Lance Corporal Frederick William Lewis
| Date of Birth | c.1889 |
|---|---|
| Age at Death | 19 |
| Date of Death | 15 September 1916 |
| Service Number | G/9664 |
| Military Service | 10tyh Batt, Royal West Surrey Regiment |
| Merton Address | "Melrose", Upper Green East |
| Local Memorial | Mitcham War Memorial |
Additional Information
Frederick was born in Gravesend, Kent in 1889 to Frederick William Lewis and his wife Mary. In 1901 the family were living at 53 Mossbury Road, Battersea. Frederick Snr was employed as a Commercial Clerk. The couple had 5 children, Herbert 13, Kathleen 7, Hilda 4, Henry 2 and Frederick who was aged 12. Their 78 years old grandmother also lived at the family home.
By 1911 the family had moved to 195 Latchmere Road, Lavender Hill and the family had grown to include Charles who was 5 years old. Frederick was now 22 and was employed as an Ironmongers Assistant.
Frederick married Annie Victoria Jackson at St. Barnabas Church, Battersea on 13 November 1915, while his family were living at 18 Elspeth Road, Battersea. Annie was living at her family home at 26 Khyber Road, Clapham at the time.
During the First World War, Frederick enlisted at Battersea with The Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment). He was with the 10th Battalion which was a service battalion mainly made up of Kitchener Volunteers. His battalion took part in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (15 – 22 September 1916) which saw their men decimated.
The Battalion’s War Diary for that period recorded the following:
Entry for 14 September 1916:
“Bn reached Pommieres Redoubt at 2.30 pm conducted by guides of the 10th R.W. Kent Regiment to trenches of N.E. side of Delville Wood. Distribution: A Coy right front line, B Coy left front line, C Coy left reserve, D Coy right Reserve – Relief completed 10 am – Orders for attack on 15/9/16 issued to Coys at 5 pm.”
Entry for the 15 September 1916:
“Bn assaulted enemy trenches – 4 lines – in immediate front – took FLERS and occupied enemy trenches immediately N.E. of FLERS.”
The diary entry for the Nominal Roll shows the names of Officers, N.C.O’s and Men who were killed, wounded or missing between 15 and 17th September. Frederick was in C Coy, and his name appears on the list as “missing”.
Frederick is recorded as Killed in Action on 15 September 1916 and has no known grave. His is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France and locally on the Mitcham Memorial.
His widow Annie received his last pay of £4.12.6 plus the War Gratuity of £3.00. It is not clear how Frederick is connected to Mitcham. The CWGC website records Annie’s address as ‘Melrose’, Upper Green East, Mitcham, so perhaps she lived in the area at some point, although her address on the Electoral Roll for 1919/1920 is the family home in Khyber Road.