Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Private Frank Leslie Hebbard
NX25232
 

Frank was born in Sale Victoria, on 13 September 1920, and later his family moved to Five Dock in NSW. Frank was educated at Drummoyne Public School, but at the age of sixteen left school to work at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, studying Biochemistry. His tutor was Edgar Thompson -- later Major Edgar Thompson with the 2/5 AGH.

In 1938, at the age of eighteen, Frank joined the 9th Field Ambulance Militia Unit, and was trained in Field Hospital procedures. In 1940 and the advent of World War 2, Frank at the age of twenty enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces, and was attached to the 2/5 Australian General Hospital, and with Lieutenant Harry Prince was given the task of collecting and collating blood samples for the use of those troops who may be in need. Frank was also given the role of the unit's unofficial photographer.

The 2/5 AGH Unit sailed out of Sydney Harbour on 19 October 1940 for overseas duty. This resulted in the setting up of a 1200 bed working hospital at Ekali in Greece, but on 27 April 1941 the unit was overrun by advancing German troops. Frank was one of those who remained with the hospital to treat the wounded who could not be evacuated, thus becoming a Prisoner of War (POW). The hospital was moved to Kokkinia and finally closed down in December 1941.

Frank spent Christmas at Salonika and was then moved to Prisoner Of War camps at Lamsdorf and Stalag E3 - B 21 sub camp at Blechhammer. In mid 1944 he was transferred to Cosel, and in January was part of the 'Long March' forced on them by the Germans to escape the advancing Russian Army. Finally in April 1945 Frank and the other prisoners were liberated by the advancing 45 Division American Army led by General George Patton.

Hidden negatives

Throughout Frank's wartime experience he managed to take 100s of photos, the negatives of which he secured by building a false bottom inside his 'army-issue' water bottle. Frank carried this bottle, filled with hidden negatives, while he was a POW in Greece, Poland and Germany. He developed the photos himself in London when he was repatriated, however many of them were only finally printed, for the first time, in August 2011. Some of Frank's photos are part of the travelling 'Battle of Greece and Crete Photographic Exhibition', as collated by Colonel Graham Fleeton & Mr Matthew Walsh. Many of his photos can also be found on the 2/5th AGH website and others Frank distributed to members of his unit as mementoes.

After his repatriation Frank returned to Sydney on the RMS Mauretania in August 1945. Frank was discharged on 13 September 1945, after serving five years and two months with the Unit.

Post-War Career

Upon his return home, Frank rejoined Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA) and in 1946 studied a technology course at the University of Sydney, later lecturing there in the Biochemistry section of the Pathology course. Frank became the Chief Medical Technologist at RPA in Biochemistry, which led to him taking charge of the brand new central sterilising supply department. He helped develop a total new approach in hospital sterilising procedures and set up standards for sterilising hospital equipment, including designing the bed pan steriliser as now used throughout Australia. In the 1970s, Frank was responsible for inspecting sterilisation practices across all public and private hospitals in the state, as a consultant for the Health Commission of NSW.

In 2011 Frank represented Australian veterans at events held by the Australian Greek Consulate to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Battles of Greece and Crete.

Frank passed away at the age of 93, in March 2014. Each ANZAC Day his descendants march in Sydney with the 2/5 Australian General Hospital (AGH) Association and every year in May his relatives lay a wreath as part of the Sydney commemoration of the Battle of Greece and Crete at the Martin Place Cenotaph.

This biography is a compilation created by Frank's son Chris Hebbard, granddaughter Trish Swinkels and utilising notes from the 2/5th AGH organisation website.