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Frederick (Fred) Christopher Dittmer

Frederick, known as Fred, was born in January 1881 in Liverpool.¹

Birth Notes
- Recorded as aged 36 on 9-Aug-1917
  
  Births Mar 1881 (>99%)
  Dittmer Christoph Friderich Liverpool 8b 28

Fred's father was Johann (Chris) Heinrich Christoph Dittmer and his mother was Katharina (Margaret) Margaretha Maria Heuer. His paternal grandparents were Christian Fredrich Dittmer and Maria Luise Bliesener. He had seven brothers and five sisters, named George, William or Will, Henry, Chris, John, Charles, James, Mary, Margaret, Lizzie, Catherine and Evelyn. He was the fifth oldest of the thirteen children. He had a half-brother and a half-sister, named George and Dorris. He died as a war casualty, Torpedoed by U53, at the age of 36 on August 22nd, 1917.²

Death Notes
- He was an Assistant Steward in the merchant marine and served on SS Verdi (Lamport and Holt Line), the vessel plied the Liverpool to New York route, she was torpedoed by U53 in the Atlantic on 22 Aug 1917- the vessel was built in 1907, 7,120 tons deadweight, and sank 115 miles North West by North of Eagle Island, 6 crewmen were lost, she was carrying general cargo when sunk, Christopher Frederick is included in the roll of honour in Liverpool Cathedral and there is a plaque on the Merchant Marine Memorial on Tower Hill.
  
  The Captain of U53 was Hans Rose one of the top 10 U boat aces of WW1, he was responsible for over 200,000 tons of Allied shipping losses during WW1, his boat was surrendered to the French on 11 Nov 1918. He went on to become one of the main U boat trainers in WW2.
  
  Family stories tell that Frederick was killed trying to save another sailor after being torpedoed.
  
  Just 13 days earlier he had arrived in New York from Buneos Aires, which was recorded and Indexed.
  
  CWGC Reference:
  Name: DITTMER, CHRISTOPHER FREDERICK
  Initials: C F
  Nationality: United Kingdom
  Rank: Assistant Steward
  Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine
  Unit Text: S.S. "Verdi" (Liverpool)
  Age: 36
  Date of Death: 22/08/1917
  Additional information: Son of Cathaine Maria Margaret Dittmer, and the late John Henry Christopher Dittmer; husband of the late Maud Seymour Dittmer. Born at Liverpool.
  Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
  Memorial: TOWER HILL MEMORIAL

General Notes
- Living at 45 Ascoh Street, (Scotland ward), Liverpool in 1891 (3 months).
  
  Living at 63 Lambeth Road, Birkdale in 1901.
  
  Fred was living in Asser Road, West Derby in 1900's and was an Assistant Steward on the Verdi in 1917. When visiting NY, he was recorded as British (Race and Nationality) from Liverpool and 5'4" tall and 140 lb in 1917.

Occupation Details
- Fred's occupation was Grocers Assistant (1901).
  From 1917 his occupation was Assistant Steward contractor in services.³
  - Occupation Notes
    - Was recorded arriving at New York from Buenos Aires on 9 Aug 1917 (aged 36) on the Verdi.

Whereabouts
- Fred lived at 45 Ascot Street from 1891.⁴
  - Occupancy/Contact Notes
    - Living at 45 Ascot Street, (Scotland ward), Liverpool in 1891.
  He lived at 63 Lambeth Road from 1901.⁵
  - Occupancy/Contact Notes
    - Home of some of the Lancashire Ditmers in 1901

Ancestor Pedigree Chart
- Christian Fredrich Dittmer
  - b. in Germany
  
  Johann (Chris) Heinrich Christoph Dittmer
  - b.19 Jun 1845 in Neu Messow d.Sep 1912 in Toxteth Park
  
  Maria Luise Bliesener
  - b. in Germany
  
  Frederick (Fred) Christopher Dittmer
  - b.Jan 1881 in Liverpool d.22 Aug 1917
  
  Katharina (Margaret) Margaretha Maria Heuer
  - b.1853 in Germany d.Mar 1927 in West Derby

Personal Timeline

Details of Fred's family with Maud Seymour Lindop

¹ 1881 UK Census
² Individual - Tony Beard
³ Ellis Island Foundation
⁴ 1891 UK Census
⁵ 1901 UK Census

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Frederick (Fred) Christopher Dittmer

Occupation Details

Whereabouts

Ancestor Pedigree Chart

Personal Timeline

Details of Fred's family with Maud Seymour Lindop