Fred Crabtree was killed in action on this day in 1917
Fred Crabtree was born in Burnley. Lancashire in 1888, the son of Richard Crabtree, a cotton loom tackler, and Margaret née Heap. He had an older brother and sister - John and Susannah.
Before the war, Fred was employed as a Loom Over-Looker at the Rake Head Shed in Burnley.
On 31 October 1911, he married Beatrice Ellen née Whyatt. On 28 October 1913, they had a son Harry Whyatt Crabtree. The family lived at 19, Basnett Street in Burnley.
On 11 December 1915, Fred attested at Grove Park in London and served in the Army Service Corps (Service Number 267421) until 5 November 1916 when he was transferred to the 10th Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment (Service Number 50023). On 9 March 1917, he went to France with his regiment.
On 10 March 1917, Fred was allocated to the 10th Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment (Service Number 32157) who were in billets at Houvin-Houvigneul, 20 miles west of Arras.
On 20 April, the battalion moved into the frontline trenches at Fampoux where, on the 26th, he was wounded in the face. He spent the next months in hospital and rejoined his battalion on 26 June 1917 in the Kemmel area of the Ypres Salient. He was killed in action just 19 days later on 15th July 1917.
Fred is buried in Pond Farm Cemetery, Belgium.
32157 Pte Fred Crabtree, 10th Bn York and Lancaster Regt.