Frederick Elias Mocatta was born on 30 May 1890, the younger child of Charles Abraham Mocatta (1860-1829) and Sarah Mocatta née Salinger (1857-1956). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1890 in the Marylebone Registration District, London.
In the 1891 census he is shown as Frederick E. Mocatta, aged 10 months and living at 49 Hamilton Terrace, Marylebone, London, with his parents and his sister Ethel Grace Mocatta (1888-1982), together with a cook, a housemaid and three domestic nurses. His father was described as a stock broker.
When the 1901 census was undertaken he was shown as aged 10 years and staying at 29 Mowbray Road, Willesden, Middlesex (now Greater London), the home of his maternal aunt Priscilla Adelaide Samuel née Salinger (1855-1940) and uncle Maximilien Maurice Samuel (1853-1928) and their three daughters, together with a cook, a parlourmaid and a housemaid. His uncle was an artificial flowers and feathers manufacturer.
This image is of him as a young boy together with his sister. He was educated at Clifton College, Bristol, Gloucestershire (but now no longer in Gloucestershire as Bristol is a unitary authority) and at the City and Guilds Engineering College, London, where he obtained his B.Sc.
He is shown on the 1911 census return form, completed by his father, as aged 20 years and an engineering student living in a 15 roomed property at 49 Hamilton Terrace, Marylebone, with his parents and his sister, together with a parlourmaid and a housemaid. His father described himself as of independent means.
From his obituary in The Times newspaper dated 1 September 1919 we learn that after being apprenticed to the Great Western Railway he was about the become a member of their engineering staff when World War One broke out and having served in the University of London's Officers' Training Corps, he obtained a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery taking part in operations in Gallipoli, Turkey. He was promoted to Lieutenant and subsequently to Captain and served in Egypt and France but broke down in health and was invalided home. Later he became attached to the Aircraft Production Supply Department at York House, London and on 1 April 1918 transferred into the newly created Royal Air Force.
He died on 26 August 1919, aged 29 years, following an operation for septic meningitis and his death was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1919 in the Marylebone Registration District. His body was buried in the Sephardic Section A, Row 18, Grave 47 in the Golders Green Jewish Cemetery, Hoop Lane, London, NW11 7NL.
Administration of his estate was granted to his father on 29 October 1919 and his effects totalled £3,955-2s-0d. By 15 May 1920 his military effects totalling £518-3s-5d were sent to his father. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'FREDERICK E. MOCATTA' on both the Bevis Marks war memorial at Bevis Marks, London, EC3 and the Lauderdale Road Synagogue war memorial at 2 Ashworth Road, London, W9. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website, which they have also duplicated, on the A Street Near You website and on the Royal British Legion's Every One Remembered website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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