AITKIN, Frank Keith
| Service Number: | 1869 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 January 1915, Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Paddington, New South Wales, 4 January 1895 |
| Home Town: | Bondi, Waverley, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Sydney Boys High School |
| Occupation: | Clerk/Accountant |
| Died: | Died of wounds (received at Gallipoli), At Sea (Lemnos, Greece), Gallipoli, Dardanelles, Turkey, 7 August 1915, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" No known grave - buried at sea, Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Jan 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1869, Liverpool, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Mar 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1869, 3rd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: '' | |
| 17 Mar 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1869, 3rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Shropshire, Sydney | |
| 31 May 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1869, 3rd Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli |
Uncle, Stephen McNamara
Frank's uncle, Stephen McNamara (brother of his mother Hannah Gertrude aka Gertrude Hannah) died one year to the day after Frank. The following was in the Adelaide newspaper: Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), Sat 7 Oct 1916, Page 44, THE LATE PRIVATE S. McNAMARA.
"WW1 THE LATE PRIVATE S. McNAMARA.7/8/1916
Miss A. J. McNamara of John-Street, Eastwood, has been notified of the death of her brother, Private Stephen McNamara, who was killed in France on August 7th 1916; Private McNamara was the second son of the late 'Mr. and Mrs. S. McNamara, of Cudlee Creek, Gumeracha. Educated at the Public School, Gumeracha, he was later employed in the Government service, and he was well known in the Burnside, Ardrossan, and Summer town districts. His nephew, Signaller Frank Keith Aitken, of Sydney, was killed on Gallipoli on August 7th, 1915, exactly twelve months prior to his own death on the field of honor. He gave as one of his reasons for enlisting his desire to avenge the fate of Signaller Aitken."
Submitted 23 February 2022 by Kathy Ormsby
Frank Keith Aitkin 1869
Correct spelling of name is Frank Keith Aitkin. Father - Morehead George Aitkin, Mother - Gertrude Hannah McNamara.
Born Paddington, educated at Sydney Boys High School and his name appears on their Roll of Honour. Worked as a trainee Accountant in Sydney and enlisted together with his mate Roy Stanger who lived 100 meters from Frank's family home at 6 Watson St Bondi. They were both signallers, embarked together and were both signallers at Gallipoli. Frank suffered a GSW on 6th August 1915 at Lone Pine and was evacuated the same day but died on 7th August whilst under sea transport to Lemnos. He was buried at sea. Was 20 years old when he died. Roy Stanger fought in Europe and returned home to Bondi after the war.
Submitted 21 April 2015 by Vince Aitkin
Biography contributed by Kathy Ormsby
Frank's uncle, Stephen McNamara, brother of his mother Hannah Gertrude (aka Gertrude Hannah) died one year to the day after Frank.
The following was in the newspaper, The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931) Mon 11 Sep 1916, Page 8, THE LATE PRIVATE S. McNAMARA.:
"WW1 THE LATE PRIVATE S. McNAMARA.7/8/1916"
"Miss A. J. McNamara. of John-Street, Eastwood, has been notified of the death of her brother, Private Stephen McNamara, who was killed in France on August 7th 1916; Private McNamara was the second son of the late 'Mr. and Mrs. S. McNamara, of Cudlee Creek, Gumeracha. Educated at the Public School, Gumeracha, he was later employed in the Government service, and he was well known in the Burnside, Ardrossan, and Summer Town districts. His nephew, Signaller Frank Keith Aitken, of Sydney, was killed on Gallipoli on August 7th, 1915, exactly twelve months prior to his own death on the field of honor. He gave as one of his reasons for enlisting his desire to avenge the fate of Signaller Aitken."
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