Frederic Samuel Sidell

Born: 2 October 1899

Died: 24 August 1918

Rank and Regiment: Private 41952 in the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers

Resting Place: body unrecovered

Memorials: Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium - Panel 9

Freddie was born in 1899 to William and Emily Sidell in Cranworth. In the 1901 Census, William was working as a blacksmith and the couple had 6 children named Alec (aged 11), Gladys (aged 10), Charles (aged 7), William (5), Helen (aged 3) and Frederick (aged 1). The eldest 4 attended school whilst Helen and Frederick remained at home.

10 years later, the couple had had another child, a daughter named Hilda. Many of the children had left home however Charles, Frederick, Helen and Hilda remained at home with the eldest joining his father as a blacksmith.

In the 1911 Census, he is listed as “Fredric”; and the records of Cranworth school list “Frederic” Sidell attending from 24 September 1903 to 15 September 1913, leaving because he was (nearly) 14 years old.

Frederic’s enlistment papers survive, but are barely legible. It appears that he was called up in September 1917, enlisting in Norwich on 27 November 1917, just after his 18th birthday. He initially joined the 22nd Battalion of the London Regiment with service number 685597, subsequently transferring to the Royal Irish Fusiliers. He stood 5 ft 4 ½ in tall and, surprisingly for a blacksmith’s son, weighed but 114 lb (8 st 2 lb).

He was killed in action on the 24th August 1918. If he stayed with his regiment, he would have been part of a major allied attack designed to advance the line toward Bailleul. He has no known grave however he is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial on the border between Belgium and France.

His effects, returned to his family, are listed as his identity disc and a wallet containing letters and a photograph; £10 11s 1d. was left to his father while his pension was given to his mother. He was also posthumously awarded the Victory and British medals.

Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium