Attiwill, Frank Roy

No.1210 – Sergeant Frank Roy Attiwill – 32^nd Battalion AIF

Frank Roy Attiwill was born in Naracoorte South Australia on the 9^th May 1894 to Frank and Lucy Attiwill. They soon moved to Western Australia where Frank attended James Street School in Perth and later the family moved to 21 Bellevue Terrace in Fremantle. Frank worked as a shop assistant in a Drapers Store and he also had an interest in the military, having served with the 11^th Australian Infantry Regiment for two years circa 1911.

Frank offered his services to the AIF on the 8^th July 1915. He was medically examined and was found to be 5 feet 5 ¾ inches; weight of 132 lbs; chest measurement of 35-37 inches; fair complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.

On 22^nd September 1915 Frank was transferred to D Company of the newly forming 32^nd Battalion. The 32^nd Battalion would have two companies formed in South Australia and two in Western Australia. The Western Australian Companies were transferred to Adelaide to join their South Australian counterparts in training. The South Australians took the WA boys into their hearts and homes and many lifelong friendships sprung up.

After completing their training in South Australia, Frank embarked from Adelaide on the HMAT Geelong which arrived in Suez on the 18^th December 1915.

Many men of the 32^nd Battalion would have been expecting to be sent to Gallipoli but as the Allies withdrew from Anzac Cove and Suvla on the 20^th December, the 32^nd Battalion, along with the other three battalions of the 8^th Brigade were kept in Egypt. Their duties entailed protecting the Suez Canal from Turkish forces as well as undertaking further training. Three new divisions of the AIF were about to be formed and the 8^th Brigade joined up to the 5^th Division. The 32^nd spent the first 6 months of 1916 in the Egyptian desert. It would have been a huge relief for Frank and the 32^nd Battalion when they received their orders to proceed for France. They arrived in Marseilles on the 23^rd June and immediately embarked for Northern France.

Frank didn’t have much time to get used to the front line as they were immediately sent into the debacle at Fromelles where the 32^nd Battalion was almost wiped out. Frank was wounded in the hand and was also suffering from shell shock. He was evacuated to hospital at Boulogne and then transferred to hospital in England. Frank recuperated quickly and was back with the 32^nd Battalion by the 30^th September 1916.

In December 1916 he was promoted Corporal and February 1917 he was sent to the 5^th Division Gas School for a short period of training. He fought in several battles in 1917 including the Hindenburg Line outpost village campaign, 2^nd Bullecourt in May 1917 and the Third Battle of Ypres in September/early October 1917. On the 11^th October, Frank was granted a week’s leave to England. His next break from the front line was when he was again detached to the 5^th Division Gas School in January 1918.

In June 1918 he was promoted to Sergeant and the 32^nd was engaged in vigorous patrolling against the Germans opposite them. On the 30^th July 1918, the 32^nd launched an assault on the Germans to capture a crucial piece of ground which needed to be taken before the British Armies launched their massive attack in early August. Unfortunately, Sergeant Frank Roy Attiwill was killed on the 30^th July 1918. His body was recovered and buried at Beacon Cemetery Sailly Laurette in Plot IV.D.6. He is buried next to another Fremantle soldier of the 32^nd Battalion, Pte Aldwin Burnett.

His parents, who had moved from Bellevue Terrace to Jackson Street North Fremantle, received his medals and effects.