Case Studies

The following extract comes from a family book written by Heritage & Lineage in 2023 and covers the story of a direct relative of the family in question. The story is reproduced with the family’s permission, but some names and images are redacted for privacy. The original version includes many images, including newspaper cuttings, official certificates, census details, and photographs that we cannot reproduce due to copyright restrictions. Frederick Adolf Schroeder’s life story reads like a tale of intrigue, betrayal, and shifting identities. Born in Krefeld, Prussia, on 22 June 1858, Frederick’s early years were marked by mystery, with his birth year varying in different reports — ranging from 1854 to 1859. This variance in age is believed to have been an effort to obscure his true identity, something that would echo throughout his life. Though he was born Frederick Adolf Schroeder, he adopted different names at various points, sometimes going by Frederick Aldophus Schroeder, Frederick Aldolphus Gould, and even Fred Gould. For clarity, we’ll refer to him as Frederick from this point on. Frederick spent his early years in London studying at the Herman School in the Savoy, a German independent school, while his family lived on Soho Square. But at the age of 14, Frederick returned to Germany, a decision that took him on a path vastly different from that of your third great-grandfather, Charles. He joined the Prussian army, where he served for approximately seven years, eventually rising to the rank of captain. During this time, Frederick was awarded the Iron Cross, a prestigious military honour — before it became associated with the swastika in the 1930s. After his military service, Frederick’s journey took an unexpected turn. He emigrated to the United States, where he is said to have helped erect “sky signs,” likely the kind of advertising signs that would later become iconic in places like Times Square. By 1884, at the age of 26, Frederick had returned to England, where he married Elizabeth Fenton at Holy Trinity Church in Islington. At this point, he was listed as a clerk on the marriage certificate, with his father, Carl Ludwig Schroeder, noted as a witness. But it wasn’t long before Frederick’s life took a much stranger twist. Frederick, who had several children with Elizabeth, separated from her sometime before 1911, and Elizabeth passed away in 1912. What seemed like a normal life was about to be revealed as anything but. A Life in the Shadows Between 1907 and 1913, it emerged that Frederick had worked as a spy for the German secret service. As a former army captain and someone likely circulating in influential circles due to his business dealings, Frederick had many opportunities to cultivate connections. One of the most unexpected of these was with Maud Rebecca Solomon, a woman with a fascinating career in musical hall theatre. Maud, known for her extraordinary ability to imitate birds through whistling, had performed at renowned theatres, including the Hippodrome in London, and entertained royalty across the globe. She went by several names — Maud Sloman, Rebecca Sloman, Maud Dewey, and Madame Sabaronne — but was affectionately referred to as “The Champion Lady Whistler of the World”. After Frederick was no longer with his wife, he began a relationship with Maud. Unfortunately, their family was struck by tragedy when, in 1900, one of their children, Lionel Frederick Gould Schroeder, was tragically killed in an accident. From Pub to Spy Mission By 1911, Frederick was living in Rochester, Kent, where he was listed as the licensee of the Queen Charlotte pub. This was a stark departure from his previous life. Some of his children, now with the surname Gould, were living with him. However, his census declaration that he and Maud had been married for 28 years was untrue, as his marriage to Elizabeth had ended before 1911. Historians speculate that Frederick’s move to Rochester wasn’t simply for business. In 1907/08, the German secret service directed Frederick to acquire the license for the Queen Charlotte. This pub was frequented by military men and dockyard workers, with easy access to the Chatham Dockyard and the railway to the Continent. The German mission was clear: Frederick was to gather intelligence on the British Royal Navy. His actions were not unnoticed. Frederick’s connections to military personnel and dockyard workers were well-established. His reputation for strength and generosity—often offering a free pint to local workers—earned him respect and affection. But there was more to Frederick than met the eye. His Buffalo Lodge, a social club where military officers and non-commissioned officers were welcome, gave him even greater access to influential people. Through these relationships, Frederick gathered crucial intelligence and passed it on to German Intelligence in Ostend. A Spy in Plain Sight Frederick’s espionage activities began to draw attention from British intelligence. In 1909, he caught the attention of a newly formed unit that would later become part of MI6. Despite his German ties, Frederick was well-integrated into British society. His ability to speak perfect English, his strength, and his charm made him appear as an “English gentleman,” even though his background and secretive activities told another story. In 1911, Frederick had the unusual opportunity to attend the Coronation Naval Review, where he inspected British battleships. In the years leading up to 1914, he became increasingly involved with Irish nationalist groups like the Irish Republican Brotherhood. However, he rejected their radical plans, instead offering them cases of whisky — perhaps furthering his role in weaving a complex network of connections for his spying activities. The Fall of Frederick and Maud Frederick’s double life came to an abrupt end in August 1914, when he was arrested on charges of espionage by MI6. It was during his arrest at the Queen Charlotte pub that Frederick’s espionage activities were exposed. Authorities found documents detailing military plans and ship designs in his possession, including charts for naval operations and classified blueprints for warships. His wife, Maud, was also arrested soon after, with espionage materials found in her

This was a fascinating and heartbreaking story in a book written about the Frost family by Heritage & Lineage. The story took us deep into the military archives and into conversations directly with the Osaka Centre of Cultural Heritage and POW Research Network in Japan, who helped translate Japanese text, found our subject’s I.D. tag, sent us a photo and laid flowers at his grave in Japan for the family. The following is part of that story, with some pictures and evidence omitted from the book for privacy or copyright reasons. William in World War II William’s role in World War II wasn’t just confined to the UK. He signed up for the reserves and volunteered at the beginning of the war. However, instead of setting off to France to aid the war effort, he found himself on a mission to the Far East with his regiment, despite this not being his original destination. After months of detailed research, drawing on the help of a Japanese translator, wartime diaries, William’s personal army records, and the expertise of military historians, we were finally able to uncover what had happened. Timeline of William’s movements 6 December 1941 – Sailed in Convoy WS14 from Clyde heading to the Middle East. 21 December 1941 – Arrived in Freetown, South Africa. 19 January 1942 – Diverted from South Africa to Singapore, and then to Java, Indonesia 4 February 1942 – Arrived in Batavia in Java onboard the Empress of Australia. 25 February 1942 – Deployed at Andir Airfield near Bandung 1 March 1942 – Japanese troops arrived in their thousands and evacuation orders were issues. 1-7 March 1942 – Shuttle flights frantically came to evacuate. 7 March 1942 – The last shuttle flight left and remaining troops were left stranded. 9 March 1942 – Troops laid down their arms understanding that there was no possible way to resist. Surrender was to follow. 17 March 1942 – Captured in Java, Indonesia sent to Ambon Prisoner of War camp. October 1942 – Transferred to Japanese prisoner of war camps: Fukuoka No.3 – Branch Camp in Japan. Fukuoka No.7 – Branch Camp Hiroshima 6 – Omine Coal Mine Camp 10 November 1942 – He got sick. 22 Dec 1942 – Died at 9.30pm of acute enteritis in Hiroshima. It’s a tragic story. We’re going to break the timeline down to discover what William was involved in: 6 December 1941 – Sailed from Clyde Scotland – Destination the Middle East William was part of the 95 Battery, 48th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery (regiment number 1549689). He was classed as a gunner. Gunner (Gnr) is a rank equivalent to private in the British Army Royal Artillery. On 6th December 1941, Convoy WS14, one of the largest convoys ever assembled, set sail with its destination the Middle East. They set sail from Clyde in Scotland with their first port of call South Africa. William was onboard the ‘RMS Duchess of Atholl’ with other batteries of the 48th L.A.A regiment.  Their end destination was Basra in Iraq. However, with catastrophic events unfolding following the announcement that Japan had declared war on the U.S. and Great Britain on 7 December 1942, their plans were to be changed. During their journey, troops didn’t receive any letters and the daily newsletters they received while on board played down the bombing that was happening in the U.K. Letters that they sent to families were also heavily censored. 21 December 1941 – Arrived in Freetown, South Africa William and his regiment arrived in Freetown, South Africa on the 21 December 1941, which was where they had Christmas dinner before they set sail again. However, they didn’t return to the Duchess of Atholl due to defects that were discovered during their voyage from Scotland to South Africa. 19 January 1942 – Plans changed with diversion to Indonesia William and his battalion were to be re-located to another ship, boarding the Empress of Australia ship in Freetown. They sailed from Freetown to Cape Town, but were initially not allowed to dock. In a diary of one of the soldiers on-board, we discover that the Empress of Australia had been in Sierra Leone prior to arriving in South Africa and someone had brought a monkey on board.  Gunner Neil Reid of the 77th H.A.A Regiment wrote in his diary that they “spent two days chasing it around the ship to try and catch it. When it was finally captured the only thing that could be done was to throw the monkey overboard to drown, to enable the ship to dock.” The Empress of Australia The ship sailed on towards the Maldives before being diverted. Urgent help was needed in Singapore by allied forces, but during the journey the ship was diverted again to Java, Indonesia as allied troops faced bombing raids from the Japanese on allied bases and airfields that had been set up as strategic points in the area. The area was rich in oil and a vital asset during the war. Known at the time as the Dutch East Indies, Indonesia was largely defended by Dutch troops. However, the Empire of Japan had their sites set on taking the East Indies for themselves and bringing an end to Dutch colonial rule in the area.  This area became one of the major targets, and Australians and British were called in to help. 4 February 1942 – Arrived in Batavia in Java, Indonesia William and his regiment arrived in Batavia in Java, Indonesia on 4 February, 1942. The troops were housed in the barracks of the colonial Dutch forces where no provision had been made for food. Few preparations had been made by the Dutch for the defence of Java and life in Batavia carried on as normal, with bars and restaurants open. It was generally thought that Java could not be effectively defended, and the decision to land the troops there was mostly political. The battle that they were to face was unwinnable. Typical road in Batavia There were many airfields set up as strategic points by allied