Frederick Thornton Lindley

Frederick Thornton Lindley

Western Mail 29 Sep 1917 p.27
Linton Reynolds photo
Personal Information
Date of Birth	28 Jul 1886
Place of Birth	Sydney, New South Wales
Death	20 Sep 1917
Place of Death	Battle of Menin Road
Age at Enlistment	29 years old
Description	5'5" (1.65m) tall ; 122 lbs 55.338 kg ; sallow complexion ; brown eyes ; black hair
Occupation	Storekeeper
Religion	Church of England
Address	Kelmscott, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Brother , Mr George Thomas Lindley
Military Information
Reg Number	3180
Date of Enlistment	6 Sep 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, 7th reinforcement / 7th Brigade, 2nd Division
Date of Embarkation	18 Jan 1916 ‒ 16 Feb 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A7 Medic
Fate	Wounded in Action 29 Jul 1916 at Poziéres Killed in Action 20 Sep 1917 at Menin Road
Monument	Kelmscott War Memorial (North panel) Australian War Memorial
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Rolls 1910 - 1913. Pickering Brook, storeman. Relatives in Westonia. In 1914 was said to have been the co-owner of the Pickering Brook Post Office and store with his brother George.

War Service

Fred entered Blackboy Hill camp on 6 Sep 1915, and was allocated to the 7th reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion on 1 Nov 1915. Following some training in Australia they boarded HMAT A7 Medic in Fremantle on 18 Jan 1916 for Alexandria in Egypt where they disembarked on 16 Feb 1916. On arrival, they undertook some further training in Egypt before Fred was put on board the SS Oriana just five weeks later (21 Mar 1916) for the voyage to Marseilles in southern France. It was some time before he joined the 28th Battalion more formally in France, with that occurring on 3 May 1916 at Bois Grenier.

The wound that he received on 29 Jul 1916 just north of Pozieres was a GSW to his left hip and right thigh. Initially treated by the 1st Field Ambulance, his treatment was taken over by the St John Ambulance Brigade in Étaples and he was shipped back to Britain on HMHS Newhaven from Calais on the 12 Aug 1916. (The 28th Battalion's losses for the month of July were 63 KIA, 151 WIA, 52 to Illness, and 257 Missing.)

On arrival in England, Fred received treatment in the 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester until 5 Oct 1916 when he was transferred to the No. 1 Command Depot iat Perham Downs. Granted furlough during his time at Perham Downs, he reported to the Infantry Draft Depot at Perham Downs on 6 Jan 1917. He proceeded overseas again through Folkestone on 5 Jul 1917, so he has been away from his unit for almost a full year.

Fred rejoined the 28th Battalion on 31 Jul 1917 at Cassells where they are retraining and regrouping. During the attack towards Zonnebeke in a battle later known as Menin Road, the 28th Battalion pushed their front line to the northern edge of Polygon Wood. During that action, Fred was one of 69 men from his unit who lost their lives. Many of those lost were killed by German snipers.

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  Fred Lindley - centre rear exercising behind the lines
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  White House Cemetery, ST Jean-Les-Ypres courtesy Pascal Dorny
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  Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Notes

Buried at ST. JEAN-LES-YPRES, WHITE HOUSE CEMETERY - Plot I, Row D, Grave 32. Son of George Henry and Lucy Lindley. Native of NSW. The Cemetery is located north-east of Ieper (Ypres) on the Brugseweg (N313) in the direction of Roeselare / Brugge.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial