Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Frank was discharged from Service on 23 Feb 1919

"PRIVATE F. HORLEY

Private F. Horley, late barman at the Criterion Hotel, who volunteered to go to the front with the first contingent, has been wounded. Frank Horley was regarded by the members of the barmen's section as one of the most straight forward of unionists, and was a favorite with all. He was one of the foundation members of the barmen's section." - from the Adelaide Daily Herald 01 Jun 1915 (nla.gov.au)

"HOPES TO WRITE FROM CONSTANTINOPLE

Private Frank Horley, also writing from hospital to Mr. V. Whallin, of the Criterior Hotel, Adelaide, describes the journey of the Australians to the landing-place at Gaba Tepe, and adds:-

"B and C Companies were the first to land. We landed in pinnaces from the warships, and the Turks opened fire on us while we were in the boats. Some of our poor chaps never reached the shore. The shots were coming round us pretty thickly, so we jumped into the water and headed ashore with fixed bayonets. We drove the enemy back about two miles, took up a position, and dug in. The enemy came back with strong reinforcements. I was in the trenches from Sunday morning until Wednesday night, and will never forget it if I live to be a hundred. It was hell! The Australians, in the face of great odds, held the position and fought well. I am proud to belong to them. On Wednesday night we were relieved by the Royal Marines for two days' spell. I am glad to say I came out without a scratch. Friday was my unlucky day. I was hit in the right leg below the knee by a stray bullet. It fractured my shinbone, so I will take a little while to get well. All the lads from Australia are doing it nobly. Hope to write from Constantinople.'' - from the Adelaide Advertiser 25 Jun 1915 (nla.gov.au)

"A Barman's Levee

The sense of comradeship was highly developed in the Australian soldier. Today, more than 20 years after the war, there is no passport to new friendships more valuable than the badge of the returned soldier. It is this sense of comradeship which prompts so many returned men to hold unofficial reunions today. In city hotels they met for lunch. Mr. Frank Horley, a barman at the Red Lion Hotel, holds a levee. He was an original member of the 10th Battalion and of its sister unit, the 50th. Members of those units flock to Mr Horley's bar. They were there yesterday, and they will be there today." - from the Adelaide News 25 Apr 1939 (nla.gov.au)

"POPULAR BARMAN

There were great doings at the Red Lion Hotel yesterday, when the popular saloon barman Frank Horley completed his 25th year. Host Eddie McCarron said it was an important event, because it synchronised with the anniversary of the arrival of HRH the Prince of Wales in Adeialde, and that Frank had turned out a prince of barmen. Members of the staff, led by Jack Fraser (manager), and friends gave Frank a wallet of notes as a token of their appreciation. Eddie McCarron took over the Red Lion on Anzac Day, 1933, and that was important, because Frank was an original Anzac with the famous 10th Bn. in C Coy. under Capt. G. D. Shaw, now Mayor of Walkerviile. On the notable 1933 anniversary Frank had many old digger pal callers, and Phil Levy bet him the till would be wrong. Takings for the day were £54 and the till was either 2d. in credit or 2d. short. Frank cannot recall which.

On another Anzac Day Bill Flannagan and Frank sacked each other. Frank Horley told me he had been 40 years in the trade, started as a boy with Randall and Boucaut, wine and spirit merchants, in King William street, and was with them for nine years. He went to WA for a time and was barman at Alf Ellis's Railway Hotel at Mt. Malcolm, 600 miles from Perth. He returned and went to Bill Ogilvie's Commercial Hotel at Cowell and later was saloon barman at the York Hotel during Mr. Syd Ferry's regime, saw the place demolished and worked in the temporary bar of the new Grand Central. Frank Horley says that the secret of a good barman is tact and a good temper." - from the Adelaide Advertiser 13 Jul 1945 (nla.gov.au)

Biography of Frank Harry Horley by Noa Radisic 

Frank Harry Horley born was on the 9th of August 1880 in Peckham, England. He was a single man with no children. He worked as a barman in Norwood, SA (his home town) before heading out to war. His next of Kin is Congers M B

Frank was very proud of his country; he was determined to fight for it and was eager to join his countrymen in the war against the enemy. He enlisted in the war aged 32 on the 28th of August 1914, Morphettville, South Australia. He received a service number 818 and embarked on the 20th of October on the HMAT Ascanius A11. Frank was very keen to to help fight the enemy. 

He travelled on the HMAT Ascanius A11 to Egypt where his training commenced. Frank started off as a front line soldier but throughout the war he was promoted to a sergeant in the 50th Infantry Battalion. The training was very hard and very stressful. Frank was a fighter, a role model, a great person and most of all a leader. He proved this to everyone during the war and he was a very respected man. When the war finished his friends often visited him in the bar that he opened when he came back from War. Frank was wounded on the 10th of September, 1915 but this didn’t stop him from fighting and he re-joined his unit soon after he recovered. He fought in the war for a while until he was wounded for the second time in the action in France on the 11th of June, 1917. He tried to recover but was unable to. The injury prevented him from fighting further in the war and this devastated him. He returned home on December the 25th 1918 on the PT Darwin. Frank lived a long life. He died on the 30th December 1974 aged 94.  

On the 25th of April 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula. These became known as ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps). To be an ANZAC you had to be loyal to your country, you had to be proud of it and willing to give up your life to help your country in success. ANZAC is a concept which suggests that Australian and New Zealand soldiers possess shared characteristics, specifically the qualities those soldiers allegedly exemplified on the battlefields of World War I. The qualities that make up the ANZAC spirit include endurance, courage, ingenuity, good humour, and mateship. ANZACs are not quitters they keep on fighting even if death may be involved. They have built a very good reputation for Australians and made others see us as fighters not losers. Frank proved himself as an ANZAC because of his determination to help his country in success. His grave can be found at the Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia Derrick Garden of Remembrance.