What’s in a name?

At the outbreak of WW1, Frederick Ziegenbein (or Zeigenbein) was employed as a telegraphist at Taree Post Office. He was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1884 and, although only a very young man, had briefly served in the Boer War.¹

In July 1915 he volunteered for service with the AIF and, by 1916, he was on active service in France as a Sapper.

Percy Smythe, working as an electrician for the PMG in Taree before his own enlistment, apparently knew Frederick and wrote in his diary in November 1915 – “Being a German Boer, and, as I thought, being a German sympathizer, I never expected him to leave a good (job) to enlist”.²

By early 1916, doubts were being raised concerning Frederick’s loyalty, with intelligence received alleging him to have been openly hostile to the war. He was, however, described as a first-class signaller of exemplary conduct but was fond of wandering off by himself and was being kept under surveillance.³

Frederick was repatriated to Australia in October 1916, his file marked “Services no longer required”. In Taree his return was explained as resulting from a severe German gas attack.⁴

Guilty or innocent? Frederick was never charged with any wartime offence and his name is recorded on the Honour Rolls of Taree War Memorial.⁵

Author: Penny Teerman