Person Details
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Name:
Fred Purvis
Casualty No.:
Initials:
F
Service No.:
340630
Date of Birth:
9-January-1893
Place of Birth:
Age at Death:
25
Ranks:
Private
Unit:
1st/5th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers.
Teesdale Township:
Place Enlisted:
Bishop Auckland
Home Address:
1911 - Stones End, Evenwood 1918 - 22 Rochdale Street, Evenwood
Civilian Employment:
Colliery Labourer
Cause of Death:
Date of Death:
9-January-1918
Place of Death:
Quedlingberg, Germany, as a prisoner of war
Battles & Campaigns:
Locally Commemorated:
,
UK Commemorated:
Overseas Commemorated:
Niederzwehren Cemetary, Germany
Buried:
Niederzwehren Cemetary, Germany
Decoration and Medals:
,
Service :
Army
Service Records:
Death Notice/Obituary:
Family Details:

Son of George and Mary Purvis who were living at 50 Gordon Lane, Ramshaw in 1918. In 1901, Fred had sisters called Sarah A, Margaret, and Mary A. Family notes also mention Alice (Mary A perhaps?) and Mary Edith (Edith) and a foster brother Will.  

Notes:

Fred sent a postcard to his sister, Alice, describing a Zeplin attack on Hull in 1915. He seems to have been staying with his elder foster brother, Will, who lived there. According to notes made by his sister (Mary) Edith, is appears that Fred served in England from 1916 - 1918. She cites several periods of army leave and describes him at A1 on 5 March 1918. It is possible that Fred was unfit to serve until the need for reinforcements led to a posting to the Front on 21 April 1918 as part of a Lewis Gun Team. Edith records that a letter was received from the War Office on 8 July 1918 saying that Fred was reported missing and from the Red Cross on  29 July saying he was a prisoner of the  Germans. He was held at a camp at Kassel, HQ of the 11th Army Corps. The camp held 2,000 prisoners who worked factories and workshops. Edith noted the dates but not the contents of a number of cards sent by Fred from Germany during 1918 and 1919. Evidence from survivors of the camp shows that the conditions were dismal. Edith's last recording was that Fred died on 9 December 1918 at Quedlingberg, Germany but it appears the family were not informed of his death in hospital in Germany until 12th May 1919.  Nothing is known about Fred's time in the camp, the reasons for his death or why it took so long to inform the family. 

 

Copies of St Paul's Church Parish Magazines from 1897 - 1934 and documents and photos relating to Fred Purvis are available from the Bowes Museum.  

Images:
Sources:
Local Memorials: www.newmp.org.uk; Teesdale Townships: Teesdale Poor Law Union 1914; Bishop Auckland Constituency Absent Voters' List Evenwood & Barony 1918 (Durham County Record Office); First Name: Private Individual; Bishop Auckland Constituency Absent Voters' List Evenwood & Barony 1918 (Durham County Record Office); Last Name: Private Individual; Bishop Auckland Constituency Absent Voters' List Evenwood & Barony 1918 (Durham County Record Office); Service: Private Individual; Bishop Auckland Constituency Absent Voters' List Evenwood & Barony 1918 (Durham County Record Office); Service Number: Private Individual; Bishop Auckland Constituency Absent Voters' List Evenwood & Barony 1918 (Durham County Record Office); Unit: Private Individual; Bishop Auckland Constituency Absent Voters' List Evenwood & Barony 1918 (Durham County Record Office); Ranks: Private Individual; Home Address: Private Individual; Bishop Auckland Constituency Absent Voters' List Evenwood & Barony 1918 (Durham County Record Office); Civilian Employment: Private Individual; Place Enlisted: Private Individual; Age at Death: Private Individual; Date of Birth Year: Private Individual ; Date of Death Month: Private Individual ; Date of Birth Year: Private Individual; Date of Death Day: Private Individual; Date of Death Month: Private Individual; Date of Death Year: Private Individual; Place of Death: Quedlingberg, Germany, as POW; Overseas Commemorated: Private Individual; Buried: Private Individual ; Family Details: Quedlingberg; Notes: Quedlingberg;
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