INSTANCE Frederick James

  • First Name(s):
    Frederick 
    James 
  • Surname:
    INSTANCE
  • Service Number:
    1001140
  • Rank:

    Private

  • Conflict:
    WW1
  • Service:
    Army
  • Army Sector:
    Infantry
  • Corps:
    Canadian Expeditionary Force
  • Regiment:
    Manitoba Regiment
  • Battalion:
    16th Battalion
  • Former Units:
    None
  • Date of Death:
    1st October 1918
  • Age At Death:
    23
  • Cause of Death:
    Killed in action
  • Place of Death:
    Unknown
  • Place of Burial:
    Sancourt British Cemetery, France, Grave II. B. 27.
  • Place of Birth:
    Unknown
  • Home Town:
    Unknown
  • Casualty's Relatives:

    Son of Charles and Rachel Instance, of Frith Common, Eardiston, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, England

Remember The Fallen - Lest We Forget

INSTANCE Frederick James Is Named On These Memorials

Bayton C of E School
Bayton C of E School WW1 and WW2 War Memorial
Lindridge St Lawrence’s Church

Further Information About INSTANCE Frederick James

Appears in the Worcester/Worcestershire Roll of Honour Book for army casualties located in Worcester Cathedral.

Frederick Instance sailed from Liverpool, England to St John, New Brunswick, Canada on the S.S. Lake Manitoba on 2nd April 1914 when he gave his age as 19 and his occupation as a farmer.

He enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force at Minnedosa, Manitoba on 11th March 1916. On his attestation form he gave his date of birth as 23rd October 1895 in Worcester, England, his occupation as a farmer and his next of kin as his father Charles Instance, Frith Common, Eardiston, England. Frederick was 5 feet 8 inches tall with a medium complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair.

On 13th December 1916 Frederick sailed from Halifax, Canada on the S.S. Olympic, arriving in England on 26th December 1916. He spent just over three weeks from 27th February 1917 to 20th March 1917 in an isolation hospital in Aldershot, England suffering from mumps and was posted overseas in May, arriving in France on 13th May 1917. Frederick was granted fourteen days leave in February 1918, returning to his unit on 16th February 1918. He was reported missing on 5th October 1918 and later confirmed as being killed in action on 1st October 1918.

National Archives of Canada Reference: RG150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 4703 €“ 39.

The following information has been researched by Jim Busby:
Frederick James Instance was killed at Cuvillers, France in one of the 16th Battalion’s last actions of the war. Another casualty of that battle gave, as his enlistment address, the house across the street from where I live. FJ Instance is also listed on the war memorial at Minnedosa, Manitoba.

The Canada War Graves Registers (Circumstances of Casualty) records the following information on Private Frederick James Instance:
€œPreviously reported Missing, now Killed in Action€
Whilst taking part in an attack on Cuvillers, and when near the village, he was instantly killed by a high explosive shell, which landed almost under him.

Cap badge, 16th Bn    Cap badge 16th Bn

If you have any information about INSTANCE Frederick James, please get in touch
Credits: Cap badge photograph courtesy and copyright of Jim Busby.