Francis Thomas Briggs

Francis Thomas Briggs

Personal Information
Date of Birth	28 Jun 1924
Place of Birth	Byford, Western Australia
Death	8 Sep 2011, aged 87
Place of Death	Mandurah, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	17 years, 10 months
Description	5'7½" (1.72m) tall ; 144lbs 65.317 kg ; medium complexion ; blue eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Truck driver
Religion	Church of England
Address	Byford, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr. Robert Hanham Briggs
Military Information
Reg Number	W69551 & 83706
Date of Enlistment	26 Apr 1942 & 4 Sep 1943
Rank	Private & Leading Aircraftsman
Unit/Formation	3rd (Swan) VDC Battalion & No. 481 Squadron RAAF
Post War Details
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument(s)	Byford WW2 Honour Roll
Medals	1939-45 Star Pacific Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

Pre War

Francis Thomas Briggs was born on 28 Jun 1925 according to the Briggs family tree - a date that does not match his date of birth given at enlistment, which was 28 Jun 1924. He was schooled until the 8th Standard, attending the Byford school from 1931 until 1939. Frank was the son of Robert Hanham Briggs (sometimes known as Anham Briggs) and Vera Victoria Elizabeth Briggs (nee White). Frank had seven siblings. The Briggs family were farmers at Byford and had previously farmed at Jandakot.

War Service

On 26 Apr 1942 Francis enlisted in the 3rd (Swan) VDC Battalion, but on 17 Dec 1942 he was struck off strength for non attendance at parades.

Frank enlisted with the RAAF at the No. 5 Embarkation Depot RAAF's Reception Section on 4 Sep 1943, mustered as a Guard receiving 6/6d (65 cents) per day. On 4 Sep 1943 he was posted to the No. 4 Recruit Depot RAAF at Busselton to undertake preliminary training. On 3 Nov 1943 he transferred to No. 1 Recruit Depot RAAF at Shepparton in Victoria to undertake the No 46 Guards Instructional Course from 9 Nov until 3 Dec 1943. Training completed, he was posted to the staff of No. 4 Embarkation Depot RAAF in Adelaide. However, on 9 Jan 1944 he was admitted to the No. 7 RAAF Hospital in Adelaide. He was released on 25 Jan 1944 to the No. 5 Convalescent Depot RAAF in Mount Barker before returning to duty at No. 4 Embarkation Depot RAAF at Springbank in Adelaide on 11 Feb 1944. Francis was appointed Leading Aircraftman on 24 Mar 1944.

On 18 Jul 1944 Francis was posted to No. 2 Personnel Depot RAAF at Bradfield Park on Sydney harbour. His next posting, on 8 Aug 1944 was to the No. 1 Reserve Personnel Pool RAAF in Townsville until he was posted to No. 26 Repair & Salvage Unit RAAF on Goodenough Island, north of New Guinea on 28 Aug 1944. With the unit he moved, first to Noemfoor on 26 Sep 1944 and then to Morotai on 8 Apr 1945. On Morotai he was posted on 13 Apr 1945 to 2AOS, moving with that unit to Labuan Island, North Borneo. There he remustered as a Driver Motor Transport on 18 May 1945, reverting to Aircraftman with the remustering. However, on 1 Jul 1945 he was again appointed Leading Aircraftman, and on 17 Jul 1945 he was transferred to Balikpapan to join the No. 22 Repair & Salvage Unit RAAF. On 6 Oct 1945 Francis returned to Labuan where he was posted to No. 81 Wing RAAF. As units ran down post hostilities he was posted on 22 Dec 1945 to No. 481 Squadron RAAF for a short time before returning to Perth to join No. 5 Personnel Depot RAAF on 16 Jan 1946 which admitted him to the Army's 110th Australian Base Hospital from 20 April until 6 May 1946 for treatment.

In preparation for discharge he was transferred to the Personnel Depot's Discharge Section on 9 Apr 1946 and was discharged from the RAAF on 24 May 1946 with 53 days pay in lieu of leave entitlements..

Post War

On 19 Apr 1951 Frank married Kathleen Teresa Reid in the local area. On 3 Dec 1977 he remarried this time to Dawn Ruth Johns.

Electoral Roll entries: 1949 at Sussex Farm, Byford, farmhand; 1954 - 1963 at Thomas street, Armadale, brickyard hand; 1968 at Jull street, Armadale, brickyard hand; 1977 - 1980 at Lot 766 Yeedong road, Falcon