Fred Nield

FRED NIELD

49305, Private, Fred Nield, 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, formerly, 3503, 2/7th Cheshire Regiment.

Born 15 March 1898 at Macclesfield, son of night watchman, Thomas and Emma, (nee Hoey) Nield of 59, Cross Street, Macclesfield. Fred’s two elder siblings were, Elizabeth Ann and Harry. (Harry was also killed in the Great War). He was also a Boy Scout

Fred attested into the Territorials, 05/04/1915, a very young man of five feet three inches tall weighed 115lb with a chest measurement of thirty three inches. At the time of his attesting, he was working as a labourer and living at 10,Chapel Street. Sutton, Macclesfield. He was drafted with the B.E.F. 30 August 1916, from Southampton, to Rouen, joining the 1st Battalion, 12/09/1916 On the 23 1916, he was withdrawn from the firing line and despatched to the Divisional School when they discovered he was underage.

On the 30 March 1917, he re-joined the 1st Battalion on attaining his eighteenth birthday, this was in Italy. On the 4 April 1918 the 1st Battalion returned to France. In France the Battalion moved to a base at NIEPPE FOREST and were soon at the front line and at the end of the month of May, they were subjected to hostile shelling. On the 29th they were relieved at the front line by the 16th Warwick’s and they withdrew to SPESIANO CAMP in Brigade reserve. Fred was killed, Thursday, 30 May 1918, aged 20 years.

Medals: 8ritish War Medal and Victory Medal.

Private, Fred Nield is buried at Tannay British Cemetery, Thiennes, Nord, France.
C.W.G.C. Ref: – Plot 2. Row G. Grave 10.

Also refer to

• Macclesfield Troops pre WWI
• Photos from Barnswood archive Macclesfield WW1
• ‘Big Hats, Shorts and Dyb Dyb Dyb’ – a history of Macclesfield and Congleton Scouts by Norman Gosling
• WWI List of Addresses Trevor Druce Macclesfield Reflects