Frederick Pyne MM, Royal Garrison Artillery.

GV Military Medal. 1914-15 Trio.
35986 Gnr. F. J. Pyne, Royal Garrison Artillery.

Frederick John Pyne was born in Stoke Damerel, an inner suburb of Plymouth, Devon, on 30th September 1892. He was the son of John Pyne, an instructor in the Royal Navy Reserve, and his wife Catherine. The six members of the family, John (39), Catherine (32), Margaret Catherine (10), Frederick John (8), Arthur Patrick (4) and John Daniel (1) are listed on the 1901 Census as living at 2 Fairview, Hamworthy, Dorset.

Although his two younger brothers would eventually follow in their father's footsteps and join the Royal Navy, Frederick Pyne chose the army, attesting for the Royal Artillery at Dorchester on 18th August 1911. He was 18 years 9 months old and had been working as a shop assistant.

 

Following the outbreak of the First World War, Gunner Frederick Pyne served on the Western Front with the Royal Garrison Artillery from 15th September 1915. His Service Records have not survived so details of the next three years are lacking but he must have been an efficient soldier. He was named in Sir Douglas Haig's Despatch of 9th April 1917 as "deserving of special mention", this appearing in the London Gazatte of 18th May 1917. A later Gazette entry on 11th February 1919 recorded his award of the Military Medal for "bravery in the field" while serving with the 35th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery.

On 20th August 1918, Frederick married Elizabeth Ann Todd and the 1921 Census records him as living with his in-laws' family at 50 Osborne Avenue, South Shields and working as a labourer in the Middle Docks. On the 4th October 1923, the couple's son, Norman Pyne, was born. The 1939 Register lists the Pyne family as living at 18 Pine Avenue, Cleadon, South Shields and notes that Frederick was an electric crane driver in the dry docks and a member of the Auxiliary Fire Service, which suggests that he may also have been awarded the WW2 Defence Medal.

Of Frederick's two brothers who had joined the Royal Navy, Chief Petty Officer Arthur Patrick Payne was killed in action at the age of 43 when his ship, H.M.S. Foylebank, was attacked and sunk by Junkers JU87 "Stuka" dive bombers on 4th July 1940 while Chief Petty Officer Telegraphist John Daniel Pyne died in 1945.

When Frederick John Pyne eventually retired, an interesting article appeared in a local paper.

After 40 years of "driving" the Middle Dock and Engineering Co's 30-ton travelling crane, Mr. Frederick John Pyne of Pine Avenue, Cleadon, has retired. "It has been an interesting life, being able to see all the river traffic and meeting all the sea-going folk," he told me. He was born in Bournemouth (sic), but after all this time he could certainly qualify to be a South Shields man by adoption.

One of his most vivid memories is a piece of quick thinking during the summer of 1956. His crane was working on the steamer Cochrane with the whaler Southern Harvester alongside. The 30-ton jib began to "run away." After switching off the electricity, Mr. Pyne threw a thick floor mat into the gear wheels. The wheels chewed up 14 inches of it, but eventually the jib stopped falling and the danger of a nasty and costly accident was avoided. Later it was found that the brake band had broken.

Excitement is nothing new to Fred Pyne. He was a regular soldier when the 1914 war broke out. For three and a half years he served as a signaller with the Royal Artillery in France and Belgium. He was commended five times for gallantry, won the Military Medal and was mentioned in despatches.

To mark his retirement and to show their appreciation, his workmates have presented him with a silver watch.

Frederick Pyne died in 1971, his death being registered at South Shields in the third quarter of that year.

A Marksman & Mess Waiter in the 2nd Lincolns.

Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps "Cape Colony", "Paardeberg" & "Johannesburg".
2179 Pte. H. Penson, Lincolnshire Regiment.

Henry Penson, the fourth child of agricultural labourer Cornelius Penson and his wife Ann, was born in the hamlet of Mavis Enderby near Spilsby in Lincolnshire in 1868. The couple had married at the Register Office in Spilsby, on 26th September 1864 and already had three daughters. According to the 1871 Census, Cornelius and Ann (both aged 29) were living in Mavis Enderby and now had five children: Mary (8), Eliza (6), Milly (4), Henry (2) and Francis or Fanny (11 months). By the time of the 1881 Census, the family had moved to nearby Raithby, the older girls were working as domestic servants in different households and five children were still living at home: Henry (12), Frances (11), Emma (9), Betsy (6) and William (3). Charles, the couple's 9th child, would be born in 1883.

Some time later, Henry Penson found employment as a groom with Charles Faulkner of Burgh. At Louth on 18th December 1884, he attested for service in the Militia with the 3rd Lincolns. His Attestation Papers describe him as 17 years old, just over 5' 4" tall, with a fresh complexion, light blue eyes and brown hair. His religion is stated as Church of England.

Henry must have found service in the Militia to his liking as four years later, on 23rd May 1888 at Louth, he attested for regular service with the Lincolnshire Regiment, agreeing to serve for at least seven years in the army followed by five years in the 1st Class Army Reserve. Two days later, he joined the Regiment at the Depot in Lincoln. According to his Attestation Papers, he was now 20 years 9 months old, just over 5' 8" tall, weighed 112lbs and had a cicatrix of a wound on the inner part of his left ankle. Henry spent 40 days at the Depot and then joined the 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, from 2nd July to 19th November 1888. On 20th November, he joined the 2nd Battalion and embarked on the troopship Euphrates for the voyage to India.

Henry would serve in India for the next four years. On 23rd May 1890, he received his first Good Conduct Pay. In 1892, the 2nd Battalion was stationed in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, and the results of the annual musketry course held on 2nd August named B Company as "the best shooting company in the battalion." 17 members of the Company were categorized as marksmen, including Henry Penson.

At the end of October 1892, the 2nd Battalion moved to the Straits Settlements. Henry Penson was granted his second Good Conduct Pay on 23rd May 1894 and in March 1895, he was on his way back to England. On 23rd May 1895, having completed seven years of service, Henry was transferred to the Army Reserve. He was now 27 years 9 months old and his papers describe him as "steady, sober & thoroughly trustworthy", his conduct had been "exemplary" and he had been employed as a "mess waiter in officers' mess for 18 months".

On 9th April 1898, Henry married Elizabeth Lees, a woman from the parish of Stand, Whitefield, on the outskirts of Manchester. The birth of their first daughter Doris was registered in the first quarter of 1899. Following the outbreak of the South African War, Henry Penson was recalled for army service under Special Army Order of 16th December 1899. He rejoined the 2nd Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment and on 4th January 1900 sailed on the troopship Goorkha arriving at Cape Colony on 25th January. Henry's second daughter Beatrice Alice was born on 16th August 1900 while he was still in South Africa. Being abroad on active service, Henry does not appear on the 1901 Census but his wife and two children are recorded as living in Whitefield. For his service in the Boer War, Henry was awarded the medal and clasps pictured here. He was finally discharged from the army on 22nd May 1901.

By the time of the 1911 Census, Henry and Elizabeth had been married for 12 years and were residing at 9 Higher Lane, Besses o' the Barn, a suburb of Bury. Henry was working as an asylum attendant at the Prestwich County Asylum while Elizabeth was employed as a cotton weaver. Interestingly, Henry's younger brother Charles was an attendant at the same asylum. In addition to their two children, Elizabeth's widowed mother Ann and younger sister Isabella were also listed on the family's Census entry.

Henry Penson does not appear to have served in the First World War but his brother Charles served in France and Flanders with the 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment from 13th August 1914. He was reported as wounded and missing on 19th September 1914, possibly as a prisoner of war, and regarded as having died on 1st November 1914. He was 31 years old and is commemorated on the Menin Gate.

Henry Penson appears on the 1921 Census together with his wife and younger daughter Beatrice Alice. Now aged 52 years 10 months, he was still living at the same address and still employed at the Prestwich County Asylum. He died at the age of 54, his death being registered at Bury in the third quarter of 1923. His widow and younger daughter are recorded on the 1939 Register as residing at 9 Norfolk Avenue, Whitefield.