Serving with the Portsmouth Division, Frederick would be promoted to the rank of corporal in August 1893 before marrying Millie Fuge at Totnes in Devon four years later. The couple would see the arrival of five sons, Frederick Robert Marcus (b. 1899) would also serve with the Portsmouth Division during WW1. He was enlisted on 6th April 1914 as a bugler with the service number 17224.
In February 1897 Frederick landed with the Benin Expedition. Eight men were killed in the action as the city was captured and sacked. This would lead to the collapse of the kingdom and its absorption into colonial Nigeria. Frederick was awarded the Ashanti Medal with the Benin "97" clasp in May 1898. Promoted to the rank of sergeant in September 1900, he was awarded the General Service Medal in 1907.
As a colour sergeant Frederick landed with Royal Marine Brigade at both Ostend and Dunkirk before serving at the defence of Antwerp. After the Division moved to Gallipoli, Frederick was killed during the action of the Second Battle of Krithia. Initially buried on the north side of the track halfway up Dead Man's gully, Frederick's grave was lost and his name commemorated on the Helles memorial.
It is with Frederick's death that we start to see some discrepancies in his details recorded at the time of enlistment. The Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll gives a different birth date, 23rd December 1870, to that shown on the service record. This document does state his widow as Millie residing at Greenwich. The family believe that Frederick is actually Frederick John born 5th December 1869 at Ardleigh in Essex, the following census records in support of this (click to enlarge):
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Frederick R. M. Tyler PO/17224
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