BURGESS, Frederick William
| Service Number: | 5814 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 July 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 28th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Albany, Western Australia, April 1897 |
| Home Town: | Midland, Swan, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Noggerup State School, Western Australia |
| Occupation: | Engine Cleaner |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 26 March 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France, |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Canning District R.S.L. Memorial, Kings Park Western Australia State War Memorial, Midland Junction Municipality Roll of Honour (Large), Midland WW1 Clock Tower & Town Hall Memorial, Victoria Park War Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Jul 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5814, 28th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct 1916: | Involvement Private, 5814, 28th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Suffolk embarkation_ship_number: A23 public_note: '' | |
| 13 Oct 1916: | Embarked Private, 5814, 28th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Suffolk, Fremantle |
Help us honour Frederick William Burgess's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Peter Rankin
Frederick was only 17 years 6 months old when he was killed in action. His uncle also served, Private Alan Liston Burgess. 1599. 16th BN. He was a Gallipoli veteran landing in the afternoon of the 25th of April. He suffered a bullet wound to the face and was evacuated, he recovered to fight on the Western Front. Until August 1916 he was invalided back home due to shell-shock.
Biography contributed by Geoff Tilley
Frederick was born in Albany Western Australia in September 1899, to parents Charles Frederick and Emma Mary Josephine Burgess nee Baker, who were married in Albany in 1899. He was one of nine siblings with five sisters and three brothers. He attended Noggerup State School near Donnybrook.
On leaving school he worked as an engine cleaner with the West Australian Government Railways at Midland. On employment with the railways, he put his year of birth as 1897.
Frederick enlisted into the AIF in July 1916, were again he gave his year of birth as 1897, where a Mrs. C Cornish of Midland sign his enlistment papers as his guardian.
He conducted his training at Blackboy Hill where he was attached to 28th Battalion embarking overseas with the 16th reinforcements from Fremantle in October 1916, arriving in England in December 1916. In February 1917 Frederick proceed to France and was taken on strength with 28th Battalion in the field.
In March 1917 the battalion moved forward into the frontline to the town of Bapaume, which had sustained heavy damage from German artillery. By this time the Germans were withdrawing back to a fortification line called the Hindenburg Line. As they withdrew the Germans decided to delay their withdrawal by holding a number of villages in particular Lagnicourt.
It was in the early morning of the 26th March when Frederick with his battalion moved towards the village of Lagincourt which was their objective to capture the village.
Despite heavy machine gun fire and continued counter attacks involving hand to hand fighting the Australians managed to get to the edge of the village.
It is reported that Frederick was coming out of the trenches with the rest of his battalion at about 5pm after being relieved and were walking along a sunken road when a couple of high explosive shells exploded amongst the men, killing seven and wounding nine of the men which included Frederick
In April 1917 a Lieutenant Edmondson wrote to Frederick’s mother stating,
“We had a heavy fight against a counterattack the day he died. He did splendid work for me and faced death many times fearlessly as he did his bit. When things were nearly over and Fritz pushed back, a big shell came in just behind us and poor Fred got a piece of it. He never spoke again”.
Private Frederick William Burgess service number 5814 of 28th Battalion was killed in in action at Lagnicourt on 26th March 1917. He was 17 years of age.
He has no known grave and is remembered on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial France, where he is remembered with honour.
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