Source: File:
Second Lieutenant Turner.jpg, 2015. 1915-2015: Abergele & District
Commemorations: Frederick Harding Turner. Posted on 09/01/2015 by Andrew
Hesketh. [online] Available at: <
http://www.abergelepost.com/1915-2015-abergele-district-commemorations-frederick-harding-turner.html>
[Accessed: 24 January 2015].
On a Victorian day of 29 May,
1888 - a Tuesday - was born
To William and Jessie Turner, a son
Frederick Turner - younger brother
Of William - their father, a
printer,
In his own part firm of Turner
And Dunnett, of Fenwick Street -
Based in the city of Liverpool.
In Llanddulas, Wales, the Turner
Family owned a second home -
Where their boys spent time,
When not away at school - At
The Liverpool Greenbank School,
Frederick Turner began to learn
The sport of rugby - taking part
As a flanker of forward packs.
Aged 14 at Sedburgh School,
Freddie showed his athletics,
In a variety of sports - to Captain
The Cricket and Rugby Teams -
As prefect to win a Sixth Form
Prize - Freddie was also to join
The Officer Training Cadets.
At age 19, young Freddie Turner,
Left for Oxford and Trinity College,
On departure, his master said
Of him, that he had a 'combination
Of industry, character and athletic
Distinction - to make a harmonious
Blend that could not be improved.'
With his talent for sports he lost
No time - in 1907 playing for Army
Officers versus the Navy Officers
Followed in 1908-1909 to play
Oxford University against visitors -
The Australian tour - then into 1910
Freddie captained his college,
Against old rivals of Cambridge.
Also a prowess for cricket led him
To take bowler position, to
average
A wicket every 16 balls - with an
Average of 10 in batting position -
Freddie became an eager golfer,
And found friendships, as with
Ronald Poulton-Palmera - another
Rugby player and competitor.
With the ending of Oxford days,
Came his graduation of law study,
To result in a third class degree -
The quality lowered by his sports
Passion - yet a college president
Marked him out, as a upright
Athlete, respected by undergrads.
A truly reliable man, in all ways.
Fondly known by his nickname
Of 'Tanky' - from great strength,
And his physical size - Freddie
By 1911 - was called to Scotland's
Side, as Flanker for 2 January.
In the following season as regular
Against England, Ireland, Wales
And France - and in 1912, his 5
Conversion kicks opposing with
The French, was a record feat.
Around age of 24 in May 1912
Freddie Turner in role of second
Lieutenant was commissioned,
In the 1/10th (Scottish) territorial
Battalion, of the King's (Liverpool)
Regiment - known as the Rugby
Battalion - In season of 1912-13
He became Captain of Scotland's
International team, - to gain
victory
Over England 8-3 and Five Nations.
Freddie also took part against the
Touring South Africans - by then
Having been Captain in three
Of four Scottish Internationals came
Announcement, to be semi-retired
From the International Rugby team,
In order to concentrate being with
His favoured Liverpool football
club.
Then once more Freddie took
The call for Scotland's
International
Side to make conversion kick
Of 16-15 defeat, to England's team.
With August and war's outbreak,
Frederick Turner volunteered
To take the king's service abroad.
With his promotion to Temporary
Lieutenant, on 25 September 1914,
He joined the Liverpool Scottish,
On French shores - on 3 November
Only to find himself involved in
duty,
Of a sombre ceremony in Le Havre.
With the death of Lord Roberts -
During his visit to troops of India
-
A service would be held in the town,
His body taken to the Hotel de
Ville.
The Liverpool Scottish formed a line
In the street and Place Gambetta,
With twenty men and one officer -
Lieutenant Turner - to take part
In the Lord's funeral procession.
The battalion assigned to 9th
Brigade,
3rd Division - A bitter month found
The Liverpool Scottish southwest
Of Ypes, Near Kemmel - 27 November
Autumn fell into harshest winter
They moved to and from waterlogged
Trenches in such dire conditions
Men soon fell ill to gain trench
foot -
So by January 1915 the battalion
Of 829, were to become 329 men.
Lieutenant Turner's desire for more
Involvement in the fight, slipped
With frustration - in harsh
conditions
14 December an attack was made
To the enemy at Petit Bois to leave
Trenches held by Liverpool Scottish.
The battalion was to be withdrawn,
Apart from cover parties - in a
misrule
Some of company left the trenches -
Lieutenant Turner felt it was not
even
Worth a small covering party - so
he
Asked to join in with the forward
Attack - but the request was
refused.
Resistant to hardships and danger
Frederick wrote to his elder
brother,
Stating his enjoyment of having
A 'mans life,' with a little
discomfort.
As the 1/10th carried out routine
Trench work still no opportunity
came.
Other than snipers and odd shelling
The biggest threat was trench foot.
9 January 1915 found his battalion
In a routine trench day at Kemmel.
With cover of night Lieutenant
Turner
Overviewed the laying of barbed wire
Entanglements, directly before their
Trenches - as dawn broke the German
Observers, seeing changes on the
British side, prompted a sniper's
watch.
With breakfast over Frederick waded
In waterlogged trenches, to inspect
The night's work done - he paused
And looked up - a shot - he ducked.
He looked again - another shot
Missed - Frederick moved onwards
He stopped talking to a sergeant,
At a low part of the parapet - a
bullet
Zinged between both their heads.
'By Jove, that deafened my right
ear,'
Said Frederick - the sergeant
agreed.
Turning Lieutenant Turner went to
take
A look at the wire - The eager sniper
Had been tracking his move - the
trigger
Pulled, sent a bullet through
Frederick's
Forehead - right out the other side
-
Frederick Turner was instantly dead.
There was nothing his company could
Do - in that night they moved him
down
To Kemmel churchyard and in pouring
Rain buried him there - Frederick
left
An outpour of tributes, to what he
had
Achieved over his great sporting
career.
He had always played hard and
straight
With power of control - his
expression
Showed cheer and gave an infectious
Laugh ready for harmless jokes -
Always ready to rally spirit of the
men,
He had led - loving to joke with
them.
Away from France, at Liverpool's
Sefton Park Frederick Turner's loss,
Was marked by a memorial service,
Where Sports people and officers
Alike, heard Rev Alexander Connell
Speech of wrath against the conflict
-
A crime taking ‘flower of manhood.’
His was a 'loyal soul - to his home
His family, his country his city his
club,'
Frederick Turner, rugby and
sportsman
At 27 was to be loved for his
loyalty.
by Jamie Mann.
Source: File:
1915-2015: Abergele & District Commemorations: Frederick Harding Turner.
Posted on 09/01/2015 by Andrew Hesketh [online] Available
at:<http://www.abergelepost.com/> [Accessed: 13 December 2014].
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication,
24 January 2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered
#WW1Liverpool
#WW1Liverpool
No comments:
Post a Comment