1/5th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
Frederick John Addis was born in 1881 and his home was at Charlton Kings. At the age of 18 years seven months he left his job as a labourer and joined the Army. His Service Record has survived in the National Archives, although the part related to the Great War is amongst the ‘burnt documents’ and is only partially complete.
Addis appears to have spent a brief time with the Royal Field Artillery before transferring to the Gloucestershire Regiment. He joined initially for seven years, with five in the reserve. His original regimental number was 5730.
From enlisting at Bristol on 1 December 1899 Addis was on UK duties until 10 May 1900 when he departed for the island of St Helena where he was engaged in guarding Boer prisoners. He left St Helena for the UK on 6 August 1900 where he stayed until 31 January 1902. He was then posted to Cape Colony, South Africa, staying there until 11 November 1902, during which the Boer War came to an end. From here it was a posting to India from 12 December 1902 until 6 December 1907 and thereafter back to the UK until 28 November 1911.
Frederick married Alice Clapham in Cheltenham in 1911 (she re-married in 1923, becoming Mrs Barnett). He re-enlisted into the Special Reserve at Cheltenham on 28 November 1913, aged 32, once again showing his occupation as a farm labourer on his enlistment papers. It appears he joined the 1/5th Gloucestershire Regiment.
He was based in the UK from 8 August 1914 until 10 September 1914, joining the British Expeditionary Force in France on 11 September. His record indicates that he remained with the Glosters until 17 February 1919, serving with both the 10th (Service) and 8th Battalions. There is evidence in his record that he was admitted to 2nd Southern General Hospital at Bristol (whilst serving with ‘D’ Company, 1 Glosters) on 1 October 1915 (reasons unknown) and likewise to a Military Convalescent Camp (from 5 Northern General Hospital) on 28 April 1916.
He died from pulmonary tuberculosis at City Hospital, Over, Gloucester on 2 May 1920, age 39. At the time he was living at Chestnut Terrace, Charlton Kings. He has a CWGC headstone in Charlton Kings Cemetery, inscribed ‘Buried in the Cemetery’.
His service file contains a copy of a death certificate for his son. Arthur George Addis, who died on 14 April 1915, at 1 East End Cottages, Charlton Kings, from whooping cough and bronchitis.
Researched by Graham Adams 31 October 2011 (revised 26 July 2021)