Name
Frederick Howard
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
06/04/1918
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
20583
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
GOMMECOURT BRITISH CEMETERY NO.2, HEBUTERNE
IV. H. 30.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Little Wymondley
Pre War
Frederick was born in 1894, in Little Wymondley. The son of John Howard and Betsy Howard (nee Wolfe). He was baptised on the 21st October 1894, in Little Wymondley. The 1901 census recorded Frederick, known as Fred, aged 6, living with his parents and 7 brothers in Little Wymondley. Fred’s mother died in 1904. His father John married his second wife Edith Emily Sharp in December 1908. They had two children, Isabelle and Henry. The 1911 census recorded Fred as a boarder at 29 Hornsey Park Road, Hornsey. His occupation is given as a Business Assistant.
Wartime Service
Fred enlisted in Bedford. He was posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment with the service number 20583. (He must have enlisted with his brother George as they have consecutive service numbers 20583 & 20584). Fred was Killed in Action on the 6th April 1918. He is Buried in Gommecourt British Cemetery No2. Extract from the Battalion War Diary for the 6th April 1918, Reads: “Front Line Trenches, 1 Prisoner Captured, 13 OR Killed, 3 Died of Wounds, 29 Wounded, 1 Officer and 23 OR Gassed”.
Additional Information
Fred’s elder brother George was Killed in Action on the 19th April 1916. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial to the Missing.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
