Day 848. Hull Pals Memorial Post. PRIVATE FREDERICK TOMLINSON 38135. Born in Cranswick, Driffield in July 1889 Frederick was one of eleven children to Thomas and Mary Jane Tomlinson of North Frodingham. A Farm Stocksman by trade his life changed forever in early 1914 when two momentous events struck at once. First up he joined the Waggoners Special Reserve, an army unit made up largely of local farm hands and formed by Sir Mark Tatton-Sykes of Sledmere House. The Waggoners were dedicated to the specific duty of supplying the army should a war break out; secondly he married Jessie May Deighton on 21st March. Jessie was four months pregnant and gave birth to the first of their two sons, Edwin Frederick, that July; a month later the German army entered Belgium and our man was mobilised. He served in France from 22nd August 1914 to 1st December 1915 driving horse-drawn wagons across the shell-pocked mud until his two year term ended and he was demobilised from the army. It was January 1916. He stayed home long enough to father another son, John Robert, and then re-enlisted in Beverley on 31st January 1917 joining D Company in the 11th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment. Frederick was killed in action on 25th March 1918 during the German Spring Offensive. There were conflicting reports as to whether he had died a Prisoner of War or had been killed and left behind during the rushed withdrawal. Eventually he was listed as never having been recovered and when the War Graves Commission carried out their work through the 1920s and 30s, was added to the Arras Memorial for those with no known grave; he was 28 years old. His wife Jessie wrote several times to the War Office requesting the return of his possessions: ....his Lieut wrote and told me that he had handed them over to the Headquarters and I should have them in a day or two but I never had them yet. There is no record of this happening at all.
Posted on: Sun, 08 Jun 2014 19:09:37 +0000
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