Lieutenant Colonel John Fryer
1871-1920
Mess Jacket, c. 1910
Fryer
was the son of Lieutenant General Sir John Fryer, KCB, who commanded
the Carabiniers (6th Dragoon Guards) during the Second Anglo-Afghan War.
The younger Fryer became a second lieutenant in the 7th (Queen’s Own)
Hussars on November 26, 1890. He was made aide-de-camp to his father in
1894, who was posted to the Cork District of Northern Ireland. Fryer
received his captaincy in 1899 and served in the Second Boer War with
the 7th Hussars. He was mentioned in despatches for operations at Cape
Colony in December of 1902. Fryer was then assigned as adjutant of the
Sussex Imperial Yeomanry in 1903. He made major in 1910 and was later
placed in command of the Southern Cavalry Depot at Bristol. Fryer was
appointed a Brigade Major on January 5, 1912, and assigned to the
Yorkshire Mounted Brigade, which consisted of the Yeomanry regiments of
the three Ridings of Yorkshire. The regiments that comprised the
Yorkshire Mounted Brigade were assigned to other formations in 1915 and
the brigade ceased to exist. Promoted to a temporary lieutenant colonel,
Fryer then went to France as a staff officer with the General
Headquarters.
