Frederick John Baldry

A Private with the 11th Battalion, Frederick died on 25th of October 1917 at the age of 33.

Frederick was born at Lowestoft in 1884, a son of Frederick John and Hannah Baldry. In 1891 his family lived at 60 Tonning Street, Lowestoft, and by 1901 at 16 Haward Street, Lowestoft, and Frederick was a bricklayer. Later his parents lived at 93 Stanley Street, Lowestoft.

On 29 May 1909 Frederick married Elizabeth Ann Wright at Saint Margaret's Church, Lowestoft. Frederick was a painter and they both lived at 44 Clapham Road, Lowestoft. In 1911 they lived at 59 Tonning Street and Frederick was a house painter. By October 1914 they lived at 7 Alma Road. Later Elizabeth lived at 3 Minden Road, Lowestoft. 

Before World War One Frederick served for three years with the Norfolk Volunteers.

On 16 October 1914 Frederick enlisted in the 6th (Cyclist) Battalion Suffolk Regiment, at Lowestoft, service number 6/1523. He was discharged, medically unfit, on 9 December 1914.

In late 1915 Frederick again volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Bury St. Edmunds. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 3017. He was posted to the 4th Battalion, in France, with service number 290177. Later he was posted to the 11th Battalion. 

Although the Commonwealth War Graves website and Soldiers Died in the Great War state that Frederick was killed on 25 October 1917, in fact this was not the case. His Battalion had no casualties on either 24 or 25 October, however, they had, from 19 to 23 October been heavily engaged in an attack over the river Ecaillon, part of the Battle of Selle. Colonel Murphy's History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927, page 298 has:

At 4 a.m. on that date (the 19th) the 61st Division attacked over the river Ecaillon, and within two hours the battalion had taken all its objectives, together with 110 prisoners, some trench mortars and machine-guns. Shortly afterwards the enemy vigorously counter-attacked the leading company from the left rear, forcing them to form a defensive flank. Touch with the left was not regained until the evening. At nightfall the enemy withdrew from Vendegies under pressure from the 19th and 61st Divisions, and early next morning the line of the objective was established. 

The Battalion War Diary adds:

20 October - Conditions very wretched - communications with companies entirely by runner. Single duckboard track to Battalion Headquarters beyond which nothing to show routes to any given place. One 'pill box' being very much like another. Shelling more or less continuous and heavy.    

21 October - As much rest and cleaning up as possible - stragglers redistributed to their proper companies. During the night A and D Companies moved up to support the Royal Scots. 

22 October - the 15th and 16th Royal Scots on our right involved in an attack - it was not a success. During the night the Battalion relieved the 15th and 16thn Royal Scots in our original front line.

23 October - Morning - Position of the front line a little uncertain, neither B or C Companies have occupied their proper frontages owing to the fact that very little movement was possible by daylight and was not connected until the evening. Great difficulty experienced in evacuating stretcher cases of whom there were a large number.  

Frederick was found to be missing and it was later presumed that he had been killed in action and the date of his death given as 25 October. In fact it is not possible to say precisely when he was killed.   

Frederick's brother Thomas died in 1916 whilst serving with the 9th Battalion Suffolk Regiment and his brother Henry died in 1916 whilst serving with the 7th King's Shropshire Light Infantry.