Frederick George Tebbutt from Kettering, Northamptonshire, played for two seasons with North Adelaide where he was part of a league title winning back line in 1914. Playing for a “Metro XI” against Petersburg at Kensington Oval in June 1914 he partnered future Socceroo Jock Cameron at fullback, both men playing a “strong, determined game”.
Tebbutt enlisted in the AIF soon after the end of the season, on 28 November 1914. He gave his age as 24 and his occupation as “tailor’s dresser”. Arriving at Gallipoli with the 2nd reinforcements to the 10th Battalion he soon became afflicted with the various unpleasant ailments that affected so many troops on the Peninsula. Spells in hospital and service in England saw Tebbutt arrested by civil police whilst AWOL, but whilst stationed at Andover on Salisbury Plain he did manage to marry home town girl Ruth Hodson at Kettering in June 1917.
He was posted to the Front in May 1918, but was soon wounded – on 3 June 1918 during the Australian advance on Merris. A member of the 10th Battalion was awarded a VC during this action. Fred Tebbutt was eventually returned to Australia and discharged in March 1919.
There is no further record of him in Adelaide so he may have returned to England or settled interstate.