One of our Facebook followers has shared the following story of his great-grandfather with us:

Frederick Stockton during the First World War

Frederick Stockton was born on April 30, 1868, in Dudley. Frederick Stockton was married in October 1896 in Wolverhampton to Mary Ann Clayton. In 1901, he was living at 48 Sidney Street, Wolverhampton with Mary Ann and four children and was working as a Carter.

By 1911, they had moved to 35 Dartmouth Street. Census shows that they had had six children but had died, Horace, ‘from convulsions’. He was 18 months old. A news cutting details the inquest. Horace had been ill for two weeks, so they visited the doctor who gave Horace ‘some medicine’ and sent him home. He died later that day after suffering several fits. He died during the last one. A sad and tragic story. The Coroner said he was well looked after and did not blame his parents for the death.

Frederick Stockton on horseback

During the WW1, Frederick enlisted and joined the ‘Remounts’. These were troops responsible for looking after and commandeering horse. He was served his Call-up Notice by a Sgt Raymond of The Staffordshire Regiment, he was sent to attest at Wolverhampton. He enlisted on the 6th April 1915 into the ASC (Army Service Corps). He gave his ‘trade or calling’ as “Horse Driver.”

For some odd reason the papers show his age as 37 years 341 days when in fact he was 47. He joined his unit at the Ormskirk Remount Depot. His Army Number was 063945.  Records show him as being posted to 3 Base Remount Depot in Dieppe, travelling by sea on the SS Viper, from Southampton and arriving at Le Havre. He was on Home Service from April 1915 to August 1916, and in France from August 1916 to February 1919. On discharge in March 1919, he was entitled to British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Frederick Stockton with his wife and daughter c. 1916

During all this and back on the home front, his wife Mary Ann was living with their four youngest children at 35 Dartmouth Street. Their two eldest sons Frederick and Bernard were away serving in France. No military records exist for Bernard but he survived and moved to Australia in 1920. Frederick his brother also survived but the only record found is a pension record confirming that he enlisted in May 1915 and was demobilised in March 1919. He was in the South Staffs regiment, his number 24112.

Frederick died in January 1940, Mary Ann in October 1936.