Name
Frederick Underwood
16 Mar 1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/09/1916
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
16581
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Letchworth Town Memorial
Pre War
Frederick Charles Underwood was born in Letchworth in 1896 to Joseph Underwood and Charlotte (nee Clark).
On the 1891 the family of parents, Emily Clark (stepdaughter, born 1885), Elizabeth (born 1888), Eva May (born 1890) and Arthur (nephew, born 1889) were living at Lower Stondon Hamlet, Shillington, Beds.
Charlotte, Frederick’s mother died in1899.
On the 1901 Census Joseph and his family of Emily, Eva, George (born 1891), William (born 1893) and Frederick were living at 1, Woodland Terrace, Enfield.
His father Joseph married his own stepdaughter Emily (nee Clark) in 1906.
On the 1911 Census the family of Joseph Emily, George, William, Frederick, Herbert (born 1902), Charles (born 1904), John (born 1907) and Sydney (born 1909) were living in Perry, Great Staughton, Hunts. Joseph, George & Frederick were farm labourers (horses), William was a farm labourer.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Frederick who enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regiment as Private 16581 possibly in late 1914/early 1915.
After his training he was posted to 8th (Service) Battalion, which had been part of 71 Brigade, 24 Division on 30 Aug 1915. The Division took part in the Battle of Loos (25 Sep-8 Oct 1915) before transferring to 16 Brigade, 6 Division. In 1916 the Division took part in the Battles of the Somme at Flers-Courcelette (15-22 Sep). In this Battle Frederick was presumed to have been killed in action on 15 Sep 1916.
His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £8 10s and arrears of £7 4s 9d was paid to his father, a pension of 5s was paid to his stepmother Emily.
Possible 1907 cricket photo.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Dan Hill, Janet Capstick, Jonty Wild
