Main CPGW Record
Surname: SPENCER
Forename(s): Frederick
Place of Birth: Kirk Sandall, Yorkshire
Service No: 142556
Rank: Private
Regiment / Corps / Service: Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
Battalion / Unit: 62nd Battalion
Division: 62nd (2/West Riding) Division
Age: 31
Date of Death: 1918-04-09
Awards: ---
CWGC Grave / Memorial Reference: IX. B. 6.
CWGC Cemetery: BIENVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY
CWGC Memorial: ---
Non-CWGC Burial: ---
Local War Memorial: CONONLEY, YORKSHIRE
Additional Information:
Frederick Spencer was the son Francis and Alice Spencer, née Speak. Francis was born at Silsden and Alice at Glusburn, Yorkshire
1891 Kirk Sandall, Yorkshire Census: Frederick Spencer, aged 4 years, born Kirk Sandall, son of Francis and Alice Spencer.
1901 Cononley, Yorkshire Census: 106, Main Street - Frederick Spencer, aged 14 years, born Kirk Sandall, Doncaster, son of Francis and Alice Spencer.
1911 Queensbury, Yorkshire Census: Mountain House - Frederick Spencer, aged 24 years, born Kirk Sandall, Yorkshire. [Frederick was boarding with Amelia Helena Davoren.]
The British Army Service Record for Frederick Spencer exists but may be incomplete.
British Army WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards: Pte Frederick Spencer, 4954, W. Rid. R.; 142556, M.G.C.
British Army WW1 Medal and Award Rolls: Pte Frederick Spencer, 4954, W. Rid. R.; 142556, M.G.C. Killed in Action 9.4.18.
Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects: Pte Frederick Spencer, 142556, 62nd Bn M.G.C. Date and Place of Death: 9.4.18. K. in A. France or Belgium. To whom Authorised/Amount Authorised: Mother and Grantee - Alice. £22 8s. 7d.
UK, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923: card(s) exist for Frederick.
Early in 1918 Machine Gun Battalions were formed. This was done by bringing 4 Machine Gun Companies together to form a battalion. The battalion then took the number of their Division.
A Fred Spencer is commemorated on the Queensbury War Memorial.
Data Source: Craven’s Part in the Great War - original CPGW book entry
View Entry in CPGW BookEntry in West Yorkshire Pioneer Illustrated War Record:
SPENCER, F., aged 31, M.G.C., Spring Bank, [Cononley], killed April 6, 1918.
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Private Frederick SPENCER
Regiment / Corps / Service Badge: Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
Divisional Sign / Service Insignia: 62nd (2/West Riding) Division
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Additional Photo(s) For Soldier Records
Bienvillers Military Cemetery
CWGC Headstone
Courtesy of Colin Chadwick, Harrogate
View Craven Herald Articles
View Craven Herald Articles
23 March 1917
CONONLEY – Soldiers Invalided from the Front
Pte. Alfred Thompson of St. John’s Street, who is now in Birmingham hospital, has been invalided from the Front suffering from trench feet; and Pte. Fred Spencer, of Spring Bank, is at present in the War Hospital at Chichester recovering from an operation for appendicitis. Both are progressing as well as can be expected.
03 May 1918
Private F. Spencer, Cononley
Very deep and sincere regret was felt on Wednesday when it became known that Mrs. Spencer, of Spring Bank, had received notification from the War Office that her younger son, Private Frederick Spencer, had been killed in action on the Western Front on April 9th. Private Spencer, previous to joining the Forces on March 8th 1916, had been employed by Messrs. Paul, Speak and Son, Mountain Mills, Queensbury, Bradford, for 10 years, but had almost invariably spent his weekends at his own home at Cononley, where he was a chorister and a regular attendee at St. John’s Church. At Queensbury he was the secretary for the Spike Institute up to the time of leaving. He was a keen cricketer and kept up his connection with the Cononley Club as a playing member until the club was disbanded. Though quiet and retiring in disposition, he gathered round him a circle of friends who will very deeply mourn his loss. As a boy he attended the Cononley National School and is the fourth old boy to give his life for his country.
In a letter to his mother, his commanding officer says:– “He was hit by a small fragment of shell, and his death was instantaneous, suffering no pain, and was buried in a British military cemetery some distance behind the lines. Your son had only been with me about two months, as he was transferred at the end of February from the Infantry to the Machine Gun Corps. Nevertheless, during that time he had been recognised by both officers and men as one of fine character and attractive disposition. He had many friends in the Company and all those who made his acquaintance deeply deplore his death.”
Private Spencer had just completed his 31st year.
View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles
View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles
03 May 1918
SPENCER – Killed in action April 9th, Pte. F. Spencer, Machine Gun Corps, son of Mrs. Spencer, of Spring Bank, Cononley, aged 31.
03 May 1918
CRAVEN AND THE WAR
Private F. Spencer Killed
Mrs. F. Spencer, of Spring Bank, Cononley, has received notification from the War Office, that her youngest son, Pte. Frederick Spencer, had been killed in action on the Western front on April 9th, having been struck by a small fragment of a shell which killed him instantaneously. Pte. Spencer, previous to joining the forces on March 8th, 1916, was employed by Messrs. Paul Speak and Son, Mountain Mills, Queensbury, Bradford, for 10 years, but had almost invariably spent his week-ends at his own home at Cononley, where he was a chorister and a regular attender at St. John’s Church. At Queensbury he was the secretary of the Speke Institute up to the time of leaving. He was a keen cricketer, and kept up his connection with the Cononley club as a playing member until the club was disbanded. Though quiet and retiring in disposition, he gathered round him a wide circle of friends who will very deeply mourn his loss. As a boy he attended Cononley National School, and is the fourth old boy to give his life for his country. In a letter to his mother, his commanding officer says:- “He was hit by a small fragment of shell and his death was instantaneous, suffering no pain, and was buried in a British Military Cemetery some distance behind the lines. Your son has only been with us about two months, as he was transferred at the end of February from the Infantry to the Machine Gun Corps. Nevertheless, during that time he has been recognized by both officers and men as one of fine character and attractive disposition. He had many friends in the company, and all those who made his acquaintance deeply deplore his death.” Pte. Spencer had just completed his 31st year.
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