Frederick William Hedges was born on the 6th June 1896 at Umballa in India. His father was Henry George Hedges who was 'born at Sea, Bengal Bay' around 1857 and his mother was Mrs Harriet Eliza (nee Loader) Hedges, born in India around 1865. In 1901 the family were living at 24 Landsdowne Road, Hounslow, Middlesex. Henry was a superintendent (assurance) and Freddie was the seventh of nine children. He was later educated at Grove Road Boy's School, and Isleworth County School.

Freddie enlisted into the Queen Victoria's Rifles on the 6th August 1914 at Davies Street in London. After involvement in the First Battle of Ypres in 1914, Freddie was admitted to hospital in France with frostbite on 28th January 1915 and evacuated to England on 29th January 1915.

The 6th July 1915 saw him commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Bedfordshire Regiment and he went to the Felixstowe School of Instruction on the 10th July, before joining the 9th Reserve battalion as a Musketry Officer.

He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions as described in the citation below.

“For most conspicuous bravery and initiative during the operations north-east of Bousies on the 24th October, 1918. He led his company with great skill towards the final objective, maintaining direction under the most difficult conditions. When the advance was held up by machinegun posts, accompanied by one Sergeant and followed at some considerable distance by a Lewis-gun section, he again advanced and displayed the greatest determination, capturing six machine guns and 14 prisoners. His gallantry and initiative enabled the whole line to advance, and tended largely to the success of subsequent operations.”

Further information can be found here.