Pte 41489 Fred Whiteley Consterdine

• Age: 24
• From: Whitefield, Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 10th October 1918
• Commemorated at: Highland Cem Le Cateau
  Panel Ref: I.B.6

Fred was born in Blackley in the June quarter of 1894, the son of Edward and Jane Consterdine. His parents married in 1886.

On the 1901 Census the family are living at 30 Astbury Street, Radcliffe. His father, Edward, is a 35 year old foreman dyer in a velvet works born in Blackley, whilst his mother Janey B.  is 36 years old and was born in Salford. They have four children in the household all born in Blackley; Lottie 14, Albert 12, Fred W. 7, Ted B. 4. 

On the 1911 Census Fred is aged 17, a junior clerk, living at 56 Wilton Street, Whitefield with his parents and three siblings. His father, Edward 45, is employed as a roller worker for calico printer, his mother, Jane, is 44. THey have been married for 24 years and have had 4 children. Fred's siblings are shown as; Lottie 24 a cotton weaver, Albert 22  apaper hanger and painter, and Ted Birtles a 14 year old assistant engraver at copper rollers. Also present is his aunt Alice Hannah Consterdine, a 43year old  cotton weaver b.Blackley.

Prior to the war Fred was employed by Messrs Price Candle Co. based at Cross Street in Manchester. He was a member of the Stand Unitarian Cricket Club and was educated at the New Jerusalem Day School in Radcliffe. 

Fred enlisted in Manchester as Private 4046 in the Manchester Regiment  before transferring to the 18th Bn of the Kings Liverpool Regiment as Private 44489. He was killed in action on the 10th October 1918, aged 24, during an attack at Le Cateau. 

On 7th October 1918 the 18th Bn arrives at the Hindenburg Line and pursues the retreating German army.  The battalion War Diary records -  

10th October 1918 - At 0230 hours the battalion moved forward to a position near RUEMONT, and attacked towards LE CATEAU at 0510.  Very little opposition was met with at the start but later considerable M.G. fire was encountered. …  Our right company was not in touch with the flank, and the troops on the right appeared to be held up by M.G. fire from the railway embankment … A short length of trench on the high ground immediately E. of LE CATEAU was also reported to be held by the enemy.  At 0848 the Centre Coy reached K.33.b and pushed a platoon into the N. W. outskirts of LE CATEAU.  The right company was temporarily held up by MG and sniper fire, but appeared to be almost in the town itself.  Hostile M.G. fire was reported from the direction of Q.10. … Houses in K.28.a were reported to be strongly held by the Bosche, and a patrol was sent out to investigate and deal with them. … During the advance on LE CATEAU considerable difficulty was experienced, owing to a “whizz bang” battery being able to fire over open sights at the troops as they moved up the rise and along a slight valley.

Total Casualties from 7th to 13th October:

Killed – 2 Officers, 18 O.R.

Wounded – 6 Officers, 111 O.R.

Died of Wounds – 1 O.R.

Wounded and Missing – 1 Officer, 20 O.R.

Fred was one of those casualties referred to, he now rests at Highland Cemetery, Le Cateau.

After the Battle of Le Cateau (26 August 1914), the town remained in German hands until the middle of October 1918. The original cemetery (Plot III) was made by the 50th (Northumbrian) Division after the fighting of 17 October; the name of Highland Cemetery is suggestive at once of the comparatively high ground on which it stands and of the 32 graves of the 13th (Scottish Horse) Battalion, Black Watch, found in this plot. The cemetery was greatly enlarged after the Armistice when graves of October and November 1918 were brought in from isolated positions on all sides of Le Cateau. Highland Cemetery now contains 624 First World War burials. The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.

Soldiers Effects to father Edward, Pension to father and mother Jane.

His death was reported in the Manchester Evening News on 04th November 1918:

CONSTERDINE - In loving memory of Private F. W. CONSTERDINE 41489 King's Liverpool Regt., killed in action, October 10, 1918, age 24 years. A sorrow too deep for words. Sadly missed by FATHER, MOTHER, two BROTHERS AND BROTHER-IN-LAW (still serving). Woodlands Lodge, Whitefield.

Fred is remembered at home on the following memorials:

Whitefield War Memorial 

Blackley War Memorial 

Stand Unitarian Chapel Roll of Honour.

His two brothers Albert and Ted both served in the war. 

Pte 201084 Albert Consterdine 2/5th Lancashire Fusiliers

T/Cpl Ted B. Consterdine 55813 Cheshire Regt, Pnr 218112 Royal Engineers.

His mother died in the June quarter of 1927, aged 62.

His father died in the September quarter of 1936, aged 70.  

Our grateful thanks go to Christine North and David Galloway for allowing use of their research in order to tell Fred's story.

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