Frank Arthur Hodges

Frank Arthur Hodges

Personal Information
Date of Birth	27 Sep 1909 [27 Sept 1910]
Place of Birth	Cannington, Western Australia
Death	1 Aug 1964
Place of Death	Heidleberg Repatriation Hospital, Victoria
Age at Enlistment	31 years, 11 months
Occupation	Truck driver
Religion	Church of England
Address	Thomas street, Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	wife , Mrs Rita Margaret Hodges
Military Information
Reg Number	WX16996 & W15351
Date of Enlistment	13 Oct 1941
Rank	Lance Corporal
Unit/Formation	2/10th Australian Armoured Regiment
Post War Details
Fate	Discharged on medical grounds Did not leave Australia
Medals	none awarded

Pre War

Frank was born on 27 September 1910 according to his birth certificate and burial record, differing to the D.O.B. listed on military records being 29 September 1909. At the age of 20, on 15 Feb 1931, Frank married Rita Margaret Bolle in Perth. Children were Frank Arthur Hodges (1931-1945), Moira Ellen Hodges (1938-2004), Marie Pamela Hodges (1939-1989) & 2 other daughters. In December 1931 - 1936 the family were living in Mills road Gosnells with Frank working as a mechanic. In 1938 - 1941 they were living in Thomas street, Armadale and in 1939 Frank was employed as a bus driver.

War Service

Prior to enlisting in the 2nd AIF (13 Oct 1941), Frank had joined the CMF on 14 Jul 1941 as a driver with the 122nd Reserve Motor Transport Company. He was for a time posted to an Armoured Division training unit at Northam camp. The day after Frank enlisted in the 2nd AIF he was allocated to the 2/10th Australian Armoured Regiment, and from 15 - 21 Nov 1941 he was embarked on HMT Katoomba on which sailed from Fremantle to Adelaide, enroute to the Puckapunyal training area. From 24 Nov until 9 Dec 1941 he attended an anti-gas school, and on 19 Dec 1941 he was promoted Acting Corporal. From 11 Jan until 21 Feb 1942 he attended another course. Frank was sent to New South Wales on 14 Jul 1942, where on 9 Aug 1942 he was admitted to the 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station with Haematuria. On 11 Aug 1942 he was transferred to the 102nd Australian General Hospital in Tamworth, and on 9 Sep 1942 to the 113th Australian General Hospital at Concorde in Sydney. At some point he was released to the Lady Gowie Red Cross Convalescent Home in Gordon, New South Wales from which he was discharged on 15 Dec 1942.

On 31 Dec 1942 Frank was transferred from NSW to WA and appears to have entered the 110th Australian Base Hospital (Perth) before being released to a Convalescent home on 1 Jul 1943. He was to return to the hospital from the convalescent home several more times (13 - 17 Aug 1943) and 19 Aug - 6 Oct 1943) before being Medical Boarded on 15 Oct 1943 and reclassified "D" with his discharge occurring on 20 Nov 1943.

Post War

Does not appear to return to his family and in 1943 is a taxi driver living in Northam. By 1945 he was classified as a Military Pensioner, and while he was still in WA in 1949, by 1954 he was on the electoral roll for St Kilda in Victoria, having been divorced from Rita on 14 May 1947 (Rita died 1948), and remarried to Kathleen Olive Bawdon on 28 Jun 1947. In 1963 they were living in East Oakleigh, Victoria, and in 1964 in Huntindale, Victoria.