• Victoria Cross
• Military Medal ( MM )
• 1914-15 Star
• British War Medal ( 1914-20 )
• Victory Medal ( 1914-19 )
• Defence Medal ( 1939-45 )
• War Medal ( 1939-45 ) + MiD Oakleaf
• King George VI Coronation Medal ( 1937 )
• Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal ( 1953 )

On the 28 January 1917 the 22nd Royal Fusiliers moved into Wolfe Huts on the Albert-Bapaume road in support of the 23rd Royal Fusiliers. The area in which the battalion found itself was part of the battlefield that had been taken from the enemy during the battle of the Somme the previous year. The landscape was described as being 'desolate, treeless, a mass of mine craters, shell holes and wire entaglements', with a few repaired roads and beaten tracks to link up with the front area.

On 17 February 1917 the 22nd and 23rd Royal Fusiliers were both involved in the fighting. 'A' Company, Frederick Palmer's company, and 'B' Company beginning the atttack at 5.45 am. The enemy were very alert having had an early warning of the attack and it was at this point that Sergeant Palmer took a hand as all the officers in his company had become casualties.

[ London Gazette, 3 April 1917 ], Near Courcelette, France, 17 February 1917, Lance Sergeant Frederick William Palmer, 22nd Bn, Royal Fusiliers.

For most conspicuous bravery, control and determination.

During the progress of certain operations, all the Officers of his Company having been shot down, Sjt. Palmer assumed command, and, having cut his way under point blank machine gun fire, through the wire entanglements, he rushed the enemy’s trench with six of his men, dislodged the hostile machine gun which had been hampering our advance, and established a block. He then collected men detached from other regiments, and held the barricade for nearly three hours against seven determined counter-attacks, under an incessant barrage of bombs and rifle grenades from his flank and front.

During his temporary absence in search of more bombs an eighth counter-attack was delivered by the enemy, who succeeded in driving in his party, and threatened the defences of the whole flank. At this critical moment, although he had been blown off his feet by a bomb, and was greatly exhausted, he rallied his men, drove back the enemy and maintained his position.

The very conspicuous bravery displayed by this Non-commissioned Officer cannot be overstated, and his splendid determination and devotion to duty undoubtedly averted what might have proved a serious disaster in this sector of the line.

Frederick Palmer was invested with his Victoria Cross, and presented with his Military Medal, by King George V in Hyde Park, London, on the 2nd June 1917.

After demobilization Palmer lived in Singapore and became a director of several companies. In 1942 the family home was destroyed when Singapore fell to the Japanese; his Chinese wife, a magistrate's daughter who had worked as a nurse in Singapore, and the Palmer's two young children were driven north and placed in a refugee camp for four years. During this time Palmer had no news of them, but when the war was over the family was reunited and they moved to Hordle in Hampshire.

Frederick Palmer died in Lymington Hospital on 10the September 1955, aged 63, was cremated at Bournemouth Crematorium, and his ashes buried in All Saints' Churchyard, Hordle.