Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Frank Gilbert Jenkins was a soldier for the A.I.F who belonged to 10th Battalion 16th Reinforcement. He was ranked a private at the start of WW1 and subsequently became a Lance Corporal on the 25th of July 1917. It was then shown on his AWM file that his “Rank from Nominal Roll” was Corporal. He was born in Fitzroy Victoria in May of 1887 located near Carlton and Collingwood. Prior to fighting in WW1, he completed 3 years of service in the 10th A.I.R. and worked as a Basket Maker. His Mother Rhode Downing was written down as next of kin and lived at 74 Fedrick Street, Unley South Australia. There is also no mention of Frank’s father so it can be assumed that he had either passed away or wasn’t present in Jenkins’ life.

Jenkins enlisted in Adelaide on the 17th of January 1916 at the age of 28 and 8 months. He embarked from South Australia, aboard the HMAT A9 Shropshire on the 25th of March 1916. Following his farewell Jenkins disembarked somewhere near the Western Front where he completed his service.
 
Jenkins, On the 7th of July 1916 was hospitalised. Although the extent and nature of his injury was not listed in the casualty form in his service record, it is highly likely that he was injured fighting in action. This might have occurred during the 10th Battalion's time fighting in Flanders, Belgium between 1914 and 1918. At the time of Jenkin's hospitalisation Belgium was at its peak of their summer’s months, this means conditions would have been hot and wet. This caused muddy, hot, cramped trenches. This means Jenkins may have suffered from severe heat stroke, trench foot, flesh eating bacteria, influenza or was possibly injured from bullet wounds, shell shock and or gas attacks. Trench foot was reported in Flanders during 1915 making it a strong possibility for Jenkins especially due to the hot wet weather; perfect breeding grounds for bacteria. Although the exact date of Frank Gilbert Jenkins return to the 10th Battalion is unknown, he along with his Battalion proceeded to France on the 15th of August 1916.
  
Over a year later Jenkins was appointed Lance Corporal on the 25th of July 1917. During this time Frank was presumably fighting on the Western Front near France against the Germans when he was commended for his service to the A.I.F.; prior to this he had served as a private for a 1 ½ years. This is also the most common reasons for soldiers to be appointed lance corporal, after completing their role as a private in active service for a specific amount of time. After completing the period required, the soldiers would then be “eligible” for promotion if their commanding officers allowed it. Being a Lance Corporal meant that Jenkins was then responsible for a small group of soldier’s welfare and behaviour. He would need to lead by example and take responsibility for his crew showing true ANZAC spirit and virtues.
   
Once again on the 18th of August 1917 Jenkins was hospitalised. During the time of hospitalisation Jenkins was still fighting on the Western Front and may have been injured fighting in the Third Battle of Ypres in Belgium. The Third Ypres lasted from 31st of July until the 10th of November. Prior to Third Ypres the French and the British tried offensively to cause changes to the trenches along the Chemin De Dames which failed only causing small changes in the trench lines. Subsequently the Third battle of Ypres broke out and the British/Australian troupes tried “offensive runs” causing many casualties with around 250,000 soldiers killed or wounded. The enemy fighting against the A.I.F e.g., the Germans also endured horrible conditions and casualties. During the Third Ypres it was estimated that around 38,000 men were killed in combat making it one of the deadliest and ugliest battles. Because of this frank was most likely caught in combat which led to his injury. For a third time on the 29th of September Jenkins was hospitalised this time with Gonorrhoea, most likely contracted while he was on leave earlier in the month

After the war Jenkins returned home to Unley, South Australia on the 18th of July 1919. Upon his return home Jenkins never married nor had children of his own. This is where he lived the remainder of his life. He left the war ranked a Lance Corporal after working as a private 11th machine gun coy. He died on the 4th of August 1940 at the age of 53 and was buried at the A.I.F cemetery on West Terrace South Australia Row 3 grave IC north.

Bibliography:
 
Adfa.edu.au. (2022). [online] Available at: https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=153310&printFormat=print [Accessed 29 Mar. 2022].

Anon, (n.d.). May, 1916 | A World Away | South Australia’s War. [online] Available at: https://southaustraliaswar.history.sa.gov.au/monthly-posts/191605-may-1916/ [Accessed 20 Mar. 2022].

Awm.gov.au. (2016a). | The Australian War Memorial. [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1339170 [Accessed 27 Mar. 2022].

Awm.gov.au. (2016b). Advanced Search | The Australian War Memorial. [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search [Accessed 27 Mar. 2022].

birtwistlewiki.com.au. (n.d.). HMAT A9 Shropshire - Our Contribution. [online] Available at: https://birtwistlewiki.com.au/wiki/HMAT_A9_Shropshire [Accessed 20 Mar. 2022].

Naa.gov.au. (2015). Session expired | RecordSearch | National Archives of Australia. [online] Available at: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/BasicSearch.aspx [Accessed 27 Mar. 2022].

State Library of South Australia. (n.d.). AIF unit histories - First World War. [online] Available at: https://digital.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/nodes/view/2657 [Accessed 27 Mar. 2022].

Trove. (n.d.). History of the 10th Battalion A.I.F./. [online] Available at: https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-34834924/view?partId=nla.obj-252808320#page/n7/mode/1up [Accessed 27 Mar. 2022].

vwma.org.au. (n.d.). Australian Soldiers, Memorials and Military History. [online] Available at: https://vwma.org.au [Accessed 20 Mar. 2022].
www.nestorsbridge.com. (n.d.). R.M.S. Saxonia. [online] Available at: http://www.nestorsbridge.com/maghera/saxonia-1.html [Accessed 20 Mar. 2022].

www.thehistorypress.co.uk. (n.d.). The History Press | A timeline of Passchendaele. [online] Available at: https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/articles/a-timeline-of-passchendaele/ [Accessed 22 Mar. 29AD].

corporateName=Department of Veterans’ Affairs; address=21 Genge St, C.C. (n.d.). Third Battle of Ypres 31 July to 10 November 1917 | Anzac Portal. [online] anzacportal.dva.gov.au. Available at: https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/ww1/where-australians-served/western-front/third-battle-of-ypres [Accessed 7 Apr. 2022].
‌
 
‌
https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/articles/a-timeline-of-passchendaele/

https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=153310&printFormat=print

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1339170

http://www.nestorsbridge.com/maghera/saxonia-1.html

https://southaustraliaswar.history.sa.gov.au/monthly-posts/191605-may-1916/

https://birtwistlewiki.com.au/wiki/HMAT_A9_Shropshire

https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/BasicSearch.aspx

https://vwma.org.au
https://digital.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/nodes/view/2657

https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-34834924/view?partId=nla.obj-252808320#page/n7/mode/1up

https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/ww1/where-australians-served/western-front/third-battle-of-ypres