Fred Hirst (1900-1940) [3300461, Company Quartermaster Sergeant, 2/7th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment] ✓

[Dave Pattern]

• born 17 Dec 1900 in Linthwaite
• son of Arthur Hirst & Anna/Annie (née Quarmby)
• married Doris May Weatherill (23 May 1907-18 Aug 1962, daughter of labourer Thomas Weatherill) on 4 August 1923 at St. Bartholomew’s, Marsden
  • Annie Dorothy Hirst (29 Dec 1923-1993?) [Q1 1924 Huddersfield]
  • Jean Riley Hirst (16 Nov 1925-28 May 1968) [Q4 1925 Huddersfield]
  • Gerald A. Hirst (1928-?) [Q2 1928 Huddersfield]
• died 14 June 1940
  • Casualty List #270 (1/Aug/1940): missing 11.6.40
  • Casualty List #364 (19/Nov/1940): died of wounds 14.6.40
• buried Auppegard (France) — Find a Grave

Records:

• 1901 Census (FindMyPast) – 17 Lower Clough, Linthwaite
• 1911 Census (FindMyPast) – 20 Lower Clough, Linthwaite
• 1921 Census (FindMyPast) – Gate Head, Marsden (widowed mother)
• 1939 Register (FindMyPast) – 23 Ingfield Terrace, Slaithwaite (widowed mother living with married daughter Emma)
• 1939 Register (FindMyPast) – 663 Manchester Road (wife Doris and children)

Notes:

• father died in 1909, mother on 10 July 1939
• Doris Weatherill was aged 16 when she married Fred and she was living at 5 Gladstone Buildings, Marsden
• after Fred’s death, Doris married Wallace Llewellyn Jones (19 Nov 1904-20 Feb 1988) in 1944 (Q2 1944 Huddersfield) but seemingly they had no children together
  • “Wallace L. Jones” married Elizabeth Beaumont in 1963, which is a year after Doris died
  • Wallace’s address at death was 663 Manchester Road (same address as Doris in 1939)
• daughter Jean married Edgar Hirst circa 1949 (Q1 1949 Huddersfield) and lived at 10 Whiteley Street, Huddersfield
  • son Michael A. Hirst born on 11 April 1953 at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary
  • Jean and Michael travelled to Montréal (Canada) aboard the Sylvania in June 1960 and returned in October aboard the Sylvania with their address recorded as 609 Manchester Road, Milnsbridge (Edgar was not a passenger on either trip)
  • Jean committed suicide on 28 May 1968 at her home (78 Balmoral Avenue, Crosland Moor) by gassing herself (she left a suicide note for her son and there was no mention of Edgar at the inquest)
• daughter Annie likely married Roy Barker Taylor (28 Jun 1923-1996) around 1945 [Q1 1945 Huddersfield]
  • daughter born circa 1945, likely either Katharine M. Taylor or Susan C. Taylor (born 1945 Huddersfield to a mother née Hirst)
  • they divorced in 1965 due to Roy’s “adultery and destrion” (presumably a newspaper typo for “desertion”) [Roy’s next marriage to Eileen also ended with a divorce in 1981]
  • Annie may have lived apart from Roy as early as 1958 as Annie was fined when her 13-year-old daughter didn’t attend school regularly enough (the girl “had no father”)
  • an article from 1968 suggests that Annie also had a child with Alexander/Alecsander Stasvik/Stasiuk/Stasivk (1907-1996) of Gledholt Bank
  • Annie then seems to have married a Dyson as the death of Annie Dorothy Dyson was recorded in 1993 with the same DoB (29 Dec 1923)

Links:

• CWGC
• Ancestry (family tree)
• National Archives

Added to Huddersfield Exposed:

• https://huddersfield.exposed/wiki/Fred_Hirst_(1900-1940)

———

Huddersfield Examiner (21/Sep/1940):

C.Q.M.S. Fred Hirst

C.Q.M.S. Fred Hirst, 2/7 Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, who was reported missing at St. Valery on June 11. is a prisoner of war. Official intimation has been received by his wife, who, with her three children, lives at 663, Manchester Road.

C.Q.M.S. Hirst, who is thirty-eight years of age, served in the Territorial Army for eighteen years. He is the son of the late Mr. Arthur Hirst and Mrs. Hirst, Ingfield Terrace, Slaithwaite. In civil life he was a stoker at the Huddersfield Corporation Electricity Works.

Huddersfield Examiner (15/Mar/1941):

MILNSBRIDGE CHURCH MEETING

At the electors’ meeting the Vicar, in a reference to the war, mentioned that two local men had been killed during the year – Brian Butterworth, following an accident in Scotland, and Sgt. Fred Hirst, who was severely wounded in France and died subsequently as a prisoner of war. Eighteen regular members of the church were now serving with the Forces, and in all some four hundred Milnsbridge men were in one or other of the Services.

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (14/Jun/1944):

ROLL OF HONOUR

HIRST — In loving memory of a dear husband and dad C.Q.M.S. Fred Hirst, died of wounds June 14, 1940.

Deep in our hearts a memory is kept
Of one we loved dearly and will never forget

From Doris, Jean and Gerald; also Dorothy (H.M.F.). 663 Manchester Road.

[Hervé SAVARY]

Hello Dave,

Retired french Gendarmerie officer (major) I’m searching informations and families about

C.Q.M.S. Fred Hirst, 2/7 Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, who was reported missing at St. Valery on June 11. is a prisoner of war. Official intimation has been received by his wife, who, with her three children, lives at 663, Manchester Road.

C.Q.M.S. Hirst, who was thirty-eight years of age, served in the Territorial Army for eighteen years. He is the son of the late Mr. Arthur Hirst and Mrs. Hirst, Ingfield Terrace, Slaithwaite. In civil life he was a stoker at the Huddersfield Corporation Electricity Works.

Huddersfield Examiner (15/Mar/1941):

MILNSBRIDGE CHURCH MEETING

At the electors’ meeting the Vicar, in a reference to the war, mentioned that two local men had been killed during the year – Brian Butterworth, following an accident in Scotland, and Sgt. Fred Hirst, who was severely wounded in France and died subsequently as a prisoner of war. Eighteen regular members of the church were now serving with the Forces, and in all some four hundred Milnsbridge men were in one or other of the Services.

He died june 14th and was buried in Auppegard communal cemetery extension

I have his own british MKII helmet with J.H initials,  found in Blosseville sur mer farm, where 2/7th  DWR fought and suffered heavy losses o, 11th june 1940

I’m in touch with Scott Flaving, DWR historian who is living in Huddersfield

Could you help me?

Best records

Hervé

[Hervé SAVARY]

A retired Gendarmerie officer, I am researching the fighting that took place on 11 and 12 June 1940 near Saint-Valery-en-caux in Normandy, in which the 2/7th Duke of Wellington’s Regiment took part.

Suffering heavy losses, particularly in the towns of Blosseville/mer (5), Sotteville/mer (30), then Veules-les-roses (5), the survivors of the 2/7th were nevertheless able to re-embark for the most part and resume the fight.

Among the killed is C.Q.M.S. Fred Hirst, 2/7 Duke of Wellington’s Regiment; Severely wounded in Sotteville-sur-mer battlefield 11h June 1940 he was reported missing at St. Valery, then subsequently as a prisoner of war. He probably died on June 14 in Auppegard, (25 km from Saint-Valery-en-caux) and buried in Auppegard churchyard.

I get in touch with Scott Flaving, DWR historian and organized ceremonies on June 2023 in Sotteville/mer with an important DWR delegation

to help me find I’d like to get in touch with Fred Hirst’s family an get photos.

I hope to have information soon on the circumstances of his death

I am in possession of a British MKI helmet found in Blosseville/mer bearing the initials F.H, the only ones corresponding to Fred Hirst…

I am asking for your help to help me find Fred Hirst’s family an get photos.

Thanking you in advance

Major(rtd) Hervé Savary
Home phone: 00 33 +02 32 06 54 50
Whatsapp mobile: 00 33+06 82 16 14 15

[Author]

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