Soldier Record

In Memory of Our Great Uncle, Lance Corporal Frederick Ernest Gee. CH/17626, 1st Royal Marine Battalion. Royal Naval Division. Royal Marine Light Infantry. Who died aged 21, on 13th November 1916. The Son of John Thomas and Jane Elizabeth Gee. Of 53, Cowper Road, Sittingbourne, Kent. Buried in the Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel, France.

Until his enlistment, Frederick was a labourer in the Sittingbourne Paper Mill. He enlisted on 14th October 1912 at the age of 17, 189 days under the legal age of enlistment. At that time the minimum length of service was 12 years. Had he lived Frederick would have had to serve a total of 12 Years, 189 days.

Frederick joined the 1st Royal Marine Battalion and was sent to the Recruit Depot Deal in Kent for his basic training, he was then transferred to the Chatham Division on 10th July 1913. On 17th March 1914, he left Chatham having been posted for Sea Duty, he boarded HMS St George under the command of, CB. S. Raikes on 18th March 1914, He remained with HMS St. George until 16th May 1915. He rejoined the Chatham Division on 17th May 1915 but was only there 3 month before he embarked again on 17th August 1915. He joined the Victory Division on 18th August 1915, then the 2nd Royal Marine Battalion on 2nd September 1915 under the command of Brigadier General A. E. Marchant.

It is here that we lose track of Frederick, was he on Gallipoli? If not, where was he? All we know is the some time between August 1915 and November 1916 Frederick arrived in France as part of the Royal Naval Division and was then sent to the Somme. It was there that he died, on 13th November 1916, on the very 1st day of the Battle of Ancre.

An extract from the BattalionÂ’s War Diary for 13th November 1916:

The attack commenced on the opening of our barrage at 5.45am when the Battalion advances in four waves, one platoon of each company in a wave. There was a very thick mist. Every Company Commander was killed before crossing German Front Line. Enemy trenches were practically obliterated by our artillery. No Mans Land and ground between various German lines, as far as slope down to Station Road was pitted with shell holes, deep & very muddy. Ground crossed by this Battalion was particularly muddy which made advance difficult. Within a minute of our barrage starting, the enemy replied with an artillery barrage on support lines and No Mans land, where they also opened with heavy MG fire. It is estimated that at least 50% of casualties occurred between No Mans Land and the German 1st Line. Between 2nd & 3rd Line, ground was swept with MG fire. Here also were heavy casualties. Isolated parties of this Battalion followed the barrage as far as YELLOW LINE & got in touch with HAC on right. They were not however sufficiently strong to close gap between HAC and the Battalion on the left. Remnant of this Battalion held dotted BLUE LINE during night 13/14th, in partially constructed trench west of Station Rd. Touch was maintained during night with 4th Gordon Highlanders on left.