CHEADLE, Francis Bowman
| Service Number: | 798 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 January 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 18th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia , 7 November 1885 |
| Home Town: | Kensington, Randwick, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Fort Street School, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Salesman and Footballer |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 12 May 1916, aged 30 years |
| Cemetery: |
Erquinghem-Lys Churchyard Extension Grave I.J. 22. INSCRIPTION IN LOVING MEMORY OF THE DEARLY LOVED SON OF THE LATE W.B. & OF C. CHEADLE |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Jan 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Warrant Officer, 798, 17th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 May 1915: | Involvement 798, 17th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 12 May 1915: | Embarked 798, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Sydney | |
| 12 May 1916: | Involvement Lieutenant, 18th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 18 Battalion awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1916-05-12 |
Help us honour Francis Bowman Cheadle's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Lieutenant Cheadle was 30 and the son of Catherine Cheadle, of Denham Court, Potts Point, Darlinghurst, and the late William Bowman Cheadle.
Biography contributed by William Valarezo
Francis Cheadle (Service No 798) was born in Wollongong, N.S.W. but moved to Sydney with his family when he was young and attended Fort Street School.
Francis was a keen sportsman and played Rugby Union. He was about to be selected for the National Rugby team when he decided to change codes and joined the new Rugby League. He was selected for the first Kangaroo team and went to New Zealand with them.
Francis enlisted when he was 29 years old. He was single and working as a salesman. A man of some ability, he enlisted as a Private but soon after, on 29th March 1915 was promoted to Warrant Officer. Francis was the Regimental Sergeant Major for 17th Battalion and embarked from Sydney on HMAT A32 Themistocles with B Company on 12th May 1915. The troops arrived at Gallipoli with the 17th Battalion, having arrived on 16th August 1915.
On 1st October 1915 Francis was Commissioned, 2nd Lieutenant, in the Field and transferred to D Company, 18th Battalion.
After the evacuation he returned to Egypt and on 15 March 1916 was promoted to Lieutenant.
Francis arrived in France on 25th March 1916. On 12th May 1916 he was on a scouting patrol in no mans land; the moon was bright and he was seen by the enemy. He was fired on and sustained a gun shot to the head as the patrol withdrew.
Francis was taken to 7th Australian Field Ambulance for treatment but died there.
He is buried in Erquinghem-Lys Churchyard Plot I, Row G, Grave 22.- Illawarra Remembers
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