For many years there was a private book on my family’s shelves. I did not know of its existence until some five years ago when I was turning out my parents’ house. I discovered a most fascinating and enlightening read.
The book contained the story of my great uncle, Fred Cearns. It was written by his brother Percy shortly after Fred’s death in August 1917.
The family home was in Plaistow and Fred and Percy were 2 of 13 children. The book describes in detail family life in London’s East End at the end of the 19th century and as such is an interesting piece of social history. From a more family interest, as Fred’s father was an inaugural director of the club, there is mention of how Fred as a young man played a few games for West Ham United’s reserve team at the Boleyn Ground, Upton Park.
In November 1914 Fred responded to the call and enlisted with the army. He was with the London Royal Fusiliers and went from Malta to Egypt and in the summer of 1915 he was in Gallipoli; and the summer of 1916 he was on the Somme. He suffered injury and had to return to Blighty for convalescence but he was back and ready for action by the time of the big push near Ypres in July 1917, which is known as Passchendaele. Having survived so far, Fred knew that his luck was running out and he was apprehensive going into this phase of the war.
The book tells us much about Fred at this time as Percy was an Army dispatch rider and on his days off he was able to use his Triumph motorbike to get to meet up with his brother. History is full of stories of the horrendous conditions in the mud of Passchendaele, but here we have much detail of what could happen away from the front line.
On the 10th of August Fred went up to the front line with his battalion. On 13th August 1917 Fred was struck on the head through his helmet by a splinter from a German shell and died. He was buried in his own groundsheet near to where he fell.
On Saturday 4th September 2010 whilst on a Ypres WW1 tour expertly delivered by Graeme Cooper and in the company of some HCHG members, using a map reference quoted in the book, we found the area where Fred fell. Pages from the book were read by members of the party and a minutes silence held to honour the memory of Fred.