Frederick Augustus BODEN

BODEN, Frederick Augustus

Service Numbers: 1668, 1668, 1670, 1670
Enlisted: 13 January 1915
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 14th Infantry Battalion
Born: Williamstown, Victoria, Australia, 4 August 1891
Home Town: Footscray, Maribyrnong, Victoria
Schooling: Footscray State School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Iron Driller
Died: Killed in action, Gallipoli, Turkey, 7 August 1915, aged 24 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Williamstown Pictorial Honour Board
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World War 1 Service

13 Jan 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1668, 14th Infantry Battalion
19 Feb 1915: Involvement Private, 1668, 1670, 14th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: ''
19 Feb 1915: Embarked Private, 1668, 14th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Runic, Melbourne
7 Aug 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1670, 14th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli

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Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

Private Frederick Boden, of Footscray, who only enlisted in January 1915, was reported as wounded, gunshot wounds to the scalp, on 20 May 1915. He arrived back in the front line on 27 July 1915, and was killed in action on 7 August 1915.

Chaplain (Rev.) Andrew Gillison, who was killed at Gallipoli only two weeks later at 47 years of age, had just time to send the following letter to his parents, which was reproduced in the local newspapers:

“You will already have been made aware of the sorrowful news of the death of your son, and I write to express, on behalf of officers and men, our sincerest sympathy with you and your family in your bereavement. On Friday night, August 6, the battalion moved out and took a position on a ridge, without any serious loss. During the operation a number of prisoners fell into our hands, amongst whom was a Turkish officer, seriously wounded. In the early part of the day, he was removed on a stretcher to the beach, and one of the party appointed to carry him down was your son. On the way a bullet, whether a stray or fired by a sniper we do not know, struck him and caused his death almost immediately. When I discovered what had happened, I had his body brought to the place where we were burying one or two who had fallen, so that he might be laid beside his old comrades, and there he was reverently laid, with a wooden cross to mark his grave. Few things have touched me more, during my experiences, than his death. I could not but think of the divine Master, who died for His enemies: and to save the life of a wounded enemy your son gave his life.

What a precious memory it will be to you, in all the years to come, to think of such a splendid and Christ-like sacrifice. His private property will, no doubt. reach you in due course. I believe that I am more proud to be attached to a battalion to which belonged the man who died for his enemies than the one of our number that won the Victoria Cross.”

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