Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Henry Palmer, a farm teamster, born 1866 in Hallaton, Leicestershire and his wife Annie Sophia Palmer (nee Freestone, married in the 2nd quarter of 1890 in the Uppingham, Rutland district), born 1864 in Great Easton, Leicestershire. Frederick Arthur, was born on the 8th March 1893 in Hallaton, his siblings were, John George, born 1891 and Thomas William, born 1895, the latter two siblings were both born in Hallaton, Frank, born 1900 in Blaston, Leicestershire, in March 1901 the family home was at Blaston Lodge, Blaston. In April 1911 Frederick was absent from the family home at Stockerston, Leicestershire, residing there was his father, a farm waggoner, his mother and siblings, Thomas, a farm worker, Frank, a schoolboy and Clara Lois, a schoolgirl, born 1902 in Blaston. Frederick married Elizabeth Langley on the 13th December 1913 in the Registry Office, Leicester, they had a daughter, Lilian Olive, born on the 25th September 1914 in Hallaton.
Frederick attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement (For the Duration of the War.) on the 17th October 1915 in Market Harborough. He gave his home address as East Street, Hallaton, Leicestershire, his age as 22 years and 214 days and his trade or calling as farm labourer. He confirmed that he was married. He gave his wife Elizabeth Palmer of East Street, Hallaton as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 8¼ inches in height and he had a chest measurement of between 33 and 37 inches. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the Leicestershire Regiment as a Private, service number 21797 on the 18/10/15. Posted to the 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 14/5/16. Embarked from Devonport to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force aboard H.T. Llandovery Castle, on the 14/5/16. Disembarked Basra on the 13/6/16. Joined the 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, in the field on the 2/7/16. Killed in action, in the field on the 4/7/16. A summary of his service records: Home Service, 17/10/15 – 13/5/15, 210 days. Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, 14/5/15 - 4/7/16, 52 days. Total service 262 days. 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. 4 Jul-16 - Another batch of about 100 Turkish prisoners went over through our section at 5.30am. Hot day, very quiet. The Battalion was relieved at 9.30pm by Composite Battalion of NORFOLK AND DORSET REGIMENT’S. We marched back to the rest camp at FALAHIYEH, arriving there about 12.30am. Temperature 116 degrees maximum. 75 degrees minimum.
On Friday September 8th 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” – HALLATON MAN KILLED. Mrs. F. A. Palmer, of Hallaton, has received news that her husband, Pte. F. A. Palmer, Leicester, has been killed at the Persian Gulf. Pte. Palmer was on sentry duty, and was shot by a Turkish sniper only about two days after landing. He leaves a widow and two small children.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Frederick, the second of four boys, was born at Fearn Farm, a remote holding high on a hill, on the outskirts of the parish Hallaton off the Allexton Road. After school he worked as a waggoner. On 13th December 1913 he married Elizabeth Langley of St Margaret’s, Leicester who was working as a maid in Gaulby. He and Elizabeth started their married life living in Eastgate, Hallaton with Frederick working as an agricultural labourer. Being newly married and with their first child expected, he was not amongst the eager first batch of Hallaton boys to sign on in August 1914. A little girl, Lillian Olive was born on 25th September 1914. The need for more recruits was intense. So on October 17th 1915 in Market Harborough, Frederick was duly attested and signed on as Private 21797 in 10th (2nd Reserve) Bn. Leicestershire Regiment. For the period, he was a biggish lad, being 5ft 8 ¼ inches tall with a 37” chest and good expansion of 4 inches no doubt because of his farm labouring and with his clipped moustache, looked every bit the soldier. Initial training was at Rugeley but on 14th May 1916 he was posted as part of a draft reinforcing the 2nd Battalion in Mesopotamia. After a tedious voyage of four weeks, he landed in Basra on 2nd July. Two days later he was shot by a Turkish sniper. His poor wife by this time had given birth to another child, so she was a war widow at the age of 25 with two small children. From the evidence, it appears that she returned to St Margaret’s, because Frederick’s name is recorded in the War Memorial Book of that church as well as on Hallaton and Basra War Memorials. Judging by his will, he had attained a good level of education, writing a very neat hand with fluency.

Information (including photograph) kindly provided by Dennis Kenyon.