Frederick Banbury was 30 years and 8 months old when he enlisted on 30 September 1916. He was a salesman, English by birth, with his next of kin his mother, Mrs. Annie Boscastle, of 'Aden', Lymington Parade, Torquay, England. His permanent address was 90 Powlett St, East Melbourne. He embarked on the HMAT 'Medic' A7, on 16 December, 1916, disembarking at Plymouth on 18 February, 1917. From here, he was sent to Hurdcott, where he served eith the 8 Training Battalion,before embarking for France, finally being taken on strength with the 29th Battalion on 2 November, 1917.

The 29th Battalion was by then in Belgium, having fought in the battle of Polygon Wood, on the Ypres section from 26 September. From here, they fought at Morlancourt in July 1918, were involved in the advance after Amiens and in September, 1918, fought their last major action on the Hindenburg line, across the top of the St. Quentin Canal Tunnel. 

Banbury served with the 29th until 21 March, 1918, when he was permanently attached to the 5th Australian Division Signals Company. He stayed with them until 30 September when he was wounded in action and invalided to the Queen Mary Hospital, London. There is no record of what his injury was in his file and he is not in the Red Cross file of wounded. The wound must have been fairly severe, however, as he was invalided out and returned to Australia on the 'Lancashire' on 7/2/1919. On 26 July, 1919, he married Daphne Norton at Cairns Memorial Church, East Melbourne.

Frederick Banbury was to serve again in World War 11, serving as a Warrant Officer with the ACMF. He died while on active duty on 7 December 1945 and is buried at Springvale Cemetery.