8/1739 Private Edward Frye, (15/1/1885-23/6/1915). "he did his duty"

DEATHS.

FOR KING AND COUNTRY. 

FRYE. — Killed in action at the Dardanelles, June 23, 1915, Private Edward Frye (4th Contingent Otago Infantry), eldest son of Mr Charles Frye, gas inspector, 90 Main road. Caversham; aged 30 years.  -Evening Star, 12/7/1915.

PRIVATE E. FRYE.

Mr Charles Frye, Gas Inspector, of Dunedin, has received word that his eldest son, Private Edward Frye, has been killed in action at the Dardanelles. Private Frye, who was 30 years of age, was born at Caversham, and educated at the local school, and afterwards at the Port Chalmers District High School. He was a carpenter and builder by occupation. Private Frye was a member of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Society and of the Dunedin Amateur Boating Club.  -Press, 13/7/1915.

Edward Frye arrived on Gallipoli Peninsula in early June. He and the others of his group were welcome, despite their lack of combat experience.  The period during which he died was one of ongoing, casualties, as reported in The Official History of the Otago Infantry Regiment:

"On June 9th reinforcements, the 4th, were received to the number of four officers and 239 other ranks. Owing to the reduced strength of the Regiment these were urgently required. There was a daily toll of casualties, even under what might be regarded, in a comparative sense only, as normal conditions. On the morning of June 5th Captain V. J. Egglestone, Battalion Quartermaster, who had rejoined the Regiment when it was at Helles, was killed while drawing rations at the Brigade Dump. Lieut. A. C. Boyes succeeded to the post of Quartermaster.

"Relief of the garrisons of the Posts within No. 3 Section was now effected. In the holding of Courtney's two companies of Otago Battalion were disposed along the crest line, with two companies in immediate support in the terraced bivouacs below. The garrison of the forward line was periodically violently harassed by the enemy, and on these occasions numerous casualties were suffered and the defences badly breached."

Edward Frye was buried in the Shrapnel Valley Cemetery on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

IN MEMORIAM.

FRYE. — Killed in action at the Dardanelles. June 23. 1915, Private Edward Frye (4th Contingent, Otago Infantry), eldest son of Mr Charles Frye, 90 Main South road, Caversham; aged 30 years.

He did his duty.  -Otago Witness, 28/6/1916.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin. DCC photo.