Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

When Frederick Amos was born on the 1 December, 1880, in New South Wales, his father, John William (1846 to 1887), was 34 and his mother, Jane Elizabeth, nee Eaton (1847 to 1921), was 33. He had seven brothers and three sisters.

Fred married Effie Matilda Bradshaw (1880 to 1963) in 1904 in Paddington, New South Wales. They had three children during their marriage; Bonnie Beryl (1905 to 1987), Gwendoline Hazel (1907 to ?) and Lindsay Capewell Bradshaw (1911 to 1943). Lindsay would join the Second AIF during WW2 but was killed in action at Lae, Papua New Guinea on the 10 September, 1943.

Upon enlisting at Lismore, New South Wales, on the 4 February, 1916, Fred was a 35-year-old farmer from Ulmarra. It is interesting to note that Fred wrote on his attestation paper that he was not married, whereas other records indicate that he was married with three children. Also, he gave his brother, George, as his next of kin. His medical examination details describe a man in his thirties, standing 5 foot 9 inches tall (175 cm) and weighing 168 lbs (76 kg). Fred’s complexion was given as dark, his eyes brown as was his hair. He gave his religious denomination as the Church of England. He had a small scar on his right forearm. Frederick was allocated the service number 2631.

Fred embarked on HMAT A49 Seang Choon at Brisbane, Queensland on the 4 April, 1916. In June he was taken on strength with the 1st Light Horse Regiment at Tel-el-Kebir, in Egypt. On the 26 July, he was transferred to the 2nd Light Horse at Romani. His first promotion, to Lance Corporal, occurred on the 11 January, 1917, with a further promotion to Corporal in June.

On the 22 August he was admitted to hospital suffering from lumbago. Over the next few days, he would pass through the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital, the 24th Stationary Hospital and the 65th Casualty Clearing Station, before ending up at the 14th Australian General Hospital in Cairo. Fred was finally discharged on the 27 September, 1917, and taken on strength with the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment at Moascar.

A month and a half later he rejoined the 2nd Light Horse (see image on page 14), which was currently at Sidret el Hariryeh in Palestine. In December of 1917, the Regiment spent time around the Ludd, Ayun-Kara and Esdud areas, holding the line and being part of the mobile reserve. His promotion to Temporary Sergeant came early in the new year. During the first two months of 1918, the 2nd Light Horse regiment participated in the advance to Jaffa and was committed to operations to clear and occupy the west bank of the Jordan River (see image below). Fred’s next experiences of major battles would take place in the raids on Amman (24 to 27 February) and Es Salt (30 April to 4 May).

In late May of 1918, he was admitted to the 26th Casualty Clearing Station suffering from malaria. He was transferred to the 36th Stationary Hospital at Gaza on the 3 June. The following day he was sent to the 14th Australian General Hospital at Port Said. On the 7 July he was posted to the Rest Camp at Port Said and remained there for ten days while he recovered his strength.

On the 26 July, he rejoined the Regiment at Moascar, but two weeks later suffered a relapse of malaria and was admitted to the 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance, before being sent to the 47th Stationary Hospital and eventually the 31st General Hospital at Abbassia. Throughout September and October of 1918, Fred was transferred between a number of hospitals and rest camps in an attempt to keep his malaria under control. He would not rejoin the 2nd Light Horse Regiment until the 10 February, 1919. One month later, he embarked on HMNZT 74 Ulimaroa at Kantara and sailed for Australia. His discharge from the AIF came through on the 26 July, 1919.

For his service during the war, Fred was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Fred passed away in 1975 in Queensland at the age of 95.

Extract from "Light Horsemen of the Upper Murray", Year 5 and 6 Project, Corryong College.