There are two
possibilities for this man. The first is that he was the Frederick John Woodhams who was the brother of Thomas and Jesse Woodhams who also served during WW1.
This man was
born at Twyford, Sussex in 1898. His birth was registered at Uckfield in the March quarter of that year and his name recorded
as Frederick John Woodhams. He appears on the 1901 census of England & Wales as a three year old living with his family at Twyford Lodge Cottage, Maresfield, Sussex. The family comprised
Thomas Woodhams (head, aged 38, born in Tunbridge Wells), a widower working from home as a gamekeeper, and his four children: Kate
Woodhams (aged 15, born in Tunbridge), Thomas Woodhams (aged 13 and attending school), Jesse Woodhams (aged ten, born at Chelwood
Common, Sussex) and Frederick.
The children's
mother, Sarah Woodhams (nee Godsmark), had died a few months earlier leaving her husband to bring up their four children on
his own.
Chailey Parish
Magazine first mentions Frederick Woodhams in August 1917 noting: Woodhams, Pte F G, 13th Royal Sussex. Wounded.
This information is repeated up to and including the
final published roll call in July 1919.
The other possibility is that he was Frederick George Woodhams born 1888 in Tonbridge. This Frederick was a first cousin of the three Woodhams brothers mentioned above. He survived
the war and had a wife and family.
The National Archives’ on-line medal index card database,
adds to the confusion and gives the following possibilities:
1. S/2124 Private Frederick J Woodhams, Royal Sussex
Regiment
2. G/4722 Private Frederick Woodhams, Royal Sussex Regiment
3. 1383 Private Frederick G Woodhams, London Regiment
4. 24393 Private Frederick G Woodhams, Royal Sussex Regiment and later G/32994 Private, Royal West Kent Regiment
I think the last option is probably the correct one. Chailey Parish Magazine
notes F G Woodhams (which rules out 1 and 2 above) and the third has no mention of the Royal Sussex Regiment, the London Regiment
number being an early Territorial Force enlistment, certainly pre WW1. I'm guessing
that after being wounded, Frederick transferred to the Royal West Kent Regiment. Nevertheless, in common with
many of the men who are commemorated on this site, further research is necessary.
Sources & Acknowledgements
- 1901 Census of England
& Wales
- Chailey Parish Magazine
- The National Archives’ on line medal information card index
- John Hastings-Garrett for information on the Woodhams family
