58757 ~ JOHN FRIDD
In 2022 I posted the story of a beret and badges that had been found beside the highway to Kerikeri and their subsequent return to their owner, Allan Lovell of Owhata, Rotorua. As a result of returning those items, Allan had given me one of the original style, large a WW1 Returned Soldier’s Badge (RSB) that had been part of a collection he had had for many years. After Allan had disposed of most of his personal collection of military memorabilia, he had retained two Returned Soldiers’ Badges (RSB). Wishing to retain one, Allan selected one of the badges at random and it to gave me to see if it could be returned to family. The badge was engraved with the number “58757“. Grateful for the opportunity to return the badge, as is my practice I began the research by listing the badge on the Medals~LOST+FOUND page of our website. The badge owner was identified from Cenotaph records as: 58757 Rifleman John Fridd, a Farm Labourer from Awamoko, (near Oamaru) Waitaki, North Otago.
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Former RNZAF Flight Sergeant John “Jandal” Llewellin was a career aircraft mechanic from Nelson. I had known John at the RNZAF Base Woodbourne many years ago and met again six or seven years ago while working in Richmond. John is currently the President of the Richmond Waimea RSA together with another well known former RNZAF identity, Warrant Officer John D’Rose MSM, the current Secretary/Treasurer.
Several months after I listed Rifleman John Fridd’s name on the MRNZ website, Jandal called me to ask what it was of John Fridd’s we were holding. I asked if he was a Fridd relation to which he replied “no, but my wife Elaine is one of John Fridd’s grand-daughters!” I could hardly believe my ears – what a stroke of luck! With some confirmatory research and assistance from Elaine, this was an easy case to complete.
John Fridd’s backstory
Born on 14 January 1888 at Awamoko near Oamaru, John “Jack” Fridd was the youngest child of George and Mary Ann Fridd’s twelve children, ten of whom were born in New Zealand.
George Fridd (1845-1930) was a 28 year old Farm Worker from Maidstone, Kent when he married 27 year old spinster, Mary Ann JACKSON (1847-1932) from Doddington, Kent in 1868. Five years after their marriage and death of their first child, Mary Ann Amelia “Millie” in 1868, the Fridd’s together with their two young children Emma Jane (4) and Harriet (3), emigrated to New Zealand under the government’s Assisted Passenger scheme in association with the Otago Provincial Council. Preferred immigrants categories for the Otago region at this time were farmers, shepherds, gardeners and skilled tradesmen who could assist with a rapidly developing province that had benefited from the boost to its prosperity the Otago gold rushes of the 1860s had brought about. The cost to the Provincial Council for the Fridd family’s passage to New Zealand was £43 (pounds) & 10 shillings, the equivalent today of $6235. The family embarked on to the clipper ship James Nicol Fleming** at London’s Gravesend Dock, and departed for Dunedin on 20 Feb 1874. After 94 days at sea, the James Nicol Fleming arrived at Port Chalmers on 24 May 1874.
Note ** “James Nicol Fleming” was a full-rigged sailing ship of about 1000 tons, built in Glasgow in 1869 for Patrick Henderson’s Albion Line as an immigrant ship. The ship only made two more voyages from the UK to NZ, both under a different name – the Napier. The “James Nicol Fleming” had been named after the then Director of the Glasgow Bank, however the name was changed in 1879 after the Bank collapsed in Sep 1878 after Fleming’s improper fiddling of the books. Millions of pounds were lost, thousands of people ruined, and Fleming fled to Spain (later spent a year in prison and died a ruined man). As a result the name of the ship was changed to the “Napier” and made only two more voyages to New Zealand, in 1879 and 1881. The ship was the third fastest to make passage to NZ with an average of 86 days, the norm being 90-105 days.
Settling in North Otago
George Fridd initially worked as a Labourer until he was able to purchase some acreage, Section 54 in the Maerewhenua Settlement at Awamoko which is approximately 20 kilometers south-east of Duntroon, on the west bank of the Marawhenua River. In 1870, George and Mary Ann’s first New Zealand born child Emma Jane arrived. Over the next 18 years the family expanded to include ten more children: Harriet, Clara, Lilly, Jessie, Isabella (Bella), Peter, George, Ellen (Nellie), James (Jim) and finally John (Jack) Fridd, the subject of this story. Unusual and surprising for this time in our immigrant history, all of the Fridd children survived into adulthood!
Front L-R: George Snr., James, Emma Jane, Peter, John “Jack”, Mary Ann, Ellen “Nellie”.
Awamoko is an agricultural and pastoral district in the Papakaio riding (situated 10 miles north-west of Oamaru) of the Waitaki county, and in the Oamaru electorate. Oddly enough in earlier time it did not include the settlement of Awamoko itself, though it included Black Point, Borton’s, Georgetown, Island Cliff, Maerewhenua Settlement, Ngapara Tables, Tapui and Tokorahi. The population of the entire riding in 1905 was 933, that of Awamoko was 124. The district was served by a small rail station on the Oamaru-Duntroon line, named Aitcheson’s, which was 17 miles from Oamaru. At that time there was a public hall, public school, and a creamery. The local post office was at the residence of the schoolmaster, at Waikoura Creek Bridge.
The Awamoko school which served an extensive district between Peebles and Georgetown, was established in 1867 and could take 80 pupils. There were 48 names on the roll in 1905, and the average attendance was 40. The school closed in 1997.
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By the time talk of war in Europe entered the national conversation, George and Mary Ann had retired to 36 Russell Square in Timaru. The Fridd boys being all eligible by age for war service were added to the national register of available men. The exception was Jim (James) Fridd who had sadly died from illness in Jan 1912 at the age of twenty five, thus leaving George Jnr, Peter and Jack Fridd eligible for enlistment.
World war on the horizon
When war finally broke out in August 1914, the NZ government committed itself to sending and Infantry Division in support the army’s of the Empire. Recruiting for a New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) began almost immediately and there was no shortage of volunteers. The prospect of travel overseas and new experiences was a huge draw card in what were fairly depressed economic circumstances at that time. George (Jnr) and Peter were almost the same age, born in 1882 and 1883 respectively, however George who lived at Pareora, married in 1903 and had five children under ten by 1915 and so was initially ruled out for enlistment. Peter on the other hand was single and between the eligible ages of 20 and 40, the first preference for the reinforcement volunteers.
Following the Landings at Gallipoli in April 1915, the rapidly mounting casualty toll from the campaign was made apparent in New Zealand and volunteers for overseas service quickly began to decline. Peter Fridd, 33, was the first Fridd ‘brother’ to be enlisted in November 1915 and would be in France within four months. Once the NZ Division moved from Gallipoli to the Western Front in Feb 1916, the urgency for reinforcements had become dire by mid-1916, necessitating the introduction of conscription in October 1916. George’s age and marital circumstances automatically exempted him for the time being however, he was later added to the 2nd Division Roll for 1917. This meant that because he had a dependant family he would only be called up if required – he wasn’t. Jack Fridd, five years younger than Peter, was 27 year of age when he was balloted for service in 1916. As a fit, single man, Jack was placed on the 1st Division’s Reserve Roll meaning he could expect to be called up within the next 12 months. However, there was a problem.
With both parents retired and in their seventies, Jack lodged an appeal for exemption with the Military Appeals Board. His appeal was based on the grounds that his brother Peter had gone to the Front in March 1916, leaving Jack as the only other person able to support his ageing parents and one of whom, his mother Mary Ann, was an invalid. On 11 June 1916 the Appeals Board met and noted Jack had lived away from home since he was thirteen years of age, some sixteen years ago. The Chairman said that the Board must recognise that this (Fridd) family had done well and as a consequence, the appeal was dismissed. To add insult to injury, in November 1916, the Fridd’s received the tragic news that Private Peter Fridd had died in action.**
Notes: ** 6/4037 Private Peter Fridd – 2nd Battalion, Canterbury Infantry Regiment. Peter Fridd was born on August 2nd, 1883 at Awamoko. Prior to enlistment he had been a member of the territorial Duntroon Rifles. Being musically talented, he also became a member of the Oamaru Garrison Band and contributed musical pieces at many social gatherings particularly with the cornet and violin. Peter was working as a Farm Hand for Mr James Simmons at Kingsdown in South Canterbury, and was living in Timaru at the time he enlisted with the 2nd (South Canterbury) Regiment. On 17 Nov 1915, Peter (32) was enlisted at Trentham Camp with ‘C’ Company of the 10th Reinforcements, the Canterbury Infantry Regiment (CIR).
The 10th Reinforcements embarked in early March 1916 and arrived at Suez, Egypt on April 8. Joining the NZ Division transports, they were transferred to Marseilles in the south of France and then entrained north to the Etaples Depot Camp where he spent time training at the NZ Depot Camp until joining the 2nd Battalion, CIR in the front line at Armentieres on 18th May 1916.
Private Peter Fridd’s war was short and fatal. The Battle of Flers-Courcelette was opening battle of the Somme campaign, initiated with the Australian and New Zealand Divisions going into action on 15 Sep 1916. This, New Zealand’s first combat action in France, was 33 year old Private Peter Fridd’s last. On the 7th day of the battle during an attack in Goose Alley, in the aftermath Private Peter Fridd was reported missing, believed to be killed. While no confirmation exists on his military file that his remains were ever found, a headstone bearing his name (no age) was erected in the Caterpillar Valley Cemetery at Longueval, France.
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6/3323 Sergeant Albert Fridd – 1st Canterbury Battalion; 1st & 2nd Battalions, Canterbury Infantry Regiment – 8th Reinforcements. Albert Fridd and his sister Elizabeth “Lizzie” were the children of George, Peter & Jack’s elder sister Harriet, however Albert was raised by his grandparents George Snr and Mary Ann Fridd, which probably accounts for the declaration on Albert’s enlistment form that his Next of Kin was his George Fridd (Snr), his ‘father’. Albert was the first Fridd family member to go overseas and eventually finished up taking part in the same action in which his ‘brother’ (cousin) Peter was killed.
Born in Duntroon, Waitaki on 27 Dec 1894, Albert was working as a Labourer in the Kingsdown/Normanby area in 1915. Prior to leaving home for training camp, Albert (31) was farewelled by family friends at his grandparent’s home in Russell Square, Timaru with a presentation of a wristlet watch and a sovereign belt. Albert began training at Trentham on 25 Aug 1915 and embarked for Egypt on 13 Nov 1915 with the 8th Reinforcements for the Canterbury Infantry Battalion.
Albert embarked in Nov 1915, just in time to join the NZ Division as it was being reorganized. When the NZ Division was transferred to France in 1916, Albert was posted to 1st Bn. Canterbury Infantry Regiment. Posted to the 1st Canterbury Bn, he arrived at Marseille France in April and moved up to the Armentieres Sector.
On learning ‘brother’ Peter Fridd had arrived with the 2nd Battalion CIR reinforcements, Albert requested and was granted, a transfer to the 2nd Battalion. Promoted to Sgt in July 1918, at the Battle of Cambrai Albert was wounded in the thigh which shattered his femur and would affect his mobility for the rest of his life. Hospitalised in England at the same time as ‘brother’ Jack, both men came home together on the Hospital Ship Maheno, Albert spending a year as an in-patient at Timaru Hospital while his leg healed. Albert married and raised a family of five in rural Normanby, near Pareora, Timaru. Albert Fridd died in 1966 at the age of 73.
Trentham
After being balloted for service overseas, 58757 Rifleman John Fridd had to wait another twelve months before he was called up to serve with the Canterbury Infantry Regiment. Attested for service at Oamaru on 05 June 1917, he was legally contracted to the NZEF for the duration of the war, however long that may be.
Jack was a few months short of his 30th birthday when he arrived at Trentham Camp in Wellington on 26 June to start his infantry soldier training with H Company of the NZ Rifle Brigade’s 29th Reinforcements. Ten weeks of training, predominantly at the Featherston Training Camp in the Wairarapa concluded with a two day route march from Featherston, over the Rimutaka Hill and back to Trentham. Having completed the training, Jack was re-designated from Private to Rifleman before the men were sent home for a short period of leave to say their goodbyes to family and friends, before embarkation.
Awamoko farewell
OAMARU MAIL, ISSUE 13219, 4 AUGUST 1917
Jack was one of four men back on final leave who were given a send-off by a large gathering at the Awamoko Hall in August 1917. After progressive euchre (at which Jack won the first prize), each man was presented with a wristlet watch and wished every success and a safe return. The men thanked their friends and said that they would always think of them and their kind remarks. They also received a parcel containing articles of clothing from the ladies of the Red Cross.
Sources: NZ ETC History of New Zealand
Facebook: “Lads of the NZ Division 1914-18” from material by John S. Clark, Frank Mahieu (Belgium), and photographs from Rosalie Hyslop and Robert Bedwell.
Embarkation
After returning to Trentham for final mobilisation instructions, Rifleman Jack Fridd embarked aboard HMNZT 93 Corinthic at Wellington on 13 October 1917 with the remainder of the 29th Reinforcements, and set sail for England. Arriving at Liverpool in December, the Reinforcements were transferred by train to Bulford on the Salisbury Plain and marched the remaining 6 kilometers to Sling Camp, the home of the NZ Infantry and General Reserve Battalion depot. Further infantry training was undertaken at Brocton Camp, the Rifle Brigade’s training camp, some 175 kilometers away north of Sling Camp before they moved to France on 20 February 1918.
On arrival at Marseilles, the reinforcements were transported by train across France directly to the Somme, specifically to the Corps Reinforcement Camp at Abeele where the soldiers would remain and train until posted to their battalions at the front. Placed with “B” Company, Rflm. Jack Fridd was posted to the 3rd Battalion of the 3rd NZ Rifle Brigade (3/3NZRB).
Front line action
It was snowing heavily when Jack joined the 3rd Battalion in the field on April 8th. The NZ Rifle Brigade at the time was fulfilling the role of the Divisional Reserve, resting for a week before returning to the front line. The 1st and 2nd Battalions were garrisoned behind Colincamps, a township in the Somme, Hauts-de-France, the northern most region France. The 3rd and 4th Battalions went into a bivouac camp north-west of Courcelles-au-Bois, about 1.5 kilometers in rear of Colincamps.
A period of stationary trench warfare ensued for the next six weeks. Days were punctuated by intermittent artillery and trench mortar bombardments, night patrols gathered intelligence, the odd attempt to take forward trenches repelled, sniping and plenty of work repairing and digging new reserve trench lines, but overall, generally a reasonably quite time.
‘Advance to Victory’
As the beginning of the Advance to Victory phase of the war commenced, the Brigade was relieved again in the front line on July 17th, and moved back to Divisional Reserve for an eight day break. The 3rd Battalion occupied bivouacs and billets at Rossignol Farm. On the night of July 25th/26th the four battalions returned to the front line in pouring rain after. The 3rd Battalion was required to relieve the Otago Battalion from trenches it had captured which were in such poor condition, mud was vey soon knee-deep in these. This made if particularly difficult for any carrying task or work parties to do their jobs.
An assault by three enemy Companies (about 750 men) on the Otago trenches during the changeover with the 3rd Battalion was successfully repelled, however the enemy artillery bombardment of the area, and especially of Rossignol Wood, continued steadily day after day, frequently rising to great intensity, and supplemented by trench mortar fire on the front trenches 3 Battalion was occupying. It was during one of these bombardments on the last day of July, the 31st, that Rflm. Fridd was felled by shrapnel from a shell or bomb blast which severely slashed his right arm, hand and shoulder. Wounds to his legs and back were sustained although less severe. Jack was evacuated from the battlefield by 1st NZ Field Ambulance to 3 Canadian Stationary Hospital that was operating from an old church citadel at Doullens. A week later on the 4th August, he was transported by Ambulance Train to No.2 Australian General Hospital at Boulogne. He was returned to the England on 25 Oct 1918 and admitted, firstly to No.1 NZ General Hospital at Walton-on-Thames for wound assessment, and then to the Mile End Military Hospital at Avonmouth in central London. Here Jack remained until the end of the year as problems continued to occur with the healing of his right arm.
OAMARU MAIL – 26 August 1918
Finally discharged from hospital for his repatriation to NZ, Jack left from Bristol 10 March 1919 aboard the HMNZ HS Maheno along with the last batch of 398 invalided patients to be returned home, five of who died at sea. The Maheno, sailing via the Panama Canal, arrived in Auckland six weeks later on 24 April. Jack was discharged from the NZEF on 28 April 1900 however on-going out-patient care at Timaru Hospital, paid for by the Army Pensions Board, continued for at least another year before his right arm was as good as it was ever going to be.
Medals: British War Medal 1914/18, Victory Medal + Silver War Badge (SWB)
Overseas service: 1 year 195 days
Total NZEF Service: 2 years 309 days
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Homecoming
Jack Fridd returned to farming and in due course married Grace Isabella TAYLOR (1895-1987) at “Springbank”, Kokoamo , North Otago on 21 Oct 1925. The Fridd’s raised a family of three and lived in the Kokomao area for the remainder of their days. Sadly Jack died in Timaru Hospital at the relatively young age of 54 on 10 April 1942, and was buried in the Oamaru Cemetery.
~ Lest We Forget ~
Thanks to Allan for deciding to part with one of his collectibles – Elaine Llewellin was delighted to have a little piece of her grandfather’s military history returned to family ownership.
The reunited medal tally is now 457.