Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Early Life

George Francis "Frank" Davies was born on 2nd June 1890, the second son of William Davies (1861 - 1926) and Harriet Elizabeth Lee (1864 - 1943). Frank was born in the family home at 4th Avenue, East Adelaide (St Peters) . Altogether, William and Harriet had five sons and a daughter. See Appendix A (Family Trees & Other Family Information).

His father was a land agent, employed by several firms during his working life, but spent his last twenty years with the city firm of Jackman and Treloar. In his younger years William Davies was a keen sportsman and later in 1895 was appointed secretary of the South Australian Football League.

Schooling

Little information is available about Frank's very early years, but his family tree indicated that after a short time at East Adelaide, the family moved to Glenelg, then Malvern and were associated with the Malvern Methodist Church during the mid to late 1890s and early 1900s. He went to Unley Public School in his primary years.

In 1901, Frank spent time in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia with his mother's sister, Laura Pellew and his cousins, Clarrie, Raymond, Lindley and Lance. Laura's husband Joseph had opened a furniture business in the goldfields. Frank returned with them aboard a German passenger ship from Bremen (the Rhein G.M.S.).

Frank and his older brother William attended the Malvern Methodist Sunday School and were successful in passing the South Australian Sunday School Union examinations at Junior in the early 1900s.

In 1903, Frank completed his primary school education at Unley Public School and did well enough to win a Public Exhibition, a scholarship which enabled him to attend "the Pupil Teachers' School " in 1904. His older brother William, who was training to be a teacher, had also attended the Pupil Teacher's School and had successfully completed his Senior Public Examinations in 1903.

At the end of 1904, Frank was successful in passing his Junior Public Examinations at the Pupil Teachers' School. He passed with a credit in algebra (Equal 6th in State Honor List).

In 1905, Frank passed the required five subjects in his Senior Public Examinations.

By gaining his Senior Certificate (Matriculation), Frank would be able to enrol in subjects at Adelaide University in future years.

Frank's long standing association with the Malvern Methodist Sunday School saw him passing the Sunday School Union Senior examinations in 1907 and 1910.

In 1909, Frank was playing cricket with the Stow Ramblers Cricket Club.

Further Studies

After leaving the Pupil Teachers' School at the end of 1905, Frank found employment in the State Public Service. Over the next ten years he took on part time studies at the School of Mines and Industry and also studied some Arts subjects at the University of Adelaide.

In 1908 and 1909 Frank studied Shorthand theory and practice at the School of Mines reaching a standard of 90 words per minute.

In 1910 Frank passed English Language and Literature at the University, Modern English History in 1912 and in 1913 passed History of the United Kingdom. In 1913 he was awarded a University of Adelaide P.E.B. Studentship that covered his course fee.

In 1915 he was working in the SA Public Works Department.

Adelaide University Cricket Club

While studying at Adelaide University, Frank played for the Cricket Club during 1913/14 and 1914/15 season.

He was a regular member of the B Grade team, however was selected in the 1914/15 Season for a single A Grade Game.

His performance against a very strong East Torrens side in January 1915 was fairly modest. After this A Grade game Frank played one further B Grade game, his last for the Club. There was not going to be a further opportunity and like many of his team mates, Frank enlisted to serve for King and Country.

World War 1

Frank enlisted on the 5th February 1915 and was attached to the 27th Battalion. After undergoing training at the Base Depot in Adelaide, he embarked for overseas service on 31st May 1915 aboard the HMAT A2 Geelong.

Frank had been a member of the Adelaide Orpheus Society. Originally formed in 1888, during WW1 it performed at many fundraising concerts. They often appeared at the local military camps to entertain the troops. At their annual meeting in August 1915, Frank and other young men of the Orpheus Society who had enlisted, were serving overseas were acknowledged.

Frank proceeded to the Gallipoli Peninsula with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force after a further period of training in Egypt, departing Alexandria in early September 1915. After less than two months fighting at Gallipoli, Frank is taken ill with Jaundice on 27th November 1915 and evacuated by the 7th Field Ambulance to the 13th Casualty Clearing Station and then to the hospital ship "Gloucester Castle" sitting off the Gallipoli Peninsula.

From the hospital ship, Frank was then admitted to St Georges Hospital in Malta. After he had recovered from his illness, including time spent at the Tuffieha Convalescent Camp to recuperate, by 12th February 1916 was discharged back to active service.

During his time in Malta, after recovering from his illness, the Gallipoli Campaign was abandoned so Frank was then sent to the Ismailia Camp in north eastern Egypt on the west bank of the Sues Canal. On 11th March 1915,he rejoined his battalion in Alexandria to link up with the British Expeditionary Force and proceeded to Marseille, France.

Now serving in France, on 29th April 1916, he was transferred by the 6th Field Ambulance with a septic foot to the 8th Casualty Clearing Station. A few days later he was admitted to the 26th General Hospital, Etaples, France. After treatment and a further period of convalescence he was able to rejoin his Battalion on 6th July 1916.

In early September 1916 Frank was promoted to Lance Corporal. The following is a description of the Australian 27th Battalion's involvement in the Battle of Pozieres (27th July 1916 - 7th August 1916)

"Pozieres, a small village in the Somme valley in France, was the scene of bitter and costly fighting for the 1st, 2nd and 4th Australian Divisions in mid 1916.

The village was captured initially by the 1st Division on 23 July 1916. The division clung to its gains despite almost continuous artillery fire and repeated German counter-attacks but suffered heavily. By the time it was relieved on 27 July it had suffered 5,285 casualties.

The 2nd Division took over from the 1st and mounted two further attacks - the first, on 29 July, was a costly failure; the second, on 2 August, resulted in the seizure of further German positions beyond the village. Again, the Australians suffered heavily from retaliatory bombardments. They were relieved on 6 August, having suffered 6,848 casualties.

The 4th Division was next into the line at Pozieres. It too endured a massive artillery bombardment, and defeated a German counter-attack on 7 August; this was the last attempt by the Germans to retake Pozieres." (Australian War Memorial)

Death

Sadly on the 5th August, just two days before the end of the Battle of Pozieres, Frank suffered a severe shrapnel wounds to his abdomen and right arm and remained in a trench after the Germans had taken this territory. By the time the ground was recaptured he had died. He was only 26 years of age and was buried in the Warloy-Baillon Communal Cemetery Extension (Plot VII, Row E, Grave No. 48), France.

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared by Rob O'Shannassy for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (with assistance from Beth Filmer & Janne Filmer) please see the document attached or the Adelaide University site AdelaideConnect at
https://connect.adelaide.edu.au/nodes/view/25752

Profile added to the VWMA with the permission of Rob O'Shannassy

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

George played with the Adelaide University Cricket Club in the 1913/14 and 1914/1915 seasons. A Civil Servant he was completing an Arts Degree part time when he enlisted.

George enlisted on 5th February 1915 and joined the 27th Battalion. He landed on Gallipoli on 4th September 1915. He suffered from Jaundice on Gallipoli. He was wounded in action on 5th August 1916 during the 27th attack at Pozieres and subsequently died at the 13th Field Ambulance Depot on 8th August 1916. His was buried in the Warloy Baillon Communal Cemetery approximately 5 miles west of Albert.