Frederick Girling

A Private with the 8th Battalion, Frederick died on 23rd of October 1917 at the age of 37. 

Frederick was born at Barnby, Suffolk, in 1881. He was a grandson of Jonathan and Mary Girling and is believed to have been the son of their daughter Hannah. If so, he was baptised at Barnby on 13 February 1882. 

The 1881 Census shows Frederick with his grandparents at Beccles Road, Barnby. In 1891 he was living with his grandparents at Marsh Lane, Carlton Colville. In 1901 Frederick lodged at Grove Cottages, near Henley Road, Whitton, near Ipswich, and he worked as a furnisher’s assistant. By 1911 Frederick was lodging at 2 Dove Street, Lowestoft, and he worked as a gardener.    

Pension record cards give his next of kin as Hariett Girling of Ship Corner, Carlton Colville. Note: one card states that Harriet was his aunt, another states that she was his mother. 

Frederick enlisted in the Army at Great Yarmouth. He joined the Norfolk Regiment, service number 22311, and was posted to the 8th Battalion in France. 

Frederick was wounded, but there is no record of when, how, or where he was at the time. He was evacuated to a Casualty Clearing Station at Dozinghem, near Poperinge, Belgium, where he died of wounds.  

Note: a number of official records give his surname as Garling.