Lives of the First World War

Frederick was the youngest of eight children. He was baptised in the local church in Saxlingham Nethergate on 27th April 1887. In 1901 he was working in the local bakery but ten years later he was working as a gardener's labourer and still living at home with his parents. He joined the 9th Battalion Norfolk Regiment and did not serve in France until 1916. On 21st October 1916 he was admitted to 23rd General Hospital in Etaples with a gunshot wound to his hand. It is not known how long he stayed in hospital with this wound. His Battalion were in the Bethune area until the end of November after which they returned to the front line. The conditions in the trenches during the winter were bad and the men would stand in cold liquid mud when on duty and then have to return to equally muddy dugouts to try to sleep and get warm. Many suffered ill health because of the conditions. Frederick died on 21st January 1917 at the 33rd General Clearing Station at Bethune from bronchitis and asthma. He is buried in Bethune Town Cemetery

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