Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Frederick Charles Coe migrated to Australia in 1908 after serving 8 years in the British Army in India. When war broke out, he was farming bananas at Smithfield, just outside of Cairns.
Previous military experience meant he was almost immediately promoted to Sergeant. At the Gallipoli landing, he was put in charge of the 9th Battalion Scouts.
Fred was one of the first to step ashore at Gallipoli and fought valiantly to hold the left flank on the first day.
Fortunately Sergeant Coe was also a capable communicator who enjoyed writing. His letters provide us with a very personal and accurate record of events.
‘We touched shore, and Lieutenant Chapman was the first man ashore. I followed him, and we all got ashore. Private AK Wilson was taking my pack off when the first shot rang out; a pause; then seven more…..” (from the Preface to The Story of Anzac, Volume 1, 3rd Ed. by Dr C.E.W. Bean, pxii)
A letter penned from his hospital bed in 1915, described the landing,
‘In justice to the late Major Beresford Robertson, Lieut. Rigby, and the men who fell with them, and who consequently cannot speak for themselves, and as one of the very few of the survivors, I will attempt to give their friends an idea of what they did ….
The part done ..(a grand thing).. was accomplished with about only 70 men. We cleared the second ridge by 10 o’clock and it was at 2 o’clock we got it heavy. We were on the extreme left flank, and at 2.30 the Turks put six battalions on to us.
We, on the left, got a goodly share of them, as it was the key of the position, for if they beat us back they could have enfiladed the centre and the right, so there was no retiring where we were.
Major Robertson was doing his utmost to get reinforcements up to us, but the shrapnel was so thick…. Major Robertson told me to hold a trench with 32 men and went away to get reinforcements for us. He was bowled over by a burst of shrapnel, and died a brave gentleman. Lieut. Rigby got a bullet soon afterwards……..
At half-past 5, out of 33 we had in the trench on the left, only two were left, and we were forced to retire, expecting death at any moment. Then down below we heard the glorious cry ring out. ‘Come on, the Otago Regiment!’ Shall I ever forget it? Up they came and we dug in on the first ridge, and with Major Dawson’s men held the enemy. Of our original 70, under Major Robertson, I think only 6 are left.’
(from Brisbane Courier, 18th August 1915, page 7)