VILES, Francis Watts
| Service Number: | 5205 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 November 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 15th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Croydon, Queensland, Australia, 12 March 1891 |
| Home Town: | Croydon, Croydon, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Croydon State School, Croydon, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Storekeeper |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 8 June 1917, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Burketown Burke Shire Council WW1 Roll of Honor, Croydon War Memorial, Townsville Cenotaph |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Nov 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5205, 15th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 5205, 15th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Star of Victoria embarkation_ship_number: A16 public_note: '' | |
| 31 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 5205, 15th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Star of Victoria, Sydney |
Help us honour Francis Watts Viles's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Corporal Francis Watts Viles of the 47th Battalion was reportedly killed killed by shellfire 8 June 1917, age 26.
His younger brother Private Keith McLean Viles aalso 47th Battalion AIF was killed in action the day before, 7 June 1917.
Their parents wrote to the AIF many times, regarding their “darling boys” and Minnie Viles wrote the following during August 1918, “….it is so dreadful that I have never received anything belonging to my darling sons who were both killed at Messines June 7th, 1917. Other mothers have received things belonging to their boys who were killed after mine. Surely I could get their caps or anything that they had worn. Do you know I never even saw my dear ones in their uniforms, they both had wristlet pocket watches, fountain pens and my eldest boy Frank, when he wrote in May said what a big collection of things he had to bring home. You will think I am mad worrying you like this but oh no I am not mad, but would just love to have something of my dear boys.”
The AIF wrote back and informed her that the soldiers’ caps, being part of Military equipment, could not be returned.
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