Name
Frank Ernest Fish
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
265210
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
NEW IRISH FARM CEMETERY
XIII. C. 20.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Sawbridgeworth Town Memorial, Great St Mary’s Church Memorial, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Frank was born on the 13th January 1894, in Sawbridgeworth, Herts. an the son of Josiah & Susannah Fish (née Morris). He was baptised on the 25th March 1894, in Sawbridgeworth.
One of 8 Children. The 1901 census records Frank, aged 7, living with his parents, 5 brothers and 2 sisters, in Bull Road, Sawbridgeworth, Herts. By 1911, his mother had died and Frank was living with his widowed father, 4 brothers and sister Maud at 36 Cambridge Road, Sawbridgeworth. His occupation is give as a baker’s labourer.
In June 1912, Frank became a Territorial soldier with the 1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment.
Wartime Service
As a Territorial he was mobilised for Home Service - Territorials has no obligation to serve overseas, but as with many of the Hertfordshires he volunteered to do so.
The 1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment and took part in both the First Battle of Ypres in 1914, and the Somme offensive of 1916 though they were not present for the infamous 1st of July. He was wounded twice and had to spend time at home recuperating.
Killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Passchendaele the 31st of July 1917.
The report in the local newspaper report read “Third son of Mr and Mrs J Fish of 11 Springall Road, Sawbridgeworth. The deceased soldier went to France with the Herts Regiment in November 1914 and fought with the Guards Brigade at the First Battle of Ypres.
He went the Battle of the Somme taking part in the capture of Thiepval, St Divion, and the Schwaben Redoubt. He was twice wounded with shrapnel and came home on short leave. In June of the present year his period of five years expired and had a month’s leave, having been wounded in four places.
Just before the end of July he returned to France and was killed instantaneously at the Battle of St Julien on July 31st, at the age of 23. Before the War he was in the employ of Messrs H A and D Taylor, maltsters of Sawbridgeworth.
Mr and Mrs J Fish have three other sons serving – two in France and one in England who was wounded in the Battle of the Somme last year and (he) is expecting to return to France at an early date.”
The 1st Hertfordshire Battalion were in support of an attack on the Langemarck Line and a general bombardment of the German lines commenced at 3.45am on the 31st July and and the planned assault began. It had three objectives to achieve known as Blue, Black & Green and units of the 116th Brigade easily captured the first two objectives, preparing the way for the forward companies of the Hertfordshire battalion, to take the third objective. At 05.00am the Hertfordshires left their assembly positions to attack their objective, which lay over the crest of a ridge.
As they made their way forward, they came under heavy fire from both German machine guns and snipers but after eliminating a German strongpoint moved up towards St. Juliaan, which was only lightly held. The battalion crossed the Steenbeek with some difficulty and two of its supporting Tanks became bogged down in the mud. Things then went from bad to worse. A pre-arranged artillery barrage never materialised due to the guns being unable to move forward over the muddy terrain and the German barbed wire defences, which were fifteen feet deep in some places, were found to still be intact. It was soon realised that ground could only be won by section " rushes" supported by the unit’s own fire.
The Cheshire Regiment were on the right of the battalion but the Black Watch, who were due to cover the left flank, had been seriously delayed. This left the Hertfordshire Regiment seriously exposed and the Germans exploited this by bringing a hurricane of fire down upon the stricken troops. This was followed by a German counterattack and by 10.30am it was clear that the objective could not be achieved. Casualties were very heavy with 459 men being killed, missing or wounded.
His next of kin received the usual letter saying he ‘died instantly’, it may have been true, but of course in many cases this was a 'kindness' to ease the news for the relatives.
Frank was not the only soldier from Sawbridgeworth to die here on this day. Thomas Crouchman who has already been named, William Pettitt and Ernest Reed died with him. They may well have been friends.
There is now a memorial to the Hertfordshire Regiment at St. Julien erected by the Herts at War Project.
Additional Information
Frank was the elder brother of Henry Alfred Fish and younger brother of Albert Henry Fish who are also named on the Sawbridgeworth War Memorial.
Acknowledgments
Paul Johnson, David Harvey - Leventhorpe School Stuart Osborne, Jonty Wild, Douglas Coe
