van den Bok, F

(1894 - 1916)

van den Bok, F Profile Picture

Key Facts

DATE OF BIRTH:

6th May 1894

YEARS ATTENDED THE COLLEGE:

1907 - 1910

HOME ADDRESS WHEN AT THE COLLEGE:

Crescent Wood House, Sydenham Hill, SE26

REGIMENT

6th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment

FINAL RANK:

2nd Lieutenant

DATE OF DEATH:

1st July 1916

AGE AT DEATH:

22

WHERE HE DIED (or was wounded)

La Boisselle

LOCATION OF GRAVE OR MEMORIAL:

Thiepval Memorial. Pier and Face 12 D and 13 B.

2nd Lieutenant Frederick van den Bok

Fred was born on May 6th 1894, the second child, and eldest son, of Dutch merchant Adrian van den Bok and his Australian-born wife, Ellen. He spent time at West Hill School before coming to the College in the summer of 1907, where he would later be followed by four of his younger brothers; his elder sister, Wilhelmina, would marry an OA, Duncan Shepherd. Fred’s time at Dulwich lasted just short of three years, as he left in the spring of 1910, going on to spend two further years of education in Bruges, Belgium. Having finished his education, he spent two years working for the Union-Castle Shipping Line, based in their offices on Fenchurch Street.

In September 1914, a month after the declaration of war, Fred enlisted in the Public Schools Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment, based at Kempton Park. He later went on to take up a commission in the 6th Battalion of the same regiment the following April. After another year spent training in England he went over to the front for the first time in May 1916, attached to the 2nd Battalion, and was involved in the preparations for the Somme offensive. He was killed in action near La Boisselle on July 1st 1916, the first day of the Somme, one of seven OAs to fall that day.

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