Photo; Jean Atkinson Collection
Frances Elizabeth Wormald
Frederick George Wormald was born 25th November 1897 at 138 Leeds Road, Whitwood in Castleford, York.
He was the son of John and Frances Elizabeth (nee Osborn) one of 7 surviving children from a family of ten: John William, Frances Elizabeth, Robert Edward, Frederick George, Ethel May Lillian, Margaret Osborn and Joseph Leonard.
Frederick’s parents married in Croydon in 1888, his mother Frances had worked as a military tailoress and his father John had served in the Scots Foot Guards. Following his discharge from the army after 7 years of service, father John was then employed as a Police Constable.
In 1911 however, the family are at 76 Westmoreland Street, West Hartlepool where Frederick age 13 is at school and father John is now a steel smelter in the steelworks.
It is from this address that Frederick enlists in the 19th (Service) Battalion (2nd County) Battalion Durham Light Infantry on the 3rd March 1915. He incorrectly gave his age as 19 years and 3 months old when he enlisted in West Hartlepool - he was actually 17 years and 3 months old – and stood 5 ft 2 ins tall and considered of fair physical development.
Frederick was employed as an apprentice draper at this time working at the Co-operative Society Store. He was also a congregation member of the Methodist Church at Belle Vue in West Hartlepool.
[The 19th Service Battalion Durham Light Infantry was raised in Durham on the 13th January, 1915 by the Durham Parliamentary Recruiting Committee. It was a Bantam Battalion, with troops who were under the normal regulation minimum height of 5 feet 3 inches, (1.6m) ].
His army service papers record he was appointed Lance-Corporal on the 5th June, promoted to Corporal on the 11th August and on the 28th October appointed Lance-Sergeant. He embarked at Southampton on the 31st January 1916, for France and Frederick was killed in action on the 18th July 1916 after 1 year and 139 days in the army, aged 18 years. He is buried (re-interment) in Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval.
The attack on Delville Wood began on the 15th July 1916, and was one of a series of engagements in the Battle of the Somme. Ending on the 3rd September, 1916 it was called “Devil’s Wood” by the soldiers who fought there, due to the extreme fighting and terrible conditions.
After Frederick’s death his mother Frances wrote [in 1923] to the Infantry Records in York about the return of his gold ring saying “I should be very pleased to receive the same as it was a parting gift to him from me on his departure to France”. Frederick had left all his effects to his mother in the event of his death, and his ring was returned to her in 1923. It carried the monogram F.G.W. Mother 1915.
Brief History of the 19th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.Moved to Cocken Hall in May 1915. June 1915: moved to Masham and came under orders of 106th Brigade in 35th Division. Moved to Perham Down in July 1916. 1st February 1916: landed at Le Havre.
January 1917: ceased to be a Bantam Battalion. 8th February 1918: transferred to 104th Brigade in same Division.
The War Diary for the period states very few details:- 18th July 1916: "At 7pm left above position [trenches running east and west just behind Montauban] to re-inforce 26th Bde in Longueval village + Delville Wood. The above instructions in writing was handed to Major E. F. Osler commanding the Batt in absence of Lt Col Stoney [sic] who was sick.
19th DLI will move to Longueval to re-in force the remaining units of 26th Bde, and assist to regain our old positions gradually, care being taken that the flanks are well protected.
O/C 19th DLI will report to O/C 10th A & S [Argyle and Sutherlands] Touch with 18th Div must be maintained throughout at S-18-c-5-7. [Trench Map Reference Grid] Every effort is to be made to finally re-occupy Delville Wood which is to be held at all costs. 6.15pm. ROME sgnd Major B/M.
Total casualties 12 officers and 250 Ordinary ranks.
Ralph Henderson, nephew of L/Sgt. Wormald, has provided the following:
The Northern Daily Mail 28/7/1916 reports:
Mrs. Wormald, of 76 Westmoreland Street, West Hartlepool, has received official news that her son, Lce-Sergt. Fred. G. Wormald (18) was killed in action in France on the 18th July. He joined the D.L.I. on March 3rd, and was made Lce-Sergt. in October. Previous to enlisting he was employed by the Co-operative Society. His father is a sergeant in the same regiment and his eldest brother is serving with the Royal Engineers. Mrs. Wormald has received a message of Royal sympathy. In a letter to the deceased soldier’s mother, a comrade says; “Fred and myself have been for the last nine months the closest chums. I can honestly say he was the best chum anybody had – always ready to give a helping hand to any person in trouble. At the time of his death he was in charge of an engineering party repairing some damage caused by shellfire, when a shell came and killed him and three of his mates. He only spoke once and that was to say ‘Mother’, and he died while they were carrying him to the doctors”.
Footnote
In 1919, his mother had to have her statement witnessed and signed for the Army of the living Relatives. It was signed for and witnessed by the Rev W. J. Knowlden, the Minister responsible for the St Aidans Memorial School and the request for Theo Jones to have a teaching post in West Hartlepool. See also W111.31
Frederick George Wormald is remembered in Hartlepool in Hartlepool Casualties by Name and in the Book of Remembrance page 46, also at West Hartlepool on W111.09, W111.54, W111.60 and in W111.86 page 39
