A silent hero and veteran of the Boer War who hailed from Albany was Major Doctor Frederick John Ingoldby.

Major Doctor Frederick John Ingoldby had been severely wounded and disabled at the notorious Battle of Koster River in the western Transvaal, South Africa. This decisive battle on 21st-23rd July 1900, resulted in six dead and twenty-two wounded from the Australian Bushmen Contingent.

The soldiers were on route to Rustenburg when they were ambushed and surrounded by the fierce might of the Boers. Doctor Ingoldby was seriously wounded when attending to Trooper Scott who had been shot in the groin.

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Doctor Ingoldby was born in Yorkshire in 1859 and emigrated to Fremantle to be the assistant to Doctor Hope. In time, Doctor Ingoldby relocated to Albany to take over the medical practice of Doctor William Maloney in 1884. Doctor Ingoldby wed Annie May Willoxen (9th April 1867 – 8th January 1946), at St John’s Church in Albany on 13th July 1886.​In addition to his medical practice, Doctor Ingoldby was surgeon by appointment to the WA Land Company, this company was then constructing the Great Southern Railway Line.

​Upon the outbreak of the Boer War in South Africa in 1899, Doctor Ingoldby was a Surgeon Captain in the WA Defence Force. Doctor Ingoldby offered his services and saw intense action that so badly wounded him, he was invalided out of the army. The Herald Newspaper of Sydney had a war correspondent, Bert Toy, in the front lines in 1900, who recorded the following details regarding this ferocious battle. ‘At the Koster River in 1900 three hundred Australian Bushmen were surrounded by twice as many Boers in a treeless valley through which ran the river. The Australians were ordered to dismount by a British Officer and take their horses to the river banks. This proved a good target for the Boers who fired explosive bullets into mounts and men.’

On the 22nd of July 1900, Doctor Ingoldby had been assigned to the TONGA (ambulance cart) when Trooper Scott was hit in the groin. Doctor Ingoldby hastily took his medicine chest to attend to the fallen man. A random bullet smashed into Doctor Ingoldby’s right hand rendering his hand useless. Whilst enduring acute pain, Doctor Ingoldby miraculously managed to assist his comrade under heavy fire.

Recovering from his wounds in England, Doctor Ingoldby was presented to Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), in honour of his gallantry. Doctor Ingoldby’s right hand was paralysed and therefore he could not use his hand effectively as a surgeon anymore. Back in Albany, Doctor Ingoldby still retained his medical practice but no longer performed any surgical cases. Apparently, the well-liked doctor still extracted fish hooks from people’s thumbs and performed similar procedures.

Doctor Ingoldby was later promoted to the rank of Major in the new Royal Australian Medical Corps. Becoming Albany’s Health Officer and also Medical Officer to the Artillery men who were stationed at the Forts, kept the doctor busy and gainfully employed. Doctor Ingoldby was a man who was community minded and became involved with a variety of worthwhile causes.

Some of these were the Women’s Rest House Committee, treasurer of the Albany Turf Club, the Lawley Park committee, co-founder of the Albany Tourist Bureau, foundation member of the ‘Albany Club,’ an early President of the Mount Barker Golf Club and Company Director of the Albany Printing and Publishing Company.

In 1906, Doctor Ingoldby semi-retired which was met with disappointment throughout the town of Albany. Such was his reputation, that many people were saddened with the news yet respected the good doctor’s decision. Doctor Ingoldby and his wife, Annie, travelled to England in October 1907, living there for a period. The couple sailed back to Albany and returned once more to reside in England before finally coming home permanently.

Their visits to England were for medical reasons, due to Doctor Ingoldby’s declining health, yet the doctor and his wife always returned to Albany.
Doctor Ingoldby built some homes in Albany, namely ‘The Catlings,’ 178 Grey Street, next to ‘The Rocks.’ another prominent local residence, referred to as Government House or Cottage. Other homes Doctor Ingoldby had built were 22 Stirling Terrace and ‘Hamurana’ located at 89 Middleton Road. Doctor Ingoldby, along with his beloved wife, Annie, lived and rented Patrick Taylor Cottage on Duke Street (the oldest dwelling in Western Australia 1832) for a number of years until his death on Sunday the 15th of September 1940, aged 81 years.

It is said that the ghost of Doctor Ingoldby haunts the bedroom at Patrick Taylor Cottage and appears annually in September on the anniversary of the doctor’s death. The effigy which has been seen on a number of occasions is of a man attired in military uniform with his right arm in a sling.

Doctor Ingoldby had served mankind admirably, giving his energies to others whilst suffering immense discomfort. It is recorded that in February 1919, Doctor Ingoldby was recovering from an accident which caused his legs to be in constant pain. Always one to think of his fellow men, Doctor Frederick John Ingoldby has been largely forgotten. Known for his genial character and friendly demeanour to all who met him, Doctor Ingoldby always left a remarkable impression on his fellow man. I hope this brief article resurrects sentiment to a man dedicated to the needs and causes for others. ‘A true gentleman and loyal friend,’ is how the Doctor has been described.

At the end of the Boer War (1899 – 1902) 16,175 Australian men had volunteered for service in South Africa. There were 1,400 casualties and 518 killed. Amazingly, six Australians were awarded the highest honour, the Victoria Cross (VC). Western Australia contributed 1,229 men, amongst whom was Surgeon-Major Doctor Frederick John Ingoldby: known affectionately as ‘Doctor Fred’ to many Albany residents.