Private Frederick Marsden

Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: Frederick Charles Marsden
Ancestor's date of birth: 13/11/1875
Ancestor's date of death: 08/09/1953
Cause of Death: carcinoma prostate
Service and Life Before the Boer War: Born Devon England. Arrived Australia 1895. In 1902 he was a labourer living at Collingwood, VIC.
Service Number: 2340
Colony or State of enlistment: VIC, Place of Enlistment: Melbourne
Unit: 4^th Australian Commonwealth Horse (Victoria units)
Rank attained in Boer War: PTE, Date Effective: 11/02/1902
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): No evidence of post Boer War service.
Murray Page: 322
Contingent: Second Australian
Ship: Templemore, Date of Sailing: 26/03/1902
Memorial details: Detail not provided
Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Transvaal and SA 1901 clasps.
Personal Characteristics: Height 170 cm, with grey eyes, brown hair and fair complexion.
Reasons to go and fight: Detail not provided.
Details of service in war: Arrived at Durban on 22 April 1902, and disembarked on the following morning. Encamped at the Show Grounds until the 24^th; then entrained for Newcastle, Natal, arrived on 26^th, and encamped at Kitchener's Kop on the veldt, about 5 kilometres from the town. On 10 May, paraded at 02:00., and proceeded by order to Wool's Bridge, Buffalo River, where some Boer delegates were to cross on their way to Vereeniging, the scene of the peace negotiation. On 13 May, started to march for Volbruat, Transvaal, then to entrain for Blendsfontein, which was arrived at on the 16 May; there the battalion remained until 24 June, during which time it was engaged in refitting, sending sick horses sick horse farms, and obtaining remounts. On 1 June, news was received of the peace proclamation. On 23 June, all horses were handed in to the remount depot. On 24, the battalion entrained for Newcastle. From here they proceeded by train to Durban and ship to Australia. [Murray]
Service and life after the Boer War: Married Katherine Mary Tanner in 1912 had 12 children My father Ernest Frederick was the eldest.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Malcolm Keith Marsden, Wangaratta VIC
Relationship to Ancestor: Grandson

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