Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Early Life

Paul Charles Albert Fornachon was born in Adelaide on the 18th November 1890, the eldest son of Charles Louis Fernand Fornachon and Mary (Marie) Jentsch.

Paul’s father, Charles, was a Swiss-born electrical engineer who had worked in the Electrical Engineers’ section of the Post and Telegraph Department for 30 years. From 1886-1888 Charles also taught French, German and Italian.

Charles and Mary had a second son, Frank Charles Robert Fornachon who was born in 1892.

On the 23rd April 1894 when Paul was not yet four years of age, his mother, Mary passed away aged just 32 years.

In 1889, Paul’s father married Elizabeth (Leila) MacPherson Robertson. Charles and Leila had four children, Charles Norman MacLeod (b 1901, d 1902, aged 4 months), Grace Hulda (sic) Sophie (b 1902), John Charles MacLeod (b1905), Archibald (Archie) Charles Edward (b 1908).

Tragedy again struck the Fornachon family, when just six weeks after the birth of Archie, his mother, Elizabeth died on the 27th March 1908, aged 37 years. Paul was 17 when his step-mother passed away.

Schooling

Paul attended Way College, Park Terrace, Wayville (Park Terrace became Greenhill Road and when Way College closed the newly established Methodist Ladies College moved into the premises which are now the home of Annesley Junior School).

Paul passed four subjects (English History, Latin, Algebra and Geography) in the Primary Examinations in October 1901. He also passed First Grade Plane Geometry in the Art Examinations held that year. In 1902 he passed six subjects (English History, Latin, Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Physics) in the Junior Examinations, gaining credits in Algebra, Geometry and Physics.

Way College closed at the end of 1902 and Paul transferred to Prince Alfred College, Kent Town. In December 1904, Paul passed six subjects (Greek, Latin, Arithmetic and Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Physics and Inorganic Chemistry. He gained credits in Latin, Arithmetic and Algebra and Inorganic Chemistry and was ninth in the General Honours list and won second prize in the Lower Sixth Form (PAC).

In Sixth Form Paul was equal fifth in his class at PAC. In December 1906 he was second in the General Honours List having passed five subjects (Greek, Latin, Pure Mathematics, Physics and Inorganic Chemistry) and gaining credits in the all but Greek.

University

Paul commenced studying for a Bachelor of Science at the University of Adelaide. He passed Second Grade Plane Geometry in the Arts Examinations of June 1907 and Second Grade Solid Geometry, Intermediate Perspective and Physics in the University examinations and Mechanical Engineering at the School of Mines that year.

Paul passed the Senior Examinations in French under the coaching of GG Newman in March 1908.

Paul gained an Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science – Mathematics in December 1909 and unusually he was awarded an Ordinary Degree of Bachelor of Science in December 1910.

Paul continued studying at Adelaide University and gained an Honours Degree of Bachelor of Arts – Mathematics in December 1912.

Paul was actively involved in the social activities of the University. In 1910 he was on the Committee which organised the Science Students’ Dinner and in 1912 he was one of the Honorary Secretaries of the Committee which organised the Varsity Students’ Procession.

Sadly for Paul his University years were also filled with sadness. His brother Frank died aged only 19, as a result of a shooting accident at Weetalta, near Moonta, on the 29th July 1911 and his father Charles died on Tuesday, 3rd September 1912, aged 50 years.

University Sport

Athletics

Paul represented Adelaide University in the Intervarsity Athletics Competition held in Adelaide in June 1908. He ran in the One Mile Flat race with a handicap of 80 yards.

Paul won the 220 yards flat race at the Adelaide University Sports in September 1910.

Boat

Paul joined the Adelaide University Boat Club. He rowed regularly in regattas from 1908 to 1913. He was one of four oarsmen in training in case an emergency was required for the 1909 Intervarsity boat race. In 1910 Paul represented the University at the Intervarsity and the Adelaide crew won the race for the first time since 1891. Paul was awarded a Blue for Boat in 1910. Paul competed in three further Intervarsity boat races, rowing at bow in 1911, Seat 7 in 1912 and Seat 3 in 1913.

Cricket

Cricket was not a major interest for Paul as he was very much involved with rowing and rifle clubs during his University years. His did play one game of cricket for the Adelaide University Cricket Club in January 1910, playing in the B Grade in a match against Sturt. This was a disastrous match, being thrashed by and innings and 215 runs. Paul did not have a good match and did not play again until January of 1913 when he played for the B Grade in the second half of the 1912/13 season.

In January 1913, in his first game back for the cricket club since his single match in January of 1910, he was surprisingly named as captain. It would also be a return match against Sturt, the same team that he had played against three seasons ago. Although soundly beaten again, Paul had a good match taking five wickets. In the last half of the season he claimed 18 wickets at an average of 18.4 runs per wicket, which showed he possessed some ability.

Lacrosse

Paul commenced playing C Grade Lacrosse for Adelaide University in the 1908 season he also played at least one game in the B Grade games that year. In 1909, Paul again played C Grade lacrosse for University. Paul’s name does not appear in the newspapers but it is likely that he continued to play for either the C Grade or B Grade team in the 1910 season.

In 1911 Paul was associated with the University’s B Grade team which won the Premiership that season. He played B Grade Lacrosse in 1912 and was a member of the team which lost the premiership to Sturt. It is likely that Paul also played in the 1913 season.

Rifle

Paul is first mentioned as a member of the Adelaide University Rifle Club in 1911. He competed in various local club competitions from 1911- 1913.

Paul was a member of the 1911 Adelaide University Intervarsity Rifle team which won the competition that year. He also represented the University at the 1912 and 1913 Intervarsity competitions.

He competed in the National Rifle Championships held at the Port Adelaide ranges in September 1911.

Career

Having gained this BSc and BA (both with honours) Paul moved to Sydney where he became a teacher at the Church of England Grammar School in North Sydney, NSW in 1914.

World War I

Paul enlisted with Service Number 288 on the 17th August 1914 at Sydney, NSW. He was 23 years and nine months old, 5’ 8” tall and weighed 11 stone 8 lbs. Paul had a fair complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He named his 12 year old half-sister Miss Grace Hulda Sophie Fornachon of Golden Grove, South Australia as his next-of-kin. Paul had been a Senior Cadet for a year and a half.

He was a Private in the 2nd Infantry Battalion, A Company but was quickly appointed a Lance Corporal (25th September 1914).

He embarked from Sydney on the transport ship Suffolk on 18th October 1914 and disembarked at Alexandrina, Egypt in December 1914. He would have undertaken training in Egypt and was appointed a Corporal in C Company (28th January 1915).

Paul embarked on the 5th April from Alexandrina to engage in the Gallipoli campaign. Paul landed a Gallipoli on the 25th April 1915 was declared missing in action on the 2nd May 1915. News that Paul was missing reached South Australia in June 1915.

Many details on Paul’s Service and Red Cross records are then confusing and contradictory. It is possible that Paul was with the 4th Platoon under Lieutenant Brown, which pushed forward on the 25th April and was cut off.

There were reports that Paul was seen on the Peninsula in June 1915, while others suggested that he may have been taken prisoner by the Turkish forces.

The names of many prisoners-of-war were recorded on a list which was made available to the Ambassador of the United States of America. Paul’s name never appeared on the list.

Paul’s Red Cross “Wounded and Missing File” is at the Australian War Memorial see: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1486406

Death

It was not until more than a year after he went missing that a Court of Enquiry, held on the 15th May 1916, declared that Paul had been killed in action on the 2nd May 1915.

As Paul has no known grave, he is among the many ANZAC’s remembered at the Lone Pine Memorial, ANZAC Cove, Turkey.

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared by Beth Filmer for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (with assistance from Rob O'Shannassy, Janne Filmer & Kym Beilby) please see the document attached or the Adelaide University site AdelaideConnect at
https://connect.adelaide.edu.au/nodes/view/25740

Extract from the Adelaide University Football Club and Adelaide University Cricket Club document honouring "The Fallen" Anzac Day 2015.

Paul a teacher and arts and science graduate played cricket for the Adelaide University Cricket Club while a student in the 1912/13 and 1913/14 seasons. He was a member of the Adelaide University Rowing Club eight and rowed in several Intervarsity competitions and was awarded a Blue.
He was also a member of the Rifle Club.

Paul enlisted on 17th August 1914 and joined the 2nd Battalion. He was promoted to Corporal on 28th January 1915. He landed on Gallipoli the morning of 25th April 1915 along with the rest of the 2nd Battalion. He was reported missing on 2nd May 1915. Enquiries were made through the American Ambassador in Constantinople (Istanbul) to see if he had been taken prisoner but to no avail and a subsequent Court of Inquiry in March 1916 pronounced that he had been killed in action.

Extract from the Adelaide University Football Club and Adelaide University Cricket Club document honouring "The Fallen" Anzac Day 2015.