Frederick John Flatman, Service no. 12803, Suffolk Regiment, 2nd Battalion.
Rank: Private
Frederick John Flatman was born in the 2nd Quarter 1896 at Sternfield to father Arthur James Flatman, a bricklayer’s labourer for the Great Eastern Railway and mother Eliza Sheppard.
He was baptised on 23rd January 1898 at St. Mary Magdelene church, Sternfield along with his brother William George Flatman.
When aged 15 on 1911 census he was a telegram messenger boy for the Post Office and the Flatman family were living at Sandy Lane, Sternfield.
On 19th January 1915 Frederick John Flatman enlisted for WWI at Saxmundham. Below new recruits being signed up and sworn in at Saxmundham. Far right James Forsdyke.
Frederick was killed in action on 18th March 1916 when the Suffolk Battalion were supporting the B.E.F. in France.
He was awarded the British War medal and the Victory medal and is remembered on the Suffolk County War Memorial Roll of Honour 1914-1918 which recorded the names of those from Suffolk who lost their lives in the Great War.
He is also remembered by the Commonwealth War Graves.
