Name
Frederick John Carpenter
27 April 1886
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/10/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
40113
Leicestershire Regiment
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VERMELLES BRITISH CEMETERY
Pier and Face 10 D.
France
Headstone Inscription
HE WENT AT DUTY'S CALL NOW HE LIES IN A HERO'S GRAVE
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial,
St John the Evangelist Memorial, Boxmoor
Pre War
Frederick John Carpenter (known as Fred) was born in Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, Herts on 27 April 1886, the son of Henry and Anne Carpenter and one of eight children.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at St John's Road, Boxmoor where his father was working as a Railway Labourer. Fred was educated at Boxmoor School from 1891 and left in 1899, when he was 13, to work as a Carter on a farm. They had moved to Kingsland Road, Boxmoor by 1901 and his father was working as a Platelayer on the railway with the Fred listed as working as a Carter on a farm (horse).
By 1911 the family were living in St John's Road, Boxmoor near the schools. Four of his siblings were still living at home and all were employed. Fred remained working on the farm but was then listed as a labourer.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in November 1915 at Watford and joined the Leicestershire Regiment. After basic training he was sent to France, probably in mid 1916, and was posted to the 7th (Service) Battalion.
He saw action at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette and the Battle of Morval but was killed in action on 11 October 1916, aged 29, when the Battalion were in the Hohenzollern section of the trenches at Bethune. He is buried at Vermelles British Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £5 13s 10d. His mother probably received a pension of 5 shillings a week, but although records exist, it is not clear how much pension was granted.
His mother, Mrs Anne Carpenter, St John's Road, Boxmoor, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: "HE WENT AT DUTY'S CALL NOW HE LIES IN A HERO'S GRAVE".
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, www.hemelatwar,.org., www.hemelheroes.com.
