Name
Frederick Ansell
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/05/1915
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
2584
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 47.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Stevenage Old Town Memorial, St Nicholas' Church Memorial, Stevenage Old Town, Holy Trinity Church Memorial Roll of Honour, Stevenage Old Town, 4 Co' Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Frederick was born in Stevenage on the 14th March 1887, the son of William and Emma Ansell, of 41, Alleyns Road, Stevenage.
In 1891 the family were living in Albert Street, Stevenage with Fred’s father a bricklayers labourer, his mother was present as were the children: Arthur (10), Albert (8), Alfred (6), Fred (4) and Harry (2).
By 1901 they were still in Stevenage, but living in Alleynes Road. The family listed as his parents, William was now listed as a general labourer, and the children listed above. Fred, now 14 was working as a railway parcel collector.
On the 3rd October 1904 Fred, now 17years-old, gave up his job as a Baker and travelled to London where he joined the Royal Navy, serving in the Royal Marine Light Infantry. He served a number of ships including HMS Attentive, HMS Sapphire and HMS Hogue. The 1911 Census records Fred as being a member of the crew of HMS Juno, moored of off the coast at Margate, Kent. He remained in the service of the Royal Marines until his discharge on the 10th December 1912.
He joined Hertfordshire Territorials with the number 2587 suggesting that was between previous February 1913 date and 1st January 1914. At some point he was recorded as enlisting in Hertford while living was in Stevenage.
Wartime Service
Regimental number was 2584 and he was killed in action in France having arrived in France on the 6th November 1914 and served there, on the Western Front, until his death.
At the time of his death, the 1st Herts were part of the 4th (Guards Brigade) in the 2nd Division. They were extremely proud that, as a Territorial Force Battalion, they were accepted by the regular Guards Battalions and even called themselves the Herts Guards. During the three months before his death, the Battalion was engaged in normal trench warfare routines such as digging and repairing trenches, putting up wire, etc, sometimes in the front line, sometimes in support and occasionally in reserve or at rest in or near a town such as Bethune.
An offensive operation began early on the 18th May 1915 at Festubert when the Brigade attacked positions known as Pl4 and Ferme Cour d'Avous. No.1 Company of the Hertfordshire Regiment were supporting an attack by the Irish Guards on a farm between Festubert and Richebourg L’Avoue known as Pl4 and Ferme Cour d'Avoué. They had only moved about 200 yards when they were held up by very heavy machine gun and rifle fire from a location known as Adalbert Alley.
In part that involved, with others, helping as stretcher-bearers for the large numbers of Irish Guard casualties. That evening, the Herts relieved the Irish Guards due to the heavy casualties the Irishmen had sustained. The Herts in turn were relieved on the night of the 19th May but in those forty-eight hours had sustained 25 killed and 91 wounded. The Commanding Officer of the Irish Guards sent a letter to the Commanding Officer of the Hertfordshires thanking them for all their assistance.
A comrade wrote to his parents that his last words were "a piece of dirt has hit me on the head". It is unlikely that he was wearing a steel helmet at the time as they weren’t issued until 1916. He was reportedly buried between Richebourg St. Vadet and Festubert.
It is not known at what stage Frederick lost his life. A comrade wrote and told his parents that Fred's last words were, "A comrade wrote to his parents that his last words were "a piece of dirt has hit me on the head". It is unlikely that he was wearing a steel helmet at the time as they weren’t issued until 1916. He was reportedly buried between Richebourg St. Vadet and Festubert. owever, he now has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Le Touret Memorial.
Additional Information
After his death £14 8s 7d was authorised to go to his mother and later a war gratuity of £6 was paid to her.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Paul Johnson, Jonty Wild, www.stevenageatwar.com
