KUHNE, Frederick John
| Service Number: | 7511 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 June 1917 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Roseworthy, South Australia, 21 July 1889 |
| Home Town: | Roseworthy, Light, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Roseworthy Primary School |
| Occupation: | Wool Classer |
| Memorials: | Freeling Boer War, Boxer Rebellion and WW1 Memorial Panel, Gawler Council Gawler Men Who Answered the Call WW1 Roll of Honor, Roseworthy Agricultural College Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 6 Jun 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 7511, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Oct 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 7511, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 30 Oct 1917: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 7511, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Melbourne | |
| 30 Jul 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 7511, 10th Infantry Battalion, Merris (France), SW Neck |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by St Ignatius' College
Frederick John Kuhne was born on the 21st of July 1889, in Roseworthy, South Australia. He was born to his father, August Charles Fredrick Kuhne and his mother, Catherine (nee, Winton).
He attended the local school in Roseworthy. When Frederick finished school, he became a Wool Classer. He continued to be a wool classer until he enlisted to go to the war.
On the 6th of June 1917, Frederick John Kuhne enlisted for the war. This was considered quite late as most of the other soldiers had enlisted a few years earlier than him. Additionally, he signed up as a volunteer. There are no records on why Frederick decided to go to war, but most people would assume that he enlisted thinking that it would be a fun and great adventure with his friends or that he even may have been forced to go, by his parents. He was described on enlistment as 27 years 11 months; single; 5 foot, 6 inches; blue eyes; light brown hair; fair complexion and 124 pounds.
He trained in the Keswick Barracks, in Adelaide for 4 months before he set off for war. He left Australia on the 30th of October 1917, from Melbourne, Victoria, by the HMAT “Aeneas”. As written on his service records, his “next of kin” was his father, Kuhne August Charles Frederick. This meant that his father would receive all the current and recent information about if he was injured at the time.
An interesting fact about him was that he requested to change his name by deed poll (the government) from Kuhne (German) to Keany (Australian). This all happened in 1919. He did this because at the time, out of the 32 countries involved in the war, Australians and New Zealanders were fighting against Germany and therefore he did not want to have any connections or links to Germans.
Frederick was a private soldier. He was in the frontline of the Western Front and he served in France in 1918. He was enlisted in the 10th Battalion and fought in many battles. Whilst he was fighting in these battles, he carried weapons such as bayonets and rifle guns. During the war, he also become involved in many activities. For example, becoming involved in field work. There were no significant or terrifying stories that Kuhne experienced. Just being at the warfront would have been very confronting and dramatic enough by the opposition.
Frederick John Kuhne suffered from a severe and serious wound on 30th July 1918 at Merris when he was shot in a nerve in the neck which was connected to his brain. This resulted in him being admitted to the Cambridge Hospital, Aldershot in England on the 10th of August 1918. Thankfully, he did not die during the war or from his severe injury.
In most harsh situations, there comes a reward. At the end of the war, Kuhne received two medals. These were The British War Medal and The Victory Medal. The British War Medal was privileged abroad during the war, as well as men who serviced in Russia in 1919-1920. Finally, The Victory Medal. This was authorised in 1919 for all military and civilian people who had serviced in military operations between 1914 and 1918.
Frederick John Kuhne arrived safely back to Australia, once the war had finished, on the 6th of March 1919 by the HT “Ceramic”. He serviced for Australia in a total amount of 501 days and was discharged on the 6th of April 1919. There are no records that show how and when he died or where his body is. We can just assume that he would have died most likely of old age, and then buried by his family in Roseworthy, South Australia.