F. J. Raishbrook
Service no. 955161
Gunner, Royal Field Artillery, Z/29 Trench Mortar Bty.
Born in Clapham; enlisted in Brixton
Died of wounds on 2 December 1917, aged 20
CWGC: “Son of William Edward and Louisa Ann Raishbrook of London.”
Remembered at Tincourt New British Cemetery, France

In 1911 Frederick Raishbrook, aged 14 and working as a messenger boy in a newspaper office, lived at 46 Landor Road, Stockwell with his parents, siblings and two boarders. The household had five rooms. Frederick’s father, William Edward Raishbrook, 40, a coal porter, was from Clapham, as was his mother, Louisa Anne, 37. Frederick had three siblings and there were two boarders including Robert Schleicher, 24, an Austrian pastry cook. 

Raishbrook was born on 2 January 1897 and baptised at St Andrew’s, Landor Road, Stockwell Green on 21 February. His father described himself as a carman and the family lived at 25 Landor Road.

At the time he joined the 8th London Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery at Holland Road, Brixton, on 11 May 1914, three months before the outbreak of war, Frederick was living with his family at 46 Landor Road and working as a clerk at H.R. Baines & Co., of The Strand, London, the publisher of The Daily Graphic magazine. He was 17 and 10 months, and stood 5ft 8¾in, with a 32in chest. His physical development was described as ‘moderate’.  

On 18 November 1916 he was admitted to hospital with lacerations of five fingers of the left hand. Three weeks later, he fractured a finger. He convalesced at Boulogne. Raishbrook was wounded in the field on 2 December 1917. Two days later his family received a telegram: ‘[…] to inform you 955161 Gunner F. Raishbrook dangerously ill at 55 Casualty Clearance Station, France suffering from gunshot wounds multiple. Permission to visit cannot be granted.’

His effects, including disc, letters, photos, pipe, wallet, knife and mirror, were returned to his family.