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The Men Who Died

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rest of the war, returning with the Brecknocks in November 1919. He had been in good health throughout his overseas service but after his return his health began to fail.

David died of pneumonia at the borough infirmary and was buried in Brecon Cemetery with full military honours. Mourners included his mother and father and three brothers John, Chris and Albert.

Frederick was born in Bashley in the Lymington district of Hampshire in 1880. His father, Alfred was a farm labourer and his mother’s name was Lucy. When he was born, Frederick had an older sister Anne and an older brother Willy. In 1885 Frederick’s father died and by 1891, Lucy was remarried to Edward Lawrence a woodman on a local estate where the family were living. He now had another brother, Sidney, plus three step-brothers, Alfred, Harry and Albert and a step-sister Edith.

In 1901 the family are still living near the local estate, The Bashley Manor where they are all probably working. Frederick is working as a general labourer, his brother as a garden labourer and his stepfather is still a woodman.

In 1908 Frederick married Jessie Hayward Payne from Trowbridge in Wiltshire. They lived in Bashley where Frederick worked as a carter on a on a local nursery, possibly part of The Bashley Manor.

Frederick enlisted in the 3/7th Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment. It was part of the Territorial Force formed at Bournemouth in March 1915 as a third line unit. These were usually used for home defence

Private Frederick Alfred Whitcher

Hampshire Regiment, 3/7th Battalion, transferred to the

Labour Corps, service no. 4326, 527714

Died on March 15th, 1918 at home, aged 37

Buried in Brecon Cemetery