Born 20th May 1887 Fred was the son of Fred and Harriet Sumners, of New Street, Shipston-on-Stour, although the 1891 census shows Fred’s mother as being called Hannah and coming from Long Compton.

On the 14th September 1891 Fred was enrolled into the Infants School, the school register confirming his address as New Street, Shipston. At the age of seven he was moved up as part of a group of fourteen from the infants to the Boys School on 2nd July 1894. Included in the group were Bertie Nason, Archie Nichols and Arthur Harvey all of whom were killed in the first eighteen months of the Great War.

No date is recorded for Fred’s leaving, but there is no reason for it not to have been in September 1900, as by April 1901 he is working as an Assistant in a dairy and living with his brother’s family in New Street. In January 1904, at the age of 17 Fred joined the Worcestershire Regiment and is believed to have served with the 2nd Battalion. On joining he would have committed to 12 years, either 5 with the colours and 7 with the reserve or vice-versa. The Battalion was serving overseas in the period 1904 to 1912, in South Africa (1904) Ceylon (1905-06) and India (1907-12). In the Spring of 1905 Fred married a Shipston girl called Minnie. After his death she was recorded as living at the Central Hotel, Colwyn Bay, Denbighshire. 

On the 13th August 1914 the 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment arrived in France, but Fred was not among their number.  No reason is known for the delay, but he arrived in France on the 31st August 1914.

From the time of their first engagement with the Germans at Mons the 2nd Worcesters were effectively in retreat. In a very controlled withdrawal they moved slowly south until they crossed the River Marne, and on the 4th September were near Rebais on the Petite Moran River.  The Regimental History notes that on the afternoon of the 5th September a group of about 90 re-enforcements under Captain J P L Stoney arrived.  Fred was in this group and was just in time to witness the ‘joyous tidings ran like wildfire down the whole front of the British Army. The tide had turned, the long retreat was ended, and the morrow would see a new and victorious advance. 

Fred transferred to the 3rd Battalion from the 2nd Battalion shortly before his death and was serving as a Lance Corporal. In January 1916 the 3rd Worcesters were alternating between the trenches in Ploegsteert Wood and being in Brigade Reserve.

At the end of the month they moved to Outtersteen for a welcome period of 10 weeks when they trained and rested. 

On the 10th April 1916 the Battalion moved back into the trenches, this time at Arras. Luckily only two men were wounded during this period, and after a stay of 10 days they transferred to the Reserve where they stayed for a week.

On the 26th April they relieved the 10th Cheshire’s in the front line, with two men being wounded almost immediately. The following day the enemy’s artillery was active through both the day and night and four men were wounded and one killed.  The Regimental History reports that on the 28th at around 7:15pm, the Germans exploded a large mine under the section of trench held by ‘D’ Company. Immediately after the mine was exploded, the Germans attacked to take full advantage of the chaos it had caused.  They entered the Worcesters trenches but were eventually driven out. 60 men of the Worcesters were killed in the attack, 14 were missing presumed killed, and 47 were wounded. Fred Sumners was among those missing. The battalion War Diary, which the author seemed to regard as an exercise in brevity, reported:

Enemy exploded mine under left Company (D Coy) outpost line, they entered the trench but were driven out. The mine exploded at about 7:15pm.

Five months later on the 29th September 1916 the Stratford Herald simply reported:

Pte Frederick Summers of the Worcestershire Regiment is officially reported missing and it is believed that he has been killed in action.

Fred’s body was not recovered, and he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial and remembered on both the County School and Town Memorials.

Mike Wells