Frederick Hobbs
From Our Contribution
Personal Information | |
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Date of Birth | 24 Apr 1894 |
Place of Birth | Bideford, Devonshire, England |
Death | 1963 |
Place of Death | York, Western Australia |
Age at Enlistment | 20 years, 11 months |
Description | 4½" (1.64m) tall; weight 135 lbs (61.2 kg); dark complexion, blue eyes, dark hair |
Occupation | farm hand |
Religion | Presbyterian |
Address | 'Mill Lane Farm', Beenup, Western Australia |
Next of Kin | Father Mr Thomas Heard Hobbs |
Military Information | |
Reg Number | R452 |
Date of Enlistment | 8 Mar 1915 |
Rank | Lance Corporal |
Unit/Formation | 28th Battalion, C Company, 2nd tour was with 16th Reinforcements / 7th Brigade, 2nd Division |
Date of Embarkation | 9 Jun 1915 - 30 Jun 1915 |
Ship Embarked On | HMAT A11 Ascanius |
Date of Return | 3 Jan 1916 - 5 Feb 1916 |
Ship Returned On | HMAT A38 Ulysses |
Date of Embarkation | 10 Oct 1916 - 3 Dec 1916 |
Ship Embarked On | HMAT A23 Suffolk |
Date of Return | 22 Dec 1918 - 5 Feb 1919 |
Ship Returned On | HMAT A41 Bakara |
Fate |
Returned to Australia (medical) Wounded in Action 3 May 1917 at 2nd Bullecourt Wounded in Action 11 Aug 1918 at Lihons Returned to Australia |
Monument |
Armadale War Memorial (Beenup panel) Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour |
Medals |
1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal |
Pre War
War Service
Following six weeks general training, Fred was allocated to C Company of the 28th Battalion that was being raised in Western Australia.
He travelled with them to Egypt and on to the Gallipoli Peninsula from Alexandria on 4 Sep 1915 aboard the HMT Ivernia. On 22 Oct 1915 he was hospitalised with influenza, and by the time he was evacuated through the 7th Field Ambulance and the 16th Casualty Clearing Station to Alexandria, he had also contracted severe dysentery.
Treated at 21st General Hospital in Alexandria for enteric fever, he was sent home to Australia 3 Jan 1916 on the HMAT A38 Ulysses from Suez for three months to recover and regain strength.
Boarding the HMAT A23 Suffolk on 10 Oct 1916, he returned on it to England. Following some training he rejoined his unit in France on 14 Mar 1917 near Bapaume via the HMT Princesse Clementine from Folkestone, and slotted back into C Company.
On 3 May 1917 at what is known as Second Bullecourt he received wounds to his hand and leg. Following initial treatment from 5th Australian Field Ambulance and the 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station on 4 & 5 May 1917, he was admitted to the 11th Stationary Hospital in Rouen until he embarked on 16 May 1917 aboard HMHS St David and was admitted to the Lewisham Military Hospital in England on 17 May 1917.
Following treatment at Lewisham, he was released on 20 Aug 1917 to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital before leaving there on 29 Sep 1917 to rejoin his unit via Southampton which occurred on 28 Oct 1917 in the front line at Broodseinde.
On 12 Apr 1918, Fred was charged with, contrary to orders, 'going out to shoot game'. For this sin he was awarded seven days Field Punishment.
In his battalion's attack on Lihons Hill on 11 Aug 1918, Fred was again wounded in action, this time with severe wounds to his left thigh and chest. Treated in turn by the 5th Australian Field Ambulance and the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station on 11 Aug 1918, before being admitted to the 6th General Hospital at Rouen. On 16 Aug 1918 he was stable enough to be invalided to the UK aboard HMHS Essequibo for further treatment at the 5th Southern General Hospital in Portsmouth. Released to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital on 30 Sep 1918, he was granted furlough from 4 - 18 Oct 1918, and in December he was shipped back to Australia.
Discharged at 5th Military District 1 Apr 1919
"...was seven weeks in Gallipoli, when he fell ill of enteric; was invalided to Australia, and returned to the front in October, 1916."[1]
Post War
1935 married Mabel Doreen Potts in Beverley.
Electoral Roll entries - 1925 - 1928 a farm hand at Dale, via Beverley; 1936 - 1962 a farmer at Morbinning, Beverley. On 27 Nov 1951 his farm was affected by a fire requiring assistance from neighbours and friends.
After Frederick's death Mabel moves to son Desmond Bruce's property "Crathorne" at Kojonup where she remains until her death 1980s
One of 3 brothers all of whom served in the 28th Battalion. Brother Sergeant Richard Charles Hobbs (Beverley farm hand) married in England and did not return to Australia.
Hobbs drive in Armadale is named after the three brothers.
References
- ↑ "The Drill of the Foot-Hills" (PDF) (1917). Western Australia. Mar 1917. p. 14. Retrieved 16 May 2017 – via State Library of Western Australia.