Frederick Arthur Morgan was born on 9 March 1889, son of Edward Morgan and Hannah Morgan, of Cambridge Place, Cambridge, England. He died in France on 20 April 1915, killed in action.
I believe he was the 5th child and 3rd son of Edward and Hannah - out of 13 children born, of which eight were alive in the 1911 Census. However, there were two daughters who died before Frederick was born, so he was the third surviving child and third son of Edward and Hannah.
Edward and Hannah had three of their sons go into WW1, two died, in 1915 and 1917 and one survived. Frederick Morgan is commemorated on the Roll of Honour in their local parish church of St Paul's as well as Cambridge Guildhall.
The short timeline I have follows:
- 1887 born, Cambridge, England.
- 1891 Census: The family are living in Cambridge Place, Cambridge - Frederick is aged 2.
- 1901 Census: Living with his parents and siblings at 33 Cambridge Place, Cambridge, Frederick was aged 12.
- ~1906 he joined the Army
- 1911 Census: Frederick has moved out of his parents' house at 33 Cambridge Place and is serving overseas in the military.
- ....: Frederick left the Army and got a job at Pickfords Removals, but, once War was declared Frederick was recalled to the service.
- 1914 WW1: Frederick joined the 2nd Battalion Suffolk Regiment, having re-enlisted at Ely on 8 August 1914 - four days after Britain declared War on Germany. Fredericks' service number was 7352.
- 1915 WW1: Frederick Arthur Morgan died, killed in action on 21 April 1915, aged 27. He was shot in the head while in a trench.
The official records and his Medal Card have his death date as 20 April. Private Frederick Morgan was awarded three medals: Pip Squeak and Wilfred - the Victory medal, the British medal and the 14 Star (also called the Mons Star). His parents also applied for the clasp as this is mentioned on his Medal Card.
Frederick died in Belgium on the Western Front while serving in the British Expeditionary Forces - he qualified for the Mons Star and was therefore one of the Old Contemptibles.
From the "Soldiers' Effects" books it shows that £11 16/4 was sent to his parents in August 1915, followed by a £5 War Gratuity in 1919. The War Gratuity was a one-off payment. - 1915 WW1: Frederick was buried in the Suffolk Cemetery, Vierstraat, grave reference A3.
- 1919: His parents placed an In Memoriam notice in the local newspaper:
In loving memory of our dear son.
Four years have gone,
Our hearts are sore,
As time rolls on
We miss him more.
Only those who have lost can tell.
The feeling for those we love so well
Who fell in this dreadful war.
Sadly missed Esther, Mother, Sister, Brother, 33 Cambridge Place, Cambridge
- 1920 In Memoriam notice in the local paper remembered both their lost sons. This gives his rank as Lance Corporal.
WW1:
As part of the 2nd Battalion Suffolk Regiment, Frederick will have entered France on 23 August 1914.
Commemorations:
Frederick Morgan is commemorated in the following places:
Sources/Resources:
- FindMyPast
- Censuses from National Archives
- Commonwealth Graves Commission (CWGC)
- Suffolk Regiment Museum, Bury St Edmunds
All the above research has been done using solely free sites for family history and records. Therefore, E&OE.
