A five-year-old boy from Mansfield has been given a medal by the children’s charity, Little Troopers, after being brave and resilient while his dad was posted overseas for more than a year with the British Army.

The Little Trooper of the Month accolade was presented to Freddie Kendall for coping with his dad, Jack Kendall, being away from home since October 2023 and missing the youngster starting school for the first time in September.

Freddie is autistic and has a stammer, which meant he found it particularly difficult, both mentally and physically, to adapt to life at school.

He felt the absence of his dad deeply over the last year, and had many tough days where he was overwhelmed by his feelings.

The youngster, who also lives with his mum, Alicia Kendall, and younger sister, Gracie, does speak to his dad regularly via FaceTime, but doesn’t interact much and struggles with the reality that his dad won’t be coming home soon.

While the family were reunited for one week last October, Freddie’s dad is not due to be permanently back in the UK until October 2025.

The family have been using resources from the Little Troopers to help Freddie through his dad’s deployment and he was one of 2,500 recipients of the charity’s Christmas Smiles boxes over the festive season for children who have parents serving away.

Alicia said: “Despite the challenges of having his daddy deployed and navigating the world through the lens of autism, Freddie continues to shine brightly.

“Even on the toughest days, Freddie never lets it dim his light. His heart is full of kindness and compassion, and his love for his friends and his family always shines through.

“We are all so fortunate to witness the love, light, and joy he spreads wherever he goes. He is our special little trooper.”

Freddie received a medal, voucher, and gift certificate from Little Troopers for his monthly award.

Louise Fetigan, founder of Little Troopers, added: “Starting school for the first time when your parent is deployed is hard enough for any child, but Freddie also faced additional challenges that made 2024 a particularly tough year for him and his family.

“We hope Freddie wears his Little Troopers medal with pride and I’m sure he can’t wait to show his dad on his return.”

Little Troopers is a registered charity supporting children who have parents serving in the British Armed Forces. Through its resources and initiatives, the charity connects with thousands of military children each year. Its Little Trooper of the Month award scheme is sponsored by technology group, Thales.