Killed in action 18th June 1915.

Like Ernest James Ruffles, who was killed in action in February 1915, Frederick was a time served Regular soldier and in the Reserve.  Fred had enlisted in 1904 and after completing his seven years with the “Colours” in 1911 he would have been in the Reserve when war was declared.  After mobilization Frederick initially remained in the UK, presumably to help with training the many new recruits passing through the Regiment.  However, he went to France on the 3rd December 1914 to join the 2nd Battalion on the Ypres Salient.

On the 16th June 1915 a major attack was launched on Bellewarde Ridge on the Ypres Salient.  An official account picks up the story:

“The 2nd Battalion, in reserve, came in for the aftermath of the battle. At nightfall “B” Company was told off to dig a trench linking up Y Wood with the adjacent culvert on the Menin Road.  During the operations they were considerably harassed by tear shells, the first they had experienced; nevertheless the task was completed before daylight.  The battalion was next required to hold this trench, together with part of the old German line in Y Wood, spending four tiresome days in consolidating the new line under persistent shell-fire, and in the gruesome and horrible task of clearing up the battlefield.”

Map of trenches showing Y Wood and The Culvert to the south.

The battalion suffered a number of casualties over those few days including Corporal Pryke on the 18th.  His death was announced in the local paper on 29th June 1915.  He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate in Ypres.