Frederick Herbert Tudge

Frederick Herbert was the son of James Herbert and Annie Frances Tudge (née Kendrick). His father James was born in Worcester in 1866 (A/M/J Worcester) the son of James Tudge. His mother Annie Frances was born in Bosbury, Herefordshire, on 4 June 1864 (J/A/S Ledbury Herefordshire), the daughter of Frederick. a butcher, and Sarah Kendrick; she was baptised at Bosbury parish church on 8 January 1865. James and Annie Frances were married at Bosbury parish church on 3 July 1887 (J/A/S Ledbury) and had two sons: Frederick Herbert b. Bosbury birth registered 1888 (J/F/M Ledbury) bap. Bosbury 12 February 1888 and Gilbert Harold b. Colwall Herefordshire 11 March 1889 (A/M/J Ledbury) bap. Colwall 16 October 1889. The family had moved from Herefordshire by 1891 when they were recorded living on Wakefield Road, Dewsbury, Yorkshire: James (25) a painter and decorator, Annie (26), Frederick (3) and Harold (2). By 1901 Frederick and Annie were living at 39 Welbeck Road, Mansfield, with their sons Frederick, an office boy/painter and decorator (presumably working for his father) and Gilbert (12). The family had moved to 63 Welbeck Street by 1911. James (45) was working for Sherwood Colliery Co. as a painter and both his sons were employed by the same company as office clerks. Frederick married Clara Baggley (also Bagley) at the Mansfield Primitive Methodist Chapel on 25 October 1913 (O/N/D Mansfield) and they had two children: Frederick Basil b. Warsop 4 March 1914 and Dorothy Kendrick b. Warsop 28 December 1915. At the time of their marriage they were living at 12 Sherwood Rise, Mansfield, and were still at the same address when Frederick attested in 1915. The widowed Clara was living at 11 Jellicoe Street, Langwith, Mansfield, in 1919. However, by 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, Clara was living at 82 High Street, Maltby, Yorkshire - a shop and dwelling house - as the manager of a drapers. Also in the household was her daughter Dorothy and her husband, Allan Beardsley (b. 1 May 1913), a shop assistant, who had married in 1939 (J/A/S Rother Valley Yorkshire). Dorothy and Alan had two daughters, Carole K (b. 1942) and Chistine (b. 1947). Clara died in 1948 (J/F/M Rother Valley) and her daughter Dorothy in 1996 (J/A/S Newark). Clara's son, Frederick Basil, married Agnes Winifred Dowler at a Roman Catholic chapel in 1942 (J/F/M Bakewell). He was living in Redcar, Yorkshire, when he died on 2 May 1962; he was buried in Redcar Cemetery. Frederick's wife survived him. Frederick's brother, Gilbert Harold, joined the Sherwood Foresters in November 1914 and was discharged in February 1919 (see 'Extra information'). Frederick's parents were living at Debdale Gate, Mansfield, when he was killed in 1917 and were still at the same address when Gilbert was discharged from the army in February 1919. However, they later returned to Herefordshire where James died in 1931 (A/M/J Ledbury). In 1939 Annie Frances Tudge was living in Bosbury village with a widow, Fanny Drew (b. 23 June 1870), a retired sub-postmistress, and Annie's niece, Rosalie Violet Kendrick (b. 21 March 1908), a civil servant. Rosalie was the daughter of Annie's younger brother, Francis James. Annie died aged 82 in 1947 (J/F/M Stockport Cheshire). Gilbert married Gladys Hall (b. 7 January 1893) in 1918 (J/F/M Chorlton Lancashire) and they had at least two children: Frederick b. 1920 (J/F/M Chorlton) d. 1920 (J/F/M Chorlton) and Patricia b. 4 December 1924 (1925 J/F/M Manchester South). Gilbert was discharged to 21 Louisa Street, Openshaw, Manchester, when he left the army in 1919. In 1939 Gilbert, an officer manager for a coal colliery agent, and Gladys were living in Stockport with their surviving child Patricia, a shorthand typist. Gladys died in 1967 (J/F/M Chester) and Gilbert died on 7 July 1977 (J/A/S Chester & Ellesmere Port); the probate record gives his address as Saughall, Chester.

In 1901 he was an office boy/painter and decorator and a clerk for Sherwood Colliery Co. by 1911. Member of Leeming Street Primitive Methodist Church

12 Sherwood Rise, Mansfield Woodhouse. Enlisted Mansfield

Frederick Herbert Tudge enlisted on 25th May 1915 aged 27 yrs and 163 days. Frederick served with the 16th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Chatsworth Rifles) and trained at: Buxton 25 May-8 June 1915, Redmires 9 June 1915-2 September1915, Hursley Park 2 September 1915-30 September 1915, Aldershot 30 September 1915-8 November 1915 and Witley Camp from 8 November 1915. He was promoted lance corporal on 3 July 1915, acting corporal 18 February 1916, lance sergeant 2 March 1916 and appointed CQMS to 'A' Coy on 1 July 1916. Frederick embarked at Southampton for France on 6 March 1916, disembarking at Havre the following day. He was killed by a shell on 29 July 1917 and was buried in Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery (grave ref. VII.A.10).

Frederick's brother, Gilbert Harold, attested on 9 November 1914 at the age of 25 yrs 242 dys. and served in the Sherwood Foresters ((18743 Private). He was promoted lance corporal on 18 January 1915, corporal 31 March 1915, sergeant 25 November 1915 and then appointed company quartermaster sergeant, probably in 1916. He served with the BEF France from 29 August 1915 and was not discharged to the Army Reserve until February 1919. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (London Gazette, 8 June 1919) and qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Frederick's widow Clara received a pension of 26/8d for herself and her two children with effect from 18 February 1918. Article published in the Mansfield Reporter and Sutton Times 24th August 1917 :- C.Q.M.S. FRED H. TUDGE KILLED. “BROTHER'S TOUCHING TRIBUTE. “Along with a host of friends we deeply regret the death in France of Company-Quartermaster-Sergeant Fred H. Tudge, of Sherwood Rise, Mansfield Woodhouse, and join in the sincere sympathy which is extended to his wife and two children, and to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Tudge, of Debdale Gate, Mansfield Woodhouse. The official intimation that Sergeant Tudge was killed by a shell, which also wounded three other men, came to hand last Saturday, [18th August 1917] together with an expression of the sympathies of their Majesties, the King and Queen, in their great loss. “For the past 17 months, the late Sergt. Tudge, who was 29 years of age, and attached to the 16th Sherwood Foresters (Chatsworth Rifles) had served in France without ever enjoying leave, and his geniality, manliness, and devotion to duty, won for him the respect and the good will of every man who knew him. It was in May, 1915, that Fred joined the army, his brother Gilbert having enlisted some six months previously in the 12th Sherwoods, and the latter, who is also a Company-Quartermaster Sergt., has now served in France for over two years. The late Sergeant F. Tudge underwent his course of training at Buxton, Sheffield. Winchester, Godalming, and took his final course at Aldershot. He went out to the western front on the 12th of March of last year. “Prior to responding to his country's call, Sergeant Tudge was for 15 years in the employ of the Sherwood Colliery Co., Ltd., at their offices, at Mansfield Woodhouse. He was, in fact, the senior member of the clerical staff, having been in the offices ever since the Sherwood Colliery was started and before the shaft was sunk. He faithfully and conscientiously served his employers by whom he was highly valued, and at the time of enlistment he had attained to the responsible position of assistant chief clerk. For many years he was associated with the Leeming-street Primitive Methodist Church, where he was a regular worshipper, and had from time to time given valuable assistance in connection with the Sunday afternoon meetings held there. Possessed of a good deal of natural wit, and having a never-failing fund of good nature, the late Sergeant Tudge naturally made hosts of friends, and he will perhaps be best remembered by very many people by reason of his services as a member of the Mansfield “Gipsy” Concert Party, which, during its existence raised a considerable sum of money towards the building of the Nottingham-road United Methodist Church. As the humorist of the party he was by general consent the life and soul of the numerous and popular entertainments which the party gave in the town and many other places in the district. “BROTHER'S LETTER. “Mr. and Mrs. Tudge have received the following letter from their other son, Gilbert, in which he pays an eloquent and touching tribute to his late brother: — “As usual, 16-8-17. “My dear old Ma, — l received your very nice letter safely, and can confirm the contents. I've found the 16th Battalion, after a search, and managed to get full details. Of course, I can't give you all these, but poor old Freddie got killed on the night of 30-31st July. It might be some consolation to you to know that he suffered nothing at all. He was taken away instantly. One thing, though, which nearly broke my heart, was the kind things said of him by the 16th. Immediately I arrived there (and I went straight away one night after delivering my own rations) all who were about flocked round, and one and all expressed their sympathy. One Corporal told me he didn't think there was a man in the battalion but what mourned his death. My feelings I cannot describe since I learned the news. I have received a letter from the Corporal I wrote you about, that alone speaks for itself, and l am sending it to you to read. The boys of my battalion have sympathised with me, too, for they soon liked him (what bit they saw of him) and know what I thought of him too. My officers, too, spoke kindly about him. He was a dear boy, mother, and the truest of brothers. No one knows what little kindnesses passed between us out here long before we met, incidents that I shall never forget. I know what a mother's love is, and I know what yours has been to us both, but my dear ma, believe me when I say that the blow could not have been harder to anyone than it has been to me. He and his dear little boy were on the short list I thought it my duty to enlist for, but he proved himself a man by taking the amount on his own shoulders. My only regret is that he went, when I would willingly have gone in his stead. I was up within a short distance of where he got hit four nights ago, and I can tell you it was a hot place. I don't have to go quite so far now. I hope you will bear up for my sake, and I will try and do so for yours. He is gone, poor dear, for good, but if there is such a thing as a hereafter I hope we shall all meet together again. Well, cheer up, and may these few remarks (though they be of the saddest) be a little comfort to you. Give my love to that dear little boy of his, to dear old dad and to yourself. your ever-loving boy, GILBERT. “COMRADE'S TRIBUTE. “The following letter was sent by a comrade of the late Sergeant Tudge to his brother: “13-8-17. “Dear Friend. — I am just sending you a few lines, as promised. I made further enquiries on arriving back, and I find that the news you received was quite true. Your brother Fred was killed the last night they were going up with rations, in fact all the four of them were caught with the same shell, the other three being wounded. Poor Fred ran right into it, so you can guess how it would be with him. I feel very upset about it, because he was such a good chap to everyone he came in contact with. I am sure it will be a great strain for his parents and wife, and all of you. I feel it as though he was my own brother, as he was my best pal. I will close now, as I don't feel like writing any more. I will you again some other time. If you should get a spare photo of Fred any time, I should be very pleased if you would let me have one. — Kind regards, “25635 CORPL. J. S. TILSON.” Note: Cpl Tilson survived the war. Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 Mansfield Reporter 31 Aug 1917: ‘Local and District News. For Those Who Have Fallen. A special service was held in the Leeming Street Primitive Methodist church on Sunday evening in memory of those associated with the church who had fallen in the war. The service was conducted by the Rev. Chas. F. Gill (superintendent minister). The names mentioned were: Harold Blythe, Wm Andrews, George Ed. Fletcher, William Fletcher, Fred H Tudge, Albert E Binch, Archie Draycott, Sam Bowler and Frank Weighell. Mr Gill delivered a suitable address, on the words, ‘He healeth the broken in heart.’ He urged his hearers to commit their loved ones, and also their own lives, to the keeping of the God of infinite tenderness, and so find consolation in the hour of trial. The service was very impressive.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)