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Local Heroes - Your streets were their streets Local Heroes - Your streets were their streets

The names of 197 local men who lost their lives in World War I are
inscribed on the bells of the Memorial Community Church in Plaistow. They are our local heroes

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Fleetwood George Bolitho

Rifleman
Rifle Brigade
Born
Plaistow - c 1892
Died
France and Flanders - 11 April 1916
Age
24
Death
Killed in action
Served in
Rifle Brigade
Awards
1915 Star, British War Medal & Victory Medal
Memorials
Unknown
Lived
Primrose Hall, West Silvertown, London E16, UK

Fleetwood's story

Bell has Corporal F Bolitho.

F Bolitho enlisted in September 1914, 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade, and entered France on 18 May 1915. He was killed in action on 11 April 1916.

From early April 1916, the 2nd Battalion was in action in the trenches in the Thiepval-la-Boisselle area (Somme).  Enemy artillery and trench mortars were very active and the Battalion sustained heavy casualties.

Donald Drew, nephew of Fleetwood George Bolitho, adds: ‘I have seen (at the Greenjackets Museum, Winchester) the original Battalion war diary, which reads for 1916:

“April 11th – About 7 pm the enemy commenced an intensive bombardment of the RIR (Royal Irish Regiment) trenches – the Bn (Battalion) went up in support, but after waiting some time were ordered back to billets, which they reached about midnight – The Germans effected a raid on the trenches & captured some prisoners. We had 1 Killed and 8 wounded by shellfiire in Becourt Wood.”.

I presume the “1 killed” was Fleetwood.

‘Fleetwood George and Arnold Richard were my Grandmother’s cousins. Their father was her brother. Her mother was Sarah Jane Bolitho and her Grandfather Richard Bolitho who had an action filled career in the a Royal Navy and Coastguard , receiving his long service medal in 1876. Their Uncle was a Fleetwood John Bolitho who was lost in HMS Clan McNaughton in February 1915.

Paul Carpenter

 

 

Service Number
Z/2909
Mother
Harriet
Father
Edward George
Spouse
Unknown
Buried
Becourt Military Cemetery, France
No photos found for Fleetwood George Bolitho

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