Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

20 November 1916 - Appointed Lance Corporal

2 March 1917 - Recommended for Military Medal later Awarded

Military Medal Citation reads:

On the 3rd November, 1916, while in GREASE TRENCH, Lieutenant Corporal Friburg went to the assistance of a man who was seriously wounded by a sniper, and brought him in to safety. The man was about 25 yards from the trench in No Man's Land, and called for assistance. Lieutenant Corporal Friburg crawled out, despite the knowledge that he was incurring a great risk, examined the man, turned him on his back, and dragged him to our trench in safety.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 133
Date: 21 August 1917

24 April 1917 - To hospital wit Measles

30 November 1917 - Appointed Lt, Australian Flying Corps(Pilot)

12 April 1918 - Wounded in action

31 July 1918 -Returned to Australia on board Octavia

Medals: Military Medal. British War Medal, Victory Medal

24 November 1924 - Was residing at 280 Barkly Street, Elwood, Victoria, Australia

9 January 1940 - Was residing at 37 Lock Street, St. Kilda Road, SA

4 March 1943 - Applied for replacement medals while living at The Ashton Private Hotel, Ashton Terrace, Brisbane, QLD

RSL Information

20 April 1935 - Joined State Branch while residing at Cowandilla Road, Cowandilla, SA

FRYBERG, Louis

Military Medal

Recommendation:  

'On the 3rd November, 1916, while in GREASE TRENCH, Lieutenant Corporal Friburg (sic) went to the assistance of a man who was seriously wounded by a sniper, and brought him in to safety. The man was about 25 yards from the trench in No Man's Land, and called for assistance. Lieutenant Corporal Friburg crawled out, despite the knowledge that he was incurring a great risk, examined the man, turned him on his back, and dragged him to our trench in safety.'  Recommendation date: 2 March 1917

The Bendigonian Weekly Newspaper published the following correspondence on August 3, 1916: -                                               'Mr. H and Mrs. Freyberg, of M'Crae Street, have received an interesting letter from their son Sergeant Fryberg, who is with the Australian forces in France. Sergeant Fryberg describes a sham-fight, which took place behind the lines. Exhibitions were given in hand grenade throwing, etc. and quite a large number of officers from the adjacent camps were present. "I hope to pay a visit to Boulogne" he says "when I am on leave. We have published a daily paper in our camp. The name of the paper is 'l'Huile,' which as far as our limited knowledge, of French goes means .'The Oil.'                                     I have the honor of writing the editorials and frequently my old school day efforts shine forth. At present the circulation is limited, but we hope in time to rival the "Bendigo Advertiser." Ex-Constable Tom Hill, of Bendigo, is in charge of the 'Wanted to Buy, Hire, Sell and Exchange columns.' I regret I did not learn French when I had the opportunity, as over here it would be a great advantage to converse freely with our French comrades."[1]

The Fryberg family were a respected Jewish family living in the heart of Bendigo. Louis’s father was Henry Fryberg, a successful pawnbroker in McCrae Street since the 1890’s. His Polish-born wife Rose, née Marks also worked in the business. They had six children who excelled in scholastic and musical pursuits. Henry Fryberg would endow the Bendigo School of Mines with an annual scholarship and was a large contributor to the Returned Soldier’s Home. The Fryberg family were prominent members of the grand Bendigo Synagogue that stood in Hopetoun Street which was unfortunately demolished in 1926.[2]

 Louis enlisted in November 1915 at the Bendigo Town Hall being the only enlistee on the day. After limited training he would arrive at the western front in April 1916. He would be ‘Taken on Strength’ into the legendry 7th Battalion at the end of July and undertook his heroic deeds on November 3, 1916. On December 1, 1916 he would be appointed Lance Corporal, however, he would suffer a number of skin related diseases serious enough to be evacuated and hospitalised in England.

Whilst recovering in England he would be notified that he had been awarded the Military Medal on February 17 1917. He spent the first five months of 1917 in various Military hospitals and it is here he is recruited into the Australian Flying Corp spending the next 6 months in training squadrons in England. He graduated on November 30, 1917 and was appointed a Flying officer (Pilot) and made a 2nd Lieutenant in the AIF.  In February he went back to France and on April 12 was wounded again, suffering sever concussion that would end his flying days. His illness would be reclassified as Neurasthenia, shell shock. He would return to Australia on July 31, 1918 as reported in the Bendigo Advertiser on September 30. P.3

BENDIGO AIRMAN RETURNS- 'By the express on Saturday night, Lieut. L. Fryberg, M.M. of the Australian Flying Corps, returned home. He was met at the railway station by a large number of friends and was accorded an enthusiastic reception. On proceeding to his home in McCrae Street, Lieut. Fryberg was entertained by several relatives and intimate friends.' [3]

SERVICE DETAILS: 

Service No: 4490

Born: Bendigo

Religion: Jewish

School: Central School & Bendigo High School.

Occupation: Metal dealer

Address: 353 McCrae Street, Bendigo

Marital status: Single

Age at enlistment: 19

Next of kin: Father, Mr H Fryberg, 353 McCrae Street, Bendigo,

Enlistment date: 5 November 1915

Unit name: 7th Battalion, Australian Flying Corps, 3rd Squadron

Embarked: HMAT A32 Themistocles on 28 January 1916

Final Rank: 2nd Lieutenant

Fate: Returned to Australia 31 July 1918

Died: January 16, 1961

Medal Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 133 Date: 21 August 1917

Flers / Guedecourt - battle in Northern France raged from  October 18 – November 16, 1916.

The Australian War memorial describes the conditions: -

‘The village of Flers, in the Somme valley in France, gave its name to a series of attacks launched by 1 ANZAC in November 1916. By this time the Somme battlefield had been deluged with rain and the attacks were made in atrocious conditions. The attacking waves of troops were sucked down by the cloying mud and thus, unable to keep up with their creeping artillery barrage, became easy targets for German machine-gunners and riflemen’. [4]

[1] Bendigonian Newspaper August 3, 1916. P. 28
[2] Bendigo Regional Genealogical Society website 
[3] Bendigo Advertiser, September 30. P.3
[4] Battle of Flers – AWM website

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/E84320