Tasmanian War Casualties

WW1

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McDermott, Frederick John

Born 9^th July 1893 Hobart Tasmania the son of Frederick William and Harriet Ann McDermott (nee Edwards) a farmer he embarked 1^st July 1916 on board “HMAT Berrima” with the 40^th Infantry Battalion.

He died 3^rd February 1917 in France from wounds received in the field and was buried in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Boulogne, Pas de Calais, France.

Mr. F. W McDermott of Rosendale Sorell has received the following letter from Lieut. F. C. Green, France : -

'No doubt before this letter reaches you you will have learned that your son Fred has died of wounds received in action in France, and are anxious to have some particulars about him so I am letting you know just how it happened in the line. I cannot give you any information as to his last resting place, but no doubt that has been forwarded to you from headquarters in London, he was with me from the time we arrived in England till he was wounded, and 1 saw a great deal of him, and know what a fine, manly chap he was. I felt his death keenly and his comrades join with me in offering you our deepest sympathy. He was wounded during a night raid on the enemy trenches. A machine-gun got on to the party he was with just as they were going through the German wire and Fred got a bullet through the side just above the hip. Two of his mates carried him back as we retired when the raid was over. I saw him afterwards at the dressing station; He was quite conscious, and was cheerful as ever. The doctor seemed to think that he had a good chance of recovery, as the bullet had hardly more than grazed him. He had no pain whatever, and seemed confident that he would be all right. He wanted us to rub snow on his feet as they were burning hot; that was all he complained of. Since that night I have made several inquiries about him, and have only this week received official notification that be died of wounds at Boulogne about four days afterwards. His country lost a fine man, the army lost a good soldier and 1 lost one whom I regarded as a personal friend. You have lost still more a son, but may the remembrance that he died bravely for the call that we must win because it is right, and that he wad a son to be proud of help to atone for the sad sacrifice of his young life."

The Mercury 23^rd May 1917

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Tasmanian War Casualties, Honouring the past, building understanding.