STOKES Fred

Frederick Stokes was born in Birmingham in September, 1897.  He was the son of Frederick and Sarah Stokes.  In 1901 the family lived in Westfield Lane in Catshill and in 1911 they were at Carlyle Road, Aston Fields.  In 1901 Frederick Stokes senior was a nail maker working at home but by 1911 he was a springmaker at the railway wagon works. Frederick junior was the 3rd of 6 children.  The eldest was Bertie, followed by Edwin, employed as a nut tapper in the railway wagon works in 1911, next was Frederick, aged 13 in 1911 and then Eliza, Hubert and Arthur.

Bromsgrove Weekly Messenger, 10th March 1917:
Private Fred Stokes of Aston Fields, Worcestershire Regiment.
Died of gunshot wounds in the buttocks, chest, left shoulder, left arm and head, Saturday last.  Private Stokes was a wagon painter at the Midland Railway, carriage and wagon department at Bromsgrove station.  He was called-up with the Territorial Forces in August 1914.  The deceased was born 2nd July 1897 and was only 19 years of age.  He was previously wounded with a rifle bullet in the neck on 2nd June 1915.  The bullet was extracted whilst he was in hospital in Wellingborough.  He returned to the front in June 1916.
The report includes a photograph of Frederick Stokes.

The following information has been researched and transcribed by Sandra Taylor:
F. Stokes, Private, Worcestershire Regiment was employed by the Midland Railway as a Wagon Painter’s Boy in the Carriage and Wagon Department at Bromsgrove Station. These details are recorded in the company’s memorial book.

Source: In Remembrance of the Brave Men of the Midland Railway who Gave their Lives in the Great War 1914-1919.  Published by the company to coincide with the unveiling of the Midland Railway War Memorial at Derby on Thursday 15th December 1921 at 11.45am.