Frederick Charles Close

Ancestry.com
Personal Information
Date of Birth	Not known
Place of Birth	Pittsburgh, United States of America
Death	29 May 1934, aged 61
Place of Death	Armadale
Age at Enlistment	44 years, 11 months
Description	5' 10½" (1.79m) tall; weight 170 lbs (77.1 kg); dark complexion, hazel eyes, dark brown hair
Occupation	orchardist
Religion	Church of England
Address	Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife, Mrs Caroline O'Neil Close
Military Information
Reg Number	3350
Date of Enlistment	23 Apr 1917
Rank	Trooper
Unit/Formation	10th Light Horse, 28th Reinforcement / ANZAC Mounted Division
Date of Embarkation	9 May 1917 - 20 Jun 1917
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A15 Port Sydney
Date of Return	30 Aug 1918 - 24 Sep 1918
Ship Returned On	HMAT A18 Wiltshire
Fate	Returned to Australia (Medical)
Monument	Armadale War Memorial (Armadale panel) Kelmscott-Armadale Parish Roll of Honour Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Prior to arrival in Australia had served for 6 years with the Bechuanaland Expedition Force during the Boer Wars. Married prior to arrival in WA.

The 1910 and 1912 Electoral Rolls show he and Caroline at Wannamal, farming, before moving to Armadale by 1916.

War Service

Within a week of arriving in camp he was allocated to the 28th reinforcement draft for the 10th Light Horse Regiment, and within another few weeks promoted to Lance Corporal and then Corporal.

His records conflict on his port of departure giving Sydney on one sheet, and Fremantle on others, but there is nothing to indicate he left WA at any stage for the eastern states during his training.

On arrival in Egypt he was sent to the isolation camp at Moascar, and reverted to the rank of Trooper. Following a week in isolation he attended the Imperial School of Instruction at Zeitoun, qualifying as an instructor during the 30th Machine Gun Course.

He then joined the 10th Light Horse on 5 Oct 1917 at Shellal near Gaza, remaining with them in the field until he fell ill. On 1 Jun 1918 he reported sick to the 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance, before being sent on to the 26th and then the 65th Casualty Clearing Stations and by 7 Jun 1918 he had reached the 14th Australian General Hospital in Port Said via the 24th Stationary Hospital, suffering with malaria. Remaining with the 14th AGH until some six weeks later when he was on his way home to Australia, where he was discharged as being unfit due to malaria on 18 Oct 1918.

Post War

Returning from Egypt, he Initially returned to his pre war occupation of orchardist, but around 1925 he is briefly at the Bush Landing at Jarrahdale working as a groom. In 1931 he had moved to Darlington and was working as a gardener.

A son Frederick Lawrence Close served with the 16th Battalion at Gallipoli, being Killed in Action on 4 May 1915.

Frederick Charles' Death Notice refers to him as being from Armadale.

Funeral Notice CLOSE - The friends of the late Mr Frederick Charles Close, of 'Range View', Seventh-road, Armadale, and formerly of the 10th Light Horse. A.I.F., are respectfully informed that his remains will be interred in the Church of England portion of the Kelmscott Cemetery, at 2.30 o'clock this (Thursday) afternoon. The cortège will move from the residence of his daughter Mrs F. Howard, Albany-road, Kelmscott at 2.15 o'clock.

Daughter's name was Agnes Beatrice. She married Frederick William Howard in 1927. Other daughters were Elinor Elizabeth Close, Isobel May Close, and Emily Gladys Close. Frederick's wife Caroline died on 23 Sep 1936.

Buried with Caroline in Kelmscott Cemetery.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Memorial