Pegg, Frederick George

3106 - Private Frederick George Pegg - 11th & 46th Battalion AIF

Born 14th January 1895 in Heidelberg Victoria to George and Catherine Pegg. He was one of five siblings, with, David (1893), Harry (1899), Magdaelene (1905) and Dorothy.

The family moved to Fremantle shortly after Fred's birth as his brother Harry had been born in Canvas Town Fremantle in 1899. Fred was educated locally at White Gum Valley Primary School. During his early years, Fred served in the Naval Cadets and also the 86A Cadets of the Citizens Military Forces. He also joined the Royal Australian Navy Reserve.

After leaving school he took up a clerical position with the WA Government Railways and the family was living at 64 Watkins Street South Fremantle (later renumbered 56).

On the 24th December 1914 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 9 inches tall;

Weight - 137lbs;

Chest Measurement - 33 to 36 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Grey;

Hair - Fair.

After his successful enlistment, Fred was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp and was assigned to the 3rd Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group for a few weeks but he did not have long, as on the 22nd February 1915 Fred and his group boarded the transport ship HMAT Itonus and set sail for Egypt.

The ship arrived in Egypt a little over three weeks later and the men were sent into the reinforcement camp. The 11^th Battalion had already departed Egypt in early March and were currently on Lemnos Island from where they would leave to be making the landing on the Turkish coast. Fred meanwhile was busy training with the rest of his reinforcement group and they soon heard of the landing at Anzac Cove on the 25^th April 1915. Hugh and his group would not have to wait long to join them as they soon departed from Alexandria Harbour and made their way to Gallipoli.

Fred was officially taken on strength of the 11^th Battalion on the 7^th May 1915 and was assigned to “D” Company. The 11^th Battalion were then in the southern sector of the Anzac Battlefield near Bolton’s Ridge and Tasmania Post and they were to remain here for the rest of the campaign. As well as undergoing the regular shell fire and sniper fire from the Turks the 11^th Battalion also faced a few major actions on their front. On the 19^th May 1915 they withstood the massive Turkish assault and their fire absolutely mowed down the Turks in their sector.

In late June the 11^th Battalion conducted a costly demonstration against the Turkish trenches but Fred came through unscathed. As a prelude to the August 1915 offensive, the 11^th Battalion were ordered to capture a Turkish position which would be later known as “Leanes Post”. This position was vital to capture as it overlooked the Turkish trenches at Lone Pine which were an objective of a further attack by the 1^st Brigade on August 6^th.

On the 1^st August 1915 the 11^th Battalion assaulted the Turkish position and captured it under very heavy fire. They then held it for the next week against constant Turkish counter attacks. On the 6th August 1915 Fred was hit in the neck and jaw by shrapnel.

He was then patched by his mates and Fred then made his way to the 2nd Field Ambulance from where his neck was treated and the bleeding stemmed. Fred was then sent to the 1st Australian Casualty Cleating Station on the Beach. He had a few days under medical care here and was then transferred to the Hospital Ship Sicilia which left the Gallipoli waters on the 8th August 1915.

On the 12th August 1915 the hospital ship arrived at Alexandria Egypt and Fred was sent to the 2nd Australian General Hospital. He would remain a patient here till October 1915. The medical authorities in Egypt decided that Fred would recover better if he was sent home to Australia for six months, and after that time period, if fit, could rejoin the AIF.

On the 31st October 1915 Fred boarded the transport ship HMAT Aeneas and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 26th November 1915. Fred was then sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for a medical checkup.

He was then sent home to Watkins Street South Fremantle to recover. In the latter half of 1916 Fred was passed as fit to return to action. He was assigned to the 8th Reinforcements to the 46th Battalion. Though nominally a Victoria unit, the 46th Battalion took a draft of soldiers from WA.

On the 29th December 1916 Fred and his reinforcement group went to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Persic. The ship arrived at Devonport Harbour on the 3rd March 1917. Fred and his group were then sent to the 12th Training Battalion at Codford Camp on the Salisbury Plains.

On the 30th April 1917 Fred went absent without leave for nine days until apprehended by the military police. As a punishment he was given 14 days of Field Punishment No.2 and fined 14 days pay.

On the 19th June 1917 Fred was sent to France and was marched into the 4th Australian Division Base Depot. He had a few weeks here and was then taken on strength of the 46th Battalion on the 10th July 1917. Fred joined his unit when they were in the line at Messines in southern Belgium. they served here through August 1917 and were then sent to Ypres in September 1917.

The 46th Battalion served at the Third Battle of Ypres in September and October 1917, seeing action at Polygon Wood, Broodseinde Ridge and Passchendaele. Fred survived his units actions safely though on the 19th October 1917 was sent to hospital with a septic finger. He returned to the 46th Battalion on the 27th November 1917.

In December 1917 the 46th Battalion spent a month at Peronne in France but returned to Belgium in January 1918. On the 11th January 1918 Fred was detached for duty with the 2nd Canadian Tunnelling Company. This attachment lasted unit the 26th March 1918.

On March 21^st 1918 the Germans launched their spring offensive which broke through the British Third and Fifth Armies, capturing much territory and large towns such as Peronne. The Australian Divisions were sent south to the Somme to bring this German advance to a halt. The 46^th Battalion, as part of the 12^th Brigade, met the Germans near Dernancourt and from March 28^th to April 5^th there was much hard fighting around the railway embankment at Dernancourt, though the Australian units were also on the receiving end of a large German assault on April 4/5^th though they managed to hold the German advance. Fred came through this action unscathed and the 46^th Battalion continued to hold the line near Villers-Bretonneux for the next few months. On the 5th June 1918 Fred was sent to the 4th Field Ambulance for a few days to recover from a slight illness but was soon back with his unit.

Through June and July 1918 the 46th Battalion were involved around the Hamel and Villers-Bretonneux sectors.

On August 8^th 1918, Australian, British and Canadian divisions launched their large assault and completely broke the German line, pushing them back even though the fighting was severe in some quarters. The 46^th Battalion would advance well and were able to take their objectives. A weeks after this offensive began, on the 15th August 1918, Fred was granted a fortnight's leave to England. He returned to the 46th Battalion on the 8th September 1918.

In Fred's absence the Germans had been continuously pushed back and in early September 1918 Peronne was recaptured. When Fred rejoined the 46th Battalion on the 8th September 1918 they were in preparation for an attack on German positions on the Hindenburg Outpost Line on the 18th September 1918. The 46th Battalion were tasked with the third objective for their Brigade front which they successfully took.

After this action the 46th Battalion was withdrawn from the line for a well deserved rest.

While on their rest period Fred was transferred to the 4th Motor Transport Company. He served with this unit through to the end of March 1919. In April 1919 Fred was then transferred to England to await a transport ship home. He was then sent to No.4 Command Depot Camp at Hurdcott.

On the 21st June 1919 Fred boarded the transport ship Kongin Louise and set sail for home, disembarking in Fremantle on the 3rd August 1919. He was discharged from the AIF on the 25th September 1919.

After his return from the war, Fred returned home to Watkins Street South Fremantle and then resumed work with the WA Government Railways.

Fred got married on the 22nd December 1920 to Evelyn May Reading at St Peters Church in Brunswick WA and had four children, William (1922), George (1926), Eric (1934) and Violet (1936).

The family resumed living at 56 Watkins Street South Fremantle. In the 1930's the family moved for a time to 78 Cantonment Street before going to 51 Wood Street White Gum Valley. Through all these years Fred was working for the WA Government Railways. 

Fred died on the 1st July 1947. He was buried at Fremantle Cemetery Plot Anglican MON A3 0464.