Frederick William Banfield, known as Fred, was born in March 1885 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. He was the second child born to William Banfield and Ann Puddephat who had ten children who were: Emily, Fred, William, Eliza Ann, Bertie, Harry, Ann, Tom, Jack and Lily. Fred’s father William died in 1903 aged forty-six and six years later, his mother Ann married for a second time to George Wilson from Hemel Hempstead. Fred’s sister Ann died in 1913 aged eighteen.

When Fred was born his family lived at 5 Edmund’s Place which was located were ‘Bank Court’ in Hemel Hempstead stands today. His father William was a ‘General Labourer’ whilst his mother Ann worked as a ‘Laundress’.

In 1901 the Banfield family had moved a short distance to the other side of the River Gade and now lived at 120 Cotterell’s Road (Cotterells). Fred’s father worked as a ‘Yardman’ and ‘Miller’ for Edward Mead at Bury Corn Mill, whilst sixteen-year-old Fred worked as a ‘Blacksmith’. He was employed by Davis & Bailey at Boxmoor Iron Works, a business started in 1841 as a specialist producer of a wide variety of good quality agricultural implements with the provision of a repair service.

An example of the company’s work can still be seen at the north end of the High Street in Hemel Hempstead Old Town, where one of its model ‘A 12’ ploughs, made in 1900, stands today. Perhaps young Fred had a hand in its manufacture.

Fred was working at Boxmoor Iron Works when he enlisted in the Militia on reaching his eighteenth birthday in March 1903. When he joined the 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment his Attestation Form describes him as 5ft 3½ins tall, weighing a very lean 7st 10lbs, with grey eyes, brown hair and having a Fresh complexion. He clearly felt that Army life suited him and, on the 28th December 1903, only eight months after joining the Militia, he enlisted in the regular army with the 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire regiment. He would remain a professional soldier until his death.

Fred was stationed at Borden Camp, Petersfield in Hampshire in 1904 before moving to Tidworth Camp in Wiltshire two years later. A stint on Gibraltar in 1907 was followed by a move to Bermuda in 1909, where the Battalion remained until South Africa beckoned in 1912.

On the outbreak of war, the Battalion was immediately recalled to England to prepare to go to Belgium, which it did in October 1914, disembarking at Zeebrugge and marching south towards Ypres.

On the 18th October Fred saw his first action when the 2nd Battalion was part of the 21st Division’s attack on Menin in the First Battle of Ypres.

During 1915, Fred fought in The Battle of Neuve Chapelle in March, the Battle of Festubert in May, the Second Action at Givenchy in June and the Battle of Loos in September.

In 1916 he was in action in The Battle of the Somme, namely the Battle of Albert (including the opening day when the division broke the German lines, and in the assault on Trônes Wood on the 11th July). The Battle of Delville Wood followed in July, and finally he fought in the Battle of Le Transloy in October.

The fighting at Transloy on the 12th October was fierce and waves of attacks by the 2nd Battalion encountered heavy machine gun fire and shelling from the enemy positions. The assaults continued until darkness fell and some gains were made as recorded in the Battalion War Diary as follows: "The total gains of the day were about 200 yards of BITE TRENCH and about 70 yards of GIRD TRENCH. The Battalion did magnificently and were the only Battalion to gain any ground on the whole of the Corps Front, all the others having to withdraw to their front trenches."

However, these gains came a high cost and the casualties were as follows: "Officers = 10: Killed 5 Died of Wounds 1 Wounded 1 Wounded at Duty 3. Other Ranks = 242: Killed 49 Missing 49 Wounded & Missing 2 Wounded 125 Shell Shock 5 Wounded at Duty 12."

Fred was one of the 49 men killed and he died on Thursday, 12th October 1916.

He was remembered, along with seven other members of the congregation who had fallen, in a memorial service at Marlowes Baptist Church on Sunday, 29th October 1916. A brief report of the service was published in the Hemel Gazette a week later.

He is commemorated on a memorial plaque in the same church.

Fred is Remembered with Honour on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France, Pier and Face 2 C.

He was 29 years old when he died.

Fred was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.