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Corporal Frederick W.
Withers was born February 16, 1871, the son of William Withers and Jane (Clark)
Withers. He lived at 344 Paddock Street and, as a young adult, worked as a
machinist with the Maritime Nail Works. Withers was a member of the Exmouth
Street Methodist Church.
Corporal Withers served with the 3rd Regiment Canadian Artillery prior to the
Boer War. When the call came to aide the Mother Country in South Africa, he
enlisted with the Royal Canadian Regiment, the 2nd Special Service Battallion,
Company G. At 5:45 pm, Wednesday, October 25, 1899, Cpl. Withers left St. John
with the 1st Contingent for Quebec. On October 30, he set sail on the S.S.
Sardinian for Cape Town. The Corporal arrived at Table Bay on November 29,
1899. On November 30, the 1st Contingent disembarked and, on December 1, they
proceed to the front.
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| Map of Africa | Map of Paardeberg Area |
Corporal Withers was killed in action during the early hours of February 27, 1900, at the battle near Paardeberg Drift, north of the Mooder River and south of Boshof. Within hours of that same battle, the Boer General Cronje surrendered. Cpl. Withers was seriously ill the night before the battle, but refused to go to the hospital and went into the fight to die. He was buried 60 yards west of Cronje's Lagaar and 100 yards north of the Modder River under a thorn tree.
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