Frederick Charles Absolam
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| Frederick Charles Absolam |
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| 1901 Census |
At the time of the 1901 Census, Frederick was living with his uncle and aunt, Thomas A. and Margaret A. Phillips, at Nolton Cottage, Nolton, Pembrokeshire. Thomas, aged 40, was employed as an agricultural labourer, while his wife, Margaret, was 37. Their children, Mary J., aged 14, and Thomas, aged 12, were also at home. Frederick, then just two years old, completed the household.
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| 1911 Census |
By the time of the 1911 Census, Frederick was still residing with his uncle and aunt in the Nolton and Broad Haven area. Thomas Phillips, now aged 50, was working as a farm labourer, while Frederick was 12 years old.
The absence of Frederick's parents from his childhood home raises the question of what had happened to them.
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| 1911 Census |
In 1911, his mother, Elizabeth, aged 39, was living at Nolton Haven in the home of her widowed father, Thomas Williams, aged 70. Thomas was employed as a farm labourer, while Elizabeth was recorded as a housekeeper. Also living there was his granddaughter, Alice Elizabeth Williams, aged 16.
Frederick's father, William Absolam, was no longer present. According to later information concerning Frederick, his father was presumed to have been killed during the Boer War. This would explain why Frederick appears to have been brought up by his uncle and aunt while his mother lived with her widowed father.
With the outbreak of the First World War, Frederick followed in his father's military footsteps. He enlisted at Haverfordwest and joined the 3/4th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, later serving as Private 63107.
Frederick saw extensive active service during the war. He served at Gallipoli from 8 October 1915, but on 22 November was admitted to hospital suffering from dysentery. He was returned to England on 15 December 1915 to recover.
Having regained his health, Frederick embarked for Salonika on 5 February 1917, where he joined the 11th Battalion, Welsh Regiment. His service there was again interrupted when he was wounded on 14 August 1917. After recovering from his wounds, he rejoined his battalion, only to fall seriously ill with malaria. On 29 March 1918, he embarked via Taranto for his return to England.
Frederick recovered sufficiently to return to active service. On 8 August 1918, he was posted to France, initially joining the 13th Battalion, Welsh Regiment. A week later he was transferred to the 14th (Swansea City) Battalion, Welsh Regiment, part of the 114th Brigade of the 38th (Welsh) Division.
Frederick joined the battalion during the final months of the war, as the Allied armies advanced across the old battlefields of the Western Front. On 21 August 1918, the 38th (Welsh) Division launched an assault across the River Ancre and, in the following days, took part in the fighting that captured Thiepval Ridge and Pozières.
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| Frederick Charles Absolam St. Souplet British Cemetery, France credit - findagrave |
The Division then advanced towards the Hindenburg Line, fighting at Havrincourt and Épehy. After a short period of rest, the advance continued following the breaching of the Canal du Nord. The Welsh Division fought at Beaurevoir before advancing towards Cambrai and capturing Villers-Outréaux. From there, it continued towards the River Selle and then towards the Sambre.
It was during the Battle of the Selle that Frederick was wounded for the final time. He succumbed to his wounds on 20 October 1918, just three weeks before the Armistice brought the fighting to an end. He was only about 20 years old.
Private Frederick Charles Absolam is buried in St. Souplet British Cemetery, France.
Frederick's short life had taken him from the small Pembrokeshire village of Nolton to Gallipoli, Salonika and finally the battlefields of France. He had endured dysentery, wounds and malaria, repeatedly returning to military service before losing his life during the final weeks of the First World War.
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