Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Frederick was the son of Johannes KARLSSON & Carolina ANDERSDOTTER and was born on the 19th of September 1878 in Göteborgs Karl Johans, Göteborg och Bohus, Sverige (Sweden).

Frederick was the 3rd child born into this family of 7 children.

Frederick arrived in Port Melbourne on the 15th of February 1904 on bard the SS Drayton Grange.

He then moved to New South Wales for 18 months before moving to Adelaide in late 1905 and residing in Pt Adelaide where he gained employment as a fireman.
On the 19th of May 1908 Frederick applied for his Australian Naturalisation and received it the following year, on the 2nd of September 1909.

By 1916 Frederick had moved to Pt Pirie wand was employed as a labourer.

He tried to join the 1st AIF but was originally rejected because of his teeth.

At the age of 39, Frederick successfully enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 10th of July 1917 in Pt Pirie, SA and allotted the service number 3804 and posted to B Company, Base Infantry in Mitcham Camp.

He was then transferred to C Company and then on the 15th of August he was transferred to the 5th Pioneer Battalion, 10th Reinforcements.
Frederick entrained to Melbourne on the 27th of October and 3 days later he embarked on board HMAT A60 Aeneas on 30th of October 1917 and spent Christmas 1917 on board the transport.
He disembarked in Devonport, England on the 27th of December 1917 and marched into the Pioneer Training Battalion in Sutton Veny.
Frederick proceeded to France on the 6th of March 1918 and was taken on strength with the 5th Pioneer Battalion on the 14th of March at Bussy-les-Daours.

He served in France and suffered from boils and then scabies before he was granted 2 weeks leave to England in January 1919.

Whilst on leave he married Louisa Gertrude WILLIAMS nee ADCOCK on the 25th of January in Christ Church Anglican Church, New Catton, Norwich.
Louisa was the daughter of Henry ADCOCK & Helen Sarah SAYER and was born on the 17th of August 1891 in Sprowston, Norfolk, England.
Louisa was a widow, living at 169 Sprowston Road, Norfolk, with 2 children.

She was previously married to Samuel Williams who had enlisted into the 20th Royal Fusiliers (G.46406) and was killed at Abbeyville on the 6th of December 1916.
They had 4 children, but 2 died as infants.

Frederick then rejoined his Battalion for another 3 months before marching out to the ADBD in Le Havre on the 15th of May as part of Quota 53.
He embarked for England on the 22nd of May and marched into No.5 Group in Weymouth.
On the 23rd of July he marched out to 20 Belgrave Square, London, on indefinite leave, and joined his wife.

Frederick, Louisa, and her 2 children embarked from England on the 6th of September 1919 on board HT Berrima and disembarked in Adelaide on the 28th of October.

Frederick was discharged from the AIF on the 27th of November 1919 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.

They made their home at Langham Place, Pt Adelaide and welcomed Gertrude Rose into the family on the 23rd of April 1920.
Florence Helen was then born on the 20th of February 1923, followed by Kathleen in 1925.

By 1927 they had moved to Gray Terrace, Rosewater, where they welcomed twins Constance Grace and Clarence George on the 14th of April 1927.
Donald Frederick was their last child to be born on the 17th of July 1930.

By the late 1930’s they moved to 7 Gracechurch Street, Portland, where Frederick was employed as a labourer.

Frederick was admitted into the Adelaide Hospital on the 6th of January 1947, where he died later that same day.

He was buried 2 days later in the Cheltenham Cemetery; Section N, Drive C, Path 30, Site Number 291C.

ANDERSON.—On January 6 at hospital, Frederick, dearly beloved husband of Louisa Anderson of No. 7 Gracechurch Street, Portland. leaving 4 sons and 3 daughters: aged 66 years. Rest in peace.

ANDERSON — The friends of the late Mr. Frederick Anderson, late 5th Pioneers, First A.I.F., are respectfully informed that his funeral will leave his late residence No.7 Gracechurch Street Portland on Wednesday at 3pm. for the Cheltenham Cemetery.
SIDNEY HARRISON. Undertaker.

Louisa died on the 4th of March 1965 and was buried with Frederick in the Cheltenham Cemetery.

Military

At the age of 39, Frederick enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 10th of July 1917 in Pt Pirie, SA and allotted the service number 3804 and posted to B Company, Base Infantry in Mitcham Camp.
He listed his mother, of Gottenburg, Sweden, as his next of kin.

On the 16th of July he was transferred to C Company and then on the 15th of August he was transferred to the 5th Pioneer Battalion, 10th Reinforcements.
Frederick entrained to Melbourne on the 27th of October and 3 days later he embarked on board HMAT A60 Aeneas on 30th of October 1917 and spent Christmas 1917 on board the transport.
He disembarked in Devonport, England on the 27th of December 1917 and marched into the Pioneer Training Battalion in Sutton Veny.
Frederick proceeded to France on the 6th of March 1918 and was taken on strength with the 5th Pioneer Battalion on the 14th of March at Bussy-les-Daours.

The 5th Pioneer Battalion was a unique unit that combined infantry training with light engineering and construction skills. They were tasked with tasks like constructing trenches, strongpoints, and light railways, as well as battlefield clearance, and breaching enemy defenses (including barbed wire using devices like the Bangalore Torpedo).

By the time Frederick had arrived the whole of the roads in the neighbourhood of Messines which had previously been impassable were open for traffic.
A large number of entrenched strong posts were built and miles of barbed wire constructed.
On the 26th of March they moved to Reninghelst and then 2 days later they entrained for Doullens and marched 10 miles to Arqueves.
Then on the 5th of April they moved through Amiens and Daours to Blangy-Tronville where they commenced burying cable and establishing roads across the marshes.

By June they had moved to a camp behind La Houssoye and trench digging was the main item but as the area was already well provided with trenches, attention was paid to improving and deepening these.
By end of July they had deepened 3½ miles of trench and they were operating a saw mill at Heilly.
Then on the 7th of August they moved to just behind Villers-Brettoneux in preparation for the attack and the following day they were tasked with making good the main road leading through Villers-Brettoneux & Warfusee within 4 hours.
Here a number of contact mines were discovered which they had to remove.

A few days later they moved to Morcourt and then march 10 miles onto Vaux-sur-Somme along a very dusty road. Here they rested for 4 days before returning Morcourt where road maintenance and deep dugout construction occupied their attention.
Their next move was on the 1st of September to Flaucourt and they concentrated on load and bridge work at Peronne after its capture.
They also built and repaired huts for the infantry which also included a large hall for the Divisional Concert party which was christened the "Pioneers Palladium Palace".

On September 24th orders were received on an operation to be carried out against the Hindenburg Line, through Bellicourt and a platoon of U.S. Engineers was attached to the Battalion.
At Bellicourt a heavy ground mist made it extremely difficult to know what was going on and on approaching Bellicourt they found themselves among German infantry and were drawn into the fighting.

On the 4th of October they moved back to Roisel and after few days they moved back to Peronne where the whole Division was withdrawn to an area near Abbeville for a thorough rest.
It was here that Frederick suffered from Furunculosis (boils) on the 24th of October and was admitted to the 8th Australian Field Ambulance for 4 days before returning to his Battalion.
November was spent at Cersiy-Buleux and here training was carried out and a large amount of time devoted to athletics and sport amusements.
Frederick then suffered from scabies on the 7th of November and was admitted back into the 8th Australian Field Ambulance for 8 days and while he was in the Field Ambulance, the Armistice was signed on the 11th of November 1918.

They marched to Pont Remy on the 29th of November and entrained to Hautrepe and then marched to Cartignies on the 18th of December.
They then moved to Beaurieux where Frederick spent his last Christmas away from his family and friends.
Frederick was granted 2 weeks leave to England on the 20th of January 1919 and whilst on leave he married Louisa Gertrude WILLIAMS nee ADCOCK on the 25th of January in Christ Church Anglican Church, New Catton, Norwich.

He then rejoined his Battalion at Beaurieux on the 3rd of February and they continued on road maintenance until the 7th of March when they moved to Renlies for 4 weeks.
They then moved to Silenrieux on the 6th of April and the following day they moved to Nalinnes-Haies.

On the 25th of April they moved to Marcinelle-Hains and the 5th Pioneer Battalion then formed part of the 5th Machine Gun Pioneer Battalion.
They then formed part of the B5 Australian Group as the 5th Division ceased to exist on the 28th of April.
By now there were only 130 men left in the old Battalion.

Frederick marched out to the ADBD in Le Havre on the 15th of May as part of Quota 53 and embarked for England on the 22nd of May,

The following day he marched into No.5 Group in Weymouth and on the 23rd of July he marched out to 20 Belgrave Square, London, on indefinite leave, and joined his wife.

Frederick, Louisa, and her 2 children embarked from England on the 6th of September 1919 on board HT Berrima and disembarked in Adelaide on the 28th of October.

Frederick was discharged from the AIF on the 27th of November 1919 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.