Pte 51578 Frederick Herbert Ramson

• Age: 24
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• Died Friday 9th March 1917
• Commemorated at: Vis-en-artois Brit Cem Haucourt
  Panel Ref: XI.B.6

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 83 Eversley Street, Toxteth. Frederick is 9 years old and lives with his parents and four siblings. His father, Edward is a 52 year old commission agent (piano's) born in Stirling, Scotland, whilst his mother is 47 years of age and is shown to be a music teacher. His siblings, all born in Liverpool are shown as; Marianne L. aged 25 and described as feeble minded, Maud F. aged 22 and a manageress (confectioners), Reginald C. aged 12 and Cyril V. aged 6. The family also employ a domestic servant, Margaret Oxton a 22 year old. 

His father Edward died  inDecember 1906, aged 58.

By 1911 the family are still living at 83 Eversley Street. The head of the household is now his mother, Lucy, a 57 year old widow, born in Falkirk, Stirlingshire and employed as a teacher of pianoforte. She advised that she was married for 37 years and had seven children of whom five had survived. Frederick is shown to be 19 years old, single, and working as an accounts clerk. He has three siblings at home; Marianne Lucy aged 35, Reginald Cecil a 22 year old shipping clerk and Cyril Victor a 16 year old provision merchant's clerk. 

Frederick Herbert enlisted in Liverpool as Rifleman 4188 of the 6th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment (Liverpool Rifles). He embarked aboard the SS Princess Victoria sailing from Folkestone-Boulogne on 15th July 1916. He reached the 24th Infantry Base Depot on 16th July, proceeded to 11th Entrenching Battalion on 02nd August, proceeded to 17th Battalion K.L.R. on 05th August 1916 and was posted from 05th September 1916 to 17th Battlion as Private 51578.

He died on the 09th March 1917, aged 24.

He now rests at Vis en Artois British Cemetery, Haucourt.

Vis-En-Artois and Haucourt were taken by the Canadian Corps on 27 August 1918. The cemetery was begun immediately afterwards and was used by fighting units and field ambulances until the middle of October. It consisted originally of 430 graves (in Plots I and II) of which 297 were Canadian and 55 belonged to the 2nd Duke of Wellington's Regiment. It was increased after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from the battlefields of April-June 1917, August and September 1918, and from the smaller cemeteries in the neighbourhood. 

The cemetery now contains 2,369 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 1,458 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to eight casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate four soldiers buried in other cemeteries whose graves could not be found on concentration. The cemetery was designed by J R Truelove.

Soldiers Effects states that Frederick was officially accepted as a Prisoner of War in Lecluse, France.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post 21st April 1917

Liverpool Daily Post 23rd June 1917

Mrs Lucy Robson who resides at 83 Eversley Street, Princes Park, Liverpool, has received the sad news that her son, Private Frederick H. Ramson of the King's Liverpool Regiment, met his death at the Res Feldlaz [Field hospital], at Lecluse on March 9, 1917, the cause of death was not stated. The War Office previously reported the soldier as "missing" on March 8, 1917. Later they amended their report to read "missing believed prisoner of war." He was 25 years of age and joined the colours in October 1915. Prior to his death he was employed by the United Alkali Company Limited in their accountants department, where he was highly esteemed. He was a keen sportsman, especially in football and cricket, being a prominent member of the Princes Avenue P.M.F.C and the Granby Old Boys' F.C. and C.C., which club gained for itself a big reputation before the war. He was also well known in Liverpool musical circles, being in his earlier days a chorister in the Liverpool Cathedral Choir, and latterly in the Avenue male voice choir where he will be greatly missed. 

Soldiers Effects to mother Lucy and brother Reginald Cecil and pension to Lucy.

Frederick Herbert Ramson is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance inside Liverpool Town Hall at Panel 44 Left.

His mother's death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on the 11th December 1918;

RAMSON - December 9 at 83 Eversley Street, LUCY, aged 65 years, the beloved wife of the late Edward Ramson. Interment at Smithdown Road Cemetery on Friday next at 10 a.m.

His brother Pte #357621 Cyril Victor Ramson served with 2/10KLR, 2/9KLR, 1/10KLR also att. 2/4 L.N.Lancs. His Service records contain the death certificate of mother Lucy who died 09th December 1918, aged 65.

Grateful thanks are extended to Kevin Shannon the author of the book The Liverpool Rifles for providing details of Frederick's service with the 6th Rifles.  

We currently have no further information on Frederick Herbert Ramson, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.