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5778 / 3178168 RSM Fred Voase

Born: Minster, Beverley, Yorkshire 1877, son of Thomas Voase (one of a family of 10).
Enlisted:1 KOSB 5.5.1896 at Beverley.
Service: Depot, Berwick, 1 KOSB Dublin, South Africa (4.1.1900- 16.2.1903), Belfast, Newry (1903-05) and Colchester (1905 -06). 1896 L/Cpl; 1897 Cpl; 1900 Sgt; 1903 C/Sgt; returned to Depot 1906 – 1909. 1909 -1914 attached to recruiting staff Edinburgh. 1914 joined 3rd Battalion KOSB (Special Reserve Battalion) – Edinburgh and Ireland. Appointed RSM. Rejoined Depot as RSM 1919. Discharged 5.5.1923 at Hamilton after 28 years’ service. Character on discharge: ‘Exemplary’.
Post-service career: Civilian caterer, Sergeants’ Mess, Depot; clerk to recruiting office, Berwick
Married: Susan Agnes Nichols, Beverley, 12.2.1905.
Children: Dorothy, born 16.6.1905.
Address on Discharge: 50 Osborne Road, Tweedmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Ex RSM Fred Voase had a long military career, born on the 15th October 1877, he enlisted in The King’s Own Scottish Borderers at Beverley in 1896 and was promoted to LCpl the same year, in 1897 he was again promoted to Cpl and in 1900 to Sgt . In 1903, he was posted to the Depot (Berwick Upon Tweed) with the rank of CSgt.

He remained at the Depot until 1909, when he was posted to the recruiting staff in Edinburgh as a recruiter. At the outbreak of the “Great War” he joined the 3rd (Reserve) Bn initially as CSM and further promoted to RSM a position he held for the duration of the war with that Bn. He returned to the K.O.S.B. Depot in 1919 as the RSM where he remained until he was discharged in 1923 having completed nearly 28 years’ service in the Regiment.

After leaving the service he was living in Tweedmouth, Northumberland being initially employed as a civilian caterer in the Depot Sgts’ Mess, later being appointed as Clerk to the Recruiting Office, Berwick.

Soon after discharge he was presented with a silver cup in commemoration of his services during the “Great War”. He died on 8th November 1926 after a long illness and was buried with full military honours in Berwick upon Tweed, at the head of the funeral courage was Sgt Piper McDonald, following the hearse were the Officers, Sgts’ and staff from the Depot with Drummer Arnott sounding the last post.

Below is an article transcribed from the Beverley Echo – Dated Wednesday 9th May 1900 which gives an interesting account of the life and hardships of the Borderers in the Boer War for which the 1st Battalion K.O.S.B. were awarded the Battle Honours: -
1. Paardeburg
2. South Africa 1900-02

Letter from A Beverley Soldier
At the Seat of War

The following is a copy of a letter received by Mrs Voase, North Bar Street, from her son, Corporal Fred Voase, 1st King’s Own Scottish Borderers, a Beverley man at the front: -
Karee Camp, 31st March, 1900

We have been doing a lot of hard marching since I last wrote. We had a fight one day, but the Boers would not stand; they galloped away and left their things behind them. Charlie (the writer’s brother, a Lance Corporal in the same Regiment) got a lot of stuff, as his company marched past the place just where it was; he got two big rolls of tobacco and a lot of tea and coffee, sugar and bread, also a kettle.

We did not get anything to eat that day after 3am, so when we got into camp he came over to me and we had tea, and had a good feed and a smoke after it, then we had another drink of coffee for supper. We were drinking the Boers health.

We arrived in Bloemfontein a week yesterday ago, and the prices we had to pay for things were terrible. We had to pay 1s. 6d. and 2s. for a two-pound loaf, 3s. for a tin of butter, 1s. for a packet of cigarettes. I bought some bread; it was the first I had tasted since the 10th of February (the bread that Charlie got was dried), and I can tell you that dried bread went down alright for a change from biscuits.

I am sorry to say we had an awful day on the 29th. We found that we (K.O.S.B.) had 71 killed and wounded. It was horrible to see them getting brought in and lying about; some of the men who were hit by shells were shattered to pieces, one man’s leg was found 40 yards away from him. The day after the fight we had to bury five men on the hillside where they had fallen; they were too bad to be carried away anywhere. The Regiment and the band of pipers were at the funeral in camp when we buried a Captain and a Colour Sergeant of Charlies company and two men. It was a sad sight to see. First came an escort of 100 men, and then the bagpipes playing “Flowers of the Forrest”, a sorrowful tune, then came the corpses, sown up in a blanket, one behind the other, then the Regiment followed. It was an awful sight to see.

Today we buried a Lieutenant and four men. The funeral was just the same. I had a sickening job, being in charge of five tailors and had to see them sewn up. It was awful to see the looks of agony they had on their faces. It is the worst thing of all to see the dead and the wounded men, and a sight never to be forgotten. The Captain of my company was wounded, and he would not let the doctors dress him until they had attended to the men. There was one man in my section killed. He was a reserve man. There was one man killed and nine wounded in my Company. In Charlies Company, there were 11 killed and about 16 wounded. Charlies chum was amongst the wounded. The Boers are using explosive bullets, they are terrible things; when they hit a man, they tear pieces out of him.

Well, all I can say is that I hope the war is soon over. I’ve seen enough of it. We got a handkerchief given to us today and a packet of cigarette papers and about half an ounce of tobacco each, a present from a retired Captain of our Regiment. I can tell you we are thankful for any little thing out here. You will see by this clean piece of writing paper that it is not plentiful. We have not had a change of washing since we left the boat , that is since the 26th January, and you can tell what we are like, and I can tell you that the lice are running races on us, from “reveille” to “lights out’.

We get a chance of washing our shirts now an again, that is when we get to the river, and then we have to wait until it dries. At present, I have not had a wash for five days. People do not know the value of water till they come on a thing like this, and they do not know what hunger is.

Medal Group to RSM Fred Voase

1. Queens South Africa Medal: Clasps for Cape Colony, Paardeburg, Johannesburg (Sgt KOSB)
2. Kings South Africa Medal: Clasps South Africa 1900 & South Africa 1902 (Sgt KOSB)
3. George V Long Service and Good Conduct (CSgt KOSB)
4. George V Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) (Sgt Maj 3/KOSB)/i]
Below are photos of his medal group, MIC and of the Man himself

Perhaps this is a relative of his - www.findagrave.com/memorial/12072337/frederick-voase

Thank you for a very interesting post, KOSB Museum.

They are second cousins once removed. Frederick was born in Yorkshire in 1879 but emigrated to Australia in 1909. He was killed in 1917. His grandfather was George Voase (1802-1865) and his father was also George (1827-1900).
Fred Conder's great grandfather was George senior, his grandfather was Edwin (1831-1894, brother of George junior) and his father was Tom (1854-1912).