De Worboies, Francois Rene

6808 Private Francois Rene De Worboies - 16th Battalion AIF and 2/7th Field Ambulance (WW2)

Francois Rene De Worboies was born in Norfolk Street Fremantle on the 29th January 1899 to William and Kate De Worboies. He was the eldest of twelve siblings born into the family.

After his birth the family moved to Greenbushes and after leaving school Francois took up work as a wood cutter. He had also served in the local senior cadets for three and a half years.

On the 13th February 1917 Francois enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force in Bunbury. He was accepted as fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 9 inches tall;

Weight - 139lbs;

Chest Measurement - 36-39 inches;

Complexion - Fresh,

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Light Brown.

After his successful enlistment Francois was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 20th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion AIF. He spent the next few months in WA training while they waited for their embarkation orders to arrive.

On the 29th June 1917 Francois and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Borda. The ship then set sail for England and arrived at Plymouth on the 25th August 1917. The men were then disembarked and were sent to the 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone Camp on the Salisbury Plains. He remained here training for a few months then on the 8th November 1917 was transferred to the 6th Training Battalion at Fovant Camp. Francois remained in his camp till the 30th January 1918.

He had now been re-assigned so would be joining the 16th Battalion. Francois left England on the 31st January 1918 and after a week at the base depot camp was taken on strength of the 16th Battalion on the 9th February 1918.

The 16th Battalion were then holding the front line in Belgium south east of Ypres near Hollebeke.

As a result of the German offensive of March 21st 1918 which broke through the British front line further south, the Australian Divisions were sent towards the Somme to help stop this German advance.

The 16th Battalion, as part of the 4th Infantry Brigade, moved to Hebuterne where they joined New Zealand and British units in stopping the German advance in this sector. They also started putting the Germans on the back foot by conducting raids on their positions.

In April 1918 the 16th Battalion moved to the Somme River and Villers-Bretonneux sector. They were in this area till July 1918. On the 4th July 1918 Francois and the 16th Battalion took part in the successful capture of Hamel village. He came through this action unscathed.

Francois then took part in the successful advance on August 8th 1918 on the Villers-Bretonneux front. The 16th Battalion advanced on the southern side of the Somme River. During the advance they were getting heavy fire from the flank as the northern side of the Somme had not been cleared of the Germans, yet the 16th Battalion managed to take their objectives.

For the next few weeks, the 16th Battalion were constantly on the advance. On the 21st August 1918 Francois went absent without leave for two days and as a result was given 28 days detention and Field Punishment No.2. He then left the Battalion and spent the detention at the base.

Francois rejoined the 16th Battalion on the 1st October 1918. The 16th Battalion had fought their last action on September 18th and were now out of the line having a well deserved rest period. They were still out of the line when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918.

As a result of the Armistice, the Germans soon withdrew behind their own lines and the Australians were sent into what had been German occupied parts of France and Belgium. Francois remained with the 16th battalion for the next six months.

When the 16th battalion ceased to exist in May 1919 Francois and the remaining men still there were sent back to England. He then was sent to the AIF Camp to await being assigned a transport ship home. Francois had to wait two months as it wasn't until the 12th July 1919 that he was assigned a berth on the transport ship City of Exeter. The ship then set sail for Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 16th August 1919.

Francois was discharged from the AIF on the 16th September 1919.

He then returned home to Greenbushes and was employed as a sleeper cutter.

In 1923 he married in Blackwood WA to Annie Jeffrey and a daughter Winifred was born in 1924 and Evelyn in 1929.

The family lived in Greenbushes till the mid 1930's when they moved to Bassendean. Francois was now working at Cresco fertilizers.

Francois enlisted again for service in World War Two. He reduced his age by a few years and was successfully accepted for service. He was given the service number WX6483 and sent for training, initially at Claremont Camp and then Northam. In November 1940 he was assigned to the 2/13th Field Ambulance and then on the 2nd December 1940 was assigned to the 2/7th Field Ambulance.

On the 10th February 1941 the 2/7th Field Ambulance departed from Fremantle and set sail for the Middle East where they arrived in March 1941.

The 2/7th Field Ambulance were soon sent to serve in Greece and when the Germans swiftly captured that country, Francois and his unit were transferred to Crete. 

In May 1941 the Germans then commenced their parachute attack on Crete and despite large casualties suffered by the paratroopers, the Germans dominance of the sky helped to defeat the Allied forces. The surviving Australian, New Zealand and British soldiers were either captured or managed to escape to the south of the island where the British Navy managed to evacuate many.

Francois was among those captured by the Germans. Fortunately he was not wounded during the battle.

After being captured Francois and the other captured men were returned through Greece and then Germany. Francois was imprisoned in Stalag 8B at Lamsdorf. As he was a non combatant and was serving with the Field Ambulance Francois was able to be released from the Prisoner of War Camp in October 1943.

He was taken first to Barcelona in Spain and then sent to Alexandria in Egypt. Francois was then returned to Australia, reaching Fremantle in January 1944. He was given a full medical and found that he was not fit for service outside of Australia.

Francois spent three more months on duty in Australia but was discharged in May 1944. 

He then returned home to Bassendean where he lived for the remainder of his life

Francois died on the 26th September 1962 aged 63. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.

Article below from the 5th December 1945 Daily News