TREWARN, Frederick
| Service Number: | 2295 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 June 1916, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 5th Machine Gun Battalion |
| Born: | Eaglehawk, Victoria, Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Eaglehawk, Greater Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Battery Feeder |
| Memorials: | Bendigo Great War Roll of Honor |
Peacetime
| 6 Jun 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia |
|---|
World War 1 Service
| 1 Aug 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2295, 60th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '20' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Orsova embarkation_ship_number: A67 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Aug 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2295, 60th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Orsova, Melbourne | |
| 29 Sep 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2295, 5th Machine Gun Battalion, Breaching the Hindenburg Line - Cambrai / St Quentin Canal, Awarded the US Distinguished Service Cross for coolness under fire while attached to the US 27th Division during the attack on the Hindenburg Line. | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement 60th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix) |
Help us honour Frederick Trewarn's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Jack Coyne
Frederick TREWARN
Distinguished Service Cross (American)
‘Later on, when warning was received of an impending enemy counter- attack, he displayed a fine, cool and judicious judgement in choosing his gun position. Throughout the whole of the operations, which lasted for three days, Lance Corporal TREWARNE’S behaviour was a shining example to the rest of his team. His devotion to Duty, personal bravery and spirit of self sacrifice, cool judgement, and solicitous care of his men, were in keeping with the highest and the best traditions of the A.I.F’.
Lieut. Col Commanding 5th Machine Battalion.
Recommended for DCM
Frederick Trewarn came from Sailor’s Gully, a mining community east of the municipality of Eaglehawk. He was a battery feeder, an extremely tough job involving the loading of quartz and rock ore into crushing equipment to extract the gold. He would be assigned to the machine gun units throughout the war. His heroic acts were acknowledged by American officers when USA forces joined the allied forces in the taking of the Hindenburg Line in Northern France at the close of the war. Fred’s award of the DSC (American medal) is the only bravery award of its type among the 120 recipients from Bendigo. He would be one of nine Australians awarded the DSC by the American forces in these two weeks of heavy fighting.
The United States Distinguished Service Cross (Army).
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military award that can be given to a member of the United States Army (and previously, the United States Army Air Forces), for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree that they are above those required for all other U.S. combat decorations but do not meet the criteria for the Medal of Honor. The Distinguished Service Cross was first awarded during World War I. 1
On the obverse an eagle on the centre and a scroll below the eagle bearing the inscription "FOR VALOR". On the reverse side, the centre of the cross is circled by a wreath with a space for engraving the name of the recipient.
SERVICE DETAILS:
Frederick Trewarn
Regimental number: 2295
Place of birth: Eaglehawk Victoria
Religion: Methodist
Occupation:Battery-feeder
Address: Elm Street, Sailor's Gully, Eaglehawk, Victoria
Marital status: Single
Age at enlistment: 18
Next of kin:Mother, Mrs. Lydia Trewarn, Elm Street, Sailor's Gully, Eaglehawk
Enlistment date: 6 June 1916 / 29 July 1916
Unit name: 60th Battalion, 4th Reinforcement & 5th Machine Gun Battalion
Embarked: HMAT A67 Orsova on 1 August 1916
Final Rank: Private
Fate: Returned to Australia 8 July 1919
Medals: Distinguished Service Cross
Medal Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 96
Date: 11 November 1920
Bellicourt, Somme. September 20- October 2, 1918
The final phase of the War for the AIF took place in late September early October 1918 in the area from Bony-Riqueval through Bellicourt and on to Montbrehain. The Hindenburg Line conformed to the track of the Cambrai - St Quentin canal which formed a daunting obstacle for much of its length. It tracked under a ridge via the Riqueval Tunnel and this feature took on particular significance. These battles were notable in that many Australian officers and NCO were attached as advisers to the US forces involved in the attacks. A total of nine of them were awarded the United States Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry.[2]
[1] Official souvenir of the ‘Back to Eaglehawk’ celebrations, October 20th-28th, 1928: E.B. James 1928. State Library of Victoria online collection.
[2] Virtual War Memorial Australia website - https://vwma.org.au/explore/campaigns/81
Biography
Private, Frederick Trewarn, 5th Machine Gun Battalion AIF
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Frederick Trewarn, Private, Australian Imperial Force, for extraordinary heroism in action near Bellicourt, France, September 29, 1918. On three different occasions Private Trewarn exposed himself to artillery and machine-gun fire in order to assist wounded to shelter. Later on, when warning was received of an impending enemy counterattack, he displayed great coolness and good judgment under heavy fire in selecting positions for his guns. This action took place when fighting alongside the American 27th Division.
General Orders No. 60, W.D., 1920
Click images to start slideshow.