Frederick Charles Havers

A Second Lieutenant attached to the 2nd Battalion; Frederick died on 27th of May 1918 aged 26.

Frederick was born at Norwich in 1892, a son of Frederick George and Henrietta Havers. In 1901 his family lived at 16 Angle Row Catton, Norwich, and in 1911 at 18 Traverse Street, Norwich, and Frederick was a house painter. By 1918 his parents were living at Shirley, The Avenue, Lowestoft, and later at 2 The Prairie.

Frederick volunteered and enlisted in the Army on 30 September 1914. He joined the Coldstream Guards, service number 13026. He was posted to France on 17 April 1915 to join the 2nd Battalion. On 24 April 1916 Frederick was admitted to 4 Stationary Hospital for dental treatment and he joined the Base Depot, Havre, on 5 May 1916. Frederick joined an Officer Cadet unit in 1917 and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Lincolnshire Regiment on 18 December 1917. He joined the 5th Battalion but was attached to the 2nd Battalion in France. 

On 27 May 1918 the 2nd Battalion were subjected to a heavy artillery bombardment, including gas shells, which lasted from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. when the enemy attacked. The battalion was practically surrounded and only about 30 men got away. Seventeen officers, including Frederick, were reported missing and it was later concluded that he had been killed on that day.