Warren, Silvester Frank

52125 Private Silvester Frank Warren - 28th Battalion AIF

Silvester Frank Warren was born on the 7th May 1898 in Colchester England to Francis & Elizabeth Warren. The family lived in Colchester and Silvester would have two younger siblings, William in 1907 and Thomas in 1911.

The Warren family came to Western Australian in December 1912 on the transport ship Demosthenes when Silvester was 14 years old and after arriving, took up residence at 11 Paget Street South Fremantle.

Silvester found employment with the WA Government Railways as an engine cleaner. This work took him around the State but by 1916 would be based in the country town Wagin.

On the 23rd September 1916 the 18 year old Frank enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. The medical examiner recorded Silvester's physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 4 inches tall;

Weight - 147lbs;

Chest Measurement - 35-37 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Dark Brown.

Upon his successful enlistment, Silvester was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.86 Training Depot. After two weeks he was then assigned to the 8th Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion AIF. He trained with this group for over a month but was then transferred back to No.22 Training Depot.

On the 12th January 1917 Silvester was transferred to the 5th Military District Guard and he remained there on duty for the next six months. On the 21st June 1917 Silvester was transferred into the 26th Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion however after four days he was pulled out of this group and instead was sent to the Machine Gun School (see photos below)

Silvester trained with the Machine Gun school until the 26th November 1917. He was then attached to the 22nd Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion. However he was then sent back to No.22 Training Depot. In March 1918 Silvester was then added to the 1st Western General Reinforcements. He trained with this group in WA for a few months but then the orders to embark arrived and on the 8th May 1918 Silvester and his group went to Albany Harbour and embarked aboard the troopship SS Port Darwin. The ship arrived at Southampton England on the 28th July 1918.

On arrival in England Silvester and his group were marched into the 5th Training Battalion. He would spend the next few months in England at the 5th Training Battalion. For training purposes he was promoted to Acting Corporal.

It wasn't until the 17th October 1918 that Frank was sent to France and he was taken on strength of the 28th Battalion on the 20th October 1918. The Battalion had seen their last action on October 1st 1918 at Montbrehain and were now on a rest period out of the line.

Silvester was with his unit when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918. 

After the Germans withdrew to their own borders, the Australian divisions were sent to what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France. The 28th Battalion, as part of the 2nd Division, were sent to the region around Charleroi in Belgium. They would remain in this region until May 1919. However Silvester would not be there long.

On the 8th December 1918 Silvester was struck down with influenza and was sent to the 10th General Hospital in the French town of Rouen. It was a severe case and he remained in hospital until the 16th January 1919. He had then improved enough to be moved and was sent by hospital ship to England.

On arrival in England he was sent to the 1st London General Hospital at Camberwell. His condition was still serious and he remained in this hospital till the 3rd March 1919. Silvester was then transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. He had a further two weeks here and on the 19th March was well enough to be granted a furlough for two weeks.

On the 2nd April 1919 Silvester reported to No.2 Command Depot Camp in Weymouth. He waited a few weeks here and on the 19th April 1919 boarded the transport ship Marathon and set sail to Australia. The ship arrived back in Fremantle on the 31st May 1919. He was then discharged from the AIF on the 19th June 1919.

He returned home to Paget Street Fremantle and found work locally as a bricklayer/general labourer.

In 1933 Silvester married Winifred Elizabeth Eatt in South Fremantle and they would reside at 102 (later called 202) Carrington Street Hilton.

They would have several children, Francis (Frank) Ernest Warren in 1933, Ellen (Nellie) Warren in 1935, Edward John Warren in 1940 and Audrey Winifred Warren in 1945.

On the 21st August 1940 Silvester enlisted into the Australian Army for World War Two. (W26204). He was assigned to the 5th Garrison Battalion. Initially he served with this unit in coastal Perth near Swanbourne but then in January 1941 he was sent with a section of his unit to Harvey.

In February 1941 Silvester transferred to No.11 Guard Company at Harvey. He remained there until December 1942 when he returned to the 5th Garrison Battalion at Swanbourne. At this stage Silvester had been promoted to Corporal.

In January 1943 his records note that he was transferred to Special Duty, but it does not explain what this was. Though he was still nominally on the roll of the 5th Garrison Battalion at this time.

Silvester was discharge from the Army in May 1943.

After being discharged from the Army, Silvester returned home to Carrington Street and resumed his bricklaying career. He would live in Carrington Street for the next thirty years.

Silvester Francis Warren died on the 4th March 1974 in Hilton. He was buried at Fremantle Cemetery plot Methodist Mon B4 0173