THWAITES, Frederick James
| Service Number: | 2138 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 March 1915, Keswick, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 52nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Rosewater, South Australia, 12 February 1894 |
| Home Town: | Alberton, Port Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Alberton Public School and St. Peter's College |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 3 September 1916, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Serre Road Cemetery No.2 Beaumont Hamel, France Serre Road Cemetery No 1, Beaumont Hamel, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Appila WW1 & WW2 Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Hackney St Peter's College Fallen Honour Board, Queenstown Alberton Public School Great War Honor Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Mar 1915: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 2138, 12th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: '' |
|
|---|---|---|
| 3 Mar 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2138, Keswick, South Australia | |
| 17 Jun 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2138, 12th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wandilla, Melbourne | |
| 6 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 2138, 12th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 7 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2138, 12th Infantry Battalion, The August Offensive - Lone Pine, Suvla Bay, Sari Bair, The Nek and Hill 60 - Gallipoli | |
| 3 Sep 1916: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2138, 52nd Infantry Battalion, Mouquet Farm, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2138 awm_unit: 52nd Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1916-09-03 |
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"LATE SGT. THWAITES.
The late Sgt. F. J. Thwaites, who left for Egypt with 8th Reinforcements 12th Infantry Battalion in 1915, was the elder son of the late Mr. F. J. Thwaites, of the National Bank of Australasia, Limited. He spent several months on Gallipoli Peninsula, went through the Lone Pine charge, and was afterwards sent to hospital in Egypt. On recovery he was drafted into the 52nd Battalion, which was stationed for a time on the Suez Canal. Then he went to France, where he was killed in action on September 3.
Sgt. Thwaites was educated first at the Alberton State School and afterwards at St. Peter's College. He was for some years at Cantara Station, in the south-east, and Hornsdale, near Caltowie. He gained practical knowledge and experience with the intention to settle on the land. His only brother, Harold V. Thwaites, is now in France with a special brigade of the Royal Engineers." - from the Adelaide Register 11 Oct 1916 (nla.gov.au)
From the book Fallen Saints
Frederick James Thwaites was born at Rosewater South Australia and after leaving St Peter's Collegethe took up farming and was studying agriculture when he enlisted at Keswick on 3 March 1915.
At the beginning of April, he joined the 6th quota of reinforcements for the 12th Battalion and sailed from Melbourne as an acting sergeant aboard HMAT Wandilla on 17 June.
When taken on the strength of the battalion at Anzac on 6 August he reverted to private and that day the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions, 1st Brigade launched the opening assault on Lone Pine. Two and a half hours after the attack on Lone Pine commenced, two companies of the 12th Battalion were moved from reserve up to the front line.
On 1 September, he was transferred to Mudros and admitted to 1st Field Ambulance suffering with what was thought to be diarrhoea. The next day when it was discovered he was suffering with dysentery he was evacuated to No 1 Australian General Hospital, Heliopolis and then on to No 3 Auxiliary Hospital, Cairo. Half way through November, he was moved to the Convalescent Depot at Helouan and subsequently transferred to the Training Battalion at Zeitoun.
When the 52nd Battalion was raised, Private Thwaites was posted into the battalion and promoted to Corporal on 14 March and to Sergeant the following day. He proceeded to France with the battalion aboard HMT Ivernia and arrived at Marseilles on 11 June 1916.
Sergeant Frederick Thwaites was killed in action during the fighting at Mouquet Farm on 3/4 September; he was 22 years of age.
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