ALDERSON, Frank Barry Strauss
| Service Number: | 43 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 5th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse |
| Born: | Grafton, NSW, 1877 |
| Home Town: | Darlinghurst, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Drover Veterinary's Assistant |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 43, 5th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse |
|---|
Help us honour Frank Barry Strauss Alderson's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Aubrey Bairstow
Frank Barry Strauss Alderson was born in Grafton NSW in 1876. He was from the prominent Strauss family who were German immigrants to the Grafton area.
He enlisted in the Commonwealth Horse in April 1902, stating that he was a Veterinary Assistant living in Darlinghurst, Sydney.
He served with A Squadron 5th Australian Commonwealth Horse as an unpaid Lance Corporal with the service number 43. Peace came on 31 May 1902 whilst he was at sea and so the 5th ACH saw no active service and as a result did not receive a Queens South Africa Medal.
Frank has elected to remain in South Africa and has served with the South African Constabulary and the Natal Police during the rebellion of 1906.
He has subsequently returned to Australia and was living in Port Macquarie for around 18 months working as a Veterinary Surgeon.
He committed suicide in Mr Grants Hotel, Wauchope in November 1911 by way of poisoning. A suicide note was found and the court determined that he had taken boric acid or similar and that he was an intemperate drinker.
The Natal Medal to Australians is scarce as Australia did not send a contingent however after the Boer War South Africa was full of young adventurers from around the commonwealth and a number enlisted for service to quell the Zulu Rebellion. There were 32 with no clasp to this unit