CONNELLY, Frank
| Service Number: | 472 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 11 January 1916, Place of enlistment - Perth, Western Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 44th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Clunes, Victoria, Australia, 1875 |
| Home Town: | Midland Junction, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Brickmaker |
| Died: | Epilepsy, France, 30 September 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Templeux-le-Guerard Communal Cemetery Extension Row C, Grave 37, |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Clunes War Memorial, Midland Junction Municipality Roll of Honour (Large) |
World War 1 Service
| 11 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 472, 44th Infantry Battalion, Place of enlistment - Perth, Western Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Jun 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 472, 44th Infantry Battalion, Emabrked on HMAT 'A29' Suevic from Fremantle on 6th June 1916. | |
| 7 Jun 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 472, 44th Infantry Battalion, Battle of Messines | |
| 4 Oct 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 472, 44th Infantry Battalion, Broodseinde Ridge | |
| 30 Mar 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 472, 44th Infantry Battalion, German Spring Offensive 1918, Morlancourt | |
| 4 Jul 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 472, 44th Infantry Battalion, Le Hamel - Blueprint for Victory | |
| 8 Aug 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 472, 44th Infantry Battalion, "The Last Hundred Days" | |
| 30 Sep 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 472, 44th Infantry Battalion, Died of Epilepsy |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Robert Wight
Frank Connelly enlisted in the AIF in Perth on 11 January 1916, aged 41. He embarked overseas on 6 June and disembarked at Plymouth on 21 July 1916.
After four months training on Salisbury Plain, he left England and arrived in France on 25 November 1916. Although the battalion served in and out of the line during early 1917, the first major action they were involved in was Messines, in Belgium, on 7 June 1917.
This was followed by the attack at Broodseinde Ridge on 4 October 1917, after which a relatively quiet period ensued.
The Germans launched their Spring Offensive on 21 March 1918 and the 44th Battalion was among the many units rushed south to the Somme to assist the allied defence. The battalion saw action around Morlancourt on 28 – 30 March 1918.
On 4 July 1918, the battalion was involved in the successful assault on Le Hamel and then again from 8 August during the allies’ large offensive from Amiens.
On 30 September 1918, according to eye-witness statements, Pte Connelly had just completed a delivery of rations to the front line when he fell from his mule. No injuries were evident, and he was carried to his dugout.
When his colleagues came to collect him the next morning, they found him dead, apparently from epilepsy brought on by fatigue and his age (43).
Pte Frank Connelly was buried at Templeux-le-Guerard Communal Cemetery Extension (above) later the same day.
Source: Extract from "Clunes War Memorial WW1" by Robert Wight, June 2022.