Baxenden Lads: Stott F

PTE. 45118 FRED STOTT
4th December 1917

PTE. 45118 FRED STOTT of the Royal Irish Fusiliers died of wounds sustained on December 4th 1917 during the British campaign to drive the Turkish forces from the Holy Land.

Fred was aged twenty three, and before his enlistment he lived with his wife at 7 Bridge Houses, Baxenden. Before his marriage he lived with his parents at Meadow Brick Farm. He served with his regiment in Salonika (Greece) from November 1915 until he came to Egypt to take part in the final attempt to re-occupy Palestine from the Turks. He therefore took part in the historic “March to Jerusalem” which resulted in the liberation of the Holy City on December 11th 1917.

Fred’s grave lies in Ramla War Cemetery, Israel. Ramla is a small town eight miles south east of Tel Aviv, and three miles south of Lod on the road from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The town was captured on November 15th 1917 and Field Ambulances and mobile hospitals were placed in the town in December. The cemetery began next to the hospitals, and in addition many other bodies were brought in from the surrounding battlefields. Ramla is a large cemetery with 3,688 war graves of men of many nationalities – British, Australian, Indian, Egyptian, New Zealanders, etc., etc.

Fred was connected with Haslingden Trinity Baptist Chapel, and a service of remembrance for him was held there on Sunday, December 28th 1917. His name is also on Haslingden Roll of Honour in Haslingden Public Hall.