Frederick Selkirk

Frederick Selkirk

Western Mail 27 Aug 1915 page 1s
Personal Information
Date of Birth	not known 1893
Place of Birth	Minyip, Victoria
Death	6 Jan 1959
Place of Death	Manjimup, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	21 years, 10 months
Description	5'9½" (1.77m) tall ; 163 lbs 73.935 kg ; fair complexion ; hazel eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Confectioner
Religion	Methodist
Address	26 Trevarton street, West Perth, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs Mary Selkirk
Military Information
Reg Number	1970
Date of Enlistment	11 Mar 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	12th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement transferred to 52nd Battalion 19 Apr 1916 /13th Brigade, 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	26 Apr 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A20 Hororata
Date of Return	28 Feb 1919 ‒ 7 Apr 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A68 Anchises
Fate	Wounded in Action 10 Jul 1915 Gallipoli Wounded in Action 3 Jul 1916 Petillon Sector Wounded in Action 8 Aug 1916 Mouquet farm
Monument	Jarrahdale Honour Roll ANZAC Memorial Park (Byford)
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

After a month's basic training Fred was allocated to the 6th reinforcement draft for the 12th Battalion.

On 16 Jun 1915 he was taken on strength by the 12th Battalion on the Gallipoli Peninsular. Wounded in action with a flesh wound to his left thigh and damage to his eyes, he was evacuated to Mudros, and on 20 Jul 1915 he was admitted to Crotonera Hospital on Malta with a flesh wound to his thigh, having arrived on HMHS Gloucester Castle. On Malta he transferred to the Ricasoli Hospital on 10 Aug 1915, before, being well again he embarked the same day on HMT Karoa for Alexandria.

On 24 Aug 1915 he rejoined the 12th Battalion on Gallipoli, remaining with them during the rest of the campaign and their relocation to Egypt aboard HMT Lake Michigan. They arrived in Alexandria from Mudross on 6 Jan 1916.

Soon after, on 24 Jan 1916 Fred was admitted to a hospital in Serapeum before transferring on 28 Jan 1916 to the 2nd Australian General Hospital in Ghezireh with loss of sight. Later it was recorded that he was blind in his left eye. Transferred on 9 Feb 1916 to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital on 11 Feb 1916, and declared unfit for further service due to dental issues. However, on 19 Apr 1916 he was transferred to the 52nd Battalion at Serapeum as the 12th Battalion had already left for France, and he had not been sent back to Australia.

On 6 Jun 1916 the HMT Ivernia with the 52nd Battalion aboard sailed from Alexandria for Marseilles, arriving at 1:oopm on 11 Jun 1916, where they then spent three days on a train travelling to the Western Front in northern France.

Fred was wounded in action for a second time on 3 Jul 1916, receiving a gunshot wound to his left shoulder. Treated by both the 1st Field Ambulance and the 13th Field Ambulance he returned to his unit soon after. Wounded a third time on 7 Aug 1916, this time with concussion caused by shell shock. Fred recovered quickly and had returned to the battalion on 16 Aug 1916.

On 6 Jan 1917, Fred attended the 39th Casualty Clearing Station, suffering with mumps, and was sent on to the 25 Stationary Hospital in Rouen the next day. He did not rejoin the 52nd Battalion until 17 Feb 1917.

On 16 May 1918 the 52nd Battalion was broken up, and its men sent to reinforce the 49th, 50th, and 51st Battalions. Fred was transferred to the 51st Battalion. Now a member of his third battalion since leaving Australia, Fred was hospitalised from 14 Jul - 6 Aug 1918 with bronchitis. Granted leave in England from 22 Sep till 3 Oct 1918.

A Temporary Corporal, Fred reverted to Private on leaving the 51st Battalion for return to Australia. Discharged by 5th Military District on 10 Jun 1919.

Post War

In 1921 Fred married Elsie Doris Bowtell in Fremantle. Son Noel Frederick Selkirk b. 1923, d. 2001

Electoral Roll entries - 1921 - 1925 Marrinup, timber worker; 1931 - 1937 Barton's Mill, Pickering Brook, timber worker; 1949 - 1958 Palgarup, mill worker.

Notes

Name taken from South West Advertiser List for Jarrahdale. A previous resident.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial