WHITFIELD, Francis Craymore
| Service Number: | 2811 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 23 July 1915, Ballarat, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 8th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Creswick, Victoria, Australia, 1885 |
| Home Town: | Creswick, Hepburn, Victoria |
| Schooling: | St Augustines School |
| Occupation: | Law clerk |
| Died: | Died of Wounds, France, 20 August 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Puchevillers British Cemetery, France Plot II, Row E, Grave 62 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Broken Hill War Memorial, Creswick Honor Roll, Creswick School Pictorial Roll of Honour, Creswick War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2811, Ballarat, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2811, 24th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
| 27 Oct 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2811, 24th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne | |
| 24 Feb 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 8th Infantry Battalion, transferred from 24th to 8th Infantry Battalion at Zietoun 8th Battalion, D Company, 2nd Brigade | |
| 9 Apr 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 8th Infantry Battalion, France | |
| 31 Jul 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 8th Infantry Battalion | |
| 16 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2811, 8th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , GSW (head) |
Help us honour Francis Craymore Whitfield's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
Francis Craymore WHITFIELD was born in Creswick, Victoria in 1885
His parents were Phillip WHITFIELD and Marie/Mary WILLIAMS who had married in Creswick in 1883
Francis married Caroline Jessie PAINE in 1915 - one daughter Marie Christina b. 1916 in Creswick - he would never get to see his baby daughter who was born after he left Australia
He had previous service as a Sergeant in the Cadet Corps for 3 years before he enlisted in Ballarat on 23rd July, 1915 with the 24th Battalion - he was with the 6th reinforcements who embarked from Melbourne on 27th October 1915 on HMAT Ulysses
Francis was wounded in action on 18th August and died of those injuries on 20th August, 1916 at the 44th Casualty Clearing Station in France
He is buried in Puchevillers British Cemetery and also memorialised on the Australian War Memorial & the Cenotaph at Creswick- his name is also on a headstone at Creswick Cemetery in Victoria -
He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Francis was a prominent worker for the Church St Augustines and also the conductor and organist for the choir. After his death, Mass prayers were offered for the repose of his soul and the "Death March" was played by the organist Miss Carbes.
LEST WE FORGET
Click images to start slideshow.