Frederick’s parents were Henry Percy and Eliza Greathead née Hunt both born in England. They married on 3 March 1889 and in April they set off on the Steam Ship Lusitania in April 1889 on an unassisted passage arriving in Sydney on 4 May 1889 to set up home in Australia.

Their first son was born on 28 January 1890 but died shortly after. Frederick William Greathead their fourth son was born in 1894 in Kingsdale, Goulburn, Victoria, Australia.

Frederick was a labourer.

He enlisted as a Private into 55th Battalion of the Australian Infantry, 3rd Reinforcement on 5 January 1916, six days before his brother Henry. He was 20 years 3 months old, five foot 8½ inches tall, weighed 135 lbs, with dark complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. The unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales with his brother Henry on board HMAT A37 Barambah on 23 June 1916.

He was killed in action on 8 March 1917 in Delville Wood in France and is buried in the Guards Cemetery Plot VIII, Row M Grave no 3, Lesboeufs, Somme.

He was awarded the Star medal, Victory medal No 42443 and British War Medal No 42908.

His brothers Henry Percy and Bert William also died the same year fighting in other parts of Europe far from home. Henry died on 2 April 1917 in France and Bert on 9 October in Zonnebeke in Belgium.

All three brothers are commemorated on memorial Rocky Hill in Gouldburn.

1917 was a very sad year for their father as not only did he lose three sons but also his wife Eliza née Hunt on 23 December 1917 in Australia.