Walter Charles Fry
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Walter Charles Fry was born on 15th September 1888 at Stratford-On- Avon and was the son of The Reverend Francis Joseph and Mary Fry, née Rowe of The Manse, Preesall, Fleetwood, Lancashire. His father Francis was born in 1862 in Bristol and his mother was born in 1857 also in Bristol, they were married in 1885 in Bristol they went on to have 6 children sadly 1 died in infancy , their children were all born in Stratford upon Avon (except eldest Francis who was born in Puriton Somerset) their children were Francis Herbert b1886, Walter b1888, Thomas George b1891, Frederick Arthur b1892, Alfred Harold b1894 and Lilian Mary b1896. In the 1901 census the family are living at 100 Noel Street, Hyson Green. In the 1911 census they are living at 26 Windsor Road, Levenshulme, Manchester and are shown as Francis 49 yrs a congregational minister, he is living with his wife Mary Jane 54 yrs and their children Frederick Arthur 19 yrs an insurance clerk, Alfred Harold 17 yrs an insurance clerk, and Mary Irene 9 yrs , their adopted daughter. By the time of the 1911 census Walter Charles has enlisted into the Army and on the night of the 1911 census he is shown as being 22 yrs and is at The Royal Engineers barracks at Brompton, Chatham, he is shown as being single and a lithographic draughtsman. His probate was administered on 13th January 1917 at Lancaster and he is shown as Walter Charles Fry of 37 West Road, Lancaster Sapper Royal Engineers died 24th October 1917 in France killed in action, his effects of £49. 13 shillings and 3 pence were left to his father Francis Joseph Fry, congregational minister.
Sapper Walter Charles Fry enlisted in 1910 and served with the 15th Company, Royal Engineers. He was stationed in Gibralter from 1912 until 1914 and went to France in November 1914. He was killed in action on 23rd October 1916 by an exploding shell and although he was buried near the front line trenches he grave was subsequently lost and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
A letter written by Lieutenant R.M.Taylor 15th Company Royal Engineers to his parents read:- Your son was killed by a shell fire at 2.35pm on 23rd inst, his death was instantaneous as the shell fell in his trench beside him and killed one of his comrades at the same time. He was engaged with the rest of his section in an attack. He was buried on the battlefield close to the front trenches and it is my intention to have the place of his burial marked with a cross. Your son died nobly doing his duty in the battlefront and this and the fact that he lived a good life should be a great consolation to you. Extract is courtesy of De Ruvignys Roll of Honour. Article published 2nd November 1916 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “FORMER NOTTINGHAM PASTOR'S SON. “The Rev. F. J. Fry, who was pastor of the Boulevard Congregational Church, Nottingham, from 1897 to 1909, and is now pastor of High-street Church, Lancaster, has been notified of the death in action of his second son, Sapper Walter Charles Fry, 28. Deceased was educated at the High Pavement Secondary School, Nottingham, and at the Nottingham Art School, where he gained a scholarship. He was for some time a lithographic artist, but joined the Royal Engineers five years ago and was at Gibraltar when the war broke out. Mr. Fry's youngest son, Pte. Harold Fry, Manchester Regiment, was killed at the Dardanelles on June 2nd, 1915. Two more sons are serving, Lieut. Thomas G. Fry, Monmouthshire, and Frederick A. Fry, a wireless operator at Mauritius.” Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 His brother Private Alfred Harold Fry, enlisted in 1911 in Manchester , he saw service in Egypt and served with the 1/6th Battalion Manchester Regiment, he was killed in action on 2nd June 1915 in Gallipoli. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial.
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