Silas Freke

Memorial: Kingswood - Holy Trinity Church

Regiment: Gloucestershire Regiment

Medals: 1914–15 Star, British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Silver War Badge, Victory Medal

Rank and number: Lance Corporal 20447

Parents: Samuel and Caroline Mary Freke

Marital status: Married

Home address: Newport, Monmouthshire

Pre-war occupation: Colliery Worker

Date of birth: 1894

Place of birth: Eastville, Bristol

Date of death: 26/10/1915

Buried/Commemorated at: Died at sea and commemorated at Helles Memorial,Turkey, on Kingswood Holy Trinity Memorial and on Kingswood School Memorial

Age: 21

Further information:

Silas was born in Eastville, Bristol, the son of a general labourer and the youngest child of five with two brothers and two sisters. His mother died when Silas was aged 14 and his father moved to Wales to live with Silas’s older brother. In 1911 all three men were labouring in the coal industry. One of Silas’s brothers Sam also died in the service of his country just seven months before Silas. Silas married Alice Beatrice Nunn, a tailoress, in 1911 when he was only 17 and together, they had two children, the eldest Clifford was aged 2 when Silas died.

Silas served with the 7th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, Silas sailed with his battalion to the island of Lemnos in June 1915 as part of the 13th Division and went into the line at Gallipoli the next month. In August the battalion fought in the Battles of Suvla (6/8/1915 – 27/8/1915) and on the 8th August in the Battle of Chunuk Bair, it suffered over 820 casualties, including all of its officers, warrant officers and senior non-commissioned officers. It was during these battles that Silas was wounded. He died whilst being transported home aboard the hospital ship HMHS Neuralia and would have been buried at sea.

By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):

This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/