Ancestor Details
Name of Ancestor: Frederick Dance
Ancestor's date of birth: 07/05/1878
Ancestor's date of death: 10/06/1973
Cause of Death: Cancer
Service Number: 211
Colony or State of enlistment: WA, Place of Enlistment: Freemantle
Unit: 5th Western Australia Mounted Infantry
Rank attained in Boer War: PTE, Date Effective: On enlistment
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): SGT, Date Effective: 29/05/1915
Murray Page: 422
Contingent: Fifth West Australian Contingent
Ship: Devon, Date of Sailing: 06/03/1901
Memorial details: Detail not provided
Decorations: Queen's South Africa Medal with 4 clasps TVL, OFS, SA01, SA02. 1914-1915 Star, BWM, Victory Medal.
Personal Characteristics: Brown hair, blue eyes, medium complexion. Height: 1.75 m, weight: 72.6 kg (1914).
Reasons to go and fight: Detail not provided
Details of service in war: April 1901 - April 1902 in east Transvaal including defeat at Brakpan (16 May 1901).
Service and life after the Boer War: Returned to Australia: 29 April 1902 on the Columbian. In 1914 was married to Millie, working as a pastrycook and living in Geelong VIC. Enlisted as 1104, private in the 8th Battalion AIF 3 October 1914. Promoted corporal 28 April 1915, was wounded at Gallipoli 8 May 1915 and shipped to hospital in Malta. sergeant 29 April 1916 to command a Lewis gun section. Suffered from Trench Fever whilst serving in France, returned to Australia 1 November 1917, medical discharge 15 February 1918. Went AWOL a few times. Referred to as an acting WO2 in some documentation. His home in Griffith NSW was destroyed by fire on 8 May 1937, and with it his medals. The replacement set illustrated is held by the National Archives.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: Edna Mason, Griffith NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Daughter
