Fredrickson, Frans Oscar

6511 Private Frans Oscar Fredrickson - 16th battalion AIF

Frans Oscar Fredrickson was born in Foglo Aland Finland on the 5th May 1878 to Fredrick and Christina Fredrickson. He had an elder brother Erik born in 1863.

After spending his early years in Finland Frans took to the sea and after working as a Merchant sailor, he arrived in Australia in the early 1900's. Frans took up residence in Fremantle and was naturalised on the 19th March 1906 in Fremantle.

He found work in Fremantle as a fisherman and was living at 95 Victoria Road Fremantle. However prior to the Great War he moved to 37 Francisco Street South Fremantle.

On the 29th March 1916 Frans enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force in Fremantle. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 9 inches;

Weight - 141lbs;

Chest Measurement - 36-38 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Fair.

Upon his successful enlistment Frans was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.62 Training Depot. He spent a few weeks here being taken through basic infantry training. On the 1st May 1916 he was then assigned to the 21st Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion AIF.

Frans trained with this group in WA for the next five months. On the 13th October 1916 they received their embarkation orders and entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Port Macquarie. The ship then set sail for England, arriving at Plymouth on the 12th December 1916.

After being disembarked the men were sent to the 4th Training Battalion at Codford. Frans remained training in England for the next two months. On the 8th February 1917 he made his way to France. After two days at the 4th Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples, Frans was sent to his unit, joining the 16th Battalion on the 13th February 1917.

The 16th Battalion were then on the Somme battlefield taking part in operations against the German position known as Stormy Trench. 

The 16th Battalion remained in this sector for a few weeks but were then withdrawn for a rest.

The Germans now began a withdrawal to their pre-prepared defensive position known as the Hindenburg Line. Through March 1917 they withdrew, closely followed by Australian and British units and several sharp battles were fought around the outpost villages such as Boursies, Lagnicourt and Noreuil.

The 16th Battalion, as part of the 4th Australian Division, were now sent forward to take part in the capture of Bullecourt in the Hindenburg Line. Without artillery support and aided just by tanks, the 16th Battalion along with the other 4th Brigade Battalion's made their way through the thick barbed wire into the German positions. They were under heavy fire the whole way and casualties were heavy. Despite this, the 16th battalion managed to gain an entry to the German trenches, however without resupply of ammunition and reinforcements, the men in the German trenches were soon surrounded.

Frans had got into the German trench and though fortunately was not wounded he was however captured by the Germans.

Frans would spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner of the Germans. He was interned at Limburg and then Parchim through 1917 and 1918.

Once the Armistice was signed on the 11th November 1918, Frans was repatriated to England, arriving there on the 4th January 1919. After a few days at HQ in London, Frans was granted a month's furlough, after which he would report to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth.

On the 3rd March 1919 Frans went to Portland Harbour and boarded the transport ship Euripides and set sail for home, arriving at Fremantle on the 10th April 1919.

After being disembarked Frans was medically checked at No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle and was then discharged from the AIF on the 31st May 1919.

After his return home Frans was working around the wharf as a labourer and dredge hand.

On the 22nd November 1924 he married Annie Magdalena Forsyth and they had a daughter Norma in 1925 and Dorothy in 1927. The family then moved to 12 Stratford St East Fremantle. The family lived here through the 1930's.

 Tragedy struck the family in 1931 when their oldest daughter Norma died.

Sadly Frans died in hospital on the 10th December 1940. On the 7th December he had been in an accident on Canning Highway near the Plympton Hotel. He had been crossing the road when struck down by a car. He was taken to hospital but died three days after being hit.

Frans was buried in Fremantle Cemetery plot Presbyterian MON EE 0824.