Frederick (Fred) Charles Bown (1897–1919)

Private

Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) 22831 3rd Battalion
Cheshire Regiment 3/28380 3rd/1st

Derbyshire Courier, 12 August 1916

Charles Frederick Bown photograph

Biography
Fred worked as a wood machinist before enlisting in Feb 1915. He served in France and Italy. He was hospitalised several times – gunshot to the knee, gunshot to the hand, bronchitis then suffering from gas poisoning. On discharge from Lichfield hospital in 1919 he was declared as being fit, though he died later that year in hospital at Leicester. He is buried in an unmarked grave in the churchyard of St Mary’s, Crich.

Medal Index Record
Awarded the Victory, British and 15 Star Medals.
His record shows he entered France 17 July 1915, and was demobbed 6 March 1919.

Service Record
On his Service Record Sherwood Foresters was crossed out and Cheshire Regiment replaced the entry. The photograph shows him wearing a Foresters' cap
Fred attested to the Sherwood Foresters (22831) on 1 February 1915 at Derby, aged 19 years 2 months, a labourer sawmill hand living at Fritchley. His height was 5 ft 5½ in, weight 124lb, born 1897. The next-of-kin was his father, Christopher Bown. He was described as a clean smart soldier.
01/02/15 Enrolled Sherwood Foresters
09/02/15 Posted to 3rd Sherwood Foresters
09/07/15 Transferred to 3rd Cheshire Regt 3rd
09/07/15 Expeditionary Force
14/07/15 Embarked Southampton
17/07/15 BEF France
21/07/15 Joined Battalion
25/08/16 Joined Cheshire Regt .
27/07/16 Gunshot wound to right knee
05/09/16 Gunshot wound to right hand
19/09/16 Joined 1st Cheshire Regt.
03/12/16 to 13/12/16 Granted leave
03/02/17 To hospital with bronchitis
18/02/17 Rejoined Battalion
18/04/18 Joined from Italy
15/03/18 to 29/03/18 Granted leave
04/08/18 Wounded by gas shell
14/08/18 Home (He was gassed and in hospital 14/08/18 to 20/09/18)
22/08/18 Hospital at Lichfield
06/09/18 Discharged hospital
17/09/18 Hospital
16/11/18 to 25/11/18 Furlough to Fritchley
06/02/19 Left army

Newspaper report

Derbyshire Courier, 23 September 1916
UPPER FRITCHLEY MAN AGAIN WOUNDED
Mr and Mrs C. Bown, of Upper Fritchley, have again had news that their son, Private Fred Bown, is wounded and has been conveyed to the base. The intimation is of a brief character. Private Bown, who is in the Cheshires, had only returned to the trenches shortly before, having been in a stationary hospital in France suffering from a shrapnel wound received at Delville Wood on 27th July.

Derbyshire Courier, 17 August 1918
Private Fred Bown of Upper Fritchley, is at present ill in hospital suffering from gas effects. Mr and Mrs Bown, his parents, had news on Monday that he had been taken to the Stationary Hospital, St Omer. This is Private Bowns fourth experience in hospital. He has been twice wounded and once ill previously. He has been in France and Italy for 3½ years.

On his discharge he was declared as being fit. However, later in that year he died at Leicester Hospital aged twenty-two. He was then interred in Crich churchyard.

Derbyshire Courier 26 July 1919
The death took place at Leicester on Sunday of Mr Fred BOWN, of Fritchley. Mr BOWN who was 22 years of age served with the forces throughout the war being attached to the Cheshires. He was badly gassed and he suffered from its effects after demobilisation. He was also wounded severely. Before joining the army Mr BOWN was employed at Messrs Joseph GLOSSOP’s timber works at Ambergate. The remains were interred at the Parish Churchyard, Crich, on Thursday.

Death Ceruficate

deathe certificate of Frederick Bown WW1

Burial at St Mary's churchyard, Crich

WW1 burial plot for Fred BOWN

Frederick was recorded on both the Roll of Honour and War Memorial as a casualty of the war. However, he does not have a military headstone. His burial plot is in the next row to that of James Bingham and Frank Hall. It is marked with a wooden memorial plaque.

WW1 memorial plaque for Frederich Bown

Marker and plaque thanks to Terry Bishop

CENSUS INFORMATION

1901: Fritchley

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Hannah Bown Head wdw 64   Eastwood
Christopher Bown son 29 Brakesman Atlow
Mary Ann Bown daughter in law 27   Crich
Reginald Bown g.son 7 School Crich
Frederick C Bown g.son 4   Fritchley

RG13 piece 3231 folio 13 page 18

1911: Fritchley

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Christopher Bown Head 39 Railway platelayer Atlow
Mary Ann Bown wife 37 Household duties Crich
Reginald Crowder son 17 Wood turning machinist Fritchley
Frederick Charles Bown son 14 Wood turning machinist Fritchley
Beatrice Alice Bown daughter 9 School Fritchley
Mary Ellen Bown daughter 7 School Fritchley
Gladys May Bown daughter 5 School Fritchley
Leonard Bown son 3   Fritchley
Hannah Bown mother to head (wdw) 74   Eastwood

RG14PN20984 RG78PN1251 RD436 SD4 ED13 SN234