Private Frederick George Trotter
Frederick George Trotter was born on 13 September 1898 at Brockagh, Manorhamilton, County Leitrim, the fifth of six children of store-keeper John Trotter and his wife Lizzie Jane (née Taylor). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Gortaloughan, near Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, with two of his siblings.
Trotter enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Enniskillen on 19 March 1915 (No.1467). He gave his age as 19 (he was only 16), his address as Breffini House, Manorhamilton, and his occupation as assistant store manager.
Soon after, however, he fell ill. A medical report stated that:
... until two years ago he suffered from Epileptic fits. He as far as he knows had none for two years. Since enlisting on 19th March he has had three attacks. As these attacks under the excitement & strain of a soldier's life are likely to become more frequent, I recommend that he be discharged.
On 2 April 1915 Trotter was discharged (paragraph 392 (iii)(c), King's Regulations), being 'not likely to become an efficient soldier, recruit within three months of enlistment considered unfit for service'.
His military character was recorded as 'good'.