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.