Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Frank (Franklin) was the son of George PANNELL & Caroline Bertha Anna HAASE and was born on the 28th of June 1895 in Penola, SA.

His parents were married on the 30th of December 1885 in Mt Gambier.

His father was the son of James Grier PANNELL & Mary Louisa TAYLOR and was born on the 11th of October 1859 in North Adelaide, SA.
His mother was the daughter of Johann Friedrich HAASE & Johanne Helene SAUER and was born on the 9th of August 1864 in Mt Gambier, SA.

Frank was the fifth child born into the family of 7 children.

His father was a butcher and the family resided at Penola.

Frank attended the Penola School and after leaving school gained employment as a labourer.

At the age of 21, Frank enlisted in the 1st AIF on the 1st of June 1916 in Adelaide and was allotted the service number 1887 and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion.

He was then transferred to the 43rd Battalion, 2nd Reinforcements in Mitcham Camp on the 30th of June.

Frank embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A70 Ballarat on the 12th of August 1916, disembarking in Plymouth on the 30th of September and marching into No.8 Camp in Codford.

He served in France for 2 years before being wounded and invalided back to England.

Frank embarked from England on the 12th of December 1918 on board HT Nestor and spent his last Christmas away from his family and friends on board the ship.
He disembarking in Melbourne on the 1st of February 1919 and entrained to Adelaide.

On the Friday evening, the 28th of March, a welcome home was tendered to Frank and 3 other returned soldiers in the Penola Institute.
The residence presented Frank with an inscribed gold medal and the colours of his Battalion were attached.

Frank was discharged from the AIF on the 17th of April 1919.

Frank married Elizabeth May MCCABE on the 12th of December 1926 in St Paul’s Presbytery, Mt Gambier, SA.
Elizabeth was the daughter of John Joseph MCCABE & Flora Madeline THOMPSON and was born on the 17th of January 1901 in Allendale East, SA.

They moved to Pinnaroo for a short period before moving to Allendale East and they welcomed 8 children into their family.

Frank then gained employment as a shearer and they moved to Lameroo where Frank was granted approval from the Superintendent of Soldier Settlement to occupy Section 82, Hundred of Cotton (Lameroo).

With the outbreak of WW2, aged 46, Frank enlisted into the Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) on the 20th of April 1942 in Lameroo and was allotted the service number S74384 and posted to C Company, 8th Battalion.
He listed his wife as his next of kin.
He was taken on strength on the 5th of May
Frank was discharged from the VDC on the 9th of February 1945 at his own request.

Frank and Elizabeth later moved back to Naracoorte and then to Mt Gambier where Elizabeth died on the 12th of February 1974 and Frank buried her in the Carinya Gardens Cemetery, Mt Gambier; Cypress Garden, Row Q, Plot 46.

Frank died in the Oaks Aged Care Facility, Yahl on the 4th of March 1982 and was buried 4 days later in the Carinya Gardens Cemetery, Mt Gambier; Water Lily Garden, Row M, Plot 23.

Military

WW1

At the age of 21, Frank enlisted in the 1st AIF on the 1st of June 1916 in Adelaide and was allotted the service number 1887 and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion.
He listed his mother, of Penola, as his next of kin.

He was then transferred to the 43rd Battalion, 2nd Reinforcements in Mitcham Camp on the 30th of June.

Frank embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A70 Ballarat on the 12th of August 1916, disembarking in Plymouth on the 30th of September and marching into No.8 Camp in Codford.
He was then posted to the 11th Training Battalion and spent the next 2 months in training before being taken on strength with the 43rd Battalion on the 12th of November at Lark Hill.

During the first three weeks of November final preparations and issue of equipment for the trip overseas were completed and the dates of departure of the Division were expected to cover the last week of November 1916.
Frank and his Battalion eventually sailed on the 25th and prior to which the camp was thoroughly cleaned and the bulk of stores returned.

For the purpose of the move the Battalion was divided into three parties, leaving Lark Hill Camp in time to entrain at Amesbury Station by 7.15am. The weight of equipment carried by each man was far in excess of that borne on any previous march, as in addition to full marching order, two blankets, 150 rounds of ammunition, with steel and gas helmets, made a burden in all cases exceeding 80 lb.
At dusk the trip across the Channel commenced and a heavy sea was experienced, causing sea sickness to many on board, while a bleak wind with frequent showers of hail made the entry into the harbour at Le Havre and the period of waiting intensely cold.

Disembarkation and unloading commenced at 11am and during the afternoon there followed the memorable route march to No.1 Rest Camp, situated on a hill about three miles from the wharf. Here they remained for the night, leaving at 6.30am next morning for the railway yards, where a troop train, consisting chiefly of cattle trucks, was waiting, and at 11.30am they left for Bailleul.
The journey, via Rouen, Abbeville, Boulogne, Calais, and St. Omer, occupied thirty hours, halts being made en route for the issue of rations and hot drinks.
Detraining was completed before dark, but by the time the unit moved from the station night had set in. For the march to billets, packs and blankets were carried by motor lorry. Locating these billets caused great difficulty, owing to the lack of information and absence of guides, and it was not until after 10 pm that they were settled for the night.

On December 23rd, in a high wind and through heavy rain, a march to new billets in Armentieres was carried out. They, with the 44th Battalion, formed support to the 41st and 42nd Battalions.
Christmas Day 1916 was celebrated in the morning with working parties to the line and in the evening by a dinner, extra supplies being obtained through Comforts and Regimental Funds.

They spent February 1917 in and out of the front line and whilst in billets the raiding school continued training in bayonet fighting, physical exercises, patrolling, study of aeroplane photographs and practice of raiding formations on dummy trenches.

By the end of April they were located at Ploegsteert Wood, relieving the 42nd Battalion.
On the 1st of May they left Armentieres and joined the remainder of the Brigade at Les Trois Tilleuls, proceeding through Steenwerck and Vieux Berquin to Petit See Bois. The following day they moved through Pradelles, Borre, and Hazebrouck to billets at Ebblinghem.
After 2 weeks here they commenced their journey back to Armentiers and by the 7th of June had moved to Messines and took part in the Battle.
The Battle was successful, but costly, to capture the Wytschaete–Messines Ridge near the salient that had developed in the frontline around Ypres.

Throughout the whole time in this area enemy aircraft proved exceptionally active, especially in the early morning, when low-flying planes engaged trenches and movement with machine gun fire.
The famous Red Circus, commanded by Baron von Richthoven, was stationed in the area and was a constant source of worry to both infantry and artillery.

As casualties were caused daily, chiefly from shell fire, and the strain of sitting under continuous bombardments told on the nerves of everybody, the relief by the 41st Battalion on July 5th, and the return to the somewhat quieter support area on the banks of the Douve, was truly welcome.

It was here on the 14th of July that Frank was promoted to Lance Corporal.

They then moved into the Warneton area and their objective was Windmill Post which over looked the low ground east of Messines and consisted of the remains of an old French mill, surrounded by tall trees and hedges, situated on Warneton-Gapaard Road.
Having completed their task after many weeks, they was relieved by the 41st Battalion and they moved back by small parties to Douve Camp, at which they arrived in an utterly exhausted condition, were given a hot meal, and, throwing aside their mud-soaked clothing, "turned in" for a well-earned rest.

On the 23rd of August Frank was detached to the Brigade school and then rejoined his Battalion on the 9th of September at Douve Camp.

They remained here resting and training until the 2nd of October when they entrained for Ypres for the offensive.
On the 4th of October they advanced to take up the front line at the Battle of Broodseinde and then 2 days later they were relieved and marched to Ypres and into Toronto Camp.
Three days later they moved back into the front line in support and supplied working parties for the railway before moving to Bremen Redoubt Camp.
For the remainder of October they were in and out of the front line at Passchendaele, supplying support until they were moved by bus to Arvoult on the 22nd.

After 2 weeks resting and training they moved to Canteen Corner where they became the Brigade reserve for the 9th and 10th Brigade.

On the 12th of December Frank gained 2 weeks leave to Paris and spent Christmas 1917 in Paris before rejoining his Battalion on the 28th of December, in the front line at Bois Grenier.

They then moved on the Waterlands and into camp at Locre before moving through Neuve Eglise to Romarin Camp.
From here they moved to Le Rossignol and then into the front line trenches near Despierre Farm.

Then on the 17th of February he was again detached to the Brigade School for 4 weeks before rejoining his Battalion, who were in training at Selles.

By the end of March they had moved to Franvillers and Heilly and were in the front line in the Somme and took part in the Battle of Morlancourt.

In early June they were in the reserve trenches at Villers-Bretonneux and by the end of June they had moved to Hill 86 and were then relieved on the 27th, moving to the Allonville area the next day to consolidate for the Battle of Hamel.

As the Brigade had not previously worked with tanks, practices were given in advancing with them at their training ground near Vaux en Amenois, where they gained an insight into their tactics and methods of advance.
They then moved into the Hamel area and at two minutes past three on the morning of the 4th of July, light harassing fire was opened, with the object of assisting the aircraft in drowning the noise of approaching tanks, and eight minutes later an intense barrage fire opened, under cover of which the attack commenced.
In two hours, all objectives were obtained, and 1,400 German prisoners were captured, as well as many weapons.

In August they helped drive the Germans back to the Hindenburg Line and by the end of August they were located at Clery.

At 10:30pm on the 31st of August they commenced a route march to the front line at Clery.
The night was very dark and the old trench systems and wire caused the march to be extremely difficult. They reached the jump of trench and spent the entire next day in attack on Scutari Trench.
It was during this attack on the 1st of September that Frank suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his right thigh.
He was admitted into the 55th Australian Field Ambulance and then transferred to the 37th Casualty Clearing Station at Vecquemont.
The following day he was transferred by the 30th Hospital Train to the 6th General Hospital in Rouen.

Frank was evacuated to England on the 7th of September and admitted into the Exeter War Hospital.
He remained here for 5 weeks before being discharged on the 17th of October and granted 2 weeks leave.
On return from leave he reported to No.1 Command Depot in Sutton Veny and was here when the Armistice was signed on the 11th of November 1918.

Six days later he was admitted into the Group Hospital for 1 week, suffering from Pleurisy.
Frank embarked from England on the 12th of December 1918 on board HT Nestor and spent his last Christmas away from his family and friends on board the ship.
He disembarking in Melbourne on the 1st of February 1919 and entrained to Adelaide.

Frank was discharged from the AIF on the 17th of April 1919 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.

WW2

At the age of 46, Frank enlisted into the Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) on the 20th of April 1942 in Lameroo and was allotted the service number S74384 and posted to C Company, 8th Battalion.
He listed his wife as his next of kin.
He was taken on strength on the 5th of May
Frank was discharged from the VDC on the 9th of February 1945 at his own request.