Frederick Spackman was born at Challow, Berkshire in 1897 to Henry and Elizabeth Spackman, and was the oldest of three children. Frederick's father worked as a cattleman and by 1901 the family was living in Main Street, Challow. Frederick moved to Twyford by the time of the First World War and he enlisted into the army at Winchester. Frederick went to France at some time after 1st January 1916 and was assigned to 2nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment.

At the end of April 1917 the Battalion was withdrawn from the front line trenches east of Arras and spent the next few weeks training near St. Pol-sur-Ternoise, about thirty miles behind the lines. They then moved gradually north east towards Ypres, reaching Brandhoek by the time that Frederick was killed. The Battalion War Diary for 2nd June 1917 records a quiet day:

There is no indication of the circumstances surrounding Frederick Spackman's death but two days previously 150 men of 2nd Battalion had been allocated as a permanent working party to the 2nd Canadian Tunnelling Company, so perhaps Frederick was one of these men. Frederick was only 19 years of age when he was killed in action on 2nd June 1917. He now rests in the Ramparts Cemetery, Lille Gate, Ypres along with two other 19-year old soldiers from his Battalion who died on the same day.

Map