MAYES, Frederick


No.6563, Private, Frederick MAYES
Aged 24


2nd/4th Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales' (Royal Berkshire Regiment)
formerly 2548, 3rd/5th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Died of his Wounds on Saturday, 5th August 1918


Frederick Mayes was born in Kedington (Risbridge Q2-1892 4A:702), son of Henry and Alice MAYES (née HURRELL).

1901 census...Aged 9, he was in Little Wratting with his father Henry MAYES [32] horsekeeper born Barnardiston; his mother Alice [31] born Barnardiston; brothers William [11] born Barnardiston, George [7], Arthur [3] and Albert [1] all born in Little Wratting.

1911 census...Aged 19, farm labourer, he was at Great Wratting with his parents; brothers William (cow man), George (farm labourer), Arthur, Albert [11], Jonny [7] born Kedington and Bertie [18 months] born Little Wratting; sister Hilda [9] born Little Wratting.

His brother George, serving in the Yorkshire Regiment, was wounded in the arm and thigh but survived the war. His younger brother was more unfortunate. In the 1939-1945 war Thomas was captured by the Japanese at the surrender of Singapore and after being transported to mainland Japan for labour, he died and is buried in Yokohama.

His nephew, Michael Brown of Hundon, was kind enough to point out the facts about Thomas who is commemorated on the Great Wratting memorial. see here





He enlisted in Haverhill. The memorial plaque places him in the Suffolk Regiment but he had been transferred to the Royal Berkshires. Sadly the Army noted his sole legatee,his mother, was a patient in St Audry's Hospital, Melton nr Woodbridge at the time of his death. His final account with the Army was £1/17.6 to C Hazelwood for funeral costs and the rest paid on his mother's behalf to the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital.

His Army service record has not survived so it is impossible to be exact as to where and when he was wounded, but the likelihood is the Battle of Fromelles, where 2 inexperienced Divisions were sent against a vastly experienced German force. Of the 7,000 British casualties, 5,500 were Australians, fighting their first action of the war. The Berkshires suffered heavy casualties.

Evacuated to England, Frederick died in the Metropolitan Hospital, London (Hackney Q3-1916 1B:381) and was conveyed to Little Wratting to be buried in the church yard there.




Frederic Mayes is buried in Little Wratting (St Mary) Churchyard, west

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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