Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Frank was born on the 16th June 1916 in the country town of Mt Barker in the Adelaide Hills. He attended the local school and was an active participant in Sports Day events, including the school’s Jubilee celebrations. In the high jump for his age group, he was recorded as jumping 3 feet 10 inches (approximately 117cms). In ’29 in Grade VI he was one of five students recognised for the School Shield Competition. Each year, schools would have a fund-raising day with Frank and a friend contributing with a recitation. The following year, Frank gained his Qualifying Certificate with a creditable 412 points, the 7th highest score in his class. Frank also acquired a range of skills, including raffia work, for which he later won a prize at the Methodist Church Fete.
Frank continued his education at the Mount Barker High School where he was awarded the Most Improved award in ’32. He was also involved with the Dunn Memorial Church in a concert as a story teller outlining the spread of Christianity during the previous 2,000 years.
Frank worked in the large local Partridge and Sons Tannery on Mount Barker Creek as a table hand. Local wattle bark was carted to the tannery, where the bark was sliced, placed in vats, and boiled to extract tannin for the tanning process. However, with the outbreak of WWII, 24 year old Frank enlisted in Adelaide on the 5th July 1940 as SX7876 and was placed in the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. Another local, Ken Thompson, enlisted at a similar time, becoming SX8640 in the 2/14th Battalion. While both young men were in Camp, their partners were shown appreciation at the Mount Barker Dunn Memorial Methodist Church choir social that month and both young women were presented with a pyrex dish in a silver stand. Frank and Mt Barker local, Lorna Hollitt had announced their engagement and were married in the Dunn Memorial Church, Mount Barker, on the 20th of July, in a 7 p.m. ceremony before honeymooning in Adelaide.
In October, the local community held a send-off to Frank and Privates Brian Murphy SX7134 and Ray Heinrich SX7717, all of whom were in the 2/48th Battalion. The young men were each presented with a pen and pencil set, with speeches from the R.S.L., public and football club. Frank had been a capable footballer, with the farewell gift from the club being a steel mirror and comb. Singing and music, including a banjo performance followed before the enlistees were presented with an initialled wallet.
Frank embarked on the Stratheden on the 17th November, arriving in the Middle East on the 7th December. The following month he was treated for a skin infection (cellulitis), spending a few days recovering. Unfortunately, this was followed by an abscess and further hospitalisation. Over April, ‘42 Frank continued to experience a severe ear infection which developed into facial paralysis, requiring hospitalisation.
Frank had gained the unofficial title of being a Rat of Tobruk. Designed to destroy morale and encourage the men to surrender, it was instead seized on as a badge of honour. The jibe of ‘living like rats’ in the fly and rat infested dugouts only strengthened the resolve of the young soldiers.
By the last days of July, Frank was wounded in action with a blast injury to his left ear. At the time orders had been received to capture West Point in a dawn attack. John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan described how ‘It was to be a daylight show, and the troops did not like it. As they moved across the flat, German shells whined overhead on their way to Point 26. ‘When the troops were well forward of the start line they came under terrific fire from shells and mortars from the front and left, suffering heavy casualties.’
A list of those from the 2/48th Battalion wounded with Frank appeared in the newspapers. They included SX13682 Pte. Lesley N. Dacey, Midland Junction, WA; SX7501 Pte. Ronald H. Gerlach, Angaston; SX10377 Pte. Alfred E. Inwood, North Adelaide; SX7642 Pte. Donald J. Kerin, Burra;' SX8836 L/Cpl. Martin Meredith, Rosewater Gardens; SX7876 Pte Frank Stevens, Mount Barker; SX7748 Pte. Richard. Stewart, Solomontown; SX12819 Pte. Geoffrey L. Wiese. Bordertown .
The local newspaper, the Mount Barker Courier also reported that ‘The casualty lists notify that Pte. Frank Stevens has been wounded in action in Egypt. He was an employee at the tannery for many years.’
By the end of August, Frank was considered well enough to briefly return to his battalion, but his ear infection was accompanied by a fever. Fortunately, the 2/48th headed home to Australia via Melbourne at the start of February ’43. Frank’s ear infection continued to affect his health, as he received on-going treatment until his final discharge on the 7th December ’43 for ‘essential service’.
The bonds forged in the 2/48th Battalion were evident when Ern Harmer SX11068 from Arthurton, married Roslyn Hewett in the Maughan Methodist Church at the end of October and chose Frank as his best man. (Ern was tragically killed in a tractor roll-over accident on Kangaroo Island in ’65.)
Frank’s 64-year-old mother Florence Emily died at Lorna and Frank’s Unley home on the 8th September 1950.
Lorna pre-deceased Frank and died on the 19th September 2006. Aged 92, Frank died on the 21st January 2009 at Mt Barker and is buried in the local Cemetery. Both are remembered by their children, Wayne and Bette with Frank’s headstone inscription reading ‘At Peace in God’s Garden’.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee daughter of Bryan Holmes, SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.