1514 Corporal Fred Gadsby 1/6th Battalion, The North Staffordshire Regiment (Territorial Force) A pre-war Territorial who enlisted in 1911, Fred Gadsby came from Wilnecote and worked at the Skey’s Earthernware Works in the village. He was a member of “C” Company in Tamworth. He embarked for France with the 1/6th Battalion on 3 March 1915. Corporal Gadsby was killed in the trenches in front of Wulverghem on 26 April 1915. Sergeant George Norton described the circumstances of his death in a letter: “I am sorry to say that Corporal Gadsby has been killed. He was placing a sandbag on the top of the parapet when he was shot through the head on the morning of April 26th at about 4 o’clock. He was buried at 11 a.m. by his comrades, who mourn the loss of a good man, who fell doing his duty for King and country. The Colonel conducted the service. The same morning we lost three killed and two wounded.” Fred Gadsby was aged 31 when he was killed. He is buried at R.E. Farm Cemetery: Plot IV, Row C, Grave 17. The cemetery register lists his father, John, as living at 31 Lower Gungate in Tamworth, while his widow (who had remarried) resided on Watling Street in Wilnecote.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 12:08:59 +0000