Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Frederick’s father, John was one of the many men in Hallaton who worked on the railway and Frederick likewise followed father’s footsteps but as a porter but at the isolated station of Weston by Welland, the village just over the border in Northamptonshire to which the family moved sometime before the 1911 census. He was enlisted on 28th November 1916 in Northampton and enrolled in the county regiment with service number 9/21328. After initial training he was eventually posted to the 2nd Battalion with a new number, 202478 prior to being sent to France on 14th March 1917 – only 14 weeks of training before being sent into battle. Initially just south of Cambrai, they moved steadily north towards the Ypres salient. By 13th June they were based in the Railway Wood sector, and the next few days were spent carrying duck-boards and 150 men were sent to work for 177th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers. The working parties were endless making use of the newly introduced Yukon pack used to carry everything from ammunition to corrugated steel reinforcement sheets and reels of barbed wire. On 8th July the Battalion was withdrawn by bus right back to Reclinghem about 30 miles south west of Ypres where they practised attacks on a specially prepared training ground with the rest of the Brigade. On 22nd June they were back in Ypres preparing for the approaching battle and were forward in Zoauve Wood, just west of the much larger Sanctuary Wood. The War Diary becomes very brief for the next few days while they were holding the line under very heavy German shelling. There is no specific mention of casualties but on 25th Frederick Walter Russell was killed and his mother received the following extremely warm tribute from his platoon commander “I am very sorry indeed to have to tell you that your son was killed in action on 25th July. His death has been felt very much by all his comrades, and I personally feel that I have lost one of the best soldiers in my platoon. He was killed instantaneously by a shell, and could not have suffered at all. We buried him the same night in the nearest cemetery, and a cross is being erected over his grave. I know that sympathy at such a time is not much use, but you have at least the consolation of knowing that your son died doing his duty as an Englishman should.” He is buried in Perth (China Wall) Cemetery just south east of Ypres, on Hallaton War Memorial and on this fine memorial in St Mary’s Church, Weston by Welland. His grieving mother’s heart must have been further torn when in December of that year, she received a pathetic little package containing his personal belongings – “1 signet ring, 1 claspknife,2 handkerchiefs,1
paper, 1 “Imperial Service” badge,1 Testament, 1 note book, letters and photos”.

Information (including photograph) kindly provided by Dennis Kenyon.