Frederick Leonard Harry Hammond, died 5th October 1916, aged 20.
Private G/15608, 7th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment).
One of ten children, Frederick was born 26th January 1896 and brought up in Goudhurst, and worked on a farm at Spelmonden before enlisting. He joined his battalion after it had suffered significant losses on the Somme in July 1916. On its return to the front line in the same sector at the end of September, it was involved in a week of ferocious attacks on a German strongpoint near Thiepval. Frederick Hammond was counted among the “Missing” from this period, and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
Kent & Sussex Courier 10th November 1916
Killed at the Front
The late Pte. Frederick Leonard Harry Hammond was born in Goudhurst, attended Goudhurst school, went to work at Spelmonden (Horsmonden), and at the close of 1915 enlisted in the Kent Scouts, but was transferred to the Buffs. He went abroad in July last and on September 4th was killed instantaneously by a shell. He was ever of a most cheerful disposition and a comrade writes from the trenches to say how much his cheery brightness will be missed. He was 21 years of age.