Name
William Fripp
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/04/1917
43
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
33484
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 41.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Christ Church Memorial, Watford, Leavesden Asylum/Hospital War Memorial, Leavesden, Abbots Langley Village Memorial, Not on the Hertford memorials
Biography
William Fripp was born in 1874 at Lyndhurst, Hampshire, and baptised 8 November 1874 at St Michael and All Angels, Lyndhurst. He was the son of Ann (nee Morgan). His mother married Robert Fripp 1854 in the Southampton district. Robert died 1870 in the Westminster St James, London district aged 42 [so is not William’s father], and was buried 29 January in Lyndhurst Cemetery, Hants; Ann possibly died 1888 in the New Forest, Hants, district aged 54.
On the 1881 Census William was living at Rose Cottage, Lyndhurst with his mother, a tailoress, and brothers Edward and Maxwell. On the 1891 Census William was working as a groom at Wiverley House, Lyndhurst for the Earl of Gosford. On the 1901 Census William was an attendant at the Kent County Lunatic Asylum, Maidstone. William married Margaret Mary Dall in spring 1902 in Watford.
On the 1911 Census William was living at 16, Marlin Square with his wife and son, Archibald William (born 19 Jan 1903). The Census noted that William was employed as an Asylum Attendant at the Leavesden Asylum.
William enlisted on 28 Jun 1916 as Private 33484 in the Bedfordshire Regiment. No Service Record could be found for William. William was first recorded in the Leavesden Parish Magazine in August 1916. It was noted that he had joined His Majesty’s Forces, and was employed as an Attendant at the Asylum. William had enlisted on 28th June 1916 at Bedford, and was living at Marlin Square, Abbots Langley at the time. He went France in late 1916 joining 8th (Service) Battalion on the Somme. (The Battalion War Diary mentions a draft of 151 men for inspection on 27 Dec 1916.) In the spring of 1917 were positioned in the Loos Sector and on 14 Apr 1917 the battalion was brought from the reserve trenches to take over the line near Vermelles. On the 15 and 16 April two companies from the battalion attacked the German lines near Hill 70, and suffered relatively minor casualties. The attack continued through 17 April until the Germans counter attacked and continued to shell and bomb the Bedford’s throughout 18 April. Bombing attacks and heavy bombardments continued through 19th April, and it is most likely that William Fripp was killed during this phase of the action. The 8th Bedford’s were withdrawn that evening, but the shelling was so intense that the relief was not complete until 6.30am on the morning of 20th April. During five days in the front line the battalion lost 17 Other Ranks killed and another 91 wounded. In addition 6 Officers were killed or wounded. Williams was recorded as killed in action on 19 Apr 1917.William’s remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Loos Memorial.
His wife Margaret never remarried and died 1957 in the Ware, Herts, district aged 80.
Additional Information
There is an article about William in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 12 May 1917. War Gratuity of £3 and arrears of £2 13s 6d was paid to his widow. Has a entry in the National Roll of the Great War. Unfortunately, William's Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
