Frederick Percival was born in Hemel Hempstead at the start of 1896, the older of two children born to Paul Percival and Mary Ann Goodman. Frederick’s younger brother by 15 years was named George and tragically, he died on the 9th April 1911 when only 23 days old the cause of his death give as ‘Prematurity and Exhaustion’. His mother Mary Ann had been suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis for six months and she died a month later on the 17th May. Frederick’s father Paul married for a second time in 1913 to Emma Isabella Rolph a neighbour on Weymouth Street in Apsley

Frederick’s education began when he entered the local boys school in Apsley aged five in 1901 but, two years later he moved in January 1903 to Bury End Mill school on the other side of Hemel Hempstead. His time there was brief however and he returned to Apsley Boys in October of the same year and concluded his schooling there in 1908. He joined John Dickinson & Co. Limited in Apsley Mills where he trained as a ‘Book Binder’ in the Book Department, a job he retained until going to war.

Frederick was an active member of the ‘Manchester Unity Independent Order of Odd Fellows’ more commonly referred to as “Oddfellows”. This is a fraternal organisation of ‘lodges’ some of which claim histories dating back to the 18th century. These various organisations were set up to protect and care for their members and communities at a time when there was no welfare state or National Health Service. The aim was and still is to provide help to members and communities when they need it. The friendly societies are non-profit mutual organisations owned by their members. All income is passed back to the members in the form of services and benefits.

Frederick was a member of the juvenile branch of ‘Old Manor’ Lodge in Apsley before transferring to the ’parent’ when he was eligible. Many pubs across Britain had affiliations with the organisation, indeed there is still an ‘Oddfellows’ Arms in Apsley today, close to where the paper mills and Kent’s brush factory stood.

After the outbreak of war, Frederick attested at Watford on the 18th January 1916 and enlisted with the Bedfordshire Regiment. He was posted to the newly formed 6th battalion and went to Aldershot to train where the Battalion was attached to the 9th (Scottish) Division. When the 37th Division was formed in March 1915, the Battalion was moved to join it at Andover and trained on Salisbury Plain, where it was transferred into the 112th Brigade.

His exact arrival date in France is not known but it was most likely to have been in late July after the 6th Bedfordshires fought in the Battle of Bazentin Ridge, when new drafts of recruits arrived on 21st, 23rd and 25th of the month as much needed reinforcements.

Within two weeks of his arrival at the Front, Frederick went into action in the Battle of Pozières where the Battalion experienced very heavy shelling and machine gun fire from the enemy, but Frederick survived the assault. There followed two months of relative calm until the final battle of the Somme offensive at Ancre in early November, where again Frederick came through unscathed. He and his comrades overwintered whilst the Battalion was reinforced in preparation for the spring campaign at Arras.

This began with the First Battle of the Scarpe in early April and was followed by the Second Battle of the Scarpe on the 23rd April 1917. It was at some time between the 23rd of April and the Battle of Arleux on the 28th and 29th that Frederick was killed. The Battalion War Diaries do not document the details extensively, but it is clear that during these six days casualties were numerous, and communications were confused due to extremely difficult circumstances. Arleux was particularly costly for the 6th Bedfordshires and the War Diary recorded that “Only 58 men actually came out of the attack”.

Frederick was officially recorded as ‘Killed in Action’ on Saturday, 29th April 1917 having fought in five major actions in in less than twelve months at the Front.

His death was reported in the Hemel Gazette after being officially confirmed to his father Paul a month after Frederick was killed.

He was commemorated on the memorial plaque in St Mary’s Church, Apsley End and on the war memorial at John Dickinson & Co Limited nearby.

Frederick is Remembered with Honour on the Arras Memorial, Pas-de-Calais, France on Bay 5.

He was only 21 years old when he died.

Frederick was entitled to the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.