Fred Sims
Memorial: Kingswood Methodist 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: Private 6001
Parents: John Hendy and Mary Ann Sims
Marital status: Married
Date of birth: 1883
Place of birth: Mangotsfield, Bristol
Date of death: 21/12/1914
Buried/Commemorated at: Buried at Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner, Cuinchy, France and commemorated on Kingswood Methodist Church Memorial
Age: 33
Further information:
Fred was born in Mangotsfield the son of a miner and a middle child of ten with five brothers and four sisters. On his death, Fred left all of his effects to his widow Mary.
Fred enlisted in 1914 and with his battalion (the 1st) mobilised to France that August. He fought in various actions on the Western Front including The Battle and Retreat from Mons and The Battles of The Aisne and Ypres. Fred was killed in action during The Battle of Givenchy (18th -22nd December 1914) which was one of several British assaults in French Flanders during that month and which resulted in heavy casualties with 4,000 British killed and still more falling victim to frostbite and trench foot. Fred died and was buried in the battlefield, most probably near Neuve-Chapelle. After the Armistice he was reburied at Cuinchy along with more than 2,700 other graves brought in from neighbouring battlefields.
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/
http://www.remembrancetrails-northernfrance.com/history/battles/the-battle-of-givenchy-18-22-december-1914.html