Tott, Frederick George MM

Frederick was born in Ashwell, Hertfordshire on 17 October 1886, the fifth son of James and Mary Anne Alice (nee Austin). He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.

Frederick enlisted with the Wellington Regiment of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force on 3 February 1915. He later transferred to the Taranaki Rifles. He saw active service in Palestine, Gallipoli, and Passchendaele. He had risen to the rank of 2^nd Lieutenant by February 1919. He survived the War and was demobbed in July 1919.

Frederick received the Military Medal and the Belgian Croix de Guerre for acts of gallantry at Passchendaele in February 1918. He was also awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

He is commemorated on the St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour.

At age 14 he was a butcher’s lad in Ashwell.

Frederick emigrated to Wellington, New Zealand in 1910 where he worked as a butcher.

Frederick returned to Ashwell, Hertfordshire in at the end of 1919 after being demobbed from War service. He settled on Church Farm, Holwell, Bedfordshire in about 1923. His brother Albert William joined him on the farm in about 1929.

Frederick married May Baines in the Hitchin District in the first quarter 1932. It is not known if they had children.

The 1939 census shows them living in Holwell, Hitchin, Hertfordshire with Frederick a smallholder.

He died in March 1967.

Frederick’s brother Albert enlisted on 2 May 1917, saw active service on the Western Front and survived the War.

His brother Wilfred emigrated to Canada in 1913 and married Ethel Langdon at Wellington Co, Ontario in 1915.

Royston Crow 2 Feb 1917 ANZAC Visit to MT School, L/Corp F Tott visiting friends and mother in Ashwell, left for New Zealand 7 years ago, on leave. Has been to Egypt and Gallipoli, now France. Visited old school and Mr Chote persuaded him to address boys about his experiences.

Royston Crow 15 Feb 1918 Honours for an Ashwell Boy, Sgt F Tott of Taranaki Rifles, NZ Expeditionary Force awarded Military Medal for fine work in the field especially Paschendaele. Also honoured by Belgian Government on Feb 2 with Croix de Guerre.