Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Frederick Handley, a coal miner, born 1860 in Nottingham and his wife Emma Handley (nee Burton, married in the 1st quarter of 1884 in the Leicester district), born 1861 in Castle Donington, Leicestershire. Frederick George, a schoolboy was born in the 3rd quarter of 1884 in Markfield, Leicestershire, his siblings were, Ernest Arthur Burton, a schoolboy, born 1880 in Sileby, Leicestershire, Emil, a schoolboy, born 1888 and James, born 1890, the latter two siblings were both born in Markfield, Leicestershire, in April 1891 the family home was at Shaw Lane, Markfield, Leicestershire. In the 1st quarter of 1900 Frederick’s mother died, aged 39 in the Leicester district. In March 1901 Frederick was employed as an assistant stoker and was residing in the family home at 61, Littleton Street, Leicester, together with his widowed father, a bricklayer’s labourer and his siblings, Emil, James and Harry, born 1892 in Markfield, Leicestershire. In April 1911 Frederick was absent from the family home at Chapel Street, Enderby, Leicestershire, residing there was his father, a stone blocker, his step mother Rose Hannah Handley (nee Pratt, married in the 3rd quarter of 1903 in the Blaby, Leicestershire district), born 1861 in Enderby, Leicestershire and his siblings, Emil, a brickyard labourer and Harry, a stone blocker, Frederick, now married was employed as a stone blocker and was residing in the family home at Townsend Road, Enderby, Leicestershire, together with his wife Rose Mary Handley (nee Norton, married on the 16th February1910 in the Parish Church, Enderby, Leicestershire district), a hosiery trade worker, born 1885 in Stoney Stanton, Leicestershire. Their son Eric James, was born on the 20th March 1913 in Enderby, Leicestershire. The family name has been shown variously as Hanley, Hendley and lastly as Handley, the latter spelling is that recorded officially when Frederick’s birth was registered. Frederick attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement of 3 years with the Colours and 9 years in the Reserve on the 2nd October 1902 in Leicester. He gave his place of birth as Markfield, Leicestershire and his age as 18 years and 3 months. He gave his trade or calling as carter. He confirmed that he was unmarried, and expressed a wish to enlist into the King’s Royal Rifle Corps. He gave his father, Frederick George Handley, address not known, his elder brother Ernest of Sylvan Street, Leicester, his younger brother’s Emil of Countesthorpe, Leicestershire, James and Harry of -?- as his next of kin. On mobilization he gave his wife Mrs. Handley of Townsend Road, Enderby, Leicestershire as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 3¼ inches in height, weighed 110½ pounds and he had a chest measurement of between 32 and 34½ inches. His complexion was described as fresh, his hair colour was brown and he had hazel eyes. He gave his religion as Church of England. He was pronounced fit for Army service. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps as a Private, service number 4914 on the 2/10/02. Posted to the 1st Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps on the 19/2/03. Awarded a Swimming Certificate on the 13/7/03. Granted 1st Good Conduct Badge on the 5/2/05. Transferred to “A” Reserve on the 8/11/05. Mobilized on the 5/8/14. Posted to the 1st Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps on the 5/8/14. Embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 12/8/14. Reported missing in action on the 3/11/14. Recorded as a Prisoner of War at Gustrow Camp, W.O. List 5535. Transferred to Tingleff Camp on the 2/7/15. Died from pneumonia and cardiac failure on board HMHS Garth Castle on the 1/1/19. A summary of his service records: Home Service, 2/10/02 – 18/2/03, 140 days. Malta, 19/2/02 – 26/2/05, 2 years 8 days. Egypt, 27/2/05 – 6/4/05, 39 days. Home Service, 7/4/05 - , 9 years 127 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 12/8/14 – 3/11/14, 84 days. Prisoner of War, 3/11/0/14 – 1/1/19, 4 years 59 days. Total service, 16 years 92 days. Frederick was awarded the 1914 Star, British and Victory Medals. Frederick’s wife was awarded a weekly pension of 20 shilling and 5 pence for herself and one child to commence on the 7th July 1919. Frederick’s surviving service documents are in a very poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.
The War Diary records: 2 Nov-14 – Our headquarters until daylight remained in same dug outs about 60 yards behind the firing line, but just before daylight they moved back into the wood near some dug outs occupied by our reserve Company (“A”). Our 2nd Battalion had occupied until our arrival the trenches taken over by the Berks and after handing over they moved back in the direction of HOOGE. After staying for a time in the dug outs. Willan, Miller and I moved into the basement of the chateau in the wood. About 11:00am we received a message from Christie Miller who commanded the Coldstream Battalion on our left saying that he believed that the other part of his line north of the wood had been broken as he was being enfiladed from his left flank. This message Captain Willan sent out to Major Finch (Berks) immediately asking him to help in any way he could. Major Finch sent back a message to say he was sending up two platoons at once to help on the north side of the main road. Captain Willan then went out on to the main road himself and up towards the crossroads where he saw the Berks lying across the road and the Germans facing them. “A” Company (reserve) was then sent up also along the north side on the road to reinforce the Berks and an orderly was sent back towards HOOGE and 1st Division for further help. The 2nd Battalion KRR were sent up by them to help on both sides of the main road and they were followed by several other weak Battalions – Welsh Regiment, South Wales Borderers, Loyal North Lancs and Gloucesters and the gap in the line was thus filled, the line being withdrawn about 300 yards until it was approximately along the eastern edge of the wood. The Germans however still occupied the trenches taken from the Coldstreams. The pressure on the north side of the road had also been relieved very considerably by the fact that the French happened to be making an advance on GHELUVELT from the north and their right reached the neighbourhood of VELLDHOEK just at the critical moment. We (Battalion Headquarters) were quite in ignorance of what had happened to our own three Companies “B”, “C” and “D” who were in the trenches on the right of the Coldstreams as our Headquarters were with the reserve Company “A” back in the wood from the front edge of which even if it was impossible to see the trenches owing to the latter being down on a forward slope. Casualties – “A” Company - 3 Riflemen killed – 9 wounded (including 2nd Lt. Collins) Other Companies – 9 officers, 437 other ranks missing.
On Saturday November 28th 1914 The Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – ENDERBY’S ROLL OF HONOUR. Although Enderby is not yet by any means exhausted its resources as far as recruits are concerned, it has set a good example for some 60 of its men are serving with the colours. Two have given their lives, three have been wounded, and one is a prisoner at Gustrom, Mecklenberg. Geo. Wm. Jayes, who was on the Good Hope, when it sank, was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Jayes, of John Street, Enderby and leaves a widow and two children. He had served his full period in the Navy, and three years in the Naval Reserve. He was at the taking of the Takn forts during the Boxer rising and was wounded in the knee in the subsequent march to Tientsin. He left home for the annual manoeuvres, and never returned. Private Joseph Simpson, a Reservist of the 1st Leicester’s, fills a grave on foreign soil. He also leaves a widow and two children, residing at Enderby. Quartermaster Sergeant Neal and Private F. Timson (both 1st Leicester’s), Private and P. C. William Page of the 2nd Worcester’s, are wounded, and Private Fred Handley, of the 1st Kings Royal Rifles, is a prisoner at Gustrom, Mecklenberg. In a letter to his wife he says he is being well treated, although of course he has lost all the things which had been sent him by his friends.