Name
Frederick Charles Stratton
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/10/1917
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
10797
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st. Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 48 to 50 and 162A
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
St Albans Citizens Memorial, Town Hall (old) Memorial, St Albans, Not on the Colney Heath memorial
Pre War
Frederick Charles Stratton was born in Bramfield, Herts in 1897, the son of John and Sarah Elizabeth Stratton (nee Mardel). He was one of nine children.
The 1901 census records that the Stratton family were living in one of the cottages in Archers Green in Tewin, near Hertford, where his father was working as a Cowman on a farm. By 1911 the family had moved to Flint Cottage, St Albans when his father continued working as a Cowman and Frederick was a 13 year old schoolboy. At that time Frederick was one of 7 children, John (11), Annie (9), Albert (5), Newlon (3), Mary (2) and Fanny (2 months). The five bedroom cottage also accommodated his uncle, Charles Mardel (27), aunt Cecilia Mardel (13) and Mary Fitzgerald (23) who was visiting at the time. (N.B. Charles and Mary married in 1912).
Brothers Albert, Newlon and Charles and sisters Mary and Fanny were all baptised at St Mark’s Church, Colney Heath.
Wartime Service
Frederick enlisted in St Albans and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, serving with the 1st Battalion in France from 30 September 1915. It is likely that he was one of a draft of 25 men which joined the Battalion in the field at Chipilly and Etinehem on 13 October.
The following year they were engaged in several phases of the Battle of the Somme and fought in the Battles of Arras and Ypres in 1917.
Frederick was killed in action on 9 October 1917 during the Battle of Poelcapelle. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £12 10s and pay owing of £6 0s 3d. His mother received a pension of 5 shillings a week.
N.B. There is another Frederick Stratton who was born in 1885 in Woolmer Green to John and Elizabeth Stratton and who lived in Woolmer Green in 1901 and Knebworth in 1911. He also served in the war but survived.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Gareth Hughes
