See Brothers

No.7676 Private Francis James See – 13th Field Artillery Brigade AIF – 4874 George Arthur See & 4140 Herbert Thomas See

Francis James See was born in Glen Innes NSW in 1892 to Josiah and Mary See. He was one of several children, with Ethel born 1883, Carroll in 1885, Edith in 1887, George in 1889, Herbert in 1891 and John in 1895.

The family moved shortly after to Western Australia where they took up residence in Sewell Street East Fremantle.

He was working as a clerk prior to enlistment. Francis tried to enlist early in the war but was knocked back due to his chest measurement not being in the correct dimensions. He soon tried again and enlisted on the 14^th July 1915 at the Perth Drill Hall. The medical examiner found Francis to be 5 feet 6 inches in height; weight of 127 lbs, cheat measurement of 33-35 inches; fair complexion, hazel eyes and auburn hair. His religious denomination was listed as Roman Catholic.

In his distinguishing features he was listed as having scars on his forehead, abdomen and upper lip. His father Josiah of 137 Sewell St East Fremantle was listed as his next of kin.

Upon his enlistment Frank was sent to Blackboy Hill training Camp where he was admitted to No.24 Depot Company.  He received training in this Company from the 26^th July to 8^th September 1915.

The following day he was assigned to the 6^th Reinforcements to the 16^th Australian Army Service Corps. It appears this group was sent to Victoria for specialised training for several weeks and he embarked from Melbourne Victoria on the HMAT Ascanius on the 10^th November 1915.

After a journey of several weeks the ship arrived in Egypt in late December 1915. Frank was then assigned to the 2^nd Division Train as a Driver. On the 15^th March 1916 he was transferred to the newly forming 57^th Battalion AIF. However his stay with the Victorian Battalion was of short duration as on the 27^th March he was again transferred, this time to the 52^nd Battery of the 13^th Field Artillery Brigade.

Frank would train with this unit through the next few months in the Egyptian desert. On the 16^th June 1916 he boarded the HMT Tunisian in Alexandria and set sail for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 23^rd June 1916. He then was entrained for the north of France near Armentieres and on the 9^th July 1916 his Battery was transferred to join the 25^th Field Artillery Brigade. This was a new unit and Frank would serve with them through the action at Fromelles and into early 1917 when the 25^th FAB was disbanded and the 52^nd Battery went on to rejoin the 13^th FAB.

Frank had been in action on the Somme front since October 1916, so when they move to the 13^th FAB occurred, they didn’t have to move as the 13^th FAB were also on the Somme. However instead of rejoining the 52^nd Battery he was posted to the 49^th Battery. On the 8^th February 1917 Frank was evacuated sick with a pyrexia of unknown origin. He was initially admitted to the 45^th Casualty Clearing Station and then to the 12^th General Hospital at Rouen. After a few weeks of west Frank recovered and rejoined his unit on the 27^th March 1917. They were then based at Villers au Flos however they soon moved forward to Beugny where they supported the actions against the Hindenburg Outpost Line villages and Bullecourt. They remained in this sector till May 1917 and then were given a period of rest out of the line. In July 1917 the 13^th FAB were sent to Belgium where they went into action near Ypres to support the upcoming offensive.

On the 31^st July 1917 Frank was granted a two week furlough, returning on the 17^th August 1917. For the next few months the artillery, often under heavy German counter battery fire supported the operations around Ypres but fortunately Frank came through unscathed. During this time he changed rank from Driver to Gunner.

In early 1918 Frank received another period of furlough as his unit remained in Belgium. As a result of the German breakthrough in March 1918 the Australians were sent south to the Somme to help stop the German offensive. On the 13^th May Frank was promoted to Bombardier. On the 24^th May he was wounded in action. The Brigade was based at Fouilloy near Villers-Bretonneux when the German fire hit his battery wounding Frank in the face and hands. He was sent to the 47^th Casualty Clearing Station and then to the 2^nd Canadian General Hospital. He had the next few months in hospital, eventually rejoining the 13^th FAB on the 12^th September 1918 near Peronne.

Later in September Frank was granted a period of leave, rejoining his unit on the 18^th October 1918. While the Australian infantry had been withdrawn from the line for a rest, the Artillery units were still active up till the last days of the war.

On the 8^th November 1918 Frank was made a Temporary Corporal and would be at that rank for the next few months. After the Armistice the Australians were sent north to Belgium and it wasn’t until later March 1919 that Frank left Belgium. On the 1^st April 1919 he left for England and he went into camp at No.2 Command Depot. However he didn’t leave England until the 21^st June 1919 when he boarded the ship Kongin Louise. He disembarked in Fremantle on the 3^rd August 1919.

His brother George Arthur See (4874) also served in the AAMC and 13^th FAB during the war and Herbert (4140) in the medical corps. The brothers all survived the war.

In 1920 Francis married Rose Veronica Green in Perth and they would have two daughters, Betty born in 1922 and Mollie in 1923.

He died in 1973 aged 80 and his wife Rose died in 1984.