George Edward FRYER

George Edward FRYER Update Details

If you confirm that you want to proceed with the update, this record will be locked for editing by all other users until you have finished. You will have 7 days to complete your changes before they will be automatically submitted.

Do you want to proceed?

FRYER, George Edward

Service Numbers:	567, 688
Enlisted:	15 January 1902, Re-Enlisted to Fight Again
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	2nd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse
Born:	Sale, Victoria, Australia, 15 June 1876
Home Town:	Toongabbie, Latrobe, Victoria
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Coachman & Bushman
Died:	Parkville, Victoria, Australia, 1951, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery:	Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Melbourne Cremated - ashes scattered
Memorials:

Boer War Service

10 Mar 1900:	Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 567, 3rd Victorian Bushmans Contingent, Departed Port Melbourne on "Euryalus" for Beira in Portuguese Mozambique. Entrained for Rhodesia.
27 Jun 1900:	Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Trooper, 567, 3rd Victorian Bushmans Contingent, Relief of Mafeking, 3VBC finally reached Mafeking.
9 May 1901:	Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 567, 3rd Victorian Bushmans Contingent, R.T.A. from Cape Town on "Morayshire'. Disembarked at Port Melbourne on 6 June 1901.
13 May 1901:	Promoted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Lance Corporal, 3rd Victorian Bushmans Contingent
8 Jun 1901:	Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Lance Corporal, 567, 3rd Victorian Bushmans Contingent, QSA with CC/OFS/TVL/RHOD clasps
15 Jan 1902:	Enlisted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 688, 2nd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, Re-Enlisted to Fight Again
12 Feb 1902:	Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 688, 2nd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, Departed on "St Andrew" for Durban. Disembarked on 10 March 1902 to entrain for Newcastle, Natal.
10 Mar 1902:	Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 688, 2nd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, Campaigned until war ended.
6 Jul 1902:	Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 688, 2nd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, R.T.A. from Durban on "Norfolk" Disembarked at Melbourne on 2 August 1902.
2 Aug 1902:	Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 688, 2nd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse

Help us honour George Edward Fryer's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Maurice Kissane

George Fryer was born in Victoria in 1876. He the son of William and Elizabeth Fryer (nee Brookes). George was a bushman who worked as a coachman when he could. It was his ability to ride and shoot that enabled him to pass the strict selection tests to serve in 3rd Victorian Bushmen Contingent. Mum's Grandad would have known George. For they were comrades and had their baptism of fire on 22 July 1900. It was a Boer Ambush at Koster's River in the Western Transvaal.

Four 3VBC comrades were KIA plus two DOW. The Boers had targeted their horses to get 3VBC Troops dismounted and immobilized. 3VBC lost 64 horses in that skirmish. George and mum's Grandad, Richard survived their service in South Africa and Rhodesia.

They were both discharged at Victoria Barracks in Melbourne on 8 June 1901. They both received the QSA with four clasps. However unlike Richard who went back home to Ballarat. George was restless.

Australia had been Federated while they were away from home. Hence when 2nd Commonwealth Horse Battalion was raised in Victoria, George re-enlisted.

He went back to the Transvaal to finish the war against Johhny Boer. George survived end game.

He returned to marry his beloved Emily in 1903. They had a child but their marriage ended in 1915. His war service may have caused his marriage to fail but that aspect is not known.

George eventually died in 1951. Having survived his war with Johnny Boer. Yet like veterans of subsequent conflicts, he had difficulty re-adjusting to civvy street.

Lest We Forget.

Virtual
War Memorial
Australia