Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Frederick William Battersby was born on 3 January 1875 at Leeds, Yorkshire, England, the youngest son of Joseph and Caroline (née Smith; formerly Clarke) Battersby. His older siblings and two step-brothers were all born in India. Frederick was baptized on 25 January 1875 at St Clement, Leeds, his father a regimental sergeant major and their abode the Barracks. In 1881, Frederick – a scholar) and an older brother, Joseph, were at home with their parents at Shackerstone, Leicestershire. In 1891 Frederick was the only child with his parents, still at Shackerstone. He was a witness to the marriage of his older brother, Joseph Battersby, on 17 April 1897 at St Luke’s, Chelsea. By 1902 Frederick Battersby had settled at Timaru where he was elected president of the Carpenters’ Union. Timaru-born Mary Larkin was also at Timaru when she and Frederick married on 13 April 1904 in a quiet ceremony at St Patrick’s Basilica, Oamaru. Two daughters were born to Frederick and Mary at Timaru – Caroline Freda (known as Freda) on 25 November 1906 and Eileen Myrtle (known as Myrtle) on 16 July 1908. Both girls attended Sacred Heart School, Timaru, St Joseph’s, Temuka, and Sutherlands, before transferring to Christchurch in 1921 where their father was their guardian. Although Fred was a carpenter, he was for a time the manager of the Saltwater Creek Hotel at Timaru.

Frederick Battersby enlisted on 26 October 1915 at Trentham. A carpenter residing at Livingstone Street, Timaru, and now Roman Catholic, he named his wife as next-of-kin – Mrs Mary Battersby, Livingstone Street, Timaru. He had served with the 2nd Dragon Guards until his time expired. In December 1915, while in camp, he was promoted to corporal. It was as sergeant that F. W. Battersby embarked with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion of the 11th Reinforcements, departing from Wellington for Suez, Egypt, on 1 April 1916. He was wounded in September 1918, but his case was not a severe one. After more than two years of service overseas Frederick William Battersby returned to New Zealand per the “Ruahine” (Draft 205), leaving from London on 8 December 1918 and arriving on 21 January 1919. After more than four years’ service in total, he was discharged on 15 November 1919, on account of wounds received in action. For his service in Egypt and Western Europe he received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

In October 1919, Frederick Battersby petitioned in the Supreme Court at Timaru for divorce from Mary Battersby. The case being undefended, a decree nisi was granted. In 1921 Frederick married Margaret Mary Perla Campbell, a sister of returned serviceman Alan Wilfred Campbell. A son, Frederick William Battersby, was born in February 1921 at Timaru. From 1922 Frederick and Margaret lived in Christchurch, where another son and three daughters were born. He died on 14 May 1951 at his residence, 50 Mowbray Street, Waltham, Christchurch, aged 76 years, and was buried in the Services section of Ruru Lawn Cemetery. His daughter Alwyn inserted an In Memoriam notice in the newspaper in 1952, as did his daughter Freda – “We remember you” and a wee grandson Michael – “He loved me, and I remember him.” His son Fred and wife and children also inserted a notice – “They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.” Frederick, junior, served in World War Two and on his death in 1976 was also buried in the Services section of Ruru Lawn Cemetery. Margaret died on 7 August 1960 at the same address and was buried at Bromley Cemetery. Fred’s first wife Mary, who remarried in 1921, died in Christchurch in 1939 and was buried at Bromley.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [18 October 2022]; 1881 & 1891 UK Census returns (ancestry.com.au) [24 October 2022]; England Baptism record (ancestry.com.au) [24 October 2022]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [24 & 25 October 2022]; Ruru Lawn Cemetery Headstone transcription & Burial record [24 October 2022]; Ruru Lawn Cemetery Headstone image (Find A Grave) [24 October 2022]; Oamaru Mail, 13 April 1904, Star, 11 January 1919, Sun, 11 January 1919, Timaru Herald, 28 & 30 October 1919, Press, 25 July 1939, 16 May 1951, 8 August 1960 (Papers Past) [11 & 24 October 2022]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.