Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

It was at Broken Hill that Fred signed his induction papers to join the Australian Imperial Forces. He then found his way down to Adelaide. His enlistment date is listed as the 26th July 1915; he would then commence Basic Training probably at Wayville and was assigned to the 10th Battalion 11th reinforcement unit. (The 10 Btn. were now in Egypt having lost two thirds of their numbers at Gallipoli). For all of this he was to be paid the sum of 5 shillings per day.
On the 27th October 1915 Fred embarked on the Troop transport HMAT Benalla (A24) and sailed for Albany Western Australia where it joined up in a convoy and sailed for Egypt arriving December 1915, the training became more serious. On the 26th February 1916 Fred with about a third of the men from the 10th Btn along with men from other units were transferred to a new battalion, the 50th Btn. This battalion went on to become one of the most famous battalions of the Australian army in WW1, but also suffered the most casualties. Their training was then full on at Tel-el-Kabir
They proceeded to Alexandria by Troopship on 5th June 1916 and then aboard the Arcadian they traveled to Marseilles from here they went into action on the Western Front. He was wounded on the 16/8/16, transferred to a field hospital with what was listed as “Back wound Serious” On the 25/8/16 he was placed aboard the hospital ship H.S.Brighton and sailed for England arriving at Calais he was then admitted to the 5th General Hospital at Leicester. On the 6/10/16 he was discharged from hospital and sent to “Perham Downs” for rehabilitation then on the 7th he was given leave until the 24th October 16. He then took on more rehabilitation.
The 25th April 1917 seen him sailing for France via Folkestone arriving at Estaples on the 26/4/17 and on the 5th June 1917 he rejoined his unit on the front line, five days later he was reported “missing in action.” It was not confirmed that he was dead until 26 November 1917.
Fred’s mother like many mothers at the time was more than anxious to get more details about her son and like other mothers wrote to the Australian Red Cross. They in turn did some searching, sending “missing posters” to hospitals, rehab centers etc and then eventually they heard from a Pte Anthony Vincent who witnessed Fred’s final moments (a copy of a letter written by Vincent is attached) in the letter Fred mentioned that they were in the same section (a section consisted of between 9 and 12 men, so I would say they were pretty close to each other like a small family). Vincent also mentioned that Fred would be buried by the relieving Battalion as his unit was on the move and things were pretty hot as far a battle goes. His burial site is listed as 9 Miles North East of Messines in an unmarked grave. There is still today about 2500 Australian buried in the Western Front in unmarked graves.
The Battle of Messines lasted a week; it was one of the bloodiest battles on the Western Front and deemed to be successful by the British commanders. The death toll was shocking for that seven day period alone, Germany lost in excess of 10,000 dead plus many thousand injured, the Australians lost 6,800 dead or injured. Plus thousands more British forces casualties.
Fred was awarded the following which were sent to his mother on the 20th December 1920 together with a pamphlet “ Where The Australians Rest” explaining the memorial scroll at the Menin Gate in Belgium, a” Memorial Plaque” and a “Memorial Scroll”
1914 – 15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal Fred’s mother Mary being a widowed mother was awarded a war pension of 2 pounds a week

Compiled by Fred’s grand nephew (and RSARA member) Robin (Stewy) Stewart 10th June 2014
One

"...3367 Private Fredrick Kelly, 10th Battalion. A labourer from Jamestown, South Australia, prior to enlistment, he embarked with the 10th Reinforcements form Adelaide on 27 October 1915 aboard HMAT Benalla (A24) for Egypt. On 26 February 1916 he was transferred to the 50th Battalion which relocated to the Western Front, France, on June 1916. He was wounded in action near Albert, France, on 16 August 1916 and was evacuated to England for treatment, recuperation and furlough before rejoining his battalion in early May 1917. Pte Kelly was reported missing in action at Messines on 10 June 1917 and was subsequently determined to have been killed in action on that date. He has no known grave and he is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. He was aged 26 years." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)