SNEYD, Frederick James

Frederick Sneyd was born on the 9th October 1893 in Wordsley, and was the son of William and Martha Sneyd. He was admitted to Old Swinford Hospital in 1901. He volunteered for the Worcesters as a regular soldier early in 1914 before the declaration of war and went to the 2nd Battalion in the British Expeditionary Force at Aldershot. They crossed the Channel on the 12th August and advanced to Mons, only to be forced to retreat to the Marne. Exhausted but still a fighting force, they pushed the enemy back to the Aisne and the Western Front was saved. Frederick Sneyd was badly injured and returned home for recovery. In the Winter of 1915 the Worcesters moved to Artois and to the flat ground of Festubert where Private Sneyd rejoined them. They provided support for the Battle of Neuve Chapelle on the 9th March and were then ordered to attack at Festubert in a night attack on the 16th May. The terrain was affected by heavy rain and the German defence held firm. The Worcesters suffered over 250 casualties and among those killed in action was Private Frederick Sneyd. He was 21 years of age and is commemorated on the Le Touret, Wordsley and Old Swinford Hospital Memorials.