Fred was the son of Thomas & Mary Binks of Staindrop. In 1901 & 1911 the family lived in Winston Lane. His father was a coal miner/waggon weigh man & later a hewer. His siblings were John William, Thomas, Gertrude May, Ethel, Arthur & Alfred. Alfred was Hylene Bowman’s father. The older siblings were coal miners. Fred was a driver underground at age 15.
Fred served in the Royal Army Medical Corps & the Durham Light Infantry from June 1915 until 1919. He served in France & died from the effects of poison gas while in hospital in Newcastle aged 24. He was buried at Staindrop on 1st August 1920.
Teesdale Mercury 11.10.1916 - Page 5: Column 3
Private Fred Binks, Staindrop (DLI) - wounded in Manchester hospital