Gunner Frederick John Pike
D Battery, 277th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
Died of Wounds
Date of Birth: 1879
Place of Birth: Exeter, Devon
Date of Death: 28 May 1918 aged 39
Buried: igny-St Flochel British Cemetery, Averdoingt, France. Remembered on Seafront Memorial and St. James’ Church Memorial Window, Teignmouth.
Gunner Frederick John Pike age 39.
Born Exeter in 1879, believed to be the son of James Pike a tailor who by 1881 was living in Plymouth. On 1881 and 1891 census Frederick was shown living with his grandparents, James, a tailor, and Elizabeth Pike at St. Sidwell, Exeter. He was still living with them in 1901 and working as a tailor for his grandfather, they were now in Victoria Street. The 1911 census showed him with wife Beatrice and son living at Willey Lane, Teignmouth, he was working as a tailor; he was also here on the 1913 electoral roll. He possibly married Beatrice Joslin in 1903 at Exeter; his widow later lived at 16 Alexandria Terrace, Teignmouth.
Royal Artillery Cap Badge
Frederick was serving with "D" Battery, 277th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, service number 1376 and from his service number it appears that he joined in 1915.
He was hit when a bomb was dropped on their battery and he died of his wounds at Casualty Clearing Station No. 33 on 28 May 1918. Buried in Ligny-St Flochel British Cemetery, Averdoingt, France. Remembered on Seafront Memorial and St. James’ Church Memorial Window, Teignmouth.
Grave Inscription reads: “A Loving Husband So True And Kind A Loving Memory Left Behind Beatrice, Freddy.”
“News received by Mrs Beatrice Pike of Alexandra Tce that her husband gunner F Pike died of wounds in France on May 28. He was a tailor by trade.” Teignmouth Post - 7 June
“Re gunner F Pike, his wife received letter from Major Castle, brigade officer explaining he was hit by a piece of bomb dropped at night from a German plane on the huts at the battery where the men were living. Seven men wounded and two died of their wounds.” Teignmouth Post - 28 June
