Pte 58003 Frederick George Cameron

• Age: 19
• From: Torquay
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• D.O.W Wednesday 11th April 1917
• Commemorated at: Warlincourt Halte Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: VIII.A.8

Frederick George Cameron was born 28th May, 1897 in Totnes, Devon and baptised 11th July 1897 in St John, Paignton, Devon. He was the son of George  Cameron and his wife Mary Grace (nee Jerman) of 2 Bethel Cottages, Victoria Road, Torquay.

His mother, Mary, died in June 1900, aged 28.

His father, George, remarried in June 1901 to Edith Turner Webber at Newton Abbott.At the time of the war he was living in Plumstead, London.

The 1901 Census shows Frederick George living with his Uncle at 5, Mead Foot Lane, Torquay. The head of the household is William Cameron aged 35, born 1866 and he is employed as a marble polisher who was born in Torquay. His wife Susan is aged 38, born 1863 in Bow, Devon and has no occupation listed. They have five children at the time of the Census who were all born in Torquay, Frederick aged 16, born 1885 employed as a marble finisher, Ernest aged 11, born 1890, John aged 7, born 1894, Maud aged 4, born 1897 and Edith born 1901. George’s three children, Lily 5, Fred 3 and William 1 are staying with his brother William's family whilst he is working as a chef at the Osborne Hotel in Torquay.   

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 2 Bethel Cottages, Victoria Road, Torquay. His father, George, is aged 37, born in St John's Parish, Torquay in 1874, occupation hotel chef, his mother, Edith is aged 32, born 1879 in St Mary Church, Torquay. They have been married for ten years. They have three children Lilian Maude aged 15, born 1896 a dressmakers apprentice who was born in St Mark's Parish, Torquay, Frederick George aged 14, born 1897 in St Andrew's Parish, Paignton and William Cecil aged 11, born 1900 in St Mark's Torquay are both at school. 

He enlisted in London joining the London Divisional Cyclist Company as Private 250. He was subsequently transferred to the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 58003.

Frederick died of wounds on 11th April 1917 aged 19.

He now lies in Warlincourt Halte, British Cemetery at VIII.A.8 where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"DUTY NOBLY DONE AND HIGH ETERNAL WELFARE WON"

The site of the cemetery was chosen in May 1916. It was used from June 1916 to May 1917 by the 20th and 43rd Casualty Clearing Stations, in February 1917 by the 1/1st South Midland, and from April to June 1917 by the 32nd. The whole of plots VII, VIII, IX and X were filled in April and May 1917, the months of the Battles of Arras. From June 1917, the cemetery was practically unused until the fighting of May and June 1918, when field ambulances buried in it. After the Armistice the cemetery was increased by graves brought in from other smaller cemeteries.

The cemetery now contains 1,266 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There are also 29 German and two French war graves.

The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.

He was reported to have died of wounds in the Liverpool Echo on 11th May 1917:

LATEST CASUALTIES IN WEST COUNTRY

King's Liverpool Regt. - F. G. Cameron (Torquay)

Soldier Effects to father George, and Pension to mother Edith.

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