Frederick‘s occupation and marital status on enlistment was detailed as a labourer, who was single.
- Date of Birth – 1 August 18911NSW Birth Death and Marriages, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/ Birth 7907/1891, Roberts, Frederick B, Parents William and Susannah, Registered in Braidwood. Accessed 24 March 2024.
- Parents – William and Susan [Susannah] Roberts, North Araluen2Commonwealth War Graves, https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/42544/frederick-bede-roberts/ Accessed 24 March 2024.
- Enlisted at Goulburn on 27 July 1915, and embarked from Sydney, on board HMAT A17 Port Lincoln on 13 October 19153University of NSW AIF project https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=256751 Accessed 24 March 2024.
- Regimental Number – 34294National Archives of Australia. https://www.naa.gov.au/. NAA: B2455, Roberts, Frederick Bede, Item ID – 8035334, Accessed 24 March 2024.
- Aged at embarkation – 22 years
- Military service – 4th Battalion, 11th Reinforcement. 53rd Australian Infantry Battalion.
Rank – Private. Served on the Western Front.5Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/251662 Accessed 24 March 2024. - Died from wounds accidentally received, following the discharge of a flare in the trench, on 1 March 1918 (aged 26 years).6Australian War Memorial, https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1664831 Accessed 24 March 2024. A subsequent investigation exonerated all parties.
- Buried – Outtersteene Cemetery, Bailleul, France7Find a Grave.com. Panel 158, on a monument at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/249845768/frederick-bede-roberts, and https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56496986/frederick-bede-roberts Accessed 24 March 2024.
William Roberts and Susannah Wallace of North Araluen had eleven children—Joseph; Selina; Florence; Catherine; Evelyn; William; Andrew; Archibald; Frederick; Andrew C and Pansy.
The Goulburn Evening Penny Post8Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW : 1881-1940), Tuesday 27 July 1915, p 2. reported in July 1915 on personnel enlisting, advised ‘Seven recruits were put through at the local recruiting office on Monday, and twelve this (Tuesday) morning. All were a fine stamp of men. The following are the names of those who passed the doctor on Monday afternoon, and this (Tuesday) morning:—…, William Moore (Araluen), Frederick B. Roberts (Araluen).’
1891 – March 1918
In August 1916, the Goulburn Evening Penny Post9Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW : 1881-1940), Tuesday 15 August 1916, p 1. reported ‘Mrs. Roberts, of North Araluen, received a cable from the Base Records Office, Melbourne, on Saturday, 5th, announcing that her son, Pte. Frederick Bede Roberts, had been wounded in action.’ In October the Goulburn Evening Penny Post10Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW : 1881-1940), Tuesday 3 October 1916. stated ‘Mr. Pat. Hourigan, of North Araluen, is in receipt of a letter written from the Southern General Hospital, Birmingham (Eng.), by Pte. F. B. Roberts, the soldier-son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Roberts, well-known residents of the Valley. Pte. Roberts was wounded in the left side 1 1/2 inches below the heart.’
The Braidwood Review and District Advocate11Braidwood Review and District Advocate (NSW : 1914-1954), Tuesday 19 March 1918, p 2. in an article titled THE WAR’S TOLL reported ‘A telegram has been received from the Defence Department that Private F. B. Roberts, of Araluen, died of wounds in France on March 1 [1918]. The deceased was previously wounded, having been shot through the body. He was one of the first to volunteer in this district, and did a good deal of fighting in France; He was very popular amongst his comrades at Araluen, where the news of his death was received with many manifestations of regret. Sincere sympathy is felt for his father, to whom the news came as a stunning blow, following so closely upon the death of his wife. [Susannah (nee) Wallace 1855-1917].’