Dennis Douglas Frye

Dennis Douglas Frye

Personal Information
Date of Birth	17 Apr 1907
Place of Birth	Whitelsford, Cambridgeshire, England
Death	9 Aug 2005, aged 98
Place of Death	Ferndale, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	34 years, 9 months
Occupation	Orchardist
Religion	Church of England
Address	Kelmscott, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Muriel Frye
Military Information
Reg Number	W21537
Date of Enlistment	26 Jan 1942
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	2nd (Fremantle) VDC Battalion
Post War Details
Fate	Remained in Australia

Dennis Douglas Frye

Headstone Information
Date of Birth	17 April 1907
Age at Death	98 years
Transcription	In Loving Memory of Dennis Douglas Frye Born 17/04/1907 Died 09/09/2005 Aged 98 Years

Early Life

Dennis Douglas Frye was born in Whittlesford a village in England, on 17th April, 1907. His parents were Ernest Charles Townsend Frye and May Olivia Douglas. As a young man Dennis worked for The Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals. In 1927 he visited Western Australia to explore farming opportunities, arriving in Fremantle aboard SS Moreton Bay on 11 Aug 1927. He worked on properties at Yoting and Dalwallinu. But the depression of the 1930s killed his farming ambitions. With a friend he went rabbit trapping.

Marriage

In 1933, Dennis married Muriel Alice Bustin (1911 - 1967), a girl with whom he had worked at the sick animal dispensary, years before. On the same day that they were married, Dennis and Muriel set off by ship to live in Kelmscott, WA. The arrived in Fremantle aboard the SS Ormonde on 19 Sep 1933. The first child of Dennis and Muriel, Marion Olivia, was born in 1935. She was followed by Wendy Charlotte in 1943. In 1960 Dennis and Muriel visited England, arriving back in Fremantle in June. In 1967 Muriel died at 56 years of age. Dennis then married Hilda Rose (1908 - 1996) his first girlfriend back in England.

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries: 1934 - 1943 at 'Coonalpyn', Albany road, Kelmscott, orchardist.

War Service

discharge date is unknown

Post War

For many long years Dennis gave freely to the youth of the area, acting as their Scout Master. He later went on to become the area’s District Commissioner. Dennis became well known and respected in the district as a member of the Progress Association, the Hall Committee, the Kelmscott Agricultural Society and many other sporting groups.

He was Vice President of the Kelmscott Agricultural Society for three years from 1945 to 1947 and again in 1961 to 1971. This led to his inauguration as a "Life Member" of this organisation in 1976. He dedicated 14 years to the Armadale –Kelmscott Roads Board, from 1946-1952 and again from 1962-1970. Frye Park in Clifton Street, opened in 1972, is named after him and his family.

Electoral Roll entries: 1949 - 1958 at 'Coonalpyn', Kelmscott, orchardist; 1968 - 1980 at 2674 Albany highway, Kelmscott, orchardist