Welshman, Frederick William

1074 Private Frederick William Welshman - 32nd Battalion and Australian Army Medical Corps

Frederick William Welshman was born in Gloucester England on the 13th April 1886 to John and Annie Welshman. He was one of several siblings, his brothers being  Jack, Harry, Alfred and Thomas and Sister Blanche, Ethel and Edith. The family lived in Gloucestershire and Fred was educated at St Luke’s School in Gloucester.

After leaving school Fred took up an apprenticeship with the Gloucester Wagon Company for five years. After this time he had qualified as a Blacksmith and Engineer.

In 1904 he married Edith Garner and they would have four children, Lydia (1905), Wilfred (1906), Nina (1908) and Edith (1910).

During this time Fred had also had voluntary service with the Royal Garrison Artillery in Gloucester for more than four years.

In 1911 all the family apart from the eldest son Jack moved to Western Australia and took up residence in Harvest Street North Fremantle. On arrival in WA Fred secured employment as a Blacksmith at the Westralia Iron Works at Rocky Bay.

It appears his wife and children were still living in England.

In 1913 his sister Blanche married Albert A Williams in Fremantle and they also set up residence in North Fremantle. Everything was going well for the family since their arrival in WA with all the sons finding employment plus also taking up service in the local citizen’s forces units.

Fred was now working for the WA Government Railways in the Locomotive Depot.

On the 20th July 1915 Fred enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 10 & 1/4 inches tall;

Weight - 170lbs;

Chest Measurement - 36-38 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Gray;

Hair - Brown.

After his successful enlistment Fred was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.18 Training Depot. Fred spent a month here but in August was transferred into "C" Company of the 32nd Battalion.

The 32nd Battalion was a joint South and West Australian unit. The two WA companies did some of their training in WA but then went to Adelaide to join up with the rest of the Battalion and trained for a few more weeks in South Australia.

The 32nd Battalion left Adelaide in December 1915 and sailed for Egypt. After their arrival they spent more time in training and were also used to man part of the Suez Canal defensive line.

The 32nd Battalion became part of the 8th Brigade of the 5th Division AIF. They spent the first six months of 1916 training in the Egyptian desert. On the 17th June 1916 they departed from Egypt and boarded a troopship for France, arriving at Marseilles.

After their arrival they were sent north to the Armentieres region to have their first experience of trench life on the Western Front. The 32nd Battalion did not have long to wait to become involved in their first battle. On the 19th July 1916 the 32nd Battalion took part in the attack at Fromelles. Despite heavy German fire the 32nd Battalion captured part of the German trenches however due to having one open flank and the Germans isolating the men who captured the trenches, the 32nd Battalion could not hold on to their gains and the unwounded men either had to surrender or make a dash for their own lines. Many more men were shot down as they tried to withdraw.

The whole attack had been badly planned and the soldiers paid the price for the incompetence of the leadership. The 32nd Battalion lost 718 casualties (killed, wounded and taken prisoner), almost three quarters of it's total strength.

During the advance Fred had been shot in the abdomen, pelvis and right leg. He managed to get back to their own trench where medical aid was first applied. He was initially treated at the 15th Field Ambulance and from there was sent to the 1st Casualty Clearing Station.

Fred was then shipped to England where he was admitted to a war hospital in Keightley. He recovered well and on the 16th September 1916 Fred was released from hospital and sent to No.1 Command Depot Camp at Perham Downs.

Due to his leg wound not recovering as well as was hoped Fred was retained in England and not sent back to France. He was initially taken on strength of the Australian Army Provost Corps and he saw service with them in England through 1917.

It appears that in early 1918 Fred returned to France where he was attached for duty with the Australian Electrical, Mechanical, Mining and Boring Company. 

Fred returned to England in May 1918 and now was re-assigned to the Australian Army Medical Corps. He then went to work at No.2 Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Southall England.

Fred saw out the remainder of the war with the medical corps and he was discharged from the AIF on the 10th December 1918 as medically unfit. He took his discharge in the UK rather than returning to Australia.

He returned to his wife and children in Gloucestershire.

In 1920 Fred visited family in Fremantle but then returned to England. It appears he found employment in India with the East Indian Government Railways, as in 1923 Fred was living in Lucknow India.

He returned to England but by 1927 Fred was living back in North Fremantle, but then returned to England and came back to Fremantle in 1929.

In 1933 Fred again returned to England but returned to Fremantle on the 8th May 1934. 

Fred Welshman passed away in Fremantle on the 16th August 1934 aged 46. He is buried in Fremantle Cemetery Plot Mon A3 0213