Name
Frederick George Cole
1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/09/1915
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
4/7376
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 41.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Window, Hemel Hempstead, St Paul's Church (now demolished), Hemel Hempstead, John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Nash Mills, Leverstock Green National School Memorial, Leverstock Green
Pre War
Frederick (Fred) George Cole was born in Hemel Hempstead, Herts on 3 August 1884, the son of George and Sarah Cole, and baptised at Leverstock Green, Herts on 14 June 1885. He was one of ten children, although one died in infancy.
Fred's father had worked as a brickmaker in Leverstock Green but when Fred was born he was working as an Agricultural Engine Driver, having acquired a Threshing Machine. The family moved home several times, possibly because of the threshing work in farms near Hemel Hempstead.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at St Albans Road, Leverstock Green, where his father was working as an Engine Driver (agricultural) and Fred attended the village school.
In 1901 they were still living at Leverstock Green and Fred was working as a foundry hand. By 1911 the family had moved to 12 Herbert Street, Hemel Hempstead and Fred was working as a labourer at John Dickinson & Co at Nash Mills, where he would remain until the outbreak of war.
His parents later lived at 17 Queen Street, Hemel Hempstead.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hertford at the end of August 1914 and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment. He was sent to Ampthill, Beds for training and was posted to the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment before being sent to France on 11 November 1914.
Fred was wounded shortly before Christmas 1914 and it was reported in the local newspaper. "A bullet went through a sand bag and struck him in the temple, blinding him for some little time. Afterwards he was brought back to England and was in Hospital in Exeter for some time, but he has recovered, and is home on sick leave." He returned to the front in the spring of 1915 and was said to have been wounded on a further two occasions, during the Battles of Ypres and Festubert.
He recovered from his injuries and returned to the front but was killed in action on 25 September 1915 during the Battle of Loos. The Battalion were ready to attack Vermelles and Cite-St-Elie and assembled at Noyelles. The attack began at 6.30 am and later they moved across and over the first line German Trench with few casualties but as soon as they advanced in the open they came under very heavy rifle fire from the Quarries and the northern houses of Cite St Elie, suffering severe casualties, however they continued to advance in small groups until reaching Gun Trench. Between 200 and 300 other ranks became casualties, along with several officers and they fell back to Support Trench. Eventually a successful charge was organised and almost all the Germans in Gun Trench were killed or taken prisoner.
Fred has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, France. He is one of 63 men from the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment named on the memorial, who died on 25 September 1915.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £3 10s and pay owing of £5 18s 5d. She also received a pension, initially of 7 shillings a week, which rose to 12 shillings and six pence.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, Barbara Chapman, google.com/site/leverstockgreenwarmemorial, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, www.bedfordregiment.org.uk, www.hemelatwar.org., www.hemelheroes.com
