Lt
Fred Ditzell
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1892 |
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Place of birth: Camden, New South Wales, Australia |
General information
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Last known residence: Lansdowne, New South Wales, Australia |
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Profession: Civil Servant |
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Religion: Presbyterian |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Lieutenant |
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Enlistment date: 04/01/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Armidale, New South Wales, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 35th Bn. (Newcastle's Own Regiment) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 12/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Dash Crossing, Broodseinde, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 25 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: III Row: A Grave: 15 |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Fred Ditzell was the son of John and Annie Day. He was born around 1892 in Camden, New South Wales. He worked as a civil servant. Fred enlisted in the Australian Army and was a part of the 35th Battalion Australian Infantry Regiment (9th Brigade, 3rd Division).
Fred died on 12 October 1917 during the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The starting lines of the attack on Passchendaele were near Keerselaarhoek. At 5.25 a.m., the starting signal for the attack was given. The 35th Battalion advanced in support of the 34th Battalion. They managed to capture Hillside Farm and Augustus Wood, thus reaching their first objectives. After a temporary delay due to machine gun fire, they managed to advance further. The consolidation lasted until around 3 p.m. The battalion was then forced to retreat to the vicinity of Augustus Wood. The attack ended about 300 yards beyond the original starting lines.
Fred died at the age of 26. According to testimonies, he was fatally hit by shellfire and his body was almost unrecognisable. Some say he could not be buried because that place quickly fell back into German hands, others say he was buried in a cemetery near Ypres or Nieuwemolen. After the war, his body was found near Dash Crossing. He was reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Fred died on 12 October 1917 during the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The starting lines of the attack on Passchendaele were near Keerselaarhoek. At 5.25 a.m., the starting signal for the attack was given. The 35th Battalion advanced in support of the 34th Battalion. They managed to capture Hillside Farm and Augustus Wood, thus reaching their first objectives. After a temporary delay due to machine gun fire, they managed to advance further. The consolidation lasted until around 3 p.m. The battalion was then forced to retreat to the vicinity of Augustus Wood. The attack ended about 300 yards beyond the original starting lines.
Fred died at the age of 26. According to testimonies, he was fatally hit by shellfire and his body was almost unrecognisable. Some say he could not be buried because that place quickly fell back into German hands, others say he was buried in a cemetery near Ypres or Nieuwemolen. After the war, his body was found near Dash Crossing. He was reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Sources 5
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35th Australian Infantry Battalion, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/52/4). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455 DITZELL F). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCDIG1042369) https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 1995), 129. Sources used |
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Unit embarkation nominal rolls, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM8) https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/462568 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=0c1e6f62-382a-4d99-8575-ab4643cecb78 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7418245 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=79597 |