Frederick GEE

GEE, Frederick

Service Number: 762
Enlisted: 18 August 1914
Last Rank: Corporal
Last Unit: 7th Infantry Battalion
Born: Eaglehawk, Victoria, Australia, May 1895
Home Town: Eaglehawk, Greater Bendigo, Victoria
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Miner
Memorials: Eaglehawk Loyal Catherine Lodge Honour Roll WW1, Eaglehawk Presbyterian Sunday School Roll of Honour, Sailors Gully Eaglehawk North State School No. 1428 Honor Roll The Great War
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World War 1 Service

18 Aug 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 762, 7th Infantry Battalion
25 Aug 1914: Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 7th Infantry Battalion
19 Oct 1914: Involvement Corporal, 762, 7th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: ''
19 Oct 1914: Embarked Corporal, 762, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Melbourne
25 Apr 1915: Wounded AIF WW1, Corporal, 762, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, GSW to face, loss of right eye.
13 Aug 1916: Discharged AIF WW1, Corporal, 762, 7th Infantry Battalion, Medically unfit (loss of right eye).

Help us honour Frederick Gee's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Robert Wight

Corporal Frederick Gee (son of Mr William James & Mrs Susan Hannah Gee of Eaglehawk, Vic.) was one of six brothers who enlisted for service in the AIF, the others being:

Sergeant Thomas Gee (RTA), 14th Battalion;

Driver Walter Gee (RTA), 6th Field Coy Engineers;

Private David Gee (KIA 8 May 1915), 7th Battalion;

Private Harold Gee (KIA 8 May 1915), 7th Battalion; and

Private William Gee (RTA), 6th Field Coy Engineers.

Biography contributed by Larna Malone

Frederick Gee was born in Eaglehawk, the son of William James & Susan Hannah Gee, of Willan Street, Eaglehawk.   He was a Miner, aged 19 years & 3 months, with previous military service in Senior Cadets & the 67th Infantry.   He was amongst the early volunteers for the Expeditionary Force, enlisting on 18.8.14.   The following day he left Bendigo for the Broadmeadows Camp.   He was allotted Service no. 762 and appointed to ‘G’ Company, 7th Battalion.    He was promoted to Corporal on 25/8/14.   

Prior to Embarkation he was presented with a silver-mounted Morocco wallet from the members of the Oddfellow’s Lodge, and presented with a memento by the Borough of Eaglehawk (Pocket wallet, wristlet watch, or shaving outfit).   

The 7th Battalion left Broadmeadows Camp on 18 October, 1914, and embarked for service overseas on board HMAT ‘Hororata’.   Arriving in Egypt the battalion moved into camp at Mena, at the foot of the pyramids.   (6/12/14)     

In January, 1915, the Australian force was re-organized.   In the 7th Battalion ‘G’ and ‘H’ Companies joined to form the new ‘D’ Company.      This meant that all the men from Northern Victoria were together in one Company.   

The 7th Battalion was part of the force which landed at Anzac Cove on 25th April, 1915.   Frederick Gee was Wounded on 26/4/15, sustaining GSW to his face.   

Frederick Gee.  Letter: “It was one continuous hail of bullets and shrapnel . . .  It was as if the devil had been let loose. . . . . All went well with me until about 5 p.m. on the 26th April.   I was sent back with a message.   I crawled back for about 30 yards; then got up to make a run for it.   I was no sooner on my feet than I was bowled over by shrapnel.   I was dazed for a few minutes.   Then I crawled down the hill, had my wounds dressed roughly, and delivered my message.”   [Bendigonian  July 1, 1915]

Frederick Gee had been hit in the face, resulting in the loss of his right eye.   He RTA M.U. on 21/1/16. 

 

“The First Lot.   7th Battalion.   The first men of the Bendigo district to volunteer for service in the First World War.”: Larna Malone

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