Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Frederick William Long was the eldest of 4 children, 2 sons, two daughters, all of whom survived, the offspring of Frederick Charles William Long and Esther Potts. Frederick Snr was born March 28th 1873 at Worstead, Norfolk and brought to the north east of England by his family settling at Sunderland. He was married, May 3rd 1894 at Holy Trinity, Washington, County Durham to Esther Potts born at Railway Cottages, Ferryhill, County Durham, January 7th 1873. Frederick William Jnr was born August 29th 1895 in the district of Chester-le-Street, also Maud Mary July 25th 1899. They were living at Surtees Street, Sunderland in 1901 supported by Frederick Snr employed as a metal foundry labourer and ten years later in 4 rooms at 19, Hasting’s Street. Esther had given birth to daughter Esther, May 21st 1903, their youngest child Wilfred February 22nd 1906. By 1911 both Frederick Snr and Jnr, although he was only 15 years old, were employed by the Scottish Legal Friendly Society as assurance agents.
When war was declared in 1914 Frederick Jnr was 18 years of age, old enough to enlist but still too young for service overseas. He enlisted at Sunderland assigned as Private 28894 to the 2nd Battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry which had been serving in France, since August 16th 1914. Private Long most probably departed for the front during 1916 where he was transferred to the 10th Battalion. At the time of his demise his regiment was fighting on the battlefields of Zonnebeke in Belgium.
Private 28894 Frederick William Long reported as missing and after investigation, struck off, is deemed to have been killed, “on or since,” October 4th 1917. After the Armistice at the request of the French and Belgian Governments the clearing of the battlefields began. Individual burials and small concentrations were brought into larger cemeteries for reburial. In 1920 remains were found in an unmarked grave at map reference J 16A. 40. 95 and positive identification made by means of a disc to be those of Private 28894 Frederick William Long K.O.Y.L.I. He was brought into “The Buttes” New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood, near Ypres, Belgium and interred by an Army Chaplain with all honour and reverence, February 2nd 1920. He is at rest grave XX. A. 16, at the time of his demise in 1917 he was 22 years of age and single.
His father had already received all monies due to him by the Army and his mother, a pension. His awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal were sent to his home address of 19, Hastings Street, Sunderland, County Durham. After his son was brought into his final resting place Frederick Charles William Long commissioned at a personal cost of 15 shillings 5 pence an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, “He Passed Over And The Trumpets Sounded For Him On The Other Side.”
His sister Maud Mary married in 1932 at Sunderland to insurance agent, Frederick F. Kightley, born November 2nd 1901, with whom she had a son Frederick F Jnr., December 5th 1934. In 1939 they were living at 42, Finsbury Avenue, Nottingham. Maud May Kightley nee Long of 44, Douglas Avenue, Carlton, Nottingham, died January 7th 1983.
Esther Long never married, she died in the district of Cleveland in 1985.
Wilfred Long, employed as an assurance agent, married Eileen M. Davidson at Sunderland in 1933 with whom he had a daughter Dorothy born November 7th 1937. Wilfred Long of 11, Tower Street, West Sunderland, died April 2nd 1979.
Frederick Charles William Long died aged 78 years, September 2nd 1951, Esther Long nee Potts aged 86 years, December 21st 1959, both registered in the district of Sunderland, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Frederick William Long is remembered at Hendon on H123.04
