Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Doiran Memorial | ||
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.120 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 11A GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Son of Martha Defries, of 4, Woodlands Avenue, Finchley, Middx., and the late Albert Defries.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 3/Middlesex Regiment |
3rd Battalion August 1914 : in Cawnpore, India. Returned to England in December 1914, moved to Winchester and attached to 85th Brigade in 28th Division. Landed at Le Havre 19 January 1915. 25 October 1915 : moved to Egypt and went on to Salonika, arriving 2 December 1915. |
| Action : Salonika |
In October 1915 a combined Franco-British force of some two large brigades was landed at Salonika (today called Thessalonika) with the objective to help the Serbs in their fight against Bulgarian aggression. However before they could be employed the Serbs were beaten. Over the next three years the Salonika front was static, with heavily fortified trench lines, and only minor adjustments by both sides. More troops were sent to Salonika particularly after the withdrawal from Gallipoli. Disease and climate were no lesser enemies than the Turks.
Detail :
Frederick Defries came from Finchley, Middlesex, was educated at St Olaves School and he was an actuary employed by the Chinese United Assurance Co in Shanghai. Frederick Defries was initiated on 28 December, passed in February 1911 and raised in March, all coincidentally on the 28th of the month. He became Junior Warden in December 1913 but did not complete his year in office as he returned to Britain and was commissioned in October 1914 into the 5th (Reserve) Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge's Own (the Middlesex Regiment). Reserve units were used to train and hold replacements for casualties so it was not unusual that he joined another battalion when he went to France in November. He was Mentioned in Dispatches and after a year in France went, now again with the Middlesex Regiment, to Salonica in the Near East. Then a return to Britain, probably sickness, and finally a return to Salonica in February 1917 where the British were facing Bulgarians. Promoted lieutenant in 1917 (a long time after being commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant), then made a temporary Captain, he was killed in action with the 3rd Battalion two months after his return from Britain. The manner of his death was as follows: 'Two platoons ..made a demonstration on 6th of April against Akindzali Wood. They reached a position 300 yards South of the wood and opened fire. The enemy replied with heavy rifle and machine gun fire and later put down an artillery barrage. The Middlesex lost in this affair 11 other ranks wounded (1 died of wounds later) and Captain F Defries and two other ranks missing: the officer was later reported killed.' His will was written in letter form on the battlefield which was permitted; he left an estate of £1,276 9s 5d . His grave is unknown, his name is carved in the lists at The Doiren Memorial in Greece. He was 33 years of age at the time of his death. Information courtesy of Paul Corser, Hong Kong
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Royal Sussex No. 501 E.C. | Hong Kong & Far East |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
28th December 1910 | 28th February 1911 | 28th March 1911 |
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley