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Frederick Thornton Lindley

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Frederick Thornton Lindley
Lindley Frederick Thornton.jpg
Western Mail 29 Sep 1917 p.27
Lindley gravestone.jpg
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
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)
WA State War Memorial
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.


  • Fred Lindley - centre rear exercising behind the lines
  • White House Cemetery, St Jean-Les-Ypres courtesy Pascal Dorny
  • 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.


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