Fred Whitt (aka Denham)
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Frederick lived at 46 Sherbrook Road,he was born at Arnold in 1899 the son of Mrs Mary Ann Denham of Bond Street, Arnold, Nottingham. On the 1901 Census he is shown living at Bond Street as being 2 yrs of age and living with a Richard Whitt the head of the house 31 yrs and his mother Mary Denham 34 yrs, he is shown as a boarder along with his sister Florence aged 9 months. Some 10 yrs later in the 1911 census however at 6 Wood Street his mother appears to have died and he is living with a Richard Whitt 41 yrs a widower, his name is shown on the census as Frederick WHITT ,12 yrs (This may well account for the entry on the Arnold British School memorial tablet of Fred Whitt, for whom no details can be found under the name WHITT on the common wealth war graves debt of honour).
He enlisted on 20th march 1917 into the South Staffordshire Regiment and was posted to their 2/6th battalion. On the morning of the 21st March 1918, there was heavy enemy shelling of the back areas which commenced between 2 & 3 am, also heavy bombardment by the enemy of the Front and Support Lines with High Explosive and Gas Shells from 4am to 8am. The enemy attacked (Operation Michael) in massed formation at 9am and succeeded in capturing the Front Line and also effected a flank move and got through to Railway Reserve and Battalion Headquarters. 23 Officers and 600 Other Ranks were “Missing”.one of whom was Frederick.
His name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial,France
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