Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Frank Snow was born in 1893 to Arthur Snow and Maria Scannell in Richmond, Victoria, Australia. His parents were 40 and 44 respectively and had five older siblings (Walter John Reginald Snow- 1877–1935, Kate Elizabeth Snow-1880–1974, Annie Clara Snow-1882–1960, Helen Snow-1890–Deceased). Before enlisting in the war, he worked as a well borer’s assistant, signing up for the war on the 1st of September 1914 in Morphettville, South Australia. He was 21, 11 months old when he joined the 10th Battalion and was not married. Snow followed the Church of England and was described as a fair, five-foot six man with blue eyes and brown hair. He was in the 10th Battalion, E company and his service number was 920.

The 10th Battalion was in Adelaide before moving 17th of August 1914 to Morphettville, the place where Snow enlisted. On the 20th of October 1914, he boarded the ship S.S Ascanius and they sailed around Outer Harbour, arriving at Fremantle, SA on the 25th of October 1914. Then in November, the sailed through the Indian Ocean, and arriving in Alexandria, Egypt, on the 6th of December 1914. On Monday first of March 1915, they boarded the Ionian, and arrived at Lemnos on Thursday, 4th of March. Then they left for Dardanelles on the 23rd of April. Then, on the 25th of April, they arrived in Gallipoli, and made their way to shore. As they were about thirty yards from shore in total silence, their Battalion started to get fired at from a rifle situated from a hill above the beach.

This geography put Australian soldiers at a disadvantaged position. They had to travel up hill on rocky grounds that had minimal vegetation. Another challenge was the dysentery epidemic. Dysentery is an infection caused by bacteria in the intestines, causing bloody diarrhoea. From 22nd of June 1915 to 2nd of July 1915, Snow was sick to hospital. After that, he was admitted to a casualty clearing station for diarrhoea on 29/8/15. A casualty clearing station is an hospital set up near or on battle grounds for quick access for the wounded and sick. Later, he was admitted to St John’s hospital for that and also rheumatism (sore joints and muscles). He re-joined unit on 6/11/15. A month later, 11/12/15, he was once again admitted to hospital, this time to Number 3 General Hospital for mumps, which was a disease that infects the salivary glands near the ear, before being moved to Number 18 State Hospital, Mudros. Many soldiers caught mumps during this time as there was an epidemic throughout the Australian Battalions. He then re-joined unit on 4/3/16. By this point, the Gallipoli campaign had ended by around two months.

From March to June, Snow’s Battalion were with a few other troops to complete extra training near the Belgium border. They were sent to less brutal and quieter trenches called the ‘Nursery trenches’ to learn about certain things about fighting in the Western Front.

In April, after he returned to the unit from hospital, they boarded a ship called the ‘Saxonia’ between Malta and Marseilles. They arrived on the 5th of April. For the rest of the month, they trained, not far from Sailly where the brigade H.Q was situated. Then in May, a bombing occurred, and his Battalion was present. This was in France, Rouge de Bout. At 8:00pm, enemy troops opened with heavy shell attacks and bombardment. This went on until the end of the month where several were killed and injured.

A month before the Battle of Somme, 1916, on June 10th, Snow was appointed to Lance Corporal. In the beginning of June, the Battalion moved from billets, a place for soldiers to stay, usually a civilian’s house, in Rouge de Bout to the front lines at the Petillon sector. For the rest of this month, they fought enemy lines and there were many references to being heavily shelled.

After, from the first to the 2nd of July 1916, the Battalion marched from Sailly to Le Verrie and Oultersteen to billets close to Moolenacker in France. On the 6th of July, Snow was away without leave during service and in turn he was deprived of Lance-ship by the 10th Battalion commanding officer. He was sentenced to 96 hours type two field punishment on 17th of July 1916. There were two types of field punishment. A snippet of a field punishment rule document explained that type one is where the offender is secured to a fixed object such as a post while type two, the one he served, they are not permitted to be attached to anything.  

The next major offensive Snow was involved in was the Battle of Pozieres. They arrived in old British trenches until 10pm on Saturday 22nd of July, proceeding to Black Watch Valley for the attack on Pozieres.

Battle of Pozieres started on 23rd July 1916. The Battalion proceeded to leave Sausage Valley and headed towards the trenches in Black Watch Alley to support the 9th Battalion with attacks. There were references to them being heavily shelled by both poison gas and highly explosive (H.E) shells. They fought the entire month and casualties were high, but Snow did not get injured badly enough to be recorded. It was on 1st August 1916 when he was re-appointed Lance Corporal in France. The battle ended on the seventh of August. For the rest of that month, they marched back to Sausage Valley to train but he was admitted to hospital sick from the 14th to the 23rd of August 1916.

Not much of not happened in September and October as it would take a while for the Battalion to recover. The month was mostly taken up by extra training in Kenora Camp. The Battalion was also moved, and they went from Railway Dugouts, Ypres to Brandhoek. Then, they settled for training and did so for many days before being moved around to Steenvoorde, Oost Houdek, Houlle and finally to Tournehem where they settled for more training. Not much more happened that month or in November. There was some more training that happened and dates wise, he would be there for all of them. Fatigue training also occurred.

 In November, they were at Bernafay Woods, France. This month was a similar situation, but they were moved to the front lines one for six days, supporting trenches for one then sent back to train.

In December, the Battalion was moved to support the front lines in Bernafay and Flers before Snow was marched to Wareham, England, a military camp, then to Perham downs, England, 22nd of December 1916.

On 9th of April 1917, Snow bruised his left ankle in action and re-joined unit on the 14th. During this time, his Battalion was trying to push forward the lines in a battle at Bresle. The battle of Bullecourt lasted from 11 April 1917 and 3 May 1917. He would have missed the beginning of the battle. It was not entirely clear if this Battalion fought in the entire battle, but some sources were found, referencing fighting or shelling. They may have been fighting in the aftermath as the battle faded out.

He went to hospital sick in France for conjunctivitis on 12th of June 1917 and re-joined unit from hospital on 3rd of July 1917. Most of June and July was training.

Here, their plans were mostly just drills that they went through as training. Things such as recreational afternoons, Battalion drills, route marches, and trench to trench attacks were scattered throughout the unit diaries. The rest of the month also looks similar.

According to the records in unit diaries, there was action in Polygon Wood.

He went to brigade school on 17th of October 1917 and returned from school 6th of December 1917. He left for almost two months and was then with the Battalion for a month.

He then went on leave to the UK 12th of January 1918, re-joining on 28th of January 1918 and was present for around 21 days before going to Brigade Enquirers school on 18th of February 1918. He re-joined on 23rd of February 1918.

His final payment before discharge was on 8th of April 1918.

Snow was sent to a casualty clearing station for diarrhoea on the 26th of April 1918. During this time, the 10th Battalion was helping with relief with other Battalions. He re-joined on 4th of May 1918.

In late June, they had a march and a few days later, the Battalion had a night advance and an attack at dawn. The Battalion was in a trench-to-trench attack. These were all training drills. In July, the moved from Ribemont to Bray.

Snow sprained his ankle in action and was admitted to a casualty clearing station in France on 23rd of August 1918. On this particular day, the Battalion was in a battle. The dates do not line up with any specific battle but was close after the battle of Amiens. The Battalion was situated at Proyart for another attack. Proyart was a village in Somme Valley. He was moved back to UK from being wounded, 24th of August 1918. He had a gunshot wound and a sprained ankle with bruising. This was in Rouen. He was admitted to a hospital in Weymouth, 28th August 1918. He didn’t fight again after this.

Then, he was discharged from hospital 24th September 1918 and marched in from Hospital and marched out to number 2 Camp Parkhouse for the return to Australia.

He returned back to Australia as per ‘D36’. He went on special leave, 1914, 23rd of October 1918.

When he returned, he did not go on to get married or have children. He died in 1969, in South Australia, at the age of 76.