Name
Fred Hedges
1883
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/08/1918
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
266363
Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
2nd/4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL
Panel 7.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Tring memorials, Aylesbury memorial, Aylesbury, Bucks
Pre War
Fred Hedges was born in Wingrave, Aylesbury in 1883 to Mary Hedges, straw plaiter, father unknown.
On the 1881 his mother Mary was living with her grandmother Mary Hedges (born 1799), her son William Horne, his wife Ellen (born 1841) their son John (born 1871), Emma Horne (born 1877) and John Horne (born 1879) at Aylesbury Road, Wingrave, Bucks.
On the 1891 Census His Mother Mary, with Frederick and George was living with William Horne and his wife Ellen, their son John (born 1871), Fanny (born 1886) at Aylesbury Road, Wingrave, Bucks.
On the 1901 and 1911 Census Fred was working as a general labourer and was a boarder with William Horne and his wife Ellen, at Aylesbury Road, Wingrave, Bucks.
Fred Married Lily Elsie Cartwright on 2 Oct 1915, they made a home at 17, King Street, Tring. There would be a daughter Nellie May (born 2 Jun 1918).
Wartime Service
Fred enlisted in the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry as Private in 2/4 Battalion. No Service Record was found for Fred.
He was given the service number 266623 in 1917 as part of the Territorial Force renumbering. The 2/4 Battalion was part of 184 Brigade 61 (2nd South Midland ) Division and went France on 24 May 1916. They were to take part in the diversionary Battle of Fromelles (19-20 Jul 1916) taking heavy casualties. In 1917 they took part on Operations of the Ancre and Pursuit to the Hindenburg Line. This was followed by the Battle of Langemarck (16-18 Aug) at 3rdYpres and later at Cambrai. In 1918 they were at the Battles of St Quentin and Somme Crossings before moving the Ypres area for the Battles of Estaires (9-11 Apr), Hazebrouck (12-15 Apr), Bethune (18 Apr) during the German Spring Offensive.
Fred was killed in action on 25 Aug 1918, his remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Ypres.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £14 10s and arrears arrears of £7 1s 1d was paid to his widow,, together with a pension of 20s 5d.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
