Reeves, Frederick John

Summary

Father: Isaac REEVES
Mother: Elizabeth SHEPPARD

Birth: 1888
Birth Source: Census & FreeBMD

Death: October 1914
Death Source: CWGC

Spouse1:

Narrative

Frederick John Reeves was the youngest of four known children of Isaac REEVES and his wife Elizabeth (nee SHEPPARD). His birth was registered in the Cricklade Registration District during the second quarter of 1888.

On the 1891 census, Frederick appears in his parents home at Preston in Wiltshire as Fred J Reeves. He is shown as 4 years of age and was born in Lyneham, Wiltshire. His sister Ellen complete the household.

At the time of the 1901 census, Frederick is again living at home. His mother Elizabeth is now Head of Household, describing herself as widow, his father Isaac's death being registered in the first quarter of 1901. Frederick is now 13 years old and again shows birth in Lyneham.

Based on his regimental number of 7912, it is likely Frederick enlisted in about August 1907. (See Research Note 2 below.)

Frederick has yet to be positively identified on the 1911 census. He is not included in his mother's home at Preston.

"Soldier Died in the Great War" notes that as Frederick Reeves he enlisted in the British Army at Swindon but no date is recorded. He served with the 1st Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment).

Frederick's death is recorded on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.  He was serving as Private 7912 of the 1st Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment and died in October 1914. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial in the département of Pas De Calais in northern France (FR-62). The CWGC site additionally notes "Son of Mrs. Elizabeth Reeves, of Preston Lyneham, Chippenham, Wilts".

Research Notes

(1) Given Frederick's relatively low regimental number (7912) and his death very early in the war, it is likely he had been a soldier for some time prior to the outbreak of war in 1914. At the time of the 1911 census the 1st Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment were serving in South Africa.

(2) The likely date of Frederick's enlistment is based on information found at http://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/wiltshire-regiment-1st-2nd-battalions.html.
It shows that soldier 7728 joined the Wiltshire Regiment on 10th January 1907 and 8108 joined on 8th March 1908. Presuming a reasonably constant rate of enlistment over the period, regimental number 7912 would have been allocated around August 1907.     (This research note added Dec2014)

(3) See also Chiseldon War Memorial

Sources

Birth:       FreeBMD 1888, June quarter, Cricklade Registration District
Baptism:  
Marriage:
Death:     GRO Index to War Deaths 1914-1921 Army (Other Ranks) page 3012
                 CWGC http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1561031/REEVES,%20FREDERICK%20JOHN

1891 Census: RG12, Piece 1587, Folio 54 reverse, Page 4
1901 Census: RG13, Piece 1911, Folio 50 face, Page 5
1911 Census: Mother - RG14, Piece 11812, Reg.Dist. 241 (Cricklade), Sub Dist. 1 (Wootton Basssett), Enum.Dist. 5, Schedule 32

From Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 at Find My Past,
Original data: British and Irish Military Databases. The Naval and Military Press Ltd.

First name(s) FREDERICK
Last name REEVES
Service number 7912
Rank PRIVATE
Regiment Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment)
Battalion 1st Battalion.
Birth place PRESTON, WILTS
Residence CHIPPENHAM
Enlistment place SWINDON
Death year 1914
Death day 31
Death month 10
Cause of death Killed in action
Death place France & Flanders
Theatre of war Western European Theatre