Name
Frederick Powell
1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/10/1916
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sergeant
14989
Essex Regiment
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 10D
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin
Pre War
Frederick William B Powell was born in 1892 in Ely, Cambridgeshire and his parents were Frederick and Eliza (sometimes Elizabeth, née Evans) and they had married in Ely on 26 August 1890.
In 1901 the family were living at Market Street, Ely, Cambs. Present were both parents: Frederick (37) and Eliza (34), with Frederick and working as a stone mason on own account. Their children were: Frederick William B Powell (8), Agnes M (6), Dorothy Daisy (4) and Alban Clarence (1).
Frederick (senior) died 24 October 1906 at just 42 years old, but they did have two more children. Audry Mary (b c1902) and Francis Evans (b c1907). Later his mother married Thomas Augustus Dickenson in Biggleswade in 1908.
By 1911 Thomas (46) and Eliza (now Dickenson) were living at Shortmead Street, Biggleswade, Beds. and Thomas was a registered plumber, The census recorded they had been married for 3 years with 1 child who had died. The children who were present were: Gertrude May Dickenson (12) who must have been the child of Thomas, then of Eliza’s children, Frederick and Agnes had left home, Dorothy, Alban, Audrey and Francis were all listed as the stepchildren of Thomas. A boarder was also present. It looks like Frederick was a house servant for Bernard and Minnie Freeman at 44 Tavistock Square, London W C. and one of nine domestic servants present.
It is not clear when the family moved to Hitchin, but The Soldiers Died In The Great War database (SDITGW) records Frederick enlisting in Hitchin and his family were there in 1918 at 16 Balmoral Road, as his brother Alban was listed in the Absent Voters list, meaning he was serving – an Alfred Powell is also recorded at that address. His relationship is not known as he is not mentioned above as a brother. The family were still there in 1921. We currently assume that Frederick had moved to Hitchin as some point before the war.
The SDITGW records that he was born in Ely, Cambs. and enlisted in Hitchin, Herts.
Wartime Service
He was given the Regimental Number 14989 and posted to the 11th Battalion of the Essex Regiment which was in the 18th Brigade of the 6th Division. He went to the Western Front, landing in France on 30 August 1915 and fought at Ypres and Loos. He was killed during heavy fighting on the Somme.
He was wounded on 29 March 1916 for which he was entitled to wear a "Wound Stripe" as authorised under Army Order 204 of the 6th July 1916.
The Battalion was to the west of Trones Wood on the 11th October 1916 and went to the Gueudecourt trenches on the 13th October. They attacked Mild and Cloudy trenches on the 15th October 1916.
He has no known grave and is remembered on 10D of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in France.
Additional Information
After his death £24 18s 9d pay owing was authorised to go to his mother, Mrs Eliza Dickenson on 17 March 1917. Later a war gratuity of £12 was authorised to be paid to her on 30 September 1919.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
