Fritz Robert Jaentsch

Fritz Robert Jaentsch

Personal Information
Date of Birth	Not known
Place of Birth	Adelaide, South Australia
Death	12 Oct 1917
Place of Death	Passchendaele, Belgium
Age at Enlistment	21 years
Description	5'11½" (1.82m) tall ; 167lbs 75.75 kg
Occupation	Baker
Religion	Lutheran
Address	Astley street, Gosnells
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs Augusta Jaentsch
Military Information
Reg Number	1363
Date of Enlistment	28 Sep 1914
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	11th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement transferred to 51st Battalion
Monument	Gosnells War Memorial Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll Menin Gate, Belgium

War Service

In England he was sent to the 13th Training Battalion at Rollestone, and while there requested his parents wire him some money (£5).

Red Cross file AWM

"He was in C Company, and was in Egypt with us in 1915. This was the only Jaentsch I knew - his first name was Fritz. He was killed by a shell after the attack we made just this side of Passchendaele Ridge, on 12th Oct. This was about 2pm when we had retired and were back in supports. He was very badly hit in the right shoulder. I was only about 5 yards from him. He only lived about 10 minutes and during that time he was unconscious. He was buried the same day, close to the spot where he was killed. I was present. There was no burial service. We marked the grave with a cross with his name, etc. on it in indelible pencil." 4604 Pte J.A.Sinclair C Company.

"I saw him killed near Passchendaele. He was killed by concussion from a big shell that landed near him. He only lived a few moments, but spoke to some of the boys before he died. I knew him well, he was the only man in the Company of that name. He was buried at the place of casualty, I saw his grave which was marked by a cross bearing his number, name and unit." 2392 Pte P.F. Critchley 11 Platoon, C Company 51st Battalion.

"We were on the Ypres front on October 12th, holding the line at Zonnebeke. A shell exploded near Jaentsch, he was hit in the neck and he died about five minutes after. I saw him killed and also buried in the same place. Jaentsch was rather tall and thin. He spoke with a bit of a Foreign accent. Very cheery, rather dark, a great favourite with the boys." 6414 Pte H. Butcher C Company 51st Battalion."

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