July and transferred to 267 Siege Battery on 28 October 1916,then sent to France on 21st March 1917. Posted missing in Action 21st March 1918. Olive was granted a pension of "1 and 5 pence per week for herself and daughter. On completing the pension forms for the Army, his wife stated that his father was dead, two brothers, Harry and Thomas and four sisters, Phylis, Marjorie, Dorothy and Emily were still alive. 21st March 1918 was the first day of the German Spring Offensive (the Kaiserschlacht). As they had learned on the Eastern Front, the German barrage was directed at the allied communications lines, railways, siege batteries etc, anything behind the lines which was would weaken the Allied chance of response. It was reported they fired over 1 million shells in 5 hours, one of which seems to have claimed Frederick Tredgett. CWGC figures bear this out since of the 207 dead of the Royal Garrison Artillery that day, all bar a handful were in Heavy or Siege Batteries. Only one other from 267 though. The Bury Free Press of 8th June 1918 reported:- KENTFORD SOLDIER MISSING News has been received that Gunner F.A.Tredgett of the R.G.A., eldest son of Mrs Tredgett, 70 Eastgate Street, Bury St. Edmunds, is missing. Previous to the war he worked for Sir Ernest Cassell. Gunner Tredgett was reported missing at the beginning of the German offensive in March last. The wife of Gunner Tredgett (who lives at Kentford, near Newmarket) will be very grateful for any information that can be supplied by her husband's comrades. |
© Roy Beardsworth
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