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Frank Moore

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Frank Moore
Moore Frank.jpg
photo courtesy Lyn Hunt
Personal Information
Date of Birth c1894
Place of Birth Gwalia, South Australia
Death 1961
Place of Death Perth, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment 21 years, 6 months
Description 5'4¼" (1.63m) tall ; 130 lbs
58.967 kg
; fresh complexion ; brown eyes ; brown hair
Occupation Farm hand
Religion Church of England
Address NOK Lake View street, Victoria Park, Western Australia
Next of Kin Mother , Mrs Caroline Amy Moore
Military Information
Reg Number 4550
Date of Enlistment 1 Nov 1915
Rank Private
Unit/Formation 11th Battalion, 14th Reinforcement posted to A Company / 3rd Brigade, 1st Division
Date of Embarkation 12 Feb 1916 ‒ 10 Mar 1916
Ship Embarked On HMAT A28 Miltiades Fremantle to Egypt
Date of Embarkation 29 Mar 1916 ‒ 4 Apr 1916
Ship Embarked On HMT Transylvania Alexandria to Marseilles
Date of Return 10 Mar 1918
Ship Returned On HMT Durham Castle England to Fremantle
Fate Wounded in Action 30 May 1916 Sailly-sur-Lys
Wounded in Action 3 Nov 1917 Zonnebeke
Returned to Australia
Monument Kelmscott-Armadale Parish Roll of Honour
Medals British War Medal
Victory Medal



Pre War

War Service

Frank entered Blackboy Hill camp on 1 Nov 1915, and on 16 Dec 1915 he was allocated to the 14th reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion. Following a little more than three months training they travelled to Suez in Egypt, where less than three weeks after arrival, on 29 Mar 1916, he embarked in Alexandria on HMT Transylvania for Marseilles, arriving there on 4 Apr 1916.


After a period with the 1st Division's Base Depot in Étaples, on 25 May 1916 he was taken on strength by the 11th Battalion and allocated to 'A' Company. On 30 May 1916, just five days after joining the 11th Battalion, Frank was wounded in action.
May 30. Firing Line. Enemy commenced a fierce bombardment of our lines at 8:10pm with H.E., Shrapnel, Aerial torpedoes, and Bombs - which lasted until 9:30pm. Result 36 ORs killed, 2 Officers and 59 ORs wounded, and 6 missing.
[1] As Frank rejoined his battalion on 6 Jul 1916 following hospital treatment in France, his injuries were relatively minor. Before rejoining the battalion, however, he also had a brief period (4 - 6 Jul 1916) in the care of 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station who treated him for pneumonia.


Frank reported sick to the 2nd Field Ambulance on 10 Nov 1916 suffering with a sight case of Trench Feet. He was passed on the next day to the 36th Casualty Clearing Station, and then the 2nd Canadian General Hospital at Le Tréport on 13 Nov 1917. On 20 Nov 1916 Frank was embarked at Le Havre on HMHS Asturias for England. On arrival he was admitted 21 Nov 1916 to the 3rd Australian General Hospital, before moving on 30 Nov 1916 to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital which released him on furlough from 18 Dec 1916 until 2 Jan 1917. On his return from leave he reported to Perham Downs before moving on to the 4th Command Depot at Wareham on 19 Jan 1917. He was then transferred to No. 2 Command Depot Weymouth on 14 Mar 1917, and then the 70th Battalion on 28 Apr 1917.


Frank proceeded overseas to France again via Southampton on 9 Oct 1917, and rejoined his battalion on 26 Oct 1917. Wounded in action a second time on 3 Nov 1917, receiving a wound to the head, with another entry mentioning shell wounds to knee and back. The Battalion War Diary relates that they were at Zonnebeke in support of the 9th and 12th Battalions who had just taken over front line positions from the 11th Battalion. During an enemy attack German artillery heavily shelled the railway embankment where the 11th Battalion was. Casualties included 1 Killed, and 14 wounded including Frank. Seen first by the 3rd Field Ambulance, then the 17th Casualty Clearing Station, he was placed aboard Ambulance Train No. 36 for the 14th General Hospital at Wimereux. Evacuated to England aboard HMHS St Andrew on 7 Nov 1917, he was admitted to Ontario Military Hospital at Orpington in Kent. Released on 16 Nov 1917 to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, he was transferred on 10 Jan 1918 to Weymouth to prepare for his return to Australia. Frank was invalided to Australia on HMT Durham Castle, leaving England on 10 Mar 1918. He was discharged by the 5th Military District on 5 Sep 1918.

Post War

Frank married in 1920 in Perth.

Notes

The most likely match for FC Moore who is listed on the Kelmscott-Armadale Parish paper Honour Roll held in History House Museum, Armadale. The family believes that Frank had no second given name, being known only as Frank Moore, and the original paper record is likely to be in error.

  1. AWM4 23/28/14 - May 1916 | The Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1341881?image=6 accessed 23 Nov 2017

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