Pte 32741 Frederick Fitzroy

• Age: 22
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 18th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Frederick Fitzroy was born on the 05^th November, 1894 in Liverpool, the son of Thomas Fitzroy and his wife Mary (nee Williams). They were married on the 22nd June 1890 at Christ Church, Liverpool. Thomas was a 27 year old auctioneer of 28 Kirby Street, father Thomas deceased, whilst Mary was aged 19 of 74 Field Street, father Samuel. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 46 Lennox Street, Liverpool. His father Thomas is aged 37, and is a furniture remover, born in Liverpool. His wife Mary is aged 30, born in Liverpool. The children, all born Liverpool, are Emily 9, Harold L. aged 8, Frederick aged 6, William aged 4, Harry aged 3, Thomas 9 months. 

Frederick was educated at Newsham School, Liverpool. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 47 Lennox Street, Liverpool. His father Frederick is aged 48, and is a furniture removers assistant, born in Liverpool. His wife Mary is aged 39, born in Manchester and they have been married for 21 years. The children are Harold Lancelot aged 18, butcher's assistant, Frederick aged 16, cycle makers assistant, William aged 14, butcher boy, Harry aged 13, Thomas and Winifred aged 8, Albert aged 7 and Ivy aged 5. All the children were born in Liverpool.

He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 32741 when he was killed in action on the 18th October 1916 aged 22 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

18^th Bn Diary

18^th October 1916

Attacked German trenches commencing 3.40 am. Relieved by 19^th Manchester Regt. Took up position in support Bn trenches W. of Goose Alley.

Graham Maddocks in his book Liverpool Pals gives an overview of the events of the day:

“At 3.40 am the whistles blew, and the Battalion left its assembly trenches, in three waves, approximately fifty yards apart, and began to cross No Man’s Land. Almost immediately, the German Barrage fell on the first wave and halted its advance, so that the second wave soon caught up with it. This was not a great problem at first, and the two combined waves were able to advance together for about 300 yards, whereupon they encountered the German Grid Trench system. On the right of the advance, it was found that the wire was largely intact, apart from a few gaps, and the Germans bombed and machine gunned these gaps, which prevented any further progress. Elsewhere along the trench, however, the wire was cut and there did not seem to be any serious opposition. Nevertheless, the men hesitated to jump down into the German trenches, and instead, began to filter back across to the safety of their own lines.

By this time the third wave had caught up, as had a fourth wave, which had been detailed to mop up any opposition once the trenches had fallen, and all four waves became intermingled which added to the confusion. No less than three attempts were made to try to get the men to go forward again, but each attempt became markedly less successful than its predecessor, and eventually the attack came to a standstill. Although the British assembly trenches had received the attention of the German guns, the attackers in No Mans Land had not come under any great intensity of fire up until this point.

However, once it became obvious to the Germans that the attack was disorganised and faltering, they began to fire into the massed men from the flanks. It was probably this that finally settled the issue and convinced the Pals that they could no longer gain the enemy trenches, and all four waves, now merged into one, began to retreat to their own lines. The whole attack had been an abysmal failure, and no ground had been gained at all”.          

He was posted as amogst the Missing in the Liverpool Daily Post on Wednesday 29 November 1916: 

Missing. 

King’s Liverpool Regiment - Broady, 17046, W. T. (Egremont); Cadwell, 29492 J. J. (Southport); Cromwell, 16706, Corpl. T. L.; Fitzroy, 32741, F; Golothan, 32690, Corpl. W. P. (Chester); Griffiths, 32795, J. W.; Hilditch, 17057, A. J.; Leadsom, 39054, S.; Leighton, 16975, H. N. (Seaforth); Narracott, 17080, F. V.; Orrett, 16984, Sergt. J. S. (Prescot); Poole, 33265, F. (Shrewsbury); Powell, 23167, J.; Rench, 16992, T. F.; Ronson, 16054, G. R.; Speed, 26587, R.; Taylor, 23841, A. 

Frederick's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

He is also commemorated on St Anne’s C. of E. Church, Stanley.  

The family suffered another grievous loss when his brother Harry who enlisted in Liverpool and was serving as Lance Corporal 203080, Lancashire Fusiliers, 3rd/5th Battalion was killed on 09th October 1917, aged 19.

He too had been originally posted as Missing in the Liverpool Echo on 17th October 1917: 

LANCE-CORPL. HARRY FITZROY 3/5th Lancashire Fusiliers, Reported Missing October 9, any information will be gladly received by his parents, 73 Green Lane, Stoneycroft. 

Harry now rests at  XXVIII.A10 in Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium where his headstone bears the following inscription, paying tribute to his brother: 

"ALSO IN MEMORY OF 32741 PTE F. FITZROY 18TH BN KING'S LIVERPOOL RGT. 18TH OCTOBER 1916"

Soldiers Effects to mother Mary, the Pensions of both Frederick and Harry to Mary. 

His father died in 1938, aged 75. 

His death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on Wednesday 06 April 1938:  

FITZROY— April 4 at Belmont Road Hospital, THOMAS FREDERICK FITZROY, aged 75 years, husband of Mary Fitzroy (late of Green Lane, Stoneycroft), 583 Queen's Drive. (No flowers, by request.) 

His mother, Mary, date of birth shown as 24th September 1870, appears on the 1939 register at 583 Queens Drive, she died in 1965, aged 94, in Barton, Lancs. 

Both brothers are commemorated on St Anne’s C. of E. Church, Stanley.  

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