Name
Frederick Charles Bladon
1898
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/05/1916
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
16296
Devonshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CITADEL NEW MILITARY CEMETERY, FRICOURT
V. E. 4.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Memorial, Hemel Hempstead
Pre War
Frederick Charles Bladon was born in 1898 in Hemel Hempstead, the eldest child of Charles and Daisy Bladon and one of eight children, although one died in infancy. On the 1901 Census the family were living at 9 Cherry Bounce, Hemel Hempstead, where his father was working as a General Labourer.
By the 1911 Census the family had moved to 31 Cherry Bounce and Frederick left school soon after, although it is not known where he then worked. The National Roll of the Great War gave his address on enlistment as 15 Sopwell Lane, St Albans.
His parents later lived at 36 Queen Street, Hemel Hempstead and 107 High Street, Hemel Hempstead.
Wartime Service
Frederick was only sixteen when war broke out but he went to St Albans in April 1915 to volunteer with the 8th (Service) Devonshire Regiment. He was sent to Aldershot for basic training and was mobilised in July 1915, being sent to France in early September. Officially recruits had to be eighteen to serve abroad but it is likely that he gave a false age.
He first saw action in the Battle of Loos and was lucky to survive as his unit suffered 639 casualties. The following year on 25 May 1916 the 8th Battalion were at Meaulte, south of Albert when Frederick was killed in action by enemy artillery fire, age 18. He is buried at Citadel New Military Cemetery, Fricourt, France.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £4 and pay owing of £10 2s 3d. He also received a pension of 5 shillings a week. N.B. the National Roll of the Great War incorrectly gives his date of death as 1 October 1916.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk. www.hemelatwar.org., www.hemelheroes.com.
