Frederick William Mullender

A Lance Corporal with 7th Bn., Frederick died on 4th of November 1915 at the age of 30. 

Frederick was born at Pakefield on 21 February 1885, a son of Henry William and Ellen Mullender. Frederick was baptised at All Saints’ Church, Pakefield, 10 May 1885. From 17 September 1888 Frederick attended Cunningham School. In 1891 his family lived at 2 Prospect Place, Pakefield. By 1901 they were living at Millers Lane, Pakefield, and Frederick was an apprentice house painter.

On 6 September 1908 Frederick married Ethel Maud Manning at Christchurch, Lowestoft. Frederick was working as a painter and living at Pakefield and Ethel lived at 11 Barcham Square, Pakefield. In 1911 they lived at 10 Barcham Square, Lowestoft, and Frederick was a house painter. Later Ethel lived at 13 Wilde Street, Beach, Lowestoft. 

Walter volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment and was posted to the 7th Battalion. Frederick arrived in France on 4 October 1915 to join the Battalion. 

From 30 October 1915 the 7th Battalion were in support trenches north of Vermelles. They then spent a couple of days in the front line and, on 2 November, returned to the support trenches. During the night of 3-4 November working parties were sent out. The enemy shelled the working parties and the bombardment became particularly intense around 11 p.m. with trench mortar bombs and rifle grenades falling on the Suffolks causing extensive damage to the front trenches and blowing in the Headquarters dug-out. Thirty-eight men became casualties including Walter Coleman and Fred Mullender, both from Lowestoft, who were killed.