Medal Index Card
Letter from the War Office
Incidentally, the father James William Payne was boarding at 94 Alfred Street, South Shields in 1891, prior to this he was residing at 15 North Street in 1881.
The children were called Norman, born 1895, married Millicent D, Williams in 1924, James William, his eldest brother, born 7th January 1893, also served in WW1, Herbert, born 1899, but died after 1901, Ernest, born October 1900, [married Evelyn M Small, in 1925], Joseph, born 1903, [married Josephine E Lander in 1931], Gladys, born 20th October 1904, [and in 1939 was residing at 70 Sunderland Road, South Shields, Durham, single and was a school teacher], and Cyril born 31st August 1906, in 1939 he was a Public Works & Civil Engineer Account & Estimating Clerk residing at 70 Sunderland Road, South Shields, Durham, England. He was also a part time A.R.P.
In 1901 they were living at 32 Oxford Avenue South Shields.
Frederick Charles Payne attested on the 23rd January 1915, at South Shields, when he was 19 years and 3 months old. He was a Tailor and was 5 feet 4 and a half inch tall, weight 126 lb. He was given the service number of 50660, and was in the Royal Army Medical Corps as a stretcher bearer.
On the 31st January 1915 he is at Aldershot, then Budleigh Salterton on the 9th April 1915. Sling Camp on the 25th August and finally Sutton Veny.
He embarked at Southampton on the 20th September 1915, and arrived at Le Havre on the 21st September, he was in the 80th Field Ambulance Unit.
This unit served with the 26th Infantry Division. In November 1915, the 26th Division moved to Salonika where it then remained. On the 2nd November, the Division concentrated at Flesselles and moved to Salonika via embarkation at Marseilles. On the 26th December 1915, units began to move from Lembet to Happy Valley Camp and all units were in place there by the 8th February 1916.
On the 29th December 1915 he embarked with his unit from Marseilles to Salonika.
By June 1916, the 80th Field Ambulance was located on the road between Hortlackoj and Kirecko which runs through the eastern valley at the junction of the two main roads from Salonika, located nearby was also the 60th and 61st Field Ambulances.
Frederick received a Good Conduct medal on the 22nd January 1917.
On the 6th March 1918, he was sent to the Infantry Base Depot at Salonika for Infantry training, he joined the 3rd Battalion Cameron Highlanders at Salonika and was given a new service number S/30073.
Frederick was compulsory transferred to the Cameron Highlanders with the 2nd Battalion on the 18th April 1918. On the 17th May 1918 he was embarked for Batoum with the rest of his battalion. On the 22nd January 1919, he was sent back to Salonika. Now with the 3rd Battalion Cameron Highlanders. He was struck off strength on the 13th February 1920 whilst on leave in the UK. Frederick was finally discharged at Ripon on the 31st March 1920.
Frederick wrote a letter to the War Office asking for his 1914/15 Star Medal to be added to his army Form Z21a.
He was transferred to the Army Reserve on the 25th April 1919, Class Z reserve, and was given details of where to report to in case of an emergency, Kinross.
On the 5th March 1919, Frederick's father wrote a letter to the commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion Cameron Highlanders "My son Pte, Fred C, Payne, 30073, 2nd Battalion Cameron Highlanders arrived home from Russia on Friday last the 28th Ultimo, and is due to report at Billy Vinain on the 2nd instant, for the purpose of demobilising. He has been 3 years and 7 months overseas without being home on leave, until the present occasion.".
It was asking if his son has to report to Ireland to demobilise or could it be done at home.
The reply via the War Office stated that his case was to be considered for a special case. [by the overseas authorities].The reply eventually came back that he had to report to Ripon to demobilise.
He is not remembered on a War Memorial in the North East of England.