Frederick LANGLANDS
Frederick LANGLANDS (1881-1917) was born in Robertson to Thomas LANGLANDS and May Frances MARSH. Both had been born in England. Thomas was a miner and so the family spent time at Ballarat and Newcastle before he became a teacher and was appointed to Robertson in 1879 and then Tomerong Public School in 1884.
In 1904 the South Coast Times reported that an F Langlands had left Sydney for New Zealand stating that quite a number of Shoalhaven residents had done the same and had met with success. On 13 March 1916 Frederick, and his older brother Alfred Thomas LANGLANDS completed their recruitment forms and preliminary medical at Tomerong, aged 41 and 33. They were sent to Cootamundra as reinforcements for the 45th Battalion and returned to the South Coast two months later when they joined Barroul Camp at Kiama. On 24 August 1916 Alfred and Frederick embarked on HMAT ‘Anchises’ (A68), in Sydney, for England. Whilst in transit both were charged with ‘Disobedience of orders and using improper language to an NCO’.
On 5 March 1917 Frederick proceeded overseas to Etaples from Folkestone and was received by the 45th Battalion on 6 April 1917; two months later his war would be over. Frederick's Battalion would attack Messines Ridge in Belgium, a battle that included other locals such as Robert James SMITH and Oswald Mathias NELSON. A partial delay in the attack on 7 June 1917 permitting the Germans to regroup and then counter attack. The Battalions were to be held up by machine guns housed in concealed concrete blockhouses; the Australian’s first experience of this form of defence. Frederick Langlands was pronounced missing in action on 7 June 1917 and this was amended to killed in action. Frederick’s first battle had been his last.
The village of Messines would be retaken by the Germans 10 months after Frederick’s death but was recaptured for the last time in September 1918. Although his body was not identified it is possible that Frederick was interned in one of the many small burial grounds on this part of the front that were later removed and consolidated at the Messines Ridge Cemetery. This cemetery contains 1,534 Commonwealth servicemen with 957 unidentified. Those identified include nine soldiers from Frederick’s Battalion who died on the same day as him.
Frederick Langlands died north east of Messines, Belgium on 7 June 1917 and has no known grave, but may be buried in an unmarked grave at Messines Ridge cemetery. He is commemorated at The Menin Gate Memorial Ypres, Belgium, 24km north west of Messines. This memorial features 7m archways straddling the Menin Road through which the soldiers marched to the front. It was opened in 1927 and contains 54,896 names of Commonwealth soldiers who have no known grave. A Last Post ceremony is conducted each evening at 8pm to honour the fallen. Frederick’s name is with other 45th Battalion members in Bay 27, Stone E, accessed via the northern stairwell. He is also commemorated on panel 140 of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, and the Tomerong Public School Memorial Garden. [1]
Back to People of Tomerong
Notes and References
- ↑ Tomerong Anzacs "I've had my fling" : the story of the men who enlisted for World War I associated with the NSW South Coast village of Tomerong (v4.5) TP4828. R Blair, Tomerong, N.S.W. Tomerong Genealogy Database R1079.
Images
- Langlands Family Photo 1 TP2563.
- Langlands Family Photo 2 TP2563.
- School Certificate TP4256.
- 45th Battalion TP4256.
- Messines Ridge TP5047.
- Battle Map TP5047.
- Messines Ridge Cemetery TP5047.
- Menin Gate TP5047.
- Commemoration TP5047.
- Tomerong Anzacs TP4828.
- Origin Map TP6266.
Links
- Tomerong Local History Web Page- tomeronghistory.com
- Tomerong Past Facebook Album- Tomerong Past Facebook This site may provide more information relative to this family. Check the 'Families' and 'Monuments' albums and those institutions that the family contributed to e.g. 'School', 'Anzacs' etcetera.
- Tomerong Anzacs TP4828- Tomerong Anzacs
