This Soldier was named on the St. Ethelwold’s Church Roll of Honour which is in the Lady Chapel to the left of the Alter. However he is not on any other local memorial i.e. Connah’s Quay/Shotton or Hawarden.
In the Mold, Deeside & Buckley Leader dated 3rd October 1924, a list of the men honoured on the St. Ethelwold’s Church War Memorial was printed but his name was not in the newspaper on that date as being “sent in”. So it seems his name was sent in after the newspaper was published, perhaps a relative saw it and decided that his name should be included. Presumably he was a member of the congregation
I have no reliable Family History on Frederick, as I haven’t any age and although I have looked on the 1911 census, I cannot find him in the area, so I am presuming that he arrived after the 1911 census and before the War in 1914, and must have had strong connections to Shotton, and/or the steelworks. Any help would be appreciated.
Frederick was born in Pontnewynydd, Mon., according to his “Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1918,” entry on Ancestry. He also enlisted at Hawarden.
Frederick Baxter was remembered by someone close as his Flintshire WW1 Index Card Sealand F1 stated he lived at 20, Farm Road, Sealand, and his Regtl. No. was 1608 Machine Gun Corps, he was a Private, they didn’t know any Distinctions or Special Remarks, but knew that “This man went with 1/5 R.W.F. to Gallipoli on Aug 8 1915 and was missing on August 9th 1915”, obviously written by someone close to the family, but we will never know as the card was not signed but dated 25th September 1919.
However the Official Record, such as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission state he died on the 10th August 1915, only 1 day difference, but a tragically short space of time for Frederick, bless him. His Medal card does state he arrived in his Theatre of War (the Balkans) on the 8th August 1915. It also states he was missing P,D.(Presumed Dead) on the 10th August. As he is remembered on the Helles Memorial, it is unlikely they knew exactly when he died as his body was never found, hence the confusion.
Frederick Baxter in the UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 clarifies the date of death, it states that his death was “On or since 10 Aug 1915 – death presumed.” It is this source that also gives us more information, as the Sole Legatee was Frederick’s mother Kate CARTER £3 9s 6d on the 28th September 1916 and his War Gratuity of £3 10s on the 6th December 1919.
We now know that his mother had remarried as her surname was Carter. Now I was able to go backward and try and find the family.
I found a death certificate for a Charles Baxter in Pontypool (Vol. 11a Page 95) in 1901, which would have to be after the census on the 31st March 1901.
I also believe that Frederick’s mother Kate remarried in the June Quarter of 1907 to Thomas CARTER in Pontypool (Vol 11a Page 298).
The 1891 census shows a possible family living at 1, Morgan Row, Pentrepeod, Trevethin With Pontypool, Pontnewynydd, Monmouthshire, father Charles Baxter, 26 a Forge Labourer and born in Richmond, Surrey was head of the household, wife Kate, 26 had been born in Pontnewynydd. Son John, 4, a scholar, and daughter Mary had both been born in Richmond Surrey, son Harold, 1 month old had been born in Pontnewynydd
By the 1901 census they were living at 1, Pontnewynydd Caer Palash, Abersychan, Pontnewynydd, Monmouthshire. Still head of the household was Charles Baxter, 36 a Colliery Labourer (on top) who had been born in Richmond, Surrey, his wife Kate, 35 had been born in Wales. Their children were son John, 14 and daughter May, 12, both born in Richmond, Surrey, sons, Harold, 10, Frederick, 8 and Reginald had all been born in Pontnewynydd. There were two boarders, James Toop, 30, single, born in Westbury, Wiltshire and John Willis, 24, born in Queen Camel, Somersetshire, both Forge labourers.
Frederick was exceptionally unlucky, even in those times as he was literally in the “Field” 1 day, when he was reported missing and presumed dead the day after, bless him. He was 22 years old..
As I said at the beginning, I could not find him or his family on the 1911 census so any help would be appreciated.