Fred William Howard

A Private with the 8th Battalion, Fred died on 22nd of October 1917 at the age of 22. 

Fred was born at Norwich in 1895, a son of Frederick William and Alice Phoebe Howard. In 1901 his family lived at 33 Norfolk Street, Heigham, Norwich, and by 1911 at 259 Heigham Street, Norwich. Later they moved to Lowestoft and lived at 7 Selby Street (this was still their home in 1939). In 1911 Fred worked as a machine hand at a boot manufacturers.  

Fred married Bessie Cobb at Lowestoft in 1914. Their son Fred William Arthur Howard was born on 25 January 1915. The family lived at 7 Bruce Street, Lowestoft. 

Fred enlisted in the Army at Norwich and joined the Norfolk Regiment. Fred was already a Corporal when he arrived in France on 12 May 1915 to join the 1st Battalion. By March 1916 Fred had been promoted to Sergeant and was serving with D Company.  

In March 1916 the 1st Battalion were in trenches north-east of Arras. On 11 March 1916 Fred was admitted to 14 Field Ambulance with bomb (hand-grenade) wounds to his buttocks and leg. Private Jarvis of D Company was also admitted to 14 Field Ambulance at the same time to be treated for bomb wounds to his hands. A note in the medical admissions register shows that both Fred and Private Jarvis had sustained accidental wounds and it seems, from the Battalion War Diary, that two other men may have been wounded as well. Fred was transferred to 19th Casualty Clearing Station for further treatment. 

Once recovered Fred was posted to the 8th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. On 22 October 1917 the 8th Battalion carried out an attack in the vicinity of Poelcappelle. In the attack the Battalion lost two officers killed, and four wounded, and 32 men killed, 155 wounded, and 39 missing. 

After the war Bessie married Henry Mitchell and continued to live at 7 Bruce Street. 

Fred's son Fred served in the Royal Army Service Corps and died in 1940.