FRANCIS, Antonia Robert
| Service Number: | 13287 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Army Medical Corps (AIF) |
| Born: | Sydney Flat, Eaglehawk, near Bendigo, Victoria , 1885 |
| Home Town: | Echuca, Campaspe, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway Fireman |
| Died: | Died of wounds, United Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, Hampshire, England Kingdom, 6 September 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Netley Military Cemetery, Hampshire, England |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Echuca St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church Great War Roll of Honor, Echuca War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 13287, Army Medical Corps (AIF), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Karoola embarkation_ship_number: A63 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 13287, Army Medical Corps (AIF), HMAT Karoola, Melbourne |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Died on this date – 6th September…… Antonio Robert Francis was born at Sydney Flat, Eaglehawk, near Bendigo, Victoria in 1884.
He married Mary Catherine Agnes Henery in 1908 in Victoria. A son was born in 1908 at Bendigo – Robert Edward Francis (he died in 1911 at Carlton, Melbourne, Victoria). A daughter was born in 1910 at Loch, Victoria – Phyllis Francis.
Newspaper item – The Ballarat Star, Victoria – 9th August, 1911:
BENDIGO DIVORCE COURT
Antonio Robert Francis, a railway employee, was granted a divorce from Mary Catherine Agnes Francis, on the ground of adultery with James Conroy, also a railway employee, and the petitioner was given the custody of one child.
Antonia Robert Francis married Emily Georgina Smith in 1912 in Victoria.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 6th August, 1915 as a 30 year old, married, Railway Fireman from Echuca, Victoria.
Private Antonia Robert Francis, Service number 13287, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Karoola (A63) on 7th March, 1916 with the Army Medical Corps, Special Reinforcements.
On 20th April, 1916 Private Francis was transferred to 12th Field Ambulance & joined his Unit at Serapeum on the same day.
He embarked from Alexandria on Scotian on 4th June, 1916 to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 11th June, 1916.
Private Antonia Robert Francis was wounded in action on 8th August, 1916. He was admitted to 12th Field Ambulance as a patient on 8th August, 1916 with shell wounds to his back & his condition was reported as serious. He was transferred & admitted to 13th Field Ambulance on 8th August, 1916 with shrapnel wounds to back then transferred the same day to Casualty Clearing Station. Private Francis was transferred to 6th General Hospital at Rouen, France then embarked at Rouen on 13th August, 1916 on Hospital Ship St Andrew for England with “G.S.W. Back (helpless)”.
On 14th August, 1916 Private Francis was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, Hampshire, England & his condition was severe. He was reported as dangerously ill on 16th August, 1916 & was removed from the dangerously ill list on 20th August, 1916. Private Francis’ condition was reported as “serious, slowly sinking (dangerous)” on 1st September, 1916. The Hospital Admissions form stated “wounded in France at Pozieres” on 7th August, 1916.
Private Antonia Robert Francis died at 10.20 pm on 6th September, 1916 at Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, Hampshire, England from wounds received in action in France – Gunshot wounds to spine.
He was buried in Netley Military Cemetery, Hampshire, England where 49 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
Lieutenant-Colonel T. G. Ross, c/o 12th Australian Field Ambulance recommended Private Antonia Robert Francis, 12th Field Ambulance on 11th August, 1916 for the Military Medal for “coolness and perseverance under fire in collecting and evacuating wounded”.
Private Antonia Robert Francis was awarded the Military Medal. It was gazetted in The London Gazette on 16th November, 1916 & the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 19th April, 1917.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/a---j.html
Click images to start slideshow.