Brown, Frederick William

5676 Private Frederick William Brown - 16th Battalion AIF

Frederick William Brown was born in Fremantle on 1890 to William and Charlotte Brown. He had four siblings, with George (1892), James (1894), Elizabeth (1896) and Charles (1899).

The family lived at 36 Price Street South Fremantle (later renumbered 8 Price) and James and his siblings were educated locally. After leaving school Frederick took up a Tailoring apprenticeship with a Mr. D Possner in Fremantle. This apprenticeship was of five years duration, after which Fred continued to work as a fully qualified tailor.

On the 11th February 1916 Frederick enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 2 & 1/4 inches;

Weight - 104lbs;

Chest Measurement - 31-34 inches;

Complexion - Rosy;

Eyes - Light Brown;

Hair - Fair.

Upon his successful enlistment, Fred was sent to the depot training camp at Blackboy Hill Camp where he was taken through the basics of infantry work.

On the 4th April 1916 he was transferred to the 18th Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA for the next few months.

On the 18th July 1916 Fred and his group embarked for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship Seang Choon and set sail for England.

After being disembarked in England on the 10th September 1916, Fred and his group were sent to the 4th Training Battalion at Codford Camp on the Salisbury Plains. He trained here for the next few months and on the 21st December 1916 Fred was sent over to France.

He spent several days in the 4th Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples and on the 2nd January 1917 he was taken on strength of the 16th Battalion AIF.

When he joined them the 16th Battalion were serving on the Somme Battlefield in the vicinity of Flers and Delville Wood. They would be stationed here for the next few months.

In March 1917 the Germans began their withdrawal to their pre-prepared defensive position known as the Hindenburg Line. The Australian and British units pressed this withdrawal all the way and several sharp actions were found around the Hindenburg Line outpost villages.

On the 11th April 1917, the 16th Battalion were tasked with the capture of the Hindenburg Line at Bullecourt. Despite getting into the German trenches without artillery support, their flanks were not supported and so the Germans were able to surround the Australians.

The 16th Battalion sustained many casualties including Fred. Fortunately his wound was not severe and he returned to the 16th Battalion in May 1917.

In June 1917 the 16th Battalion were sent to Belgium where they took part in the Battle of Messines. Fred survived the initial days of battle but was wounded by shrapnel while the unit was holding the line on the 12th July 1917.

Unfortunately Fred's records are missing some pages but it appears that he returned to the 16th Battalion in time to see service during the Third Battle of Ypres between September to November 1917 and he emerged unscathed. It appears at this stage that Fred was assigned to Battalion Headquarters.

In December 1917 the 16th Battalion were moved to Peronne but then returned to Belgium in January 1918 and remained there till March 1918.

When the Germans broke through the British front lines further south on the 21st March 1918, the Australian divisions were sent from Belgium to the Somme to help stop the German advance. The 16th Battalion were sent to Hebuterne and with the assistance of New Zealand and British troops, they stopped the Germans in that area and then began to go on the offensive, conducting raids and forays to put the Germans on the back foot.

After a few weeks at Hebuterne the 16th Battalion was sent to the Villers-Bretonneux sector. On July 4th 1918, the 16th Battalion took part in the successful capture of Hamel, Fred being in the thick of the action, talking messages from the front line companies to HQ.

Thankfully Fred survived the successful Hamel action, and the subsequent advance from the Villers Bretonneux front on the 8th August 1918. The 16th battalion were in action from August 8th until September 18th 1918 and fought in several successful actions.

Fred came through this time safely and remained with the 16th Battalion until after the Armistice. When the Germans withdrew behind their own borders, the Australian units were sent into what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France.

Fred remained with the 16th Battalion well into new year and in April 1919 returned to England. He now waited to be assigned a berth on a troopship home.

On the 4th June 1919, Fred went aboard the troopship Bremen and set sail for Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 18th July 1919.

Fred was discharged from the AIF on the 18th September 1919.

In 1920 Fred married Nancy Hannah Jane Vickerman and a daughter Peggy was born in 1923.

During these post war years Fred was working as a Tailor at 36 Cleopatra Street East Fremantle. He continued here through to the 1960's.

Frederick William Brown died on the 11th April 1967 aged 76. He was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery.