Chambers, Frank Ivan

14493 Gunner Frank Ivan Chambers - 1st Field Artillery Brigade

Frank Ivan Chambers was born in Fremantle WA on the 11th June 1898 to John and Rose Chambers. He had two older siblings, with William in 1892 and Alma in 1894.

He was schooled and lived locally at 28 Curedale Street South Fremantle. (later renumbered to 14 Curedale). He had seen service in the cadets while at school and later joined the Citizen's Military forces, serving with the Service Corps. During the week, Frank was working as a storeman.

On the 12th April 1917 Frank enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording Frank's physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 6 inches tall;

Weight - 145lbs;

Chest Measurement - 35-37 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Brown.

Upon his successful enlistment Frank was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the Australian Army Service Corps reinforcements. He was sent across to New South Wales to complete his training.

On the 1st August 1917 Frank left From Sydney Harbour aboard a transport ship and sailed to England via North America. The ship stopped at Halifax Canada on the 21st September 1917 before resuming its journey, and arriving at Liverpool England on the 3rd October 1917.

Frank and his group were then disembarked and sent to the AASC training camp at Parkhouse. After six weeks in this camp Frank was transferred to the Australian Artillery Details Camp at Heytesbury and was given the rank of Gunner.

Frank trained at Heytesbury until the 16th January 1918. He was then sent in a draft of reinforcements to France. On arrival in France he was marched into the Australian Base Depot Camp at Rouelles. He spent a few days here but on the 23rd January 1918 was taken on strength of the 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade.

The 1st Field Artillery Brigade supported the 1st Australian Division in their operations. From January to March 1918 they were situated in Belgium providing fire support to the front line south east of Ypres.

On March 21st 1918 the Germans launched their Spring Offensive which broke through the British Army lines further south. As a result the Australian Divisions were sent south to the Somme to help stop this advance. The 1st Australian Division had been the last to leave Belgium and they had just reached Amiens when the Germans launched another attack in the north and broke the line in Belgium.

The 1st Australian Division and their supporting units including the Artillery were then returned north and with the help of British units managed to stop this German advance. From April to July 1918 the 1st Field Artillery Brigade was providing fire support to the infantry operations around Merris, Meteren and Strazeele.

In early August 1918 they were then sent to the Somme battlefield where they would take part in the battle of Amiens which began on August 8th 1918. Frank's artillery battery helped provide artillery fire for the many successful advances which occurred over the next few months. By early September Frank and his unit had now passed Peronne and the Germans had fallen back to the Hindenburg Line.

Operations from September 18th through to October were now underway in breaking through these positions. On October 4th 1918 Frank was wounded when a German gas shell exploded nearby. He was affected by the gas before he could get his mask on. After medical treatment at the Field Ambulance and Casualty Clearing Station, Frank was sent by ambulance train to the French coast where he was admitted to the 2nd Canadian General Hospital.

After three weeks he was released from Hospital and sent to the Convalescent Depot at Le Havre. He was still here when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918. Frank would have a few more weeks here and then rejoined his unit on the 4th December 1918.

When the Germans had withdrawn to their own borders, the Australians were sent into what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France.

On the 20th December 1918 Frank was granted a fortnight's leave to the UK. Unfortunately while he was in Ireland for Christmas he fell ill with influenza and was then admitted to King George V Hospital in Dublin. He would remain in hospital for some time. On the 16th January 1919 he was listed as still seriously ill.

It took some time for his condition to improve and it wasn't until the 13th April 1919 that he was listed as a Convalescent case and that his health was on the improve. On the 7th May 1919 he was granted leave from hospital and returned to London, where for the next few weeks he was attached to AIF HQ.

It appears Frank was attached for duty until August 1919 after which he was given two weeks leave prior to departing for Australia.

On the 5th September 1919 Frank boarded the troopship Plassy and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 17th October 1919. He was then discharged from the AIF on the 20th November 1919.

In 1921 Frank got married to Emily Priscilla Parfett and daughters were born, Alma in 1921 and Gladys in 1922.

The family lived in Harold Street North Perth and Frank was working as a motor mechanic.

In 1934 the family moved to Ninth Avenue in Maylands with Frank still a mechanic. They were still living here through the 1940's and 50's.

Frank had also served during World War Two. On the 8th November 1939 he was enlisted and served in the Australian Army. (W235551) Due to being a mechanic he was assigned to the Motor Transport section of the Australian Army Service Corps. During 1940/41 he was based mainly at Karrakatta Camp at Claremont. Through 1941 and 42 he was based at Rottnest Island for extended periods. He then served though to 1943 when he was discharged.

The family were still living in Maylands but by 1963 they had moved to Salisbury street in Bayswater.

Frank died on the 23rd June 1964 aged 66 and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.