Fred's Story

The piece of work above was created for a round robin art project to the theme of Courage, using the colours purple and black. Courage is a rare thing, and often goes unsung. Fred above was one of millions of young men of all nations who died during World War 1. His story is typical of many, I tell it briefly to remember them all.

I'd grown up knowing my great- grandfather Thomas Gordon had died on the first day of the Somme in 1916 and that my paternal grand father had fought, had been wounded at Loos and had seen service in the Middle East. Even though he'd been tracing his family tree for some time, my husband, David knew nothing of his family's World War 1 Service. Conversations with each of his aunts revealed a substantial collection of letters, documents and photograph's from this period, showing 6 young men who had all served in World War 1.

Firstly, Alec Steele, his grandfather, who won the Military Medal (MM) and Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM). The story of the events that led to the award of the latter has been quite widely published even if Alec is not mentioned by name. Secondly, 4 brothers, his great uncles, Harry, Charlie, Fred and Ernest. Finally, Walter Gorrod, David's grandfather, whose family were not aware he'd been in the army, or had served, we believe, in the Middle East during World War 1.

Frederick Albert Whittemore was born 21 December 1896, the third son of Arthur William Whittemore and his wife, Annie, in the village of Campton in Bedfordshire. Their family was quite large, 12 children 5 boys and 7 girls. Phylis, the youngest, born in 1910 is still alive today.
At the outbreak of war only Harry was old enough to serve, he was a regular in the Royal Navy, who served at the Battle of Jutland, he died aged 73 in 1964. Charlie and Fred both enlisted in the Kitchener's Army. Charles in the 7th Bedfordshire Regiment. Fred intially enlisted in the Bedfordshires, but found himself serving in the Royal Sussex Regiment. Our belief is that he was a reinforcement to this regiment sometime after the Battle of the Somme. Ernest enlisted in the closing months of the war and never saw overseas service. By virtue of their service all the boys received the WW1 service medals, in addition Fred, was awarded the Military Medal and Bar (a Bar indicates a second award of the same medal) for gallantry.
As he was a private soldier no citation exists to describe how he won these medals, nor is there a named entry in the war diary for the regiment, so we can only guess the actions for which these were awarded. There are gazette entries in The London Gazette for both. The MM on 6 August 1918 and the Bar to this medal 13 September 1918, by which time Fred was dead. The photo I've used above was taken sometime after he won the initial medal.
We know he was a stretcher bearer at the time he won both medals. Fred was just 21 when he died, on 26th August 1918, he is buried in a very lovely cemetary at Carnoy on the Somme. What makes Fred's story even sadder, Charlie died the following day 27th August 1918 aged 23, and is buied at AIF Cemetery again on the Somme, and one of their sisters Florrie died of consumption aged 14 on 20th August 1918.

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them."

Laurence Binyon: For the Fallen