Pte
Frederick William Rotheram
Information about birth
|
Date of birth: 14/10/1884 |
|
Place of birth: Whiston, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
|
Last known residence: Whiston, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom |
|
Profession: Coal miner / Collier |
|
Religion: Church of England |
Army information
|
Country: England, United Kingdom |
|
Force: British Expeditionary Force |
|
Rank: Private |
|
Service number: 19704 |
|
Enlistment place: Rotherham, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom |
|
Units: — York and Lancaster Regiment, 1st/4th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
|
Date of death: 09/10/1917 |
|
Place of death: Laamkeek, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
|
Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
|
Age: 32 |
Cemetery
|
Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XXIV Row: A Grave: 19 |
Distinctions and medals 3
|
1914-15 Star Medal |
|
British War Medal Medal |
|
Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Enlistment place | ||
| #2 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Frederick William Rotheram was the son of Charles and Alice Rotheram. He was born on 14 October 1884 in Whiston, Yorkshire, where he also lived. Before the war he worked as a coal miner. He enlisted in the British Army and served in the 1/4th Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment (148th Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Regiment).
Frederick was killed on 9 October 1917 during the Battle of Poelkapelle, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The starting lines of the 49th (West Riding) Division ran from Kronprinz Farm to near Berlin Wood. The division’s objective was first to advance to the line from Wolf Farm to Lamkeek and then push through to a line from Woodland Plantation to Duck Lodge. The 1/4th Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment also took part in this attack.
At around 4:00 a.m. the battalion had reached its assembly positions. Due to the heavy rainfall prior to 9 October, the terrain had become a sea of mud. The first obstacle the battalion encountered was the Ravenbeek, which had become deep and wide because of the severe rain. Only a group of about 50 men of C Company managed to cross the stream. Troops of B Company came under heavy machine-gun fire from Waterfields and Laamkeek and were held up. On the left the fire was less intense, and troops of A and B Company succeeded in crossing the Ravebeek near Graventafel Road. Troops of A Company managed to reach Marsh Bottoms and dug in there. D Company attempted to pass them but did not succeed.
During the Battle of Poelkapelle the 1/4th Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment suffered nearly 300 casualties. Frederick, too, was killed at the age of 34. After the war his body was found near Laamkeek. He was reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he still rests today.
Frederick was killed on 9 October 1917 during the Battle of Poelkapelle, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The starting lines of the 49th (West Riding) Division ran from Kronprinz Farm to near Berlin Wood. The division’s objective was first to advance to the line from Wolf Farm to Lamkeek and then push through to a line from Woodland Plantation to Duck Lodge. The 1/4th Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment also took part in this attack.
At around 4:00 a.m. the battalion had reached its assembly positions. Due to the heavy rainfall prior to 9 October, the terrain had become a sea of mud. The first obstacle the battalion encountered was the Ravenbeek, which had become deep and wide because of the severe rain. Only a group of about 50 men of C Company managed to cross the stream. Troops of B Company came under heavy machine-gun fire from Waterfields and Laamkeek and were held up. On the left the fire was less intense, and troops of A and B Company succeeded in crossing the Ravebeek near Graventafel Road. Troops of A Company managed to reach Marsh Bottoms and dug in there. D Company attempted to pass them but did not succeed.
During the Battle of Poelkapelle the 1/4th Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment suffered nearly 300 casualties. Frederick, too, was killed at the age of 34. After the war his body was found near Laamkeek. He was reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he still rests today.
Sources 6
|
1/4 Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment. (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2805/1). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
|
1901 England Census (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG13). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
|
1911 England Census (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
|
British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO372). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
|
McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 2018), 118-123. Sources used |
|
Percy, Douglas, The 1/4th (Hallamshire) Battn., York and Lancaster Regiment, 1914-1919 (London 1926), 79-87. Sources used |
More information 3
|
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/464492 |
|
Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=6d38578a-a40d-40aa-ac58-b972d7e00684 |
|
Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/3832218 |