Frederick Cuddeford was born on 18 February 1894, the son of William and Mary Cecilia Cuddeford of Mortimer Common, Berkshire. He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet on 15 January 1907, promoted to Midshipman on 15 September 1911. On 14 September 1912 he was appointed to the battleship HMS COMMONWEALTH and subsequently appointed on 29 July 1914 to the cruiser HMS CARNARVON where he was present at the Battle of the Falkland Islands. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 15 May 1916.

 He joined submarines on 5 November 1917 with an appointment to HMS DOLPHIN for Submarine Training. On 1 March 1918 he was appointed to HMS C4 as First Lieutenant, followed by HMS D4 as First Lieutenant on 1 July 1918 and HMS L9 as First Lieutenant on 11 November 1918. He was next appointed to HMS E40 as First Lieutenant and was present at the raid on Kronstadt, where submarines of the Third Flotilla provided part of the covering force during which several Russia warships were sunk by Coastal Motor Boats.

Frederick Cuddeford was appointed to HMS K11 as First Lieutenant on 15 November 1919 before being re-appointed to HMS K5 as First Lieutenant to date 1 January 1921. K5 was lost with all hands after diving to attack Battle Cruisers during a Tactical Exercise in the Western Approaches on Thursday 20 January 1921. The reason for the loss was not established but it is believed that the Submarine accidentally exceeded its Safe Depth on diving.

Frederick Cuddeford is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval War Memorial on Panel No. 32.