16275
AYRES, Frederick Robert
| Service Number: | 737 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 February 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 27th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Meningie, SA, 12 March 1894 |
| Home Town: | Narrung, The Coorong, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Medindie, SA, 13 April 1972, aged 78 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia RSL Walls |
| Memorials: | South Australian Garden of Remembrance |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Feb 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 737, 27th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 May 1915: | Involvement Sergeant, 737, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' | |
| 31 May 1915: | Embarked Sergeant, 737, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Geelong, Adelaide |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Adelaide Botanic High School
Frederick Robert Ayers was born on the 12th of March 1894. He was a farmer working at Narrung, a small settlement west of Meningie. Ayers was 63 kilograms, and 5'6. He was unmarried at the time of his enlistment, and likely lived with his parents.
Upon enlistment, Ayers was 20 years and 11 months old. He was deemed fit to serve in all categories, and on the 22nd of February 1915, Frederick Robert Ayers joined the Australian Infantry Force.
Ayers was a member of the 27th Battalion and had unit number 737. They left Australia in June of 1915, trained in Egypt for two months, and, on the 12th of September, landed in Gallipoli as part of the 7th Brigade. They were there to reinforce the ANZAC forces, however, only stayed for three months and left in December. From there Ayres left on the ship Osmania and arrived in Mudros 12th December 1915 where he Ayers contracted jaundice and was transferred to hospital in Lemnos and then Alexandria for treatment. He was transferred to hospital in Heliopolis on 18th January and then to convalescent depot at Helouan on 24th January. He was finally discharged back to duty on 30th January 1916.
He contracted mumps on the 28th February 1916, and was admitted to hospital again. He recovered and rejoined his unit in March and then embarked on the H.T. "Scotian" from Alexandria to Marseilles, France, to join the British Expeditionary Forces. Ayers was in France for two months, until he was wounded in action in early August 1916 at Pozieres. He was shot in the left forearm, and on the 12th of August, he was transferred to England for treatment. He was admitted to the St James Palace Hospital, in Liverpool. In November he was transferred to No.2 Command Depot to convalesce. He was sent there to recover from his wounds and regain his fitness, much like many other soldiers of World War One.
Ayers, however, unfortunately did not recover his fitness, and was deemed medically unfit due to the gunshot wound in his arm, and multiple stab wounds in his legs and face. He was sent back to Australia arriving back 21st September 1917.
Frederick Robert Ayers was discharged from the Australian Infantry Forces 3rd January 1918
Ayers passed away of natural causes on the 13th of April, 1972.
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