Name
Frederick George Oliver
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/02/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
20112
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier / Face 11D
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Stevenage Old Town Memorial,
St Nicholas' Church Memorial, Stevenage Old Town,
Holy Trinity Church Memorial Roll of Honour, Stevenage Old Town
Pre War
Frederick was born on the 22nd September 1895, the second son of Frederick Arthur & Mary Oliver of Albert Street, Stevenage.
He was employed as a painter for Mrs Hall of Orchard Road, Stevenage, before joining the Army.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in March 1915 and was posted to France on the 11th October that year. It is known that he was wounded in action during the Battle of the Somme. On the 11th February 1917 his Battalion made an assault along the Puisieux Road. They faced stiff resistance and were met by heavy German machine gun and rifle fire. The battalion slowly pushed on through the night and did not achieve their objective until 3am the following morning. It was during this assault that Fredrick went missing, and was never heard of again. At the time of his death his elder brother was a POW in Germany. Frederick has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Additional Information
Frederick is also commemorated on the family headstone in Stevenage (St. Nicholas) Churchyard. His part of the inscription reads:
ALSO HIS SON [Frederick Arthur Oliver] FREDERICK GEORGE
4TH BEDS REGT. MISSING IN FRANCE FEB. 1917, AGE 21 YEARS.
“TILL THE DAY BREAKS.”
Acknowledgments
Paul Johnson
