CHESTERTON, Francis Augustine
| Service Number: | 7697 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 8 June 1917 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia, 31 March 1880 |
| Home Town: | Goulburn, Goulburn Mulwaree, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Traffic Branch, Goulburn Railway Station |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 23 August 1918, aged 38 years |
| Cemetery: |
Heath Cemetery, Picardie |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Goulburn District Railway Employees Great War Honour Roll, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 8 Jun 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 7697 | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Dec 1917: | Involvement Private, 7697, 2nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Dec 1917: | Embarked Private, 7697, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ulysses, Sydney |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
Francis Augustine CHESTERTON, (Service Number 7697) was born on 31 March 1880 at Bronte, a location to the east of Lake Bathurst, south of Goulburn. He commenced work with the NSW Tramways as a casual tram conductor in August 1906. On 24 July 1908 he left duty on strike, although he did finish his shift before stopping work. He qualified as an electric driver in 1909 and made representations to the District Superintendent in December for an increase in pay, but this was declined. In September 1911 he resigned, but four years later applied for employment with the Railways. This required special permission as he was older than 35 years. He was given the role of porter at Goulburn, and two months later was passed as a 3rd class shunter. He seems to have been reluctant to leave Goulburn for he declined 2nd class shunters positions at Harden, Hornsby, Flemington, Sydney, Eskbank, Bathurst, Nyngan, Wallerawang and Wellington. In August 1916 he did accept a position as 2nd class shunter as Erskineville, but two months later was back in Goulburn, now as a 2nd class shunter.
He was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces on 13 June 1917.
He was killed in Action 23 August 1918.
Initially he was buried at Meringolles British Cemetery, half a mile NNW of Proyart, and 3¼ miles North East of Harbonnières, nine miles East South East of Corbie. The Rev T J Donnell officiated at a formal funeral.
His remains have been exhumed and are now buried in Heath Cemetery, 1½ miles North of Harbonnières, 7¼ miles East South East of Corbie, Picardie, France.
Among multiple corrections to contact details for Jane, written on the original Attestation Papers is the name Jane Lewis, so it is guessed that she re-married.
Submitted 25 May 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Francis Augustine CHESTERTON, (Service Number 7697) was born on 31st March 1880 at Bronte, a location to the east of Lake Bathurst (not the Sydney suburb), south of Goulburn. He commenced work with the NSW Tramways as a casual tram conductor in August 1906. On 24th July 1908 he left duty on strike, although he did finish his shift before stopping work. He qualified as an electric driver in 1909 and made representations to the District Superintendent in December for an increase in pay. However, this was declined. In September 1911, four years later he applied for employment with the Railways. This required special permission as he was older than 35 years. He was given the role of porter at Goulburn. Two months later he was passed as a 3rd class shunter. He seems to have been reluctant to leave Goulburn because he declined offers of 2nd class shunters positions at Harden, Hornsby, Flemington, Sydney, Eskbank (Lithgow), Bathurst, Nyngan, Wallerawang and Wellington. In August 1916 he did accept a position as 2nd class shunter as Erskineville. However, two months later he was back in Goulburn, keeping his promotion as a 2nd class shunter.
He was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces on 13 June 1917. Strangely, on 1 August 1917 he was classified as an adult shunter, although he was then 37-years-old. At the time of his enlistment he was married to Jane. Although he was working in Goulburn, her address is given as care of an address in Newtown.
He left Australia from Sydney on board HMAT ‘Ulysses’ on 19th December 1917. He sailed to Port Suez. He re-embarked on ‘Leasowe Castle’ for Taranto. From there he was transported by train to Cherburg. Then he went to Southampton on 13th February 1918.
He proceeded to France in May and joined the 2nd Australian Infantry Battalion on 12th June.
He was killed in Action on 23rd August 1918.
He was buried at Meringolles British Cemetery, half a mile NNW of Proyart, and 3¼ miles North East of Harbonnières, nine miles East South East of Corbie. The Rev T J Donnell officiated at a formal funeral.
His remains have been exhumed and are now buried in Heath Cemetery, 1½ miles North of Harbonnières, 7¼ miles East South East of Corbie, Picardie, France.
Among multiple corrections to contact details for Jane, written on the original Attestation Papers is the name Jane Lewis, so she probably re-married.
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board