The AIF Project

Frederick GALL

Regimental number5405
Place of birthBrisbane, Queensland
SchoolBurpengary State School, Queensland
ReligionPresbyterian
OccupationLabourer
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation22
Height5' 9.5"
Weight140 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs C. Gall, Burpengary, Queensland
Previous military serviceNil (previously rejected on account of abscess of left jaw)
Enlistment date1 December 1915
Place of enlistmentBrisbane, Queensland
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name15th Battalion, 17th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/32/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT SS Hawkes Bay on 20 April 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll15th Battalion
FateDied of wounds 4 July 1918
Age at death from cemetery records25
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsAustralian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France

Villers-Bretonneux is a village about 15 km east of Amiens. The Memorial stands on the high ground ('Hill 104') behind the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Fouilloy, which is about 2 km north of Villers-Bretonneux on the east side of the road to Fouilloy.

The Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux is approached through the Military Cemetery, at the end of which is an open grass lawn which leads into a three-sided court. The two pavilions on the left and right are linked by the north and south walls to the back (east) wall, from which rises the focal point of the Memorial, a 105 foot tall tower, of fine ashlar. A staircase leads to an observation platform, 64 feet above the ground, from which further staircases lead to an observation room. This room contains a circular stone tablet with bronze pointers indicating the Somme villages whose names have become synonymous with battles of the Great War; other battle fields in France and Belgium in which Australians fought; and far beyond, Gallipoli and Canberra.

On the three walls, which are faced with Portland stone, are the names of 10,885 Australians who were killed in France and who have no known grave. The 'blocking course' above them bears the names of the Australian Battle Honours.

After the war an appeal in Australia raised £22,700, of which £12,500 came from Victorian school children, with the request that the majority of the funds be used to build a new school in Villers-Bretonneux. The boys' school opened in May 1927, and contains an inscription stating that the school was the gift of Victorian schoolchildren, twelve hundred of whose fathers are buried in the Villers-Bretonneux cemetery, with the names of many more recorded on the Memorial. Villers-Bretonneux is now twinned with Robinvale, Victoria, which has in its main square a memorial to the links between the two towns.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
75
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: James and Caroline GALL, Dulton Street, Hawthorne, Brisbane, Queensland
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked Sydney, 10 April 1916; disembarked Egypt, 24 May 1916.

Taken on strength of 15th Bn, 27 May 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 1 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 8 June 1916.

Admitted to No 1 Field Ambulance, 16 June 1916 (bronchitis); transferred to 1st Australian Divisional Rest Station, 31 June 1916; rejoined unit, 2 July 1916.

Admitted to No 13 Australian Field Ambulance, 25 January 1917 (cough and debility); transferred to Australian Corps Rest Station, 25 January 1917; rejoined unit, 11 February 1917.

Found guilty, 16 February 1917, of whilst on active service, being absent without leave from 0730 hours, 14 February 1917, until 1830 hours, 15 February 1917: awarded 14 days' Field Punishment No 2, and forfeits days' pay by Royal Warrant.

Admitted to No 15 Australian Field Ambulance, 23 February 1917, and transferred to No 3 Australian Field Ambulance, the same day (pyrexia of unknown origin); to Australian Casualty Clearing Station, 3 March 1917; to No 7 Canadian General Hospital, Etaples, 5 March 1917; to England, 12 March 1917 (pleurisy); to Military Hospital, Southwark, 13 March 1917; discharged to furlough, 14 April 1917, and to report to No 1 Command Depot, 30 April 1917.

Marched into No 1 Command Depot, 11 May 1917.

Found guilty, 11 May 1917, of being absent without leave from 1530 hours, 30 April 1917, until 1600 hours, 10 May 1917: awarded 11 days' Field Punishment No 2, and total forfeiture of 22 days' pay.

Reclassified 'B1A4', 15 May 1917.

Marched into Overseas Training Depot, Perham Downs, 17 July 1917.

Found guilty, 6 September 1917, of being absent without leave from 2200 hours, 28 July 1917, until surrendering himself to Military Police at Birmingham, 1000 hours, 3 September 1917: awarded 28 days' Field Punishment No 2, and total forfeiture of 68 days' pay.

Proceeded overseas to France, 25 September 1917; marched into 4th Australian Divisional Base Depot, Le Havre, 26 September 1917.

Proceeded to unit, 5 October 1917; rejoined 15th Bn, 6 October 1917.

Admitted to No 3 Australian Field Ambulance, 15 October 1917 (pyrexia of unknown origin); transferred to No 17 Casualty Clearing Station, 17 October 1917; to No 16 General Hospital, 18 October 1917; to No 3 Convalescent Depot, Le Treport, 3 November 1917; marched into 4th Australian Divisional Base Depot, Le Havre, 23 November 1917.

Proceeded to unit, 27 November 1917; rejoined unit, 30 November 1917.

Found guilty, 8 December 1917, of whilst on active service, being absent without leave from 1330 hours, 29 November 1917, until 1600 hours, 30 November 1917: awarded 7 days' Field Punishment No 2, and total forfeiture of 9 days' pay.

Admitted to No 12 Australian Field Ambulance, 1 May 1918 (septic toe); transferred to No 4 Australian Field Ambulance, 1 May 1918; to No 3 Stationary Hospital, 4 May 1918; to No 2 Convalescent Depot, Rouen, 5 May 1918; to No 1 Australian Convalescent Depot, Le Havre, 5 May 1918 (Inflammation of connective tissues, foot); marched into Australian Intermediate Base Depot, Le Havre, 15 June 1918.

Proceeded to unit, 19 June 1918; rejoined unit, 24 June 1918.

Wounded in action, 4 July 1918; died of wounds, Collecting Post, No 13 Australian Field Ambulance, 4 July 1918.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, GALL Frederick

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