Frederick William King was born in 1893, the eldest son of Edward and Rosa. In 1911, he was living at home and working as a general labourer. Frederick married Maud K Minter (née Mallett), a widow with three young children, in 1913. The following year, their own son, Cyril, was born.

In 1912, Frederick became a member of the Woodbridge section of the 4th (Territorial) Battalion Suffolk Regiment. The battalion’s annual training camp in Great Yarmouth took place at the beginning of August 1914. Frederick and the Woodbridge company, arrived on Sunday the 2nd, but as war was imminent, they received orders to break camp and return home. The battalion’s senior officers decided to keep their companies together once they were back in readiness for mobilisation. Over the following days the men could be seen in and around Woodbridge and surrounding villages in uniform waiting for orders to come.

It was late the evening on Tuesday 4th August when news arrived that war had been declared; all reserve, special and territorial soldiers were ordered to report to their regiments. The next day, the Woodbridge Company of the 4th Suffolks boarded a train taking them to their war station at Felixstowe. On 4th November 1914, the battalion received mobilisation orders for France. Frederick, however, remained at home. This may have been because he had a young family to look after and did not sign the waiver saying he would be willing to serve overseas. He remained on Home Service duties with the other men from the battalion who did not go to France.

As soon as conscription was introduced in March 1916, Frederick was posted to join his battalion, the 4th Suffolks, at Annequin, a few miles south of Bethune. He arrived on 22nd March. The following day, he was sent to the front line for the first time where a bomb blast killed him. The Woodbridge Reporter and Wickham Market Gazette wrote in their 6th April edition: 

 

Another Woodbridge Man Killed

Mrs F W King of 6 Station Road Woodbridge last week received the sad news that her husband Pte Frederick William King had been killed in France. He was 24 years of age and only went to the front about the middle of last month. Mrs King has received letters from Captain Harold Pretty and the Chaplain from the regiment. The former expressing his great sympathy states the deceased only joined the firing line on March 22nd. He was killed by an aerial torpedo, which blew the dug out up killing King instantaneously. At the burial service, Pte King’s brother Jack (who is in the same regiment) was present. Major Turner also expressed his very deep sympathy. The Chaplain’s sympathetic letter also referred to the circumstances under which the deceased met his death. He was sitting in the dugout with 5 other men when a heavy bomb came and did much damage, but while the 5 men escaped Pte King was killed. The burial was held at the spot, and that he would put a wooden cross up in the trench to mark the spot. Deceased brother, two officers and several men were present at the service. Death was instantaneous. Private King was the eldest of three sons serving in his Majesty's Forces, of Mr and Mrs Edward King of 16 Melton Hill. The father himself is also in the army and has been at the front since last August serving in the Army Service Corps. He was invalided home to England about a fortnight ago, and has been in hospital in Sheffield, but has come home to Woodbridge today (Thursday) on 10 days leave. The son already stated to have been with his brother in France, was gas poisoned in April 1915, and was sent home to England but returned to the front last November. The other son is in the Navy and has seen active work. He also came home on leave today (Thursday) so that father and son are home together. Mr and Mrs King had a family of 10 children (nine boys and one girl) the other six boys are under 15 years of age. Mrs King also has two brothers in the forces and nine other relatives. Pte F W King was in the employ of Mr C E Smith of the Melton Corn and Coal Company, and was a young man of excellent character, and much liked by his employer. The widow is left with 4 children.

 

Prolonged fighting destroyed Frederick's makeshift grave and his body was not recovered once the war was over. He is remembered on the Loos Memorial and Bromeswell, Melton and Woodbridge War Memorials in Suffolk.

For his war service, Frederick’s family received his British War and Victory Medals.