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8570 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Frederick Felton was born in 1891 in Sudbury, the eldest son of Frederick and Amelia Felton. His father was a ‘brewer’s cooper’ and the family lived at Robinson’s Yard in Ballingdon. Before enlisting Frederick was employed as a labourer at a local brickfield.
Frederick enlisted in Sudbury and first served in France when the battalion landed at Le Havre on 17 August 1914. He was part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF); 80,000 troops hastily assembled from serving soldiers and reservists to help strengthen the French defences as the Kaiser’s army marched into Belgium. The battalion fought a heroic rearguard action at Le Cateau (26 August – 1 September 1914) refusing to surrender until they were finally overwhelmed from the rear. Most of those still alive were taken prisoner.
Frederick died on 29 December 1914 and lies buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery (Nord), Nord, France. A Cross of Remembrance was laid by his grave in April 2009. He is also remembered on Baptist Church Memorial in Church Street.
Frederick was awarded the 1914 Star and Clasp, British War Medal and Victory Medal. The clasp "5TH AUG - 22ND NOV 1914" was awarded with the 1914 Star for any soldier who came under enemy fire or within range of enemy mobile artillery in France or Belgium between those dates. This was to differentiate between those who were also serving in France or Belgium but behind the lines.
His younger brother Bertie also served with the Suffolk Regiment, he lost his life just one month before the Armistice in 1918 and is also remembered on the Sudbury War Memorial.
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