Frederic Victor Byrch was born in Evesham, Worcestershire, England on 28th November 1896. He emigrated to New Zealand when he was 6 years old with his parents Albert & Constance & seven of his eight siblings.
Prior to the First world war he was a shepherd at his parents farm Motunau Station in North Canterbury. His relatives still farm part of that station today.
He was an early volunteer becoming a trooper in the Canterbury Mounted Rifles on the 13th December 1914. He had just turned 18 years old. Frederic trained at Trentham, Wellington & sailed from New Zealand to arrive in Egypt on the 27th March 1915 as part of C Squadron where they continued to train.
Frederic was then sent to Gallipoli to take part in the ill-fated Dardanelles campaign & on the 1st July 1915 was posted to Walker’s ridge as a member of the 1st Squadron of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles.
Frederic was wounded at the beginning of the battle of Sari Bair on August 6th with a gunshot wound to his right thigh. He was evacuated to the hospital ship HMHS Valdivia on which he died from his wounds on August the 9th 1915, he was 19 years old.
Trooper, service number 7/821, Frederic Victor Byrch was decorated with the 1914 -1915 Star, the British War Medal, the Victory Medal & the Gallipoli Medallion.
Public - Petrina - Other relative - 26 April 2023 - Mixed family research & Military Personnel File