GUSTER, Frank George
| Service Number: | 2769 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Hyde Park, South Australia , 12 December 1898 |
| Home Town: | Walkerville, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Tubercle of Lung, Military Hospital, Tidworth, Wiltshire, England , 16 April 1917, aged 18 years |
| Cemetery: |
Tidworth Military Cemetery, England |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Gilberton Soldiers Memorial Swimming Reserve, Walkerville St Andrew's Anglican Church WW1 Memorial Plaque, Walkerville St. Andrew's Anglican Church Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Oct 1916: | Involvement Private, 2769, 50th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Melbourne embarkation_ship_number: A16 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Oct 1916: | Embarked Private, 2769, 50th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Port Melbourne, Adelaide |
Help us honour Frank George Guster's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Nicholas Egan
Margaret Phillips
Club Historian Gilberton Amateur Swimming Club Inc.
Frank’s parents Walter and Mary Guster of Hyde Park had predeceased him so he was living with his grandmother and Aunt Elsie May Muggleton at Walkervillel. Frank had served 4 years in Senior Cadets of 80 th Battalion before enlisting at Mitcham. He travelled to England aboard the HMAT Port Melbourne A16, disembarking at Davenport on 28 December 1916.
On 2 January 1917 he was admitted to the camp hospital with bronchitis before being transferred to Edmonton Military Hospital suffering with Phthisis on 20 March 1917. His condition deteriorated and he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and discharged permanently as unfit for duty. He died on 16 April 1917 and buried at the Military Cemetery Tidworth England pm 20 April 1917 Row 326 Plot ‘C’ .
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Frank George Guster was born at Hyde Park, South Australia on 12th December, 1898 to parents Walter Isaac & Mary Ann Guster (nee Muggleton).
Walter Isaac Guster, father of Frank George Guster, died at Parkside, South Australia on 9th August, 1908.
Mary Ann Guster, mother of Frank George Guster, died at Walkerville, South Australia on 1st June, 1910.
On 1st September, 1916 Frank George Guster enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) as an 18 year old, single, Labourer from Walkerville, South Australia.
Private Frank George Guster, Service number 2769, embarked from Adelaide, South Australia on HMAT Port Melbourne (A16) on 23rd October, 1916 with the 50th Infantry Battalion, 6th Reinforcements. He was admitted to Ship’s Hospital while at Sea on 3rd December, 1916 & was discharged on 7th December, 1916. Private Guster disembarked at Devonport, England on 28th December, 1916. (Note: As per Embarkation Roll, however a Statement of Service form recorded he had embarked from Fremantle (Western Australia) on 23rd October, 1916. Another Statement of Service form had “Fremantle” crossed out & replaced with “Adelaide.”)
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
He was admitted sick to Camp Hospital on 2nd January, 1917 from 13th Training Battalion at Codford, Wiltshire, England. He was transferred from Camp Hospital on 28th January, 1917 to Military Hospital at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire & was discharged to Depot on 2nd March, 1917.
On 3rd March, 1917 Private Guster was marched in to No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs, Wiltshire & classified as Unfit. He reported sick to Brigade Hospital on 5th March, 1917 with Bronchitis. The Hospital Admissions form recorded that Private Guster was admitted to Brigade Camp Hospital, A.I.F. at Perham Down, Wiltshire on 4th March, 1917 with Bronchitis. The form recorded he was transferred to General Hospital at Tidworth. The Military Hospital, Tidworth recorded that Private Guster was admitted on 9th March, 1917 with Bronchitis. He was listed from 21st March, 1917 as suffering from Tubercle of Lung.
A Medical Report was completed on Private Frank George Guster on 17th March, 1917 at Military Hospital, Tidworth. His disability was listed as Tubercle of Lung which had originated in January, 1917 in England. “Had only occasional “colds” previous to January, 1916 when he had attacks of Bronchitis. Admitted hospital 12th Jan 1917 sent to convalescent camp beginning of March. Admitted Military Hospital Tidworth 9.3.17. Sputum found positive to T.B. and he began to have haemoptysis.” Private Guster’s condition was due to exposure while on active service. His present condition was recorded as “Confined to bed. Very weak, pale and emaciated. Haemoptysis is still slightly present. He has marked involvement of apices of both lungs and the left lung is fairly extensively involved. T.B. present in sputum. Temp swings between 100/102 – 103 evening. Pulse 116 Resps 32.” The Officer in charge of the Medical Case recommended that Private Guster be discharged as permanently unfit. The Medical Board agreed on 20th March, 1917.
Private Frank George Guster died at 3.45 pm on 16th April, 1917 at Military Hospital, Tidworth, Wiltshire, England from Tubercle of Lung.
He was buried in Tidworth Military Cemetery, Wiltshire, England where 172 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/g---ha.html
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