VM & TFEM with 2nd award clasp and Oddfellows medal to Sgt F J Heath, North Midland Brigade, RFA
Frederick John Heath was born in Tunstall, Staffordshire, in the registration district of Wolstanton,
on 5 April 1886 to William, a farm labourer from Newcastle-under-Lyme, and Annie. He married Lilian Shone at St Mary's Church, Tunstall on 20 September 1908, Rev. G.B. Bardsley officiating. The couple had two children, William Lewis and Albert and 1911 saw them living in Tunstall with Lilian's parents, Ellis and Lucetta. Frederick was a potter's dishmaker and Lilian and potter's transferrer.
Under the regimental number 639, Frederick enlisted in the Territorial Force on 2 March 1910 for a four year period, joining the North Midland Brigade Ammunition Column at the Artillery Drill Hall, Victoria Square, Shelton, Staffordshire on 2 July. Within a year (by 12 June 1911) he had been promoted to Bombardier and on July 1912 to Corporal, attending annual camps at Morecambe, Aberystwyth and Pembrey. He re-engaged for a further year on 1 July 1914 and was embodied for service on 5 August, upon war breaking out, in what later became the 1/2nd North Midland Brigade Ammunition Column.
As 639 Sgt F J Heath of the 2nd North Midland Brigade Ammunition Column, he took the Imperial Service Obligation on 29 November 1914, whilst the brigade was at Bishop's Stortford. He proceeded overseas on 26 February 1915, as part of the Divisional Artillery of the North Midland Division (later the 46th (North Midland) Division, the first Territorial formation to go overseas as a complete formation. The division first served in the Ypres sector, at Hooge (for the German 'Liquid fire' attack) and Hill 60, and then at Loos and the Hohenzollern Redoubt. During this time then-Sgt Heath chose to revert to the ranks on 4 June 1915, whilst his brigade was at Dranoutre. Subsequently the brigade was in the Armentieres and Arras sectors before travelling South to the Somme. On 22 May 1916 Gnr Heath was transferred from the Ammunition Column to the brigade's 'B' Battery (formerly No.2 Battery, headquartered at Stoke) on the occasion of the merger of the former Brigade Ammunition Columns into the Divisional Ammunition Column. On 1 July 1916 the brigade was engaged in preparation and wire cutting (up to 1000 rounds per hundred per day) in support of the costly diversionary attack at Gommecourt. Gnr Heath was promoted to Bombardier some time (November?) in 1916, to Corporal once again on 30 January 1917, still whilst with B Battery, 231st Brigade, and then Sergeant again on 4 July. The Brigade during this period remained in the Somme sector and was engaged in the operations on the Ancre and various local operations leading up to the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line. In the meantime, Heath re-engaged for a further four year period, in the field, on 11 April 1916, and qualified for his £15 re-enlistment bounty whilst still serving with B/231 in April the following year.
Subsequently, on the renumbering of the Territorial Force artillery, he received the new regimental number 805308. The Brigade went north again and was engaged in action at Bethune during the Battle of the Lys, part of the German offensive 'Operation Georgette'. Whilst with B/231 Sgt Heath was attached to XI Corps Rest Camp for one week from 12 to 19 July 1918 and had two week's furlough to the UK 24 October to 7 November the same year. 1918 saw the brigade engage in the Battle of the St Quentin Canal and the various stages of the Hundred Days Offensive including the Battles of the Beauvoir Line, Cambrai 1918, the Selle, and the Sambre.
Leaving the strength of B/231 Brigade and returning to the UK on 18/19 February, he passed through No.3 Dispersal Unit, Clipstone around 21 February 1919, on his way toward demobilisation. At the time he gave his address for pay as 1 Davenport Street, Tunstall, Staffordshire. Whilst awaiting discharge in March 1919 his name has been put forward for the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal. He was formally 'discharged on demobilisation' on 31 March 1920 having achieved 9 years 273 days' service.
For his service he was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, and British War Medal and Victory Medal named 639 SJT F J HEATH RA. He also received the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, named 805308 SJT F HEATH RFA, awarded in May 1919 (he had written to enquire after the award of the medal on 30 April).
The Territorial Force Efficiency Medal was awarded to non-commissioned officers and men for a minimum of 12 years service in the Territorial Force, providing they attended 12 annual training camps. Previous service in other part-time forces including the Volunteer Force could count, while war service counted double.
He re-enlisted on 20/21 September 1920 for a further three years, receiving his new number 731732, and being appointed to the 2nd North Midland Brigade, RFA. At this time his employment was noted again as 'dish maker'. He then enlisted again for a further year in September 1923 at Shelton whilst serving as Battery Sergeant Major with 242nd (North Staffordshire) Battery, 61st (North Midland) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. In between times, he joined the Independent Order of Oddfellows - Manchester Unity, as witness his medallion, dated 2 March 1925. He continued to sign on with the Territorial Army for further engagements regularly, until at least 1934, when a special case was made to DAA & QMG of 46th North Midland Division to secure his retention for a further year, completing fifteen years' service. His second award clasp for the TFEM/Efficiency Medal has been verified as awarded in May 1933, by which time he was a Warrant Officer, Class 2. He was finally discharged on 20 September 1935 and is found on the 1939 census still at his wartime address 10 Davenport Street with Lilian, employed as a potter's dishmaker.
Subsequently, his son Albert served in the Second World War, with the Army Catering Corps attached Royal Artiller, as 1685079. He died in Italy on 13 June 1944 and is buried at the Bari War Cemetery.
Frederick died, two years after his wife, in Staffordshire in 1964.
