Freddie Abel

Born: 26th October 1885

Died: 31st December 1917

Rank and Regiment: Second Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion Norfolk Regiment

Resting Place: Alexandria Military and War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.

Memorials: St Michael’s, Coston, United Kingdom and St George’s, Hardingham, United Kingdom.

Freddie was born on the 26th October 1885 and baptised at Hardingham on the 6th December 1885, his given name being Freddie, not Frederick. He was the son of Henry Abel and Annie Elizabeth Abel, of “The Old Bird in Hand”. He was admitted to Hardingham School on the 24th February 1890 and left on the 19th October 1897 to become an Agricultural Labourer. Then from 1892 to 1894 he was at the school in Runhall and Coston.

He enlisted in the 4th Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment in September 1902. He was posted to France as part of the first wave of the British Expeditionary Force in August 1914, but was invalided home in January 1915 “suffering from nerve shock after severe engagements”. He rejoined the 9th Battalion in July 1915, but was wounded again in October 1915.

In the second quarter of 1915, Freddie married Louisa E James. It is probable that she is the same person as the Emma Louisa James who was born on the 29th July 1890 and baptised at Coston on the 16th June 1901.

In August 1917, he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant.

Tragically, on 31 December 1917, he was one of over 610 men drowned aboard the troop ship RMS Aragon after it was torpedoed by a German submarine (UC-34) as it waited to pull into port at Alexandria. Freddie’s body was recovered – he was apparently the only one of the dead from the Norfolk Regiment whose body was found – and he is buried at Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery in Egypt. The inscription on his tombstone reads:

ALWAYS REMEMBERED BY HIS DEVOTED WIFE LOUISE

When he died he was described as “husband of Louisa E. Abel, of Coston, Hardingham”, and he is commemorated (as “Frederick”) on the War Memorial at Coston Church as well as on that at Hardingham, the village of his birth. Letters of administration were granted to Louisa on the 16th April 1918, the assets of Freddie’s estate being given as the fairly substantial (for those days) figure of £119. 10s.

The “Active Service Testament” which was issued to Freddie turned up in a car boot sale in 2016 and was generously donated to Hardingham Church by the purchaser, Lesley Gristwood. It can be seen below. The inscription, written by Lord Roberts, reads:

25th Aug. 1914

I ask you to put your finest in God. He will watch over you and strengthen you. You will find in this little Book guidance when you are in health, comfort when you are in sickness, and strength when you are in adversity -

Roberts.