BOURNE, Frederick Harold (Frederick Howard)
| Service Number: | 2336 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 May 1915, Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 13th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Sevenoaks, Kent, England, 1889 |
| Home Town: | Waverley, Waverley, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Lady Boswells Endowed Elementary School |
| Occupation: | Plumber |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 11 April 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" No known grave, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 16 May 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2336, Liverpool, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Aug 1915: | Involvement Private, 2336, 13th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Aug 1915: | Embarked Private, 2336, 13th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Shropshire, Sydney | |
| 5 Feb 1917: | Honoured Military Medal, "In the attack on STORMY TRENCH N.E. of GOEUDECORT on the night of 4/5th February, 1917, Sergeant Bourne commanded a Platoon and succeeded in gaining his objective with very few casualties. He commanded the Platoon during our stay in the line and his work was invaluable. His coolness under fire, personal example of bravery and devotion to duty were of the highest order and he is worthy of a D.C.M." | |
| 11 Apr 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2336, 13th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (First), --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2336 awm_unit: 13 Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1917-04-11 |
Help us honour Frederick Harold (Frederick Howard) Bourne's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by John Edwards
Embarkation Roll (www.awm.gov.au) has incorrectly recorded second Christian name as Howard
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
He was born at Kippington, Sevenoaks, Kent, the son of Elizabeth [Eliza]Bourne of Kippington Lodge, Sevenoaks, Kent and Ezra A. Bourne. Frederick was educated at the Lady Boswell Endowed Elementary School, London Road, Sevenoaks, Kent. After leaving school and completing his time as an Apprentice Plumber, Frederick emigrated to Australia when he was aged 21. Aged 25 and 4 months, Frederick enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia on 15 May 1915, at which time he stated that he was a Plumber. After completing his basic training, Frederick embarked at Sydney on board the 8,130 ton Federal Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. (London) requisitioned Australian Troopship H.M.A.T. Shropshire (A9), as a member of a reinforcement draft for service at Gallipoli on 20 August 1915. On 23 October 1915, Frederick joined the 13th Battalion, Australian Infantry, A.I.F. at Mudros, and remained at Gallipoli until the 4th Australian Division withdrawal on 29 December 1915. After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, Fredrick’s battalion returned to Alexandria, Egypt. In June 1916, his battalion sailed for France and the Western Front. From then until 1918, the battalion took part in bloody trench warfare. Its first major action in France was at Pozières on the Somme in August 1916.
The 13th Battalion, along with most of the 4th Australian Brigade, suffered heavy losses at Bullecourt in April, when the brigade attacked strong German positions without the promised tank support. Prior to his death, Frederick had been wounded and had also suffered a number of bouts of Bronchitis which had resulted in his hospitalisation. Initially Frederick was posted as missing, but a subsequent Court of Enquiry came to the conclusion that he had been killed in action at Bullecourt.
He is remembered on the grave of his mother at St Nicholas Churchyard, Sevenoaks and on the Kippington War Memorial.
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