Luff, Frank

274 Private Frank Luff - 44th Battalion AIF

Frank Luff was born in Fremantle WA in 1897 to Thomas and Caroline Luff. He was one of eleven children, the eldest having been born in Serpentine and the youngest in Fremantle. As well as Frank there was, Harriet (1880), Mary (1881), Ellen (1884), Sarah (1886), Ader (1888), Thomas (1890), Elizabeth (1892), John (1894), Alfred (1900) and George (1902).

The family lived in Rueben Street Beaconsfield and Frank was educated locally. After leaving school he took up employment as a Horse Driver.

Frank had served in the 86A Cadets and also in the 86th Infantry of the Citizen Military Forces.

On the 4th January 1916, Frank enlisted into the AIF. The medical examiner passed him as fit for service and recorded his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 7 & 1/2 inches tall;

Weight - 139lbs;

Chest Measurement - 34-38 inches;

Complexion - Dark;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Dark.

After his successful enlistment, Frank was assigned to "B" Company of the 44th Battalion. This group trained at Claremont Camp for the first five months of 1916. On the 6th June the 44th Battalion embarked from Fremantle aboard the transport ship Suevic. 

After arriving in England in July 1916, the 44th Battalion spent the next few months training on the Salisbury Plains in England. In November 1916 the Battalion went to France and went into the front line near Armentieres. 

Frank served through 1917 without getting wounded. He had served at Messines and the Third Battle of Ypres but came through safely.

On the 29th March 1918 at Sailly Laurette Frank was wounded in action and was evacuated to hospital. Fortunately the wound wasn't too severe and he was back with the 44th Battalion in May 1918.

On the 16th June 1918 while the unit was in the line Frank injured his ankle and was evacuated to hospital. Frank didn't rejoin the 44th Battalion until the 3rd November 1918. He remained with the 44th Battalion until March 1919. He then returned to England and was sent to Codford Camp to await the transport ship back home.

On the 21st June 1919 Frank boarded the ship Kongin Louise and set sail for Australia, disembarking in Fremantle on the 3rd August 1919. Frank was discharged from the AIF on the 10th January 1920.

Frank married Iris Telfer in West Perth in 1923. A son called Leslie Francis Luff was born in 1925.

Frank Luff died on the 16th July 1977 aged 79 and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery and is memoralised at the Garden of Remembrance EC Garden 15 170