Frederick William Donovan
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Frederick William Donovan was the eldest son of Dennis/Denis Donovan and Bridget Elizabeth Fox who married at Nottingham in 1891. Their children included: Frederick William (b.1892), Edward Dennis (b.1894), Charles Henry (1899), Francis Joseph (b.1904) and Albert Hector (b.1901/d.1903). Sometimes their surname was registered as ‘Donavan’. The family lived in the St Ann’s area of Nottingham at 19 Great Freeman Street [C.1901 & C.1911]. Dennis Donovan, who was listed as a fish salesman in the 1901 census, died at Nottingham, aged 46, in 1910. In 1912 Frederick William Donovan married Elizabeth Derry at Nottingham. They had two children: Philip Charles (b.1913) and Frederick William (b.1914). His widow, Bridget Elizabeth, died in Nottingham, aged 49, in 1918. She lived at: 3 Alice Terrace, Dorking Road, Radford [n.e.p.25.10.1916 & CWGC]. His widow did not remarry and died at Nottingham, aged 80, in 1966.
Lance Corporal Frederick Donovan, enlisted at Nottingham and served with the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards. He landed in France on 22nd January 1915 and was killed in action on 25th September 1916. He is buried in Guards' Cemetery, Lesboeufs, where he is commemorated by a special memorial. Following heavy fighting during the Battle of the Somme the Guards Brigades remained in the area. It was a quiet period but not without casualties. L/Cpl. Donavon was killed in action at this time and was buried in the Guards' Cemetery, Lesboeufs (Sp.Mem.64).
Nottingham Post notice (abridged), 20 October 1916: 'Donovan. Killed in action September 25th, Corporal Frederick Donovan, nine years in the Grenadiers, aged 25. Mother, Father, Edward in Egypt.' '
