Needham | Frederick
Biography
Frederick Albert Needham was killed in action on 14 October 1944 in the vicinity of Overloon. He was aged just 18. He was a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment (Service No. 14714420). He was initially buried at Cemetery De Kleffen in Overloon and re-interred on 15 July 1946 in grave I. C. 7 in the Overloon CWG Cemetery. The inscription on his grave reads “He lives with us in memory still, not just to-day but always will.”
Frederick Albert Needham (known to his family as Fred) was the son of James Needham and Edith Ellen Madeley who married in Burton-on-Trent in 1915. Burton on Trent lies on both the River Trent and the Trent and Mersey Canal in Staffordshire.
Fred’s Father’s Family
James was the son of Ephraim Needham and Emma Haddock who had married in Burton in 1876. Ephraim was born around 1852 in Duffield, Derbyshire while Emma was born around 1851 in Yoxall, Staffordshire. They had six children, all boys, between 1877 and 1888 of whom James was the youngest, born on 24/12/1888. Most were born in Burton, but James was born in West Derby, Liverpool. Throughout his life from at least 1881 Ephraim worked as a Railway Engine Driver.
In 1881 Ephraim and Emma were living at 171, Shobnall Street, Horninglow, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire with their first two children. By 1891 they were living at Bridge Street, Uttoxeter, Staffs. All the children were with them. Their eldest son was a Butcher, aged 13. By 1901 they were back living in Burton on Trent – at 153, Princess Street. All their children except the eldest were with them. Two boys were working as Railway Engine Firemen while another two were working as Journeymen Grocers. They were at the same address in 1911, though only the four youngest children were present. James was working as a Joiner / Builder. One son was still a Locomotive Engine Fireman but one was now an Accounting Clerk and another was a House Painter.
Ephraim Needham died on 27 October 1912 at the same Princess Street address. By 1921 Emma was living with her son, James, who had now married. Emma herself died in 1931 in Burton on Trent.
Fred’s Mother’s Family
Edith Ellen Madeley was the daughter of Francis Madeley and Rosa Goodhead who had married in Winshill, just east of Burton on Trent on 26 December 1882. Francis was born in 1852 in Dalbury, Derbyshire and Rosa in 1854 in Winshill. They had four children between 1884 and 1891, all born in Burton, of whom Edith was the 3rd, born 2/6/1889, and the only girl. Like James Needham’s father, Frederick was a Locomotive Engine Driver.
In 1891, Franics and Rose were living at 23, Albert Street, Horninglow, Burton upon Trent with their four children. Sadly, their youngest child died just a few months after he was born and Francis died, aged just 43, in 1896 in Buton on Trent. In 1901, Rosa was at the same address with her three surviving children. Her eldest son was working as a Bricklayer’s Apprentice. Two single male boarders were present, presumably to help make ends meet. By 1911 Rosa had moved to 171 Horninglow Road, Burton-On-Trent. Her three children were still with her. One son was still a Bricklayer and another was a Fitter’s Labourer. Rosa was at the same address in 1921 but her eldest son had married in 1920 and his wife was there too. He was now working as an Ale Loader at Messrs Bass & Co, Brewers, of Burton on Trent, an industry for which Burton on Trent is famous.
Rosa Madeley died in 1924 in Burton.
Fred’s family
James Needham married Edith Ellen Madeley in Burton on Trent in 1915. They had four children as follows, all born in Burton: Maurice 1916, Eric 2/3/1920, Raymond F (known as Frank Raymond) 5/6/1922 and Frederick Albert 1926.
In 1921 James and Edith were living at 88, Shobnall Street, Burton on Trent with their first two sons and James’ widowed mother, Emma. James was working as a Carpenter and Joiner making bar seatings, tables, screens etc. for B Goodall, Hotel Furniture Maker.
In September 1939 they were living at the same address. James was still described as a Carpenter and Joiner Bench Hand. With her were Frank, Eric and a younger, unnamed child, presumably Fred. Frank was working as an Apprentice Boilermaker. Eric was in the Territorial Army (No. 5050674) – the 7th Battalion of the North Staffordshire Regiment. Living with the family was Stanley Watson, born 11/4/1909 and described as being incapacitated and in receipt of a pension.
It is likely that Eric also saw service in WW2. The 7th Battalion of the North Staffordshire Regiment initially trained in the UK for D-Day. However, it was replaced for that operation by a different Regiment and instead served with the 207th and 228th Infantry brigades in the Orkney and Shetland islands in 1943–1945.
The Burton Observer and Chronicle of 9 November 1944 recorded Frederick Albert Needham’s death and tells us a little more about his life:
“Private F.A. Needham Killed – News has been received by Mr and Mrs James Needham of 88 Shobnall Street, that their youngest son, Private Frederick A Needham of the Lincolnshire Regiment, has been killed in action. Formerly employed at a local factory, he only commenced his training in February of this year and went abroad recently”.
Military Career
The 2nd Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment took part in the D-Day landings and was then engaged throughout the Normandy Campaign, taking part in Operation Charnwood, Operation Goodwood and throughout the rest of the Northwest Europe Campaign until Victory in Europe Day in May 1945.
However, the newspaper article following Fred’s death indicates that he only started training in February 1944 and had only gone abroad shortly before he died, so it is unclear to what extent he was involved in these campaigns.
Following the failure to take the bridge at Arnhem in Operation Market Garden in late September 1944, the Allied Forces were left in a very precarious narrow salient through the Netherlands. It was the aim of Operation Aintree to widen this salient by heading south from Nijmegen to take Overloon and then Venray before finally eliminating an important German bridgehead on the River Maas near Venlo which also would provide access to the Ruhr.
On 9 October 1944 the Battalion found itself in Haps, just south of Nijmegen. They were ordered to move south to St Anthonis on 11 October, but this was postponed to the following day due to bad weather. The move was completed on 12 October.
They were kept in reserve for the battle that was being fought around Overloon. The 8th Infantry Brigade was tasked with capturing Overloon and advancing to Venray. Shortly before nightfall, they heard that Overloon had fallen and that the battalions of the 8th Division were struggling to hold their ground.
On Friday, 13 October the aim was for the Royal Ulster Rifles, followed by the King’s Own Scottish Borderers and then the Lincolnshires to clear wooded areas just west and south of Overloon in which the Germans had entrenched themselves, then cross a stream called the Molenbeek between Overloon and Venray. They would be supported by Churchill Tanks of the 4th Tank Grenadier Guards. The Lincolnshires therefore moved down to a position just north west of Overloon that day.
In addition to the difficult terrain, two other factors played a crucial role – the Germans had dotted the entire area with their dreaded “Shuhminen.” These wooden mines were difficult to detect. They didn’t tend to kill but inflicted severe injury to the victim’s legs. In addition, the German troops had a strategic observation point from Venray’s church tower. Any Allied troop movement would be watched and relayed to their artillery which would result in a barrage of shells.
The Royal Ulster Rifles and the King’s Own Scottish Borderers began the attack on the forests. However, it soon became apparent that they were barely making any progress, leaving the Lincolnshires out of the battle all day. Nevertheless, the Lincolnshires suffered one man killed and 3 wounded.
On the 14 October, the day on which Frederick died, the plan was for B Company to be guided through a wood held by the Royal Ulster Rifles to its front edge from where they would carry out a recce to check if a stream was passable and if the north eastern corner of a wood to the south was held by the enemy. However, the guides were late and the move through the wood was slower than expected, so the recce did not take place. At 7.30am the Company began to advance south out of the wood. Before the Company had advanced 100 yds the enemy opened fire from a track about another 100 yds ahead. The advance continued but came under such heavy fire with so many casualties that the Company Commander, Anthony Frith Smith, issued an order to retreat back to the Royal Ulster Rifles’ position. By this point one Lieutenant and 34 other ranks had been killed or wounded.
Following a recce by the Company Commanders, it was decided to launch a full battalion attack at 1530 hours with the support of the whole of the Divisional Artillery and an additional tank division on the right flank. The enemy had been seen moving in the area of the stream in front of the wood. It was thought that the enemy holding the Battalion objective were probably a Company strong. Immediately the attacking force came into the open they were subjected to intense artillery and mortar fire which was just as bad as in the early morning but this time they pressed steadily on to reach their objective. During this action the Battalion suffered very heavy casualties including four officers killed and another four wounded.
The fallen were buried the next day at noon at the Vogelsangs family farm on the Helderseweg in Overloon. They were later reburied at the British Cemetery “De Kleffen” on the site where the War Museum is now located. Frederick Albert Needham was reburied on July 15, 1946 at Overloon War Cemetery, grave I. C. 7. A total of 27 men of the 2nd Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment who died that day are buried alongside each other.
After the War
Frederick’s father, James Needham, died in 1965 in Burton and his mother, Edith Ellen Needham, in 1981 in the East Staffordshire District.
Edith was 93 when she died. Her grandchildren recall that she had a framed photograph of Frederick hanging in her living room. She still had a big, black range in the same room and on the mantelpiece she had a framed colour photograph of Fred’s grave. It is thought that someone had visited the war cemetery and recognised his name. Sadly, his photograph does not seem to have survived. Although it was a close knit family and her grandchildren knew that Fred had been killed during the Second World War, she told them little else about him. Perhaps it was too upsetting for her to talk about it.
Her son’s wife, Beryl Needham, visited his grave in 1989.
