— Bishop to Jack Foster
Frederick Bishop is a character featured in the campaign of Battlefield 1. He is the playable protagonist within The Runner. He and Jack Foster are assigned as message runners for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps at the Gallipoli landings.
Biography
They Will Remember Us."
This section contains spoilers for Battlefield 1.
Cape Helles
An experienced and aging soldier, Frederick Bishop was assigned to partake in the Gallipoli landings aboard the steamship River Clyde. During the voyage to the strait, Bishop is approached by Jack Foster who asks if he really is Frederick Bishop. He denies it stating that Frederick Bishop had died, only to be caught in his lie when Foster produces a photo of him. Foster then introduces himself as Bishop's new partner. Refusing to accept him as his partner, Bishop asks his commanding officer Whitehall to reassign Foster. Whitehall refuses, stating that Foster had traveled all this way to see Bishop, the pride of Australia, and that he lied about his age in order to get past conscription.
Bishop unwillingly accepts Whitehall's decision and asks Foster if he knows Morse code. Foster states he does which prompts Bishop to hand him a codebook and tells him to follow him to the bridge of the ship. Viewing the beach through binoculars, Bishop tells of how the first wave of friendly soldiers was slaughtered during the attempt to take the beach. Foster questions how they can take the beach at this point only for Bishop to tell him to prepare himself as they have Dreadnoughts on their side. Ordered to direct the Dreadnought barrage on the beach, Bishop proceeds to target various Ottoman defenses with his binos and relays their coordinates to Foster to transmit to the Dreadnoughts. Satisfied with the strike, Bishop prepares to storm the beach only for Foster to attempt to follow. Unconvinced of Foster's fighting ability, Bishop asks Foster to level his weapon. Foster tries to comply only to confirm Foster's suspicion, prompting Bishop to order him to stay on the ship and only follow rear command once he fires the signal flare.
Bishop berates Foster
Bishop departs and storms the beach with his fellow soldiers, engaging Ottoman soldiers in numerous firefights as he makes his way up the hill. Successful in taking the hill, Bishop fires the signal flare, only to be crept up on by Foster who disobeyed orders. Furious, Bishop berates Foster for lying his way onto the Battlefield as he forces him to look at the dozens of corpses scattered on the beach. Overwhelmed by the carnage, Foster falls to the ground, vomits, and states he's going to die. Feeling pity, Bishop comforts him by saying he was impossible to kill as he's Australian. He then tells Foster to pick himself up in order to teach him how to properly use his firearm.
The Runner
Upon rendezvousing with Whitehall outside a small town, they are informed that Foster has been chosen as a runner for the frontlines. Knowing the danger that comes with being a runner, Bishop volunteers in Foster's place. Afterwards, Bishop is ordered to obtain a report from the frontlines on the other side of town. After engaging several Ottoman soldiers, Bishop is successful in obtaining the report and returns to Whitehall's position. As he arrives he is greeted by Foster who suddenly raises and fires his weapon, revealing an enemy soldier behind Bishop. This prompts Bishop to quickly run inside the building with Foster. Grateful, Bishop praises Foster's shot and thanks him for saving his life. Whitehall then barges in and complements Foster's shot before being informed by Bishop that they are losing lines across the battlefield. Whitehall orders Bishop to head over to rear command to inform them that they are moving up. Making his way to rear command on horseback, Bishop arrives to find it deserted. Investigating the inside of the building reveals that the British have issued a retreat order and that they are going to barrage the village and fort with artillery as cover.
Bishop recognizes Foster
Worried about Foster, Bishop quickly races to the bathhouse in the village to inform Whitehall of the retreat. Before he can inform Whitehall, however, he is ordered to help defend their position from incoming Ottoman forces. Afterwards, Bishop relays the order much to Whitehall's dismay as he had sent men to secure the fort. Due to the risky nature of the mission, Whitehall only asked for volunteers. Naturally, all of his men, including Foster volunteered. Bishop, knowing it's a suicide mission, tells Whitehall he's going to disobey the retreat orders to save Foster.
Be Safe
Upon arriving at the fort, Bishop finds his partner held up at the entrance, along with other injured soldiers. With Ottoman troops closing in on their position, escape seems unlikely, until Bishop volunteers to go deep into the Ottoman fort and make it look like he is capturing it, giving Foster and the soldiers enough time to escape. Before Foster could leave, however, Bishop tells him to shoot up a flare to let him know he's safe. With Foster unable to leave his partner behind, Bishop lectures him for disobeying orders, only for Foster to retort that Bishop had done the same thing by coming to the fort to rescue him. Finally convinced of Foster's fighting ability, Bishops rewards him by flipping up the brim of his hat in a similar manner to his own telling him that he's a "proper Aussie now".
Bishop overlooking the strait moments before artillery fire
Saying their goodbyes, Bishop makes his way through the fort, engaging several Ottoman forces. After making it to the top of the fort and surviving against several waves of infantry and Flame Troopers, Bishop single-handedly captures the fort. He then makes his way up some stairs, only to be shot in the back by an enemy soldier. Mortally wounded and struggling to breathe, Bishop lies up against a wall overlooking the Dardanelles. Looking out into the distance, Bishop sees Foster's flare being fired from the River Clyde, confirming his safety. Bleeding out on the fort wall, he smiles, and praises Foster by saying "Good kid". Bishop soon dies, either by the ensuing friendly-fire from the British Dreadnoughts, or by succumbing to his wounds.
Gallery
Trivia
- Bishop is the oldest playable protagonist featured in the Battlefield series.
- He is the fourth playable character in the series (other than Thomas Wyatt, Jonathan Miller, and Dimitri Mayakovsky) scripted to die in a Battlefield game.
- It’s likely that Bishop had fought in the Second Boer War, considering his popularity and recognition
- Peter O'Brien voices one character in the Operation cutscenes of Gallipoli. It is heavily implied that this character is Frederick Bishop.
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