30885
READ, Frederick Alexander
| Service Number: | 3462 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 2 November 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Crafers, South Australia, 30 September 1891 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Carrier |
| Died: | 14 December 1962, aged 71 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Stirling District Cemetery, S.A. General, Section F, Row 15, Plot 658S |
| Memorials: | Aldgate War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 2 Nov 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 3462, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Feb 1917: | Involvement Private, 3462, 50th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Bee embarkation_ship_number: A48 public_note: '' | |
| 10 Feb 1917: | Embarked Private, 3462, 50th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Bee, Adelaide | |
| 14 Sep 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, 3462, 50th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Frederick Alexander Read's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Paul Lemar
Frederick was the son of Alfred William READ & Helen BEANE and was born on the 30th of September 1891 in Crafers, SA.
His parents were married on the 18th of March 1891 at the residence of Alfred’s parents, in Crafers, SA. Helen was 3 months pregnant when they married.
His father was the son of Frederick READ & Sarah Jane DOWDEN and was born on the 19th of October 1868 in Adelaide, SA.
His mother was the daughter of Alexander BEAN & Helen MORRISON and was born on the 22nd of February 1869 in Magill, SA.
Frederick was the eldest child born into this family of 8 children.
His father was a coachman and the family grew up in Mt Lofty.
On finishing school Frederick gained employment as a Carrier.
His brother Alfred enlisted into the 27th Battalion, B Company on the 28th of January 1915 (429).
Alfred then embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A2 Geelong on the 31st of May 1915.
At the age of 24, Frederick enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 2nd of November 1916 in Adelaide and allotted the service number 3462 and posted to E Company, 2nd Depot Battalion. He was then transferred to the 50th Battalion, 9th Reinforcements in Mitcham Camp.
Frederick embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A48 Seang Bee on the 10th of February 1917, disembarked in Devonport on the 2nd of May and marched into the 13th Training Battalion in Codford.
He served for nearly 3 years overseas and suffered from Trench Fever.
Frederick embarked from England on board HT Miltiadeson the 19th of June 1919, disembarking in Melbourne on the 5th of August 1919 and entrained to Adelaide the following day.
Frederick was discharged from the AIF on the 14th of September 1919.
Frederick joined the Stirling RSL Sub-Branch and gained employment as a packer with the South Australian Railways.
Frederick died on the 14th of December 1962 and is buried in the Stirling Cemetery; General, Section F, Row 15, Plot 658S.
He never married.
Military
At the age of 24, Frederick enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 2nd of November 1916 in Adelaide and allotted the service number 3462 and posted to E Company, 2nd Depot Battalion.
He listed his father, of Mount Lofty, as his next of kin.
On the 18th of January 1917 Frederick was transferred to the 50th Battalion, 9th Reinforcements in Mitcham Camp.
Frederick embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A48 Seang Bee on the 10th of February 1917, disembarked in Devonport on the 2nd of May and marched into the 13th Training Battalion in Codford.
He proceeded to France on the 13th of August and was taken on strength with the 50th Battalion on the 31st in Wheal Camp, near Neuve Eglise.
The following day they were moved by bus to Le Brearde and on the 4th of September they were bussed to Lugy.
Here they trained in physical and bayonet fighting before being bussed to Steenvoorde on the 20th of September and the following day they had reached their bivouac area 2 miles west of Ypres.
On the 23rd they relieved the 52nd Battalion at Westhoek Ridge and were preparing for the attack when Frederick was attached as a carrier to the 24th Machine Gun Company, who were in the front line between Zonnebeke and Polygon Wood.
They were relieved on the 2nd of October and moved to billets in Steenvoorde for a 2 weeks rest before moving back into the front line on the 15th.
They were then relieved on the 23rd and were billeted in the Bony area and whilst here Frederick was detached back to the 50th Battalion on the 28th of October.
By now the 50th Battalion were in billets in Lugy and on the 13th of November they moved into billets at Laires for 3 days and then moved to Ruisseauville.
The following day they marched 6 miles to Tortefontaine and by the 23rd they had reached their billets in Meneslies, where they spent the next 14 days in training.
The remainder of December was full of training and marches in the forward area and Christmas 1917 was spent in Hutment Camps at Moislains. They spent the first 10 days of 1918 here and were employed in road repairs and salvage operations.
They then moved onto Tournai Camp at Strazeele and by now the snow was falling heavily.
On the 19th of January they entrained for the front line in Ypres where they dug and wired support lines and were constantly under enemy fire until they were relieved on the 29th and moved to Larch Wood.
They then went into the support area and spent the next week in the cold muddy trenches before moving to Ridgewood Camp.
Whilst they were here Frederick suffered for Trench Fever on the 23rd of February and was evacuated to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station in Bailleul and then transferred to the 26th General Hospital in Etaples on the 5th of March.
After 5 weeks in hospital Frederick was discharged to No.6 Convalescent Depot in Etaples on the 12th of April and then discharged to the Australian Infantry Base Depot (AIBD) 3 days later.
Frederick rejoined his Battalion on the 1st of May in Blangy-Tronville and 3 days later they had moved into the front line near Monument Wood.
After 5 days of fighting they were relieved and moved to the Monastery in Bois l’Abbe.
By June and July they were in and out of the front line near Aubigny and they continued to play an active role during the Allies' own offensive, launched on the 8th of August 1918.
Frederick then gained 2 weeks leave to England on the 6th of September and missed the Battalions last major operation of the war, which was the attack on the Hindenburg "outpost line" on the 18th of September.
On his return his Battalion were in Biaches and they then moved to Ferrieres for further training.
On the 10th of November they marched to Hangest Station and began their 4 day entrainment to Fresnoy-le-Grand.
When they reach St Quentin they received the news that the Armistice had been signed.
By December they had moved to Dinant and Christmas was spent here with a lunch consisting of soup, roast meat and vegetables, plum pudding with rum sauce and 150 litres of beer per company with a double shot of rum.
All of January and February was spent here with recreation and training and the men of the Battalion started to embark for England for their return to Australia.
The 50th Battalion ceased to exist as a separate entity when they amalgamated with the 51st Battalion on the 6th of March 1919.
As part of Mo.35 Quota, Frederick marched out of his Battalion on the 13th of April 1919 and on the 22nd he returned to England and marched into No.4 Group in Hurdcott awaiting his embarkation.
Frederick embarked from England on board HT Miltiadeson the 19th of June 1919, disembarking in Melbourne on the 5th of August 1919 and entrained to Adelaide the following day.
Frederick was discharged from the AIF on the 14th of September 1919 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.