Frederick Ewart Ryder was born at Lithgow, New South Wales in May 1885, one of seven children born to Alfred James Ryder and Eliza Clements Ryder (née Lamble). In 1912, Frederick married Florence Laurel Jane Burt at Tamworth, New South Wales. The couple had two children, Alma Beryl Arline and Dorothy. Before the outbreak of the First World War, Ryder worked as a fitter and turner.

On 16 October 1916, Ryder enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at the age of 31 and embarked from Melbourne aboard RMS Omrah on 17 January 1917. He disembarked at Plymouth and was stationed at the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) depot at Penham Downs in March 1917 and, in the following month, was sent for training to Castle Bromwich, near Birmingham.

On enlistment, Ryder was assigned to No. 4 Squadron, AFC, and served as an Air Mechanic 2nd Class for the duration of the war. In the United Kingdom, the squadron was designated No. 71 (Australian) Squadron, Royal Flying Corps (RFC), but returned to its original title in January 1918.

On 16 December 1917, Ryder went to France, where No. 71 Squadron was assigned to the 10th Wing of the RFC. Owing to a chronic case of gastritis and then appendicitis, Ryder was later discharged and returned to Australia aboard HMAT Ulysses on 18 January 1919.

After the war, Ryder moved to the suburb of Flemington in Sydney and returned to his occupation as a motor mechanic.

Frederick Ryder died at Chatswood, New South Wales on 19 March 1957 and is buried at the Northern Suburbs Crematorium.