Name
Frederick Thomas Ginger
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
32222
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
Frederick Ginger was born in April 1879 at Edelsborough in Buckinghamshire. He lived at Slicketts Lane, Edelsborough with his parents Thomas and Esther, and three sisters. Thomas worked as an Agricultural Labourer. In the 1911 Census Frederick was listed living as a Boarder in the house of Arthur Dowse at 14 Marlin Square, Abbots Langley, and working as an Attendant at the Leavesden Asylum. It was noted that Frederick was a Widower, but it is not known when he was first married. Subsequently he was married Mabel Crowe on 12th April 1913 at Streatham.
Frederick attested at Watford on 30th November 1915, and undertook a Medical Examination at the Asylum on the same day. He exhibited good physical development, but was found to have defective teeth and hammer toes. He was returned home to 31 Adrian Road, Abbots Langley to remain on the Army Reserve and was mobilised on 13th June 1916. The Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour first listed him in July 1916. Frederick was posted to the 5th and subsequently (on 23rd November 1916) to the 3rd Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment. On 2nd December he embarked for France, arriving the next day, and joined the 6th Bedfordshire’s.
It was not recorded why he was admitted to hospital on 5th April 1917 but was returned to the 6th Bedfordshire’s on 26th April. On 30th June 1917 he was appointed the rank of Unpaid Lance Corporal, and on 11th November was admitted to a Field Ambulance for treatment for Trench Foot. The next day he was transferred to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station before moving on to the 25th General Hospital at Hardelot on the French coast. He was released from hospital on 12th January 1918 to the Corps Reinforcement Camp, where he was appointed the rank of Paid Lance Corporal on 8th February.
Frederick was awarded a period of leave, between 16th February and 2nd March 1918, and on returning to the Front was gassed near Albert, on the Somme on 5th April. At the end of March the German Army mounted a Spring Offensive, and flooded forward over the old Somme battlefield. The 6th Bedfordshire’s were called into the line to defend Albert and were shelled for four hours. Twenty-eight men suffered from the effects of gas.
Frederick was returned to the 24th General Hospital at Etaples on 6th April and sent back to England on a Hospital Ship on 9th April. He was posted to the Birmingham War Hospital on 10th April and remained there until 15th May 1918, when he was sent to the Military Hospital at Frensham, near Guildford. He remained at Frensham until 24th January 1919, when he was transferred to the County of Middlesex War Hospital at Napsbury near St Albans. He was transferred from Napsbury on 21st February 1919 to the Army Reserve and returned to 8 Adrian Road, Abbots Langley.
On 22nd February Frederick was awarded a Pension of 5/6d per week for ten weeks due to less than 20% disability due to the effects of gas poisoning, and eventually was demobilised on 5th March 1919. Frederick received a letter from The Metropolitan Asylum Board and was offered employment in his former capacity as a Charge Attendant at the Leavesden Asylum on his return to Abbots Langley.
Frederick Ginger survived the War.
Additional Information
Formerly 3rd & 5th Battalions, Bedfordshire Regiment
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
