Pte 52252 Frederick Oswald Hickson

• Age: 23
• From: Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Friday 24th November 1916
• Commemorated at: Berles Position Military Cemetery
  Panel Ref: B.4

Frederick Oswald was born at Irlam on the 19th July 1893 and he was baptised at St Paul’s Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Irlam on the 27th August 1893. He was the son of Fred Hickson and his wife Alice (née Howard) who had married on the 09th November 1889 at St John's Church, Irlam. Fred was a 20 year old coal agent of Irlam, his father, James, (crossed out), whilst Alice was aged 20 also of Irlam, her father, John, was a labourer. He had one brother Harold and four sisters Annie and May and twins Esther and Florrie.  

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 88 Liverpool Road, Irlam, Manchester. His father, Fred, is aged 32, and is a bricklayers labourer and was born in Irlam as was his wife and children. His mother, Alice, is aged 31, born in 1870 and has no occupation listed. They have three children at the time of the Census, Annie, is aged 10, born 1891, Frederick Oswald, is aged 7, born in 1894 and Harold is aged 4, born 1897.  

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 137 Liverpool Road Irlam, Manchester. His father, Fred, is aged 42, and is employed as a starch maker and his mother, Alice, is aged 41 and has no occupation listed. They have been married for twenty three years and have six children. At the time of the Census, all their children are at home; Annie, is aged 20, and is a starch maker, Frederick Oswald, is aged 17, and is a house painter, Harold is aged 14, and is a farm labourer, May, is aged 9, born in 1902, and is at school, and twins Esther Clara and Florrie, are aged 3, born in 1908.   

Frederick Oswald enlisted in the Manchester Regiment as Private 4815 before transferring to the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment.

He was killed in action on 24th November 1916, aged 23.

He now lies at Berles Position Military Cemetery, France where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"NOT MY WILL LORD BUT THINE BE DONE. FATHER, MOTHER & FAMILY "

The village of Berles-au-Bois remained in British hands from the summer of 1915, when it was taken over from French troops, until the end of the War; but it suffered at times from severe shelling.

The village was later "adopted" by the County Borough of Wolverhampton.

Berles Position Military Cemetery was begun by the 46th (North Midland) Division in July, 1916, and used (largely by the same Division) until February, 1917. It lies in a long dip; and it was known also as The Ravine Cemetery and as Nobs Walk Cemetery.

There are now over 50, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, a small number are unidentified.

The cemetery covers an area of 379 square metres and is enclosed by a low rubble wall.

Private Frederick Hickson (Service no. 52252) served with the 19th (Service) Battalion (3rd City), The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), 89th Brigade, 30th Division. Born in Manchester, he was the son of Fred and Alice Hickson of 137 Liverpool Road, Irlam. Fred lived at 25 Silver Street, Irlam and was a member of the Irlam Wesleyan Chapel Choir. He had served an apprenticeship as a joiner with Messrs Brew Brothers, Cadishead, but was employed at the CWS Soap Works for a few months before he enlisted. He was well known and respected in the Irlam district. His sister, Annie, was married to Fred Unsworth who served with the 6th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. Fred enlisted at Manchester into the Manchester Regiment as Private 4815 and was later transferred to the King’s (Liverpool Regiment). He was part of a group of about 200 men who were drafted in 1916 to the 19th King’s from the Manchester Regiment. Whilst training in Colchester Fred joined a Wesleyan Chapel Choir. He was subsequently posted to France. Fred was killed in action on Friday, 24th November 1916, aged 22. He is buried in the Berles Position Military Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France. The battalion war diary records: ‘Berles. In billets. Working parties found for R.E’s. 52252 Private Hickson F.O. and 21798 Wainwright H. were killed in action, 41813 Private Minton A, 21618 Private Riley C. 51688 Private Jefferies A.E, 21472 Corporal Carter, E., were wounded in action. All were of ‘D’ Company and were on one of the working parties in the frontline.’ Fred’s parents received a letter from the regiment’s Chaplain which said that their son had been killed whilst on a working party returning at the end of the day’s work. A shell landed in the trench he was in, exploding and killing him instantly. The letter said that Fred had suffered no pain and was buried in the cemetery close to where he was killed. His friends formed a guard of honour. A letter of condolence was also received from Fred’s friends in the same battalion, namely Privates Sam Starkey, William Atkinson and Enoch Bickerton of Irlam. By a strange coincidence, all three of these soldiers were later taken prisoner. Fred’s epitaph appeared in the Eccles Journal: ‘We loved thee well but Jesus loved thee best – from Father, Mother, Sisters and Brothers and Fanny.’ The brothers referred to were probably Josiah, then a Private (Service no. 36593) in the South Lancashire Regiment (later Private 49506, Northumberland Fusiliers) and Harold, then serving as a Private (Service no. 5753) in the 1st Battalion, Leinster Regiment.

His mother died, aged 66. in 1935, and his father, died aged 74, in 1945. 

We currently have no further information on Frederick Oswald Hickson. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.

Grateful thanks are extended to Linda Woodfini Michelini for biographical details.