TATE, Frederick

Fred Tate came from Cradley and attended Cradley C of E school. He volunteered for the Worcester Territorials and joined the 1/8th Battalion. Their first few months in France were spent near Ploegsteert in a relatively quiet sector and in the Spring of 1916 they moved to Picardy and the Somme. For the first day of the Battle of the Somme the Worcesters were just behind the front but on the 14th July they were ordered to attack at Ovillers with the result of considerable losses. They returned in August to this highly contested village for a night attack on the 20/21st. Private Frederick Tate was among those killed in action in this difficult operation. He is commemorated on the Thiepval, Cradley, Halesowen and Cradley C of E School Memorials.