View source for Frank Leslie Sexton

{{infobox soldier
| image           =[[File:Sexton_Frank_Leslie.jpg|border|400px]]
| caption         =
| image2          =
| caption2        =
| dateofbirth	  = c1893
| placeofbirth	  = Guildford, Western Australia
| death	          = 2 Apr 1917
| placeofdeath	  = 13th Australian Field Ambulance, Noreuil, France
| enlistmentage	  = 22 years, 1 month
| description	  = 5'6¾" (1.70m) tall; weight 144lbs; fresh complexion, 
| height          = 5'6¾" (1.70m)
| weight          = 144lbs
| complexion      = fresh
| eyes            = grey
| hair            = brown
| descriptionnote = 
| occupation	  = Shipping Clerk
| religion	  = Church of England
| address	  = Gosnells, Western Australia
| relation	  = Wife
| nextofkin       = Mrs Helen Mary Sexton
| regnumber	  = [https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8077775 3754]
| enlistmentdate  = 3 Nov 1915
| rank	          = Private
| unit     	  = 28th Battalion, 9th Reinforcement, transferred to 51st Battalion
| embarkationdatefrom = 12 Feb 1916
| embarkationdateto = 11 Mar 1916
| shipembarked	  = HMAT A28 Miltiades
| embarkedshipnote =
| embarkationdatefrom2 = 
| embarkationdateto2 = 
| shipembarked2	  = 
| embarkedshipnote2 =
| dateofreturnfrom = 
| dateofreturnto  = 
| shipreturned    = 
| shipreturnednote =
| dateofreturnfrom2 = 
| dateofreturnto2  = 
| shipreturned2    = 
| shipreturnednote2 =
| fate1	          = WIA 2 Apr 1917 Noreuil, Fance
| fate2           = DOW 2 Apr 1917 Noreuil, France
| fate3           = 
| fate4           =
| monument1	  = Gosnells War Memorial
| monumentnote1   =
| monument2	  = Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll
| monumentnote2   =
| monument3	  = Gosnells Ward Honour Roll
| monumentnote3   =
| monument4	  = 
| monumentnote4   =
| monumentawm     =
| medal1	  = British War Medal
| medal2          = Victory Medal
| medal3          =
| medal4          =
}}


==Pre War==
Frank married Hellen Mary Caine in 1915 prior to sailing for Egypt.

Electoral Roll entry: 1916 Holyoak, clerk.

==War Service==
Frank entered Blackboy Hill camp on 3 Nov 1915, and on 5 Dec 1915 was made a Sergeant in the No 4 Depot Company. On 16 Dec 1915 he was allocated to the 9th reinforcement draft for the 298th Battalion, retaining his temporary rank.  He travelled with the draft to Egypt, where on arrival he was placed in the [[7th Training Battalion]] to prepare for the Western Front.

On 2 Apr 1916, with the expansion and reorganisation of the AIF, Frank was posted to the newly formed [[51st Battalion]], so he never served in the 28th Battalion proper. His records note his reversion to the ranks on 2 Apr 1916, having acted as a Sergeant with the reinforcement draft and the training battalion.  On 5 Jun 1916, along with the rest of the 51st Battalion he sailed from Alexandria aboard [[HMT Ivernia]] for Marseilles in southern France, where they arrived on 12 Jun 1916. 

On 8 Jan 1917 Frank was detached to the 13th Australian Infantry Brigade Headquarters until he was seen by the [[12th Field Ambulance]] on 16 Feb 1917, and diagnosed with mumps. He was sent to a rear rest station to recover and his detachment to HQs ceased.  On recovery he rejoined the 51st Battalion on 7 Mar 1917 at Buire where they were training and rebuilding.  

On 2 Apr 1917 the 51st Battalion, along with the 50th Battalion (Aust) on their right, and the 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders on their left carried out an attack on the village of Noreuil.  The 51st Battalion had easier ground to traverse and got ahead of the flanking units early in the attack. Becoming exposed to flanking enfilade fire they took 30+ casualties from an enemy machine gun. Given that Frank was able to reach the Casualty Clearing Station that day, he was probably wounded early in the day, and perhaps was amongst those early casualties.  The attack was successful, with both the villages of Longatte and Noreuil captured. Frank injury was a bullet wound to the back of his skull, dying later that day from the wound.

<div><ul> 
<li style="display: inline-block;">[[File:Bapaume Australian Cemetery.jpg|thumb|none|400px|Bapaume Australian Cemetery]] </li>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Sexton_Frank_Leslie_grave_site.jpg|thumb|none|200px|CWGC]] </li>
</ul></div>


==Notes==
<references />

==External Links==

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sexton , Frank Leslie}}

[[Category:Soldier]]
[[Category:Born Australia]]
[[Category:Born WA]]
[[Category:1917 WIA]]
[[Category:1917 DOW]]
[[Category:1917 Deaths]]
[[Category:Gosnells]]