Charles Frostick was a poultry farmer at Hiskeys Farm, Little Bromley. He was assistant and later business partner to the Patrol Leader, Ernest Spencer, who bred award winning pedigree poultry. Charles was called up in 1942, joined the Essex Regiment, then spent most of the next year with the General Service Corps, before returning to the Essex Regiment. He spent a week in the Norfolk regiment when he transferred to the Suffolk Regiment just before D Day. He was wounded during the fighting in Normandy with the Suffolks following the battle of Chateau de la Londe.
After the war he was demobbed via the Northamptonshire Regiment and RASC (Royal Army Service Corps), spending some months in Belgium processing German POWs. He spoke very little about his wartime activities with the Auxiliary Units to anyone in the family.
Charles was reportedly an excellent shot with a rifle, and his army record shows "marksman" with rifle but "failed" with Bren gun!
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mistley Patrol | Patrol Corporal | 1940 | 1942 |
Little Bromley School
Pedigree Poultry Breeder
1924 left school. Farm worker in Little Bromley. Bulb growing at Jennings Farm then Pedigree Poultry Breeding at Hiskeys Farm.
In Essex Regiment, and various, transferred to Suffolk Regiment just two days before D-day. Participated in Normandy battle of Chateau de la Londe (28 Jun) and wounded near Vire (13 Aug). Returned to Europe for crossing of the Rhine.
After VE Day transferred to RASC and posted to 2218 EPW camp near Brussels, where he was Acting SQMS (Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant) in documentation section.
After Demob he returned to Hiskeys farm as a partner in the business (Spencer & Frostick) and carried on after Spencer retired as the sole partner and owner.
One of his sons vaguely remembers, on a drive with him to Mistley to see the swans and trains at Manningtree, going past Stacies Farm in Little Bromley, the home of Sgt Bill Strang. Charles said something like “That’s where we hid our ammunition in the war.” There was a story about a cache of explosives being dug up at that farm when laying a tennis court, not yet corroborated.
Service record
Hugh Frostick (son)
TNA ref Wo199/3389