Pte 57599 Fred Cockram

• Age: 30
• From: Leeds
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Wednesday 11th April 1917
• Commemorated at: Warlincourt Halte Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: VII.B.12

Fred Cockram was born in 1886 and baptised on the 10th July 1886 at All Saints Church, Normanton, Yorkshire. He was the son of James Cockram and his wife Hannah (nee Clayton) who had married in December 1872. 

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 14 Pullan Street, Normanton, Wakefield.

His father, James, is aged 40, and is a coal miner, his mother, Hannah, is aged 36 born 1855 has no occupation listed. They have five children, Sidney aged 13, is a news boy at bookstall, Alice aged 12 is a domestic servant, Florence aged 10 and Ezra 6 are both scholars and Harry is aged 2. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 11, West Street, Normanton, Wakefield.

His father, James, is aged 50, born in Garforth in 1851 is a coal miner, his mother, Hannah, aged 46 born 1855 in Kippax, and has no occupation listed. At the taking of the Census they have five children, Sidney aged 23, born 1878 in Castleford is a draper’s assistant, Alice aged 22, born 1879 in Garforth, has no occupation, Ezra aged 16, born 1885 is a blacksmith’s apprentice, Fred aged 14, born 1887 is a solicitors clerk and Harry is aged 12, born 1889. The three youngest children were all born in Normanton.

Fred was admitted as a member of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants (Normanton branch) in 1906 when aged 20 and his occupation is shown as a tonnage recorder.

On 1911 census Fred is aged 23,  employed as a railway shunter and boarding with the Webster family at 5 Westerman St, Sandal, Wakefield.

His mother Hannah died in 1913 aged 59.

Fred enlisted in the West Riding Cyclist Company as Private 2341, this would appear to have been subsumed into the Army Cyclist Corps where he was given the service number 15504. He was then transferred to the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 57599. 

Fred married Ada Sutcliffe in September 1915.

He died of wounds on 11th April 1917 and now rests at Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery. 

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.

Soldier Effects and Pension to widow Ada, 30 Smalewood Road, Greenside, Pudsey (this is the address of her parents in 1911 and 1921).

Ada sadly died 30th July 1921 and is buried in Pudsey Cemetery, Leeds. 

Fred's father, James died aged 79 in December 1929.  

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