12 March 1920 – 20 Sept 2016
Blesma Member Fred Tattersall, who died aged 96, was a former soldier from Lancashire who survived stepping on a mine in France in 1944. Fred was the National Welfare Officer for Blesma from April 1958 until March 1980.
He was born on 12 March 1920 in Smallbrook, Lancashire. He left school at 14 to work as an apprentice artisan, but soon enlisted (under age) into the Territorial Army in 1936. Two years later, he joined the King’s Own Scottish Borderers and, after completing his depot training at Berwick-upon-Tweed, was posted to the 1st Battalion in Portsmouth. Upon the outbreak of WWII, the battalion was sent to France as part of the 9th Brigade, 3rd Division which was commanded by General Montgomery, returning via Dunkirk on 02 June 1940.
On D-Day, the battalion went back to France, landed at Queen Beach, and fought through Normandy and around Caen until the town capitulated. They then advanced north through Belgium and Holland, to the Rhine and Bremen. Fred was one of the battalion’s last casualties after he stepped on a mine which cost him his leg.
He was back in the UK two days later and was transferred to the Ministry of Pensions Hospital at Chapel Allerton in Leeds for a below-knee amputation and to be measured for a prosthesis. It was whilst in hospital that Fred learned of the work of Blesma. After leaving hospital, he soon enrolled onto a business course at Manchester University and quickly became an active member of the Blesma Oldham and District Branch.
In 1945, he became assistant honorary secretary and within four months was elected to take over the position after the unexpected passing of George Bowyer. Fred prided himself on attending every Blesma conference bar one – when he was undergoing treatment for stump problems.
In April 1958, Fred became Blesma’s National Welfare Officer, a role he held until his retirement in 1980. Fred always referred to himself as a ‘professional soldier’ who enjoyed his duties. In October 1960 he received a Meritorious Service Certificate and, in September 1984, he received his gold badge for 40 years’ service. After retirement, Fred moved to North Wales where he became more involved with the Chester and District Branch. He was also involved with the formation and development of the Normandy Veterans Association in North Wales.
In 2004, Fred decided to take advantage of the government’s Heroes Return grant and organised a party of 11 King’s Own Scottish Borderers to visit France for the commemoration services that marked the 06 June invasions of 1944. Sadly, in the same year, his wife Marian passed away. Fred is survived by two children; a son, Ian, from his marriage to Marian and a daughter, Sandra, from a previous marriage.