POOLE, Frederick Charles
| Service Number: | 2772 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Second Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Light Railway Operating Company |
| Born: | Mount Victoria, New South Wales, Australia, 21 October 1888 |
| Home Town: | Cowra, Cowra, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Engine Driver |
| Died: | Broncho Pneumonia, France, 13 February 1919, aged 30 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ste. Marie Cemetery, Le Havre Div. 64. VI. G. 2. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Oct 1918: | Involvement 2772, Railway Unit (AIF), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: SS Zealandic embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 1918: | Embarked 2772, Railway Unit (AIF), SS Zealandic, Melbourne | |
| 13 Feb 1919: | Involvement AIF WW1, Second Corporal, 2772, 2nd Light Railway Operating Company, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2772 awm_unit: 2nd Australian Light Railway Operating Company awm_rank: Second Corporal awm_died_date: 1919-02-13 | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement 2772, 2nd Australian Light Railway Operating Company |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
2nd Corporal, 2nd Australian Railway Corps, Service No. 2772
Husband of Annie Josephine Poole.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Frederick C POOLE (Service Number 2772) was born on 4 October 1887 at Mount Victoria. His first recorded work for the NSW Government Railways was as a cleaner (the first step in the career path to engine driver) at Wellington Locomotive Depot. In January 1911 he was in the same role at Junee and by September had progressed to fireman at Cowra. He remained in that role at that place until August 1917 when he became a driver. This progression may be related to the great strike at that time. Poole certainly remained loyal (to the Railways) during that bitter time, as his card is so marked. Other men serving with the AIF were deemed to have remained loyal, but as they were on the other side of the world fighting in the trenches the record has little meaning. Poole however was at work in NSW.
He was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces on 8th August 1918. This late recruitment was a consequence of a specific need in the battle areas for competent men, not to fight, but to operate the vital supply railways behind the front. Poole was meant to go to Europe to drive locomotives, not be just another soldier in the trenches. Fitness and age restrictions were eased for such service, but at still less than 30 he was not too old anyway. He was married to Annie Josephine and nominated her as next of kin.
He was allotted to the Railway Unit. Poole embarked SS ‘Zealandic’ at Melbourne on 5th October 1918 but did not reach Europe until 6th December when the war had been over for several weeks. By 15th December he was sick with Influenza and admitted to the military hospital at Frensham Hill. He recovered and proceeded overseas to France via Dover and Le Havre to the Australian Railway Operating Division Depot on 7th February 1919.
On 9h February he was admitted to the 40th Stationary Hospital where he died of broncho-pneumonia on 13th February 1919.
He was buried at Ste Marie Cemetery, Le Havre.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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