247091 Pte. Stephen Thomas Freeth British Army 11th Btn. Royal Fusiliers from:Acton, London (d.26th September 1916) Stephen Freeth was born in Southall in 1882, son of Ellen Freeth. The 1901 census shows him living with his mother and siblings at 18 Wilmot Place, Hanwell; he is a general labourer. On the 12 June 1905 he married Fanny Bridges and they had two children, Charles and Arthur. The 1911 census shows his occupation as a bricklayer's labourer and the electoral register of 1914 lists his address as 23, Steyne Road, Acton.
He served with the 11th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers arriving in France on 17th August 1915. He was killed in action on the 26 September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme.
On the 26th September an attack by the Reserve Army succeeded in defeating the German Army to take control of Thiepval but at great cost. The 18th Division were heavily involved and the 54th Brigade were tasked with capturing the western part of Thiepval and the Schwaben Redoubt on top of the ridge.
Stephen has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial, Somme, France. He is remembered on the War Memorial, St Mary's Church, Acton, London.
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