Private Frederick Andre

Frederick was born in Chelsea on 12 November 1887. He was from a large family who were living in the Fulham, Chelsea area. Frederick’s grandfather was a Staff Officer to Napoleon I, and was in the retreat from Moscow in 1812.

Frederick was baptised at St Mary the Boltons, Brompton on 20 May 1988 while the family were living at 95 Adrian Terrace, Brompton. In 1901 the family had moved to 5 Seagrave Road, Hammersmith. Father Joseph was a Housepainter by trade, and he and his wife Catherine had 10 children. The nine children included on the Census were Reuben 20, Minnie 18, Joseph 13, Catherine 11, Alice 9, Louis (Lewis) 7, Arthur 5 and Emily aged 3 months. Frederick was aged 3. At the time of the Census, his brother Albert aged 16 was on the Shaftesbury, an Industrial School Training Ship moored on the Thames at Grays, Essex

By the time of the 1901 Census, Joseph and Catherine were estranged, with Joseph living with their son Lewis in Chelsea, while Catherine was living at Werley Avenue, Fulham with Arthur, Emily and Frederick. Catherine was employed as a laundress. The area around Fulham, Hammersmith and Acton was densely packed with laundries and was known as Soap Suds Island. Washing was usually done by hand and damp hung over the area in summer and winter alike.

Frederick attested at Hounslow and joined the regular army in 1906 with the 1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (London Regiment) as a Private. On the outbreak of war, he may have transferred to the 5th Battalion, finally serving with the 8th Battalion. His unit would have seen action in a number of battles.

During the Battle of Cambrai (20 November - 7 December 1917) Frederick’s battalion was in trenches east of La Vacquerie, France. The Battalion’s War diary records that on 29 November, “B” Company (Frederick’s Company) relieved “C” Company in Pelican Trench on the front line. The next day at 7 am the enemy opened a violent bombardment on the trenches. Heavy fighting went on all during the day with many soldiers being taken prisoner. There were heavy casualties that day with 10 officers and 247 other ranks from the unit, killed or missing.

Frederick was one of the missing, and a report stating that he was still missing was submitted as late as January 1918. His brother Reuben contacted the International Red Cross to see if Frederick had been taken as a prisoner of war, but the report came back in August 1918 as negative. It was assumed therefore that he was killed in action on 30 November 1917. He is commemorated on the Cambrai War Memorial, and locally on the Mitcham War Memorial, as his brother Reuben was living in Colliers Wood at that time.

The Register of Soldier’s Effects records that Frederick’s last pay was divided equally between his remaining siblings, as his parents and his sister Alice had passed away. They each received £1.11.8, plus a share in the War Gratuity of £19.00.