Name
Frederick Tomlin
1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/03/1918
38
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
42235
Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
108th Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
NOYON NEW BRITISH CEMETERY
I. F. 2.
France
Headstone Inscription
SLEEP ON, BELOVED
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Tring memorials
Pre War
Frederick Tomlin was born in Tring in 1879 to John Tomlin and Emma (nee Reeve).
On the 1881 Census the family of parents, Annie (born 1873) and Frederick were living at Wilstone, Tring.
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, Frederick (silk hand) and Agnes (born 1885) were living at Denmark Place, 4, Akeman Street, Tring.
Frederick’s father died in 1897.
On the 1901 Census Frederick was a boarder at 42, Verney Road, Camberwell, London and was working as a boot salesman, Frederick’s widowed mother (a straw plaiter) and Agnes (apprentice dressmaker) were living at 44, Charles Street, Tring.
Frederick married Ethel Piggott on 5 Dec 1903.
On the 1911 Census Frederick, a fruit salesman, his wife Ethel , Ralph (born 1904), Kathleen (born 1906), Cyril (born 1907),and Roy (born 1911) were living at 159, Fulham Palace Road, Fulham, London.
Wartime Service
Frederick enlisted in the City of London Regiment as a Territorial on 4 May 1915. Initially he served in 3/7 Battalion until posted into 2/7 (City of London) Battalion as Private 4151. On 27 May1916 he was discharged to enlist in the Machine Gun Corps as Private 42335 training at Belton, Grantham before being posted to BEF on 25 Jun 1916 leaving from Folkestone landing at Boulogne and going to MGC Base Depot, Camiers the same day. He joined 108 Company and was appointed company accountant, serving in this capacity from 1 Dec 1916 to 30 Jun 1917 (having the ranks of Lance Corporal and Corporal, but treated locally as Colour Sergeant). He went MG School at Camiers from 30 Jun -27 Jul 1917.Frederick was posted to Grantham for 5th Instructor Staff Course from 13 Aug -13 Sep 1917 returning to 108 Company on 12 Oct 1917.
The 108 Coy MGC was attached to 36 (Ulster Division) and as such served at the Somme (Battle of Albert 1 Jul 1917), Battle of Messines (7-14 Jun 1917) , 3rd Ypres Langemarck (16-18 Aug), Cambrai (20 Nov- 7 Dec 1917) and in 1918 the Battles of St Quentin ( 21-23 Mar ) and Somme Crossings (24- 25 Mar). It was in the action at St Quentin that Frederick was wounded (Gun Shot Wound to back, probably shrapnel) on 23 Mar 1918 and although evacuated to 47 Casualty Clearing Station died from his wounds on 24 Mar 1916.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £14 10s and arrears of £16 3s 4d was paid to his widow
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
