Frederick Rodford (Fred) BLANDFORD

BLANDFORD, Frederick Rodford

Service Number: 2869
Enlisted: 15 June 1916, Sydney, New South Wales
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 53rd Infantry Battalion
Born: Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, 22 December 1894
Home Town: Newcastle, Hunter Region, New South Wales
Schooling: Wickham Superior Public School, Hamilton, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Clerk
Died: Killed in Action, Polygon Wood, Zonnebeke, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium, 26 September 1917, aged 22 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Hamilton St. Peter's Anglican Church Honor Roll, Hamilton Superior Public School Roll of Honour, Hamilton War Memorial, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient), Wickham Public School Great War Honour Roll
Show Relationships

World War 1 Service

15 Jun 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Sydney, New South Wales
26 Oct 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2869, 53rd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: ''
26 Oct 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2869, 53rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Sydney

Help us honour Frederick Rodford Blandford's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen

Frederick Rodford BLANDFORD was born in Newcastle, NSW on 22nd December, 1894

His parents were Frederick Charles BLANDFORD & Caroline NORD who married in 1886 (NSW)

Biography

"KILLED IN ACTION. PRIVATE F. BLANDFORD.

Mr. and Mrs. F. Blandford, of Murray Street, Hamilton, have received a cable message advising that their son, Private Fred. Blandford, had been killed in action in France on September 20. Private Blandford sailed from Australia on October 25, 1916." - from the Newcastle Northern Times 17 Oct 1917 (nla.gov.au)

"HAMILTON.

A memorial service was held in St. Peter's Church of England on Sunday evening, when a large congregation paid a tribute of respect to the memory of the late F. Blandford, G. Way. W. Cram, Lancelot-Quick, and John B. Hardy, former members of the church, who had died in the service of their country. Canon Ramm was the preacher, and he was as- sisted in the service by the Rev. F. S. Griffiths. An appropriate musical setting was given by the choir, and Mr. C. Hurn contributed a vocal solo, "Come Unto Me." Miss E. Emerson conducted the musical portion of the service." - from the Newcastle Morning Herald 07 Nov 1917 (nla.gov.au)

Read more...

Biography contributed by Evan Evans

From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
 
Let us remember a Fallen soldier of The Great War memorialised at Sandgate Cemetery.

On the 26th September 1917, Private Frederick Rodford Blandford, 53rd Battalion (Lewis Machine Gun Section, Reg No-2869), clerk (J. Ireland & Co. Pty Ltd., Newcastle, N.S.W.), from "Cora Lee", 15 Murray Street, Hamilton, New South Wales, was Killed in Action during the Battle of Polygon Wood, age 22 years 9 months. Cause of death unknown.

No Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing File.

Born at Georgeville, Islington, New South Wales on the 22nd December 1894 to Frederick Charles (died 20.11.1928, Hamilton, N.S.W., age 61), and Caroline Blandford (died 29.6.1942, Hamilton, N.S.W., age 79), Fred enlisted on the 25th June 1916 at Sydney, N.S.W.

Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on the 25th October 1916.

Note:  fiancée Eileen Fields, Hamilton.

See Trove link - report of a welcome home and banquet held at the Newcastle Anzac Institute by J Ireland & Co. Limited for their returned soldier employees and to honour the supreme sacrifice of Fred and Corporal Arthur William Dodd, grocer (storeman, J. Ireland & Co. Pty Ltd., Newcastle, N.S.W.) from 17 Bull Street, Cooks Hill, New South Wales, enlisted 15.2.1916, 35th Battalion (Lewis Machine Gunner, Reg No-1638), KIA 12th October 1917, 1st Battle of Passchendaele, age 25, memorialised at parent's gravesite at Sandgate Cemetery- ANGLICAN 2-133. 50.

Mr. Blandford’s name has been inscribed on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (Panel 29), Belgium.
Place of Association - Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

Fred’s name has also been inscribed on the Hamilton Municipal District Roll of Honor, Hamilton (Gregson Park) War Memorial, Hamilton Superior Public School Roll of Honor, Hamilton St. Peter's Anglican Church Honor Roll, St. Peter's Church Memorial Trees, Hamilton Mechanics' Institute Roll of Honour, Wickham Superior Public School Roll of Honour, Book Of Gold, J Ireland & Co. Roll of Honour and The Capt. Clarence Smith Jeffries (V.C.) and Pte. William Matthew Currey (V.C.) Memorial Wall.

I have placed poppies at the memorialised Blandford gravesite in remembrance of the service and supreme sacrifice of their son Fred for God, King & Country. ANGLICAN 1-04. 115.

Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.

For more detail, see “Forever Remembered “
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/

Lest We Forget.

Read more...