Category: Military
Rank: Major
Regiment or Ship: Worc. Yeomanry and 21st Tanks Corps
Service Number(s): 492070
Date of Birth: 1893
Place of Birth: West Heath, Worcs.
Date of Death: 24.02.1919
Place of Death: Wareham, Worcs.
Place of Burial / Memorials:
Northfield Churchyard, Birmingham.
Address: 29 Marine Mansions, Bexhill on Sea
Photos and newspaper articles
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Family Information
Parents: Woodridge Lister (1841-1902) and Harriett Sarah Lister (1855-1941), nee Pratt.
Siblings: Frances M., born 1881; Annie, born 1883; Albert W., born 1885; Harriett, born 1884.
In 1901 the family lived at 43 Woodland Road, Northfield, and Woodridge was employed as a jewellers.
When Frederick died his will shows that his home address was 28 King’s Road, St. Leonards, and his mother was living at Marine Mansions, Bexhill on Sea. He left an estate of £273.0s.10d to a Woodridge Lister – presumably an elder brother who cannot be traced in the records.
First World War Experience
The following obituary was written in one of Bexhill’s local newspapers and fully describes Frederick’s war service.
“Death of Major F. W. Lister, M.C.
The death took place on the 24th ult in Wareham, at the early age of 26, of Major Frederick William Lister, M.C., of Park-mansions, St. Leonards, second in command, 21st Tank Corps.
The youngest son of the late Mr Woodridge Lister, of Birmingham, and Mrs Lister, Marine-mansions, Bexhill, Major Lister was educated at Rathvilly School, Northfield, and King Edward’s High School, Birmingham, where his early military training was begun as a cadet. At the commencement of the War he was engaged as a West African merchant in Accra and in August 1914, joined the West African Rifles. In 1915, when the call for men became imperative, he threw up his position and sailed for England and was gazetted to the Worcestershire Yeomanry.
Soon the tank made its appearance and volunteers were called for to man what was then an arm in an experimental stage. Major Lister at once became attached to the Corps in which he did such good work and in which his zeal, ability and pluck quickly earned promotion, and as company commander in France he distinguished himself and was awarded the Military Cross for “conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty; he led his tanks into action and directed them personally to their objectives up to the moment of their engaging the enemy, throughout two actions he was on foot with his tanks and showed an absolute disregard for his personal safety.”
Shortly before the Armistice was signed Major Lister was sent home to assist in the formation of another battalion in which he assumed second in command. Death followed an attack of influenza and pneumonia. The funeral took place at Northfield Churchyard on the 28th ult.”
Frederick was also awarded the 1914-15 Star, the Victory Medal, and the British War Medal.