Congdon, Frank Harold Ainslie
401 Private Frank Harold Ainslie Congdon - 28th Battalion & 7th Trench Mortar Battery
Frank Harold Ainslie Congdon was born in Fremantle WA in 1881 to Daniel and Jane Congdon. He was one of eleven siblings born in to the family. Frank was educated and grew up in the North Fremantle and Cottesloe region.
The family lived in John Street North Fremantle during the 1900's. After leaving school Frank secured work as a Clerk for the Customs Department in Fremantle.
Sadly his father died in 1907. Daniel had been a Mayor of both North Fremantle and Fremantle Municipal Councils and the flags on both buildings were flown at half mast when his death was announced.
Frank was working as a Customs officer and was living at John Street North Fremantle up the start of the Great War.
On the 3rd March 1915 Frank 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 11 inches tall;
Weight - 138lbs;
Chest Measurement - 33-35 inches;
Complexion - Medium Dark;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Brown.
Upon his successful enlistment, Frank was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.11 Depot Company where he was taken through the basics of infantry work. After five weeks in the depot Frank was assigned to "C" Company of the 28th Battalion AIF.
The 28th Battalion trained in WA until they embarked from Fremantle aboard the H.M.A.T. “Ascanius” on the 29th June 1915. After their arrival in Egypt in late July they were given further training and were soon told to prepare to head for Gallipoli.
On the 4th September 1915 the Battalion embarked from Egypt and made their way to the peninsula. After the 28th Battalion arrived at Anzac they were sent to part of the newly captured territory in the northern portion of the Anzac battlefield to hold the new trenches around positions such as the Apex and Rhododendron Ridge. The 28th Battalion were not involved in any major actions on Gallipoli but still had a steady stream of casualties from enemy fire and sickness.
Frank was evacuated sick to the beach hospital on the 11th November 1915. He returned to his unit on the 2nd December 1915. He spent a few more days with the 28th Bn but then fell ill again and was diagnosed with peritonitis.
Frank was evacuated to Egypt just prior to the Gallipoli evacuation, and was also found to be suffering from feet swelling. He would remain in hospital in Egypt for the next few weeks. He rejoined his unit in Egypt on the 28th January 1916. The unit was then in the midst of training.
On the 16th March 1916 the 28th Battalion arrived at Alexandria Harbour and proceeded to board a troopship which took them to France, where they arrived at Marseilles on the 21st March 1916. The Battalion made their way by train to the north of France. They arrived near Armentieres and took up a position on the Western Front for the first time near Fleurbaix.
The 28th Battalion remained in this sector until June 1916 when they transferred for a short period to Messines. However on the 6th April 1916 Frank was detached for duty with the 7th Light Trench Mortar Battery.
Frank served with this unit for the remainder of the war. The 7th Light Trench Mortar Battery was under the direction of the 7th Infantry Brigade and supported the 25th, 26th, 27th & 28th Battalion's in their actions at the front.
The 2nd Australian Division headed for the Somme battlefield in July 1916. The 1st Australian Division had captured Pozieres village on July 23rd 1916 and they were then relieved by the 2nd Division (including Frank's 7th Brigade) who would attempt to further the gains already made.
On July 29th the 2nd Division commenced their first attack on German positions and were supported by Frank's 7th Trench Mortar Battery. Frank and his unit were in the line for the next week and on the 6th August he was wounded by shrapnel. He was in hospital and rest camps for the next few months but returned to duty on the 14th October 1916.
Frank served with his unit through the 1916/17 French winter when the unit was on the Somme battlefield.
When the Germans began their withdrawal to their pre-prepared defensive position known as the Hindenburg Line, the Australian and British followed up their withdrawal and several sharp actions were fought. Frank's unit supported the infantry actions around Bapaume, Lagnicourt and Bullecourt through March to May 1917.
Frank came through these months unscathed and in June 1917 the 2nd Australian Division was withdrawn for a three month rest period, with much of that time being taken up with training and sporting activities.
In September 1917 the 2nd Australian Division were sent to Belgium to take part in the Third Battle of Ypres. Frank's 7th Brigade served at the Battle of Menin Road on September 20th 1917 and then Polygon Wood in the following days.
On the 29th September 1917 Frank was sent to hospital with a toe issue but returned to his unit on the 8th October 1917. He then served though the rest of the actions around Broodseinde Ridge and Passchendaele through October and November 1917.
From December 1917 to March 1918 the 7th Brigade were holding the front line in Belgium south east of Ypres.
On the 31st March 1918 Frank was returned to hospital with a recurrence of his toe issue. He was sent to the 14th Stationary Hospital at Boulogne. On the 7th April 1918 he was then transferred to England. He was admitted to Edmonton Military Hospital and remained there till the 10th May 1918 when he was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford.
He only spent a day there and was then given a period of leave from 11th to 25th May 1918. After his furlough was over Frank reported for duty to No.1 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny and was put to work in the base Post Office.
Due to his toe issue, Frank was currently classed as unfit for frontline duty but was utilised for duty on base in England. He worked at base camp till the end of July 1918. He was again medically assessed and now found fit to return to France. He then was posted to the Overseas Training Brigade Camp at Longbridge Deverell.
On the 31st August 1918 Frank arrived back in France. He was initially sent to the Base Depot Camp at Le Havre and then sent to the Australian Army Employment Company. This was a unit that employed troops returning from wounds or sickness for some labour work behind the lines.
On the 2nd October 1918 Frank was sent to hospital sick and was admitted to the 73rd General Hospital at Tronville. He spent just over a week here and was then sent to the Australian Base Depot Camp at Rouelles on the 11th October 1918. He then remained at the base for the next several weeks and was there when the Armistice was declared.
On the 3rd December 1918 Frank was returned to England and was sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth.
On the 4th January 1919 he boarded the transport ship Morvada and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 12th February 1919.
Frank was discharged from the AIF on the 20th April 1919.
On his return from the war Frank resumed living in North Fremantle and working for the Customs Department.
In 1919 he married Zoe Clarke and they would have the following children, Irene in 1920, Zoe 1921, Peter 1927 and Jill.
In 1922 the family moved to Knutsford street Leederville but was still working as a clerk. He had left the Customs Department and would be working for the Repatriation Department.
The family lived in Leederville till the 1940's.
Sadly Frank died on the 16th January 1943 aged 61. He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery plot Anglican LB 0748