17881 ASJT. F. C. BRUNSDON. L.N.LAN.R

Frederick Charles Brunsdon was born in Little Hulton, Lancashire on 4th January 1889.

On 17th June 1911 Frederick married Minnie Helerns at Bolton. They set up home on Plodder Lane, Farnworth.

Shortly before his twenty-sixth birthday, on 11th November 1914 Frederick enlisted in the Army.  He had no military experience and had been working as a collier.

Private Brunsdon joined the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment and was posted into the 11th (Reserve) Battalion with the number 17881.

On five occasions in 1915 Frederick was punished for being absent without leave by overstaying his pass.  This started at Felixstowe in January (3 days), then at Billericay in May (3 days), in July (3 days) and at Seaford in September (6 days) and October (2 days).

The Army trained him to become a cook and in February 1916 he gained certificates in E.C and C.F school cookery at Colchester.

On 4th April 1916 in Bolton,  Frederick and Minnie had their first child. They named their daughter Mary Ellen.

In July 1916 he was appointed Lance Corporal and the following month was transferred to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion to continue his training for War Service.

On 9th October 1916, having presumably completed his training, Frederick sailed to Mesopotamia to join the Special duties section of the 6th (Service) Battalion. Whilst not on the front line but serving as a cook, Frederick was still subject to the poor living conditions and associated illnesses. He was admitted to hospital at Amara on several occasions with the diarrhea. 

In December 1917 he was appointed Acting Corporal, reverting to Lance Corporal the following March. This happened on three more occasions, bouncing between Lance Corporal and Acting Corporal with temporary promotions to cover his workmates as they were also ‘in-and-out’ of hospital.

Two days after the Armistice, 13th November 1918 Frederick was posted to the 1st Corps, Prisoner of War labour camp (still in Mesop) and was appointed paid Acting Serjeant. He remained in Mesopotamia with the 11th P.O.W section as a ‘Supervisor of labour’ until 14th April 1919 when he embarked at Basrah bound for Bombay. They arrived a week later. He was now transferred back to the 6th (Special Duties) Battalion.

In September 1919 he embarked on the H.T Bremen bound for the UK and exactly one year after the War ended (and  his fifth anniversary of enlisting), 11th November 1919 Frederick was demobilised to class Z reserve. His address at the time of his discharge was 1 Baron Street, off Fold’s Road, Bolton.

Frederick was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal in recognition of his War Service.

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Paul McCormick

Paul McCormick is the creator and administrator for the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment website. Since 2010 he has been researching the soldiers that served during the First World War and sharing their stories on his website. You can contact Paul through the website 'Contact Me' page or on Twitter and Facebook.

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