Frederick William Dempster FORBES DSO

FORBES, Frederick William Dempster

Service Numbers: Officer, V18085
Enlisted: 24 March 1915
Last Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Last Unit: 17 Garrison Battalion (Vic)
Born: Prahran, Victoria, 24 February 1883
Home Town: Canterbury, Boroondara, Victoria
Schooling: Hawkesburn Grammar School, Caulfield Grammar School
Occupation: Bank Accountant
Died: Victoria, 22 September 1957, aged 74 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton, Victoria
MGC-COE-Comp-N-No-452
Memorials: Bank of New South Wales Roll of Honour Book
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World War 1 Service

24 Mar 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Captain, Officer, 21st Infantry Battalion
10 May 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Captain, Officer, 21st Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1,

--- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: ''

10 May 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Captain, Officer, 21st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne

World War 2 Service

1 Aug 1941: Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, V18085, 17 Garrison Battalion (Vic), Homeland Defence - Militia and non deployed forces
1 Aug 1941: Involvement Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Lieutenant Colonel, Officer, 17 Garrison Battalion (Vic)
1 Aug 1941: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Lieutenant Colonel, V18085

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Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

FREDERICK WILLIAM DEMPSTER FORBES, son of the late Mr. Robert A rth u r Forbes and Mrs. Forbes, was born at Prahran, Victoria, on 24th February, 1883. He was educated at the Hawkesburn Grammar School and the Caulfield Grammar School, and joined the service of the Bank in Melbourne on 16th November, 1899.

On 29th July, 1910, he proceeded to Moama as teller, and in December, 1912, to Corowa as accountant. Having interested himself in military work long before the war, he received his commission in the Victorian Military Forces in 1900, and was promoted to the rank of captain in the Commonwealth Military Forces in 1904. He enlisted in the A.I.F. in January, 1915, embarked in May of the same year and served on Gallipoli from September, 1915, until the evacuation.

Thereafter he proceeded to France and continued to serve in France and Belgium until 20th April, 1919. On 1st April, 1915, he had received his majority, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel on 1st August, 1916, when he took over the command of the 21st Battalion.

Lieut.-Col. Forbes continued in this command until 29th November, 1917, when he took over the command of the Second Training Brigade. On 30th May of the following year he assumed command of the 20th Battalion and remained in that capacity until leaving France in April, 1919. In the meantime Lieut.-Col. Forbes had held the following temporary commands: 6th A. I. Brigade, 24th December, 1916, to 25th February, 1917; 5th A. I. Brigade, 8th September, 1918, to 28th September, 1918; 5th A. I. Brigade, 24th November, 1918, to 13th February, 1919.

Lieut.-Col. Forbes had been awarded the D.S.O. “ for distinguished and gallant service” in 1916, and in June, 1919, he received the further honour of C.M.G. He had been mentioned in despatches no less than five times between November, 1916, and January, 1919. The details were as follows: — 13th November, 1916, distinguished and gallant service and devotion to duty; 9th April, 1917, special mention; 13th August, 1918, name brought to notice of Secretary of State for War for valuable services rendered; 8th November, 1918, gallant and distinguished service; 1st January, 1919, special mention.

Source - Bank of NSW Roll of Honour

Distinguished Service Order


Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 103
Date: 29 June 1917


Companion of the Order of St Michael & St George

Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 109
Date: 15 September 1919

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