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Rfmn. Frederick Charles "Fred" Bird
British Army 2nd Btn Rifle Brigade
from:27 East St, Holborn, London
(d.25th Sep 1915)
Fred Bird was born in Oct 1892 and was employed as a lamp maintenance fitter with the Gas Light and Coke Company. He enlisted at the outbreak of war in Aug 1914.
He was 5 ft 5 1/2 inches tall and weighed 114 lbs or 8 stone 2 pounds. His chest was 34 inches fully expanded by 2 1/2 inches. He had a sallow complexion and dark brown hair and brown eyes. His religion is listed as Wesleyan.
After training he was posted to France on the 18th May 1915. The Rifle Brigade 2nd Battalion had suffered great losses at the battle of Aubers Ridge including the attack on Fromelles and the attack at Rue du Bois early May 1915 and Fred would have been one of the much needed replacements to bring them back to full strength. His battalion was part of the 25th Brigade of the 8th Division of the British Army. After Aubers in May 1915 . No further major actions took place until the 25th September 1915. On the 25th September 1915 the battle of Loos began on the Belgian/French border. The 2nd Bn Rifle Brigade were detailed to take part in a side action which was an adjunct to the main battle. This action was fought at Bois Grenier in France. Fred by then was a machine gunner and as such would have been in “A†Company which was the machine gun section. The 2nd Rifle Brigade achieved all their objectives but eventually had to retire as the units on their flanks had not been so successful. It seems likely that Fred was killed on the first day of his first battle.
From his Battalion 6 officers and 73 other ranks were killed that day and 3 officers and 172 other ranks wounded. The battalion probably consisted of about 500 men. The Officer in charge of the machine gun company was killed and his second in command wounded. Fred is buried at Sailly-sur-la-Lys Canadian Cemetary 7km from Amentieres in the Pas de Calais.
