Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)           

Fred is listed as being killed in action on 1 Oct 1915. The Battalion war diary shows that they were located in the Lancaster Trench north east of Vermelles when they were ordered to attack Little Willie trench. The diary entry for the day is transcribed below.

"The 1st Welch Regiment to take a trench called Little Willie at the point of the bayonet regardless of all costs. Little Willie is a trench in continuation of Hohenzollern Redoubt to the north.

The Sixth Welch commanded by the Colonel Lord Ninian Stuart occupied the trench called The Old British Line directly in front Little Willie and 300 yards distant from it. At 7pm the 1 Welch Regt were in position in this trench. The 6th Welch on relief having withdrawn in rear of the trench ready to move up again on the advance of the 1st Welch.

The O.C. Lt Col G.P. Hoggan who had been in command since 15th June - Col Marden having been wounded in May - assembled the officers, explained the situation, collated watches very carefully and orders were given. "Precisely at 8.00pm climb over the parapet" (Barbed wire had been removed) "move forward in perfect silence, move in quick time, keep line". The timing was perfect, precisely at 8.00pm the 1st Welch went over the parapet like one man. Officers in line with the men. The second in command, Major Hobbs, and O.C. Welch in the centre of the line.

So silently was the advance carried out that the Regiment was within 100 yards of the enemy before being discovered. Then from both flanks machine guns opened fire and the whole length of the opposing trench opening rapid fire. The commanding officers voice rang out "forward the 1st - get at em Welch!". In 20 seconds there were 250 men and a proportion of the officers on the floor. The remainder were in the trench bayonetting those in the trench and firing at the retreating Prussian Guards.

It was a gallant little affair but alas two serious mishaps occured:

1. The attack had not prolonged far enough to the left, leaving six bays of trench (about 50 Germans) on the left flank still in possession of the Germans
2. The Coy on the right had lost touch and a gap of 40 yards occurred. This Coy gained the trnech in front of them but left 40 to 50 Germans in occupation between them and the right of the Welch line.
   

In occupying the trench orders were at once issued to consolidate position against counter attacks. The Germans on both flanks started bombing. Fred was killed during this stage of the attack.