Name
Frederick Steveneson
1898
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/08/1918
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
41377
Leicestershire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL
Panel 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Hitchin memorials
Pre War
Frederick was born in 1898 in Hitchin his parents were Frederick and Margaret Ellen Stevenson (née Warman).
In 1901 his parents Frederick (22) and Margaret (21) were living at 2 Court C, Northgate Street, Leicester, Leics. Frederick was working as a striker coachsmith. Frederick (junior) was absent, 2, and listed as a patient in the General Infirmary, General Hospital.
By 1911 the family were living at 31 Pingle Street, Leicester, Leics. Present were both parents, Frederick (senior) now working as a blacksmith striker for a shoeing smith. The census recorded they had been married for 12 years with 3 children, of whom 1 had died. The children listed were Frederick (12) and Albert (6). Also present were Edward Stevenson (38) brother of Frederick Stevenson and his wife Sarah.
Frederick enlisted on 2 December 1916 or perhaps more likely was conscripted. He was not mobilised 17 February 1917 and became Private 37412 in the 261st Infantry. He was medically examined on the 19th at the :Leicestershire Regiment Depot. At that time he was living with his parents at 3 Court E. Chapel Yard, Old Mill Lane, Leicester. He was recorded as 17 years and 11 months old and described as 5’ 2 1/8” tall, 116 lbs and had a chest measurement of 34 ½” after a 3” expansion.
The Soldiers Died In The Great War (SDITGW) database records that he was born in Hitchin, Herts. and he enlisted in Leicester.
Wartime Service
After his mobilisation on 17 February 1917 he was posted to the Leicester Regment Depot on the 19th. After training he embarked from Folkestone on 22 January 1918, landing in Boulogne the next day and posted to No. 7 Infantry Brigade Depot in Calais on 23rd and was transferred to the 6th Leicestershire Regiment in Calais on the 26th and that was where he received the service number 41377. He joined his Battalion and “B” Company on 31 January 1918
He was killed on 25 August 1918. At that time the were in the trenches near Englebelmer having arrived there on the 23rd. They mounted an attack on the 24th, in which they took Battery Valley and Boom Ravine (south-west and east of Grandcourt respectively) and then further advanced at night.
The following day the Germans counter-attacked and the war diary records that they were repulsed. It was presumably during this action that Frederick died.
Additional Information
His mother completed a submission form for living relatives which was witnessed on 30 August 1918. It confirmed his parents’ names and address and that he had a younger brother Albert Ed Stevenson who, at that time was 14.
After his death £7 3s 1d pay owing was authorised to go to his mother Mrs M E (Margaret Ellen) Stevenson on 12 November 1918. Later a war gratuity of £6 10s was authorised to be paid to her on 28 November 1919.
His pension cards record Mrs M E (Margaret Ellen) Stevenson as his mother and his dependant, living at 3 Court E. Chapel Yard, Old Mill Lane, Leicester. It also records their children as (b ) and (b ). She/He was awarded a pension of 9s a week from 25 March 1919.
After his mothers’ death (believed to be 1941) the details were changed to Frederick Stevenson and later still to an address at 68 Swannington, Road, Leicester, Leicestershire.
His mother signed for his burial scroll on 11 June 1920, his British War and Victory medals on 12 December 1921.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild
