Frederick John MACDOUALL

MACDOUALL, Frederick John

Service Number: 2869
Enlisted: 26 June 1915
Last Rank: Sergeant
Last Unit: 56th Infantry Battalion
Born: Richmond, Victoria, Australia., 1895
Home Town: Petersham, Marrickville, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Railway Clerk
Died: Killed in Action, Belgium, 26 September 1917
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient)
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World War 1 Service

26 Jun 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2869, 4th Infantry Battalion
30 Sep 1915: Involvement Private, 2869, 4th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: ''
30 Sep 1915: Embarked Private, 2869, 4th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Argyllshire, Sydney
14 Feb 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 4th Infantry Battalion
26 May 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 4th Infantry Battalion
8 Jun 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 4th Infantry Battalion
26 Sep 1917: Involvement Sergeant, 2869, 56th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2869 awm_unit: 56th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1917-09-26

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Biography contributed by John Oakes

Frederick John MacDOUALL (Service Number 2869) was born in 1895 in Richmond, Victoria. He worked as a clerk in the Traffic Branch of the NSW Government Railways. 

He was granted leave from the Railways to join the AIF when he enlisted on 22nd June 1915. He embarked from Sydney on 30th September 1915 on HMAT A8 ‘Argyllshire’.

He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 14th February 1916.

He was admitted to hospital with colitis on 19th May. He was in Ferry Post, Egypt, at this time.

He was promoted to Corporal, on 26th May 1916.

By June, he was in Tel-el-Kebir (Egypt), and it wasn’t long before he was promoted again, to Sergeant on 8th June 1916. He embarked from Alexandria on 29th July 1916 and disembarked at Southampton (England) on 9th August.

He was made temporary Company Sergeant Major on 1st January 1917. However, by March, he lost this position for neglecting his duty. He was found to be Absent Without Leave in Hurdcott on 25th March 1917, Although he was demoted, he was merely reprimanded for his crimes.

On 5th September, he proceeded overseas to France, and he marched into Havre the following day.

He was killed in action on 26th September 1917 at the age of 22. One report says of his death, ‘it is known he had his arm blown off and died of wounds shortly afterwards’. Unfortunately, his remains were not found. He is commemorated at Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium.

After his death, his personal items were sent to his wife – including post cards, photos, and a sweater. She also received his war medals, the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.

- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.

 

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