Originally Posted by
Cyclops
Fred Pagnam was born in late 1891 at Blackpool.
In the 1911 census, he was lodging at Huddersfield and was a 'footballer'.
He married Lilian Gertrude Rayner on 17 9 1913 at South Shore, Blackpool. They had two sons, Brian and Frank by 1916.
Fred enlisted at Liverpool on 12 12 1915 and joined the RGA (Royal Regiment of Artillery). He was a (cadet) gunner (Reg No 124544). He was 5' 71/2" tall; weighing 156 lbs. He gave his address as Nicholas Road, Wallelsey.
Fred was a patient in the Military Reception Hospital, Portland - 12 6 1917 to 18 6 1917 with colitis.
He was AWOL three times. 9 3 1918 to 13 3 1918 when he surrendered himself to the military authorities at Shoreham, Sussex.
Then, 23 3 1918 to 10 4 1918, when he was apprehended by police at Wallesley. (A copy of the telegraph sent out is in his Service Records) He was punished by being returned to 'junior' rank.
And thirdly: 20 4 1918 to 14 5 1918 when he was declared a deserter. He was charged for the clothing and 'necessities' that were lost.
Fred played for Blackpool, Huddersfield, L-pool, Arsenal and Cardiff. He managed Watford and then managed in Turkey. In 19 May 1940, he featured in a story of an amazing escape from the Nazis in Holland (where he coached Haarlem for eight years) when he was bombed from the air for five days. Interestingly, he was with his Dutch wife and daughter, Mary. However, his wife Lilian died at Liverpool in the March Qtr of 1940. Hmmmm!
Fred died in February 1962, aged 70. He had been a licensee at Samlesbury near Preston, Lancs.