FENN Bertie William

The birth of Bertie William Fenn is registered in the December Quarter 1887 under the Bromsgrove Registration District.

On 27th June 1904 Bertie Fenn enlisted in Birmingham as a Private in the 6th Battalion Worcestershire, Service No 7000, for a period of 6 years. On his attestation paper he stated he was 18 years 4 months old, was born in Alvechurch, Worcestershire and was employed as a labourer by Mr Lewis, The Poplars, Forshaw Heath, Solihull, Birmingham.Bertie was resident at Charford Lane, Bromsgrove and he gave his next of kin as Edward Fenn, Tanyard, Alvechurch, Worcestershire. Bertie was 5 feet 5 inches tall with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair.

Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Redditch Weekly Messenger:
MISSING ALVECHURCH SOLDIER
NOW REPORTED KILLED
Recently a communication was addressed to Field Marshal Sir John French, asking for news of Private Bertie Fenn, 2nd Worcesters, of Alvechurch, of whom nothing had been heard since early in the war. The following information has come to hand.
The Commanding Officer of the regiment reports:-“The case of No 8542 Private B. Fenn has been under investigation some time now, and there appears little doubt that he was killed on the 26th October, 1914, and he will be reported as such in my next casualty list. I am sending you all the information I can obtain and should be glad if you would pass it on to his parents. I cannot understand why he was not reported killed, wounded, or missing at the time except for the fact that there were such large numbers of casualties of both N.C.O.’s and men that his name may have been lost sight of. The enclosed correspondence is the first I have received concerning him, and as there are only three officers and a very few N.C.O.’s and men now in the battalion who were present during that period it has been very difficult to obtain reliable information.”
Corporal H. Slater says:-“On the 26th October, 1914, I was platoon commander, and the man in question (Private Fenn) was killed by a bullet wound.”
Private H. Harper writes:-“Private Fenn got shot through the head on the date mentioned, and I helped to bandage him up with my friend. Private Fisher, and this soldier gave me a hand to carry him out of the trench, and on the way down to the dressing station we met a doctor belonging to the Guards regiment, and he asked how he was, and we told him, and he told us he could not do anything for him, and told us to lay him down behind the maxim gun limbers. I stood by him for two and a half hours. He seemed to revive somewhat, and I sent for my friend above mentioned, and we carried him to the dressing station, where Corporal Shakespeare took his pay book, when he passed away.”
Sir John French’s private secretary adds:-“I enclose correspondence which is the result of enquiries made about Private B. Fenn. The Field Marshal wishes me to ask you to convey to his relatives his sympathy for them in their trouble and sorrow.”

Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Redditch Weekly Messenger:
ALVECHURCH SOLDIER KILLED
Mr E. Fenn, of Alvechurch, has now received a notification that his son, 8543 Private Bertie Fenn, of the 2nd Worcesters, has been killed in action, thus confirming the report which recently appeared. Mr Fenn has still three sons serving.

Bertie Fenn has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial.