Fred Twigger

Fred Twigger was born in 1892 the son of George William a coal miner and Selina Twigger (née Hayes) of 47, Buxton Street, Meadows, Nottingham. George Twigger was born in 1871 at Annesley, Nottinghamshire, Selina Hayes in 1873 at Derby. They were married in 1891 at Nottingham and had 7 children, 2 of whom died in infancy. Their children included Fred b.1892, John b.1895, George b.1899, Tom (1903-1904) and Arthur b.1908. Fred's father George died in 1908 in Nottingham aged 36. Fred married Ethel Renshaw at Nottingham in 1912 and they had 2 children – Fred (1913-1916) and Ethel b.1915. They lived at 8, Martha Terrace, Goodhead Street, Nottingham.

Fred Twigger was a miner (holer) in 1911.

Fred Twigger, who enlisted at Nottingham, served with 8th Platoon, 'B'Company, 2/7th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment (Robin Hood Rifles). 2/7th Battalion Sherwood Foresters was formed in Nottingham 19/9/1914 as a second line unit. It was absorbed by 1/7th Bn 6/2/1918. The service numbers of John (266372) and Fred Twigger (266353) suggest they probably volunteered at the same time. The Twigger brothers’ military careers ended 21/3/1918, the first day of Kaiserschlact, Ludendorff’s final attempt to with the war before America could fully deploy its forces. At his disposal, were an additional 50 divisions transferred from the Eastern Front following Russian withdrawal from the conflict. Facing overwhelming numerical superiority, British front line units were quickly overwhelmed; there were 38,500 UK casualties that day including almost 21,000 taken prisoner. It was the second worst day for the British Army during World War One exceeded only by July 1st 1916. On March 21st 1918, according to the war diary covering 2/7th Battalion’s involvement (TNA WO95/3025/5), ‘At 4.56 am the enemy put down a very heavy barrage on the front line system; trench mortars and field artillery continued the bombardment at an intense rate until about 9.45...At 9.55 communications by wire to battalion HQ were broken; the only message that got through after that one was by pigeon...Only 14 men of the battalion escaped unwounded from the trenches and it appears... the enemy broke through on both flanks [and] cut off and completely surrounded the battalion... between 9.30 and 10am... Owing to this and to the capture of all documents at battalion HQ no accurate or detailed account of the fighting is possible.’ On March 1st 1918, the battalion strength (1/7th Sherwood Foresters with 2/7th absorbed) had stood at 51 officers and 1,088 men. A month later, only 19 officers and 363 men remained. 162, including John William Twigger, were killed on March 21st. That 152 have no known graves confirms the ferocity of this engagement. 562 men from the merged battalion were captured including Fred Twigger who died from pneumonia (probably influenza). Fred Twigger is buried in Nijmegen (Rustoord) Cemetery The date of death cited by UKSWD is 17th December 1918, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records his death as taking place on 16th December; the register of the disposal of his personal effects states 16th – 17th.

Nottingham Evening Post, Deaths, 20/12/1918: 'TWIGGER. – On December 16th, in Holland, of pneumonia, Private Fred Twigger, Sherwoods, aged 27, after two years in France. When his hopes were brightest, God called him to rest. – From his loving wife and baby Ethel.' Family connection confirmed by John Twigger's obituary 'sister in law and baby Ethel X referenced with BMD and Soldiers' Effects Register 'widow Ethel baby Ethel born 24/7/1915' Research by David Nunn