Sgt 24344 Frederick Charles Congdon

• Age: 32
• From: Chester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 28th March 1918
• Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
  Panel Ref: P21-23

Frederick Charles Congdon was born on the 03rd December 1885 in Chester, the son of Charles Congdon and his wife Agnes Alice (née Wynd) who were married on the 14th September 1885 at St John the Baptist Church, Chester. Charles was a year 21 old clerk of 9 Belgrave Street, his father, George, a milling labourer, whilst Agnes was aged 18 of Tramway Terrace,her father, Robert, a joiner. Frederick was baptised also in St John's Church on 21st February 1886, the family were living at Tramway Terrace and his father's occupation was listed as a clerk. Frederick was their eldest child.   

After the birth of Adelaide in Chester in 1888, the family moved to Liverpool where the 1891 census finds them at 37 Harrowby Street in Toxteth Park. His father is employed as a brewer's clerk, Frederick is 5, and Adelaide 2 years old. They have a boarder, Nellie Hopkins, a 22-year old barmaid from Bristol.

The 1901 Census finds the family living in Liverpool at 53 Hatherley Street, Toxteth Park. His father, Charles, is a 38 year old wholesale clothier's book keeper born in Chester, his mother, Agnes, is 33 years of age, also born in Chester and has no occupation listed.  Frederick is 15 years old and an upholsterer's apprentice, born in Chester. He has two siblings both born in Liverpool; Alexander J. aged 9 and  Horace A aged 7. The family have a visitor, John Wrenn aged 9 and a boarder. Adelaide, aged 12, is visiting the Dodd family in Edinburgh Road.

His mother died at the age of 43, in 1909, likely from childbirth complications.

He married Lydia Eva Lloyd in Liverpool  on the 12th June 1910 in St. Clement's Church, Toxteth Park. Frederick was aged 24, occupation car conductor, Lydia was aged 20, her father George had a “chip potato shop”, and they both gave their residence as 11 Lodge Lane.   

Frederick and Lydia had three daughters, Rose Vera born on 03rd June 1911, Adelaide Agnes on 16th July 1914, and Alexandra Pauline on 19th September 1915.

At the time of the 1911 census Lydia is living at 18 Magdala Street, Toxteth Park. She is 20 years old, married, with no occupation, and has a boarder, Hilda Blanche Griffiths, 25, from Manchester.

Frederick has not been found on the 1911 census, but the 1911-1913 electoral rolls show him at 72a Upper Hill Street, and in 1914 at 120 Northbrook Street, Toxteth Park.

In 1911 his father, 48, a wholesale clothier's clerk, lives at 72 Upper Hill Street with his four children, Adelaide, 22, who has no occupation, Alexander, 19, a dock labourer (casual worker), Horace, 18, an assistant bootmaker/repairer, and Douglas, who is 5. Also in the household are two cousins, Alfred (24) and William (22) Davies.

He  enlisted in Liverpool as Private 24344  (most probably in early January 1915). He was appointed Lance Corporal during training.

Formed on 07^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

Frederick arrived in France with his battalion on 07th November 1915, disembarking at Boulogne.

He achieved the rank of Sergeant.

He was serving in the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment when he was killed in action on the 28th March, 1918, aged 32, during the German Spring Offensive.
 
The Battalion diary records the events of the day as follows:

During the morning the enemy attacked the troops on our right flank and succeeded in capturing ARVILLERS, menacing our right flank. Three companies of the Battalion had to be immediately echeloned backwards as protection, the Battalion engaging the enemy, who were attempting to come out of ARVILLERS. This position was held during heavy fighting until 2pm when the Battalion was informed that French troops had come into position in the rear. In order for the Division to be relieved the Battalion had to hold their ground whilst the 2^nd Bedfordshire Regt and 2^nd Bn. R.S.F.’s passed through on their way to the rear. At 4pm the Battalion commenced to move off in small parties, passing through the French, and marching through MEZIERES, MOREUIL to MORISEL where hot dinner was provided. The Battalion then formed up and moved up by companies to ROUVREL and were billeted for the night. By this time the total casualties had reached 23 Officers and 457 O.R.

Frederick's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

His CWGC record gives his battalion as the 9th K.L.R.

He earned his three medals.

His children were 6, 3, and 17 months old when Frederick was killed.

Frederick is commemorated on the War Memorial at St Nathaniel's Church now situated in St Bride's Church, Liverpool.

Lydia, living at 5 Memphis Street, in Edge Hill, Liverpool, received Frederick's outstanding Army pay of £12 7s 1d and a War Gratuity of £17-10s. She was awarded a pension of £1-12s-1d a week for herself and three minor children from October 1918. 

Lydia gave birth to a son, Douglas George Congdon, on 13th March 1919.

Lydia remarried to Raymond Brunsdon on the 05th September 1920 at St Nathaniel's Church, Edge Hill, Liverpool. Raymond was a 38 year old labourer of 2 Memphis Street, his father, Henry Whipp, a brick layer.

On the 1921 Census the family were still at 5 Memphis Street, also present was her step-son Sydney Brunsdon, aged 14. She died aged 73 in in Ulverston. 

His brother Alexander was also a Pal. He enlisted in November 1914 in the 20th Bn. K.L.R. and shipped to France with Frederick on 07th November 1915. He was later posted to the Welsh Regiment and suffered a gunshot wound to the left hand, and was transferred to Class Z with a pension in March 1919.

On the 1921 Census at 56 Beaumont Street, his father Charles is aged 47(?), a wholesale grocers clerk, and son Douglas is aged 15. His father, died aged 66, in 1929. 

In 1939 Lydia, then 48, lived at 31 Onslow Road with her husband and child, and son Douglas Congdon, 20, a brass turner. Daughter Rose, 28, her partner and child, also lived in the household. Married daughter Alexandra 23, lived nearby in Geneva Road, and Adelaide 25, also married, was at 15 Lilley Road.

Rose died in 1972 in the Liverpool area. The rest of the family moved to north Lancashire and lived in Ulverston district, where Lydia died in 1965, aged 73, Alexandra in 1971 at 55, and Adelaide in 1990 aged 75. 

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