LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI
Trooper Frederick Watkins
20th Hussars
20th
Hussars
Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS
Trooper
Frederick Watkins
20th Hussars
Nov 7 1918
Frederick Watson was tragically killed when the war had only four days to
run.
He had also been wounded at its commencement. This is apparent from the
invaluable Parish magazine of May 1915 (1) which lists him as wounded and
returned to England. No more is known apart from the fatal events of 7th
November.
On that date, the 20th Hussars formed part of the 5th Cavalry Brigade
which was pursuing the now retreating German forces. The War Diary for 7th
November states that on the previous day (6th) the infantry of 25th
Division had reached the DOMPIERIE-CARTIGNES Road and that the 97th
Brigade had advance to that line in conformity. (2)
At 7.15 the regiment advanced through the infantry until it reached "a
continuous line of machine guns west of AVESNES"
At 10.30 the infantry caught up, but made no further progress, and "the
usual patrols were left in observation"
The S.S.M., a much decorated warrant officer, who held both the DCM and
the MM, left his patrol behind and pushed on alone and was captured.
Captain R.D. Clark R.A.M.C. was killed in action as was "one OR".
Presumably he was Frederick Watkins.
Seven other ranks have been wounded and ten horses killed. Presumably "the
continuous line of machine guns" was responsible. The regiment then
returned to AUTREPPES for the night.
Next day, the 8th, another Trooper was killed by an exploding ammunition
wagon.
Such were the tragedies of the last four days of the War.
Notes on sources
1. List in Parish magazine of St Mary and St Nicholas, Leatherhead
(courtesy of Mr L Anstee of the parish).
2. File W095–1140 War Diary of the 20th Hussars in Public Record Office,
Richmond, Kew.
STOP PRESS
3. Parish magazine issue of December 1918 - this gives additional details
and states that he died "from a tragic fall"
Further research
Private
WATKINS, F
Service Number H/47337
Died 07/11/1918
20th Hussars
Buried at WELLINGTON
CEMETERY, RIEUX-EN-CAMBRESIS
Location: Nord, France
Cemetery/memorial reference: IV. H. 9.
Frederick enlisted at Kingston on Thames, Surrey. He served with the
Hussars with service number 5211, then the Military Mounted Police,
service number 4725 and finally with the 20th Hussars as a Private with
service number H/47337 when he was Killed in Action in 1918, four days
before the end of the war.
Leatherhead Parish Magazine
December 1914 [repeated in later issues]
Watkins, F., 20th Hussars - returned wounded to England.
December 1918
Pte. Frederick Watkins, 20th Hussars, killed near Mons, Nov. 7,1918.
Private Watkins went out with the first Six Divisions in August, 1914, and
took part in the retreat from Mons. Having served through the whole war,
he was, by a tragic fall, killed only four days before the end of active
hostilities in the same region as that in which the British Army entered
upon them.
Weekly Casualty List (War Office & Air Ministry)
Tuesday 24 December 1918
PART VII WARRANT OFFICERS,
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND MEN.
All are PRIVATES except where otherwise shown
KILLED.
...
HUSSARS.—Watkins 47337 F. (Leatherhead).
In 1922 the London County Council
published Record of Service in the Great War 1914-1918 by Members of
the Council's Staff in which Frederick Watkins is recorded:
Central Station, West Farm, and
Estate Railway
*Watkins, Frederick (1914-1918); Private; 20th Hussars; France 4 years 2
months; Killed in action, 7th November 1918
[* died on active service]
p127 ... and F. Watkins (20th
Huss., Asylums) near Avesnes on the 7th.
His life
Frederick Watkins was born in 1886 in Tongham, Aldershot, Hampshire
His father was John Watkins, a Soldier. It is not known if Frederick's
biological mother was Anna Maria Perring but as Anna Stephens she
appears as his Stepmother in the 1891 census and as his Guardian in his
military pension records.
Research by the Epsom
& Ewell Explorer website throws much light on
Frederick's origins:
The 1881 Census records
unmarried 19 year old Anna M. Perring, a Cook, living with her parents
Thomas and Hannah in Parsonage Lane, Stoke Fleming, Devon.
Also listed was Thomas and Hannah’s 9 months old grandson John H.
Watkin, their married daughter Elizabeth A. Smith and Elizabeth's
son William J. W. Smith. John Watkin’s brother, Thomas J. Watkin was born
in 1884, followed by Frederick Watkin in 1886 in Tongham, Surrey.
No marriage record for Anna and the soldier Watkins has been found between
1881 and 1887. A John Watkin, aged 39, was buried on 12 January 1887 - the
year following Frederick's birth - at St. Paul’s, Tongham, Aldershot.
On 4 March 1891, just before the
1891 Census, Ann/Anna Watkins, widow, married widower Thomas William
Stephens at St. Michael the Archangel, Aldershot. Her father was named as
Thomas Perrin.
In the 1891 Census, Frederick Watkins and his older brothers John
H and Thomas J were recorded as the stepchildren of 29 year old Ann
Stephens, a Laundress, married and head of the household, Thomas not being
present at Ash Road, Tongham, Aldershot, Surrey for the Census.
Frederick’s stepbrother William Francis was born in 1891, followed by his
stepsister Marion in 1893. When Marion was baptised on 28 February 1894
the family was living at The Laurels, Church Lane, Aldershot.
In the 1901 Census, recorded as Frederick Walker,
Frederick was listed without his brothers at 272 Lake Road, Portsmouth, as
a stepson of Thomas W. and Anna Stephens. His Stepfather Thomas was aged
51, an Ironmonger’s assistant. Frederick was a Builder’s apprentice.
At the age of 24 Frederick married Henrietta Simons, aged
19, on 5 June 1910 at St Paul's Church, Lorrimer Square, Newington, in
the Diocese of Southwark, London. He was on leave from the 20th Hussars
then based at the Curragh Camp, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
Henrietta was with him in the 1911 Ireland Census.
Henrietta was born on 2 May 1891 and baptised on 24 May
1891 at Christchurch, Epsom, Surrey. She was a daughter of George
Simons, a Labourer, then living at Epsom Common, and his wife Sarah.
Their children were John Joseph ?born 4 January 1912 and
Barbara Elaine ?born 1 December 1915, baptised 30 Jan 1916 [source Army
Register of Soldiers Effects].
Frederick then worked for the LCC at Long Grove Mental
Hospital, Epsom, one of a large complex of hospitals served by its own
railway (see above).
He lived at:
1891 Census: Ash Road, Tongham, Seale, Surrey
1901 Census: 272 Lake Road, Portsmouth (see above)
1911 Ireland Census: Maddenstown, North (Ballysax, West, Kildare)
Ireland
30 Jan 1916: Baptism of Barbara Elaine: 14 Woodlands Road, Epsom, Surrey
After the war
Frederick's widow Henrietta remarried, to Ernest Bluck. This was
registered at Epsom in January 1920.
They lived at:
1921 Electoral Register: 8 Kingston Road Cottages, Leatherhead.
Apart from Frederick being named in the
Leatherhead Parish Magazines and Leatherhead War Memorials, no answer to
why he is named among the WW1 dead here - rather than Epsom - has yet
come to light - except perhaps that he met the criterion of family
living in Leatherhead at the time.
Frederick Watkins is remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of
Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
Ladies War Shrine, Leatherhead
Parish Church
Church Lads Brigade Memorial
Tryptich, All Saints Leatherhead
Surrey
in the Great War
Staff of Long Grove Mental Hospital Epsom
Long Grove Hospital War Dead
- Frederick Watkins
the website editor would like to add
further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, and of any recollections within his family
last updated 11 Aug 20: 28 Dec 20