Hanson, Frederick Emil
3347 Corporal Frederick Emil Hanson - 51st Battalion
Frederick Emil Hanson was born in Port Adelaide South Australia on the 30th July 1896 to Carl and Evelyne Hanson and was one of seven siblings.
He was initially educated in Port Adelaide but in 1904 the family moved to Western Australia, originally taking up residence in Donnybrook, Bunbury and Collie. Sadly his mother died in 1906. After leaving school Fred took up a bakery apprenticeship in Collie with a Mr. J Campbell.
The family then moved to Fremantle circa 1910. Fred was living at 72 Adelaide Street Fremantle (later renumbered to 33 Adelaide St) while his sister took up residence at 229 Swanbourne Street Fremantle (later renumbered 57 Swanbourne).
Fred was working in Fremantle locally as a Baker prior to the Great War, during which time he also served in the Fremantle Company of the 86th Regiment of the Citizen Military Forces. He had tried to enlisted early in the war but was rejected due to a broken finger.
On the 20th July 1915 Fred enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 6 inches tall;
Weight - not recorded;
Chest Measurement - 31-33 inches;
Complexion - Fair;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Light Brown;
Distinctive Marks - Tattoo of tigers head on left forearm and clasped hand and heart and Lilly on right forearm.
After his successful enlistment Fred was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 11th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF. He trained here for the next few weeks but on the 2nd November 1915 they entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Ulysses. The ship then set sail for Egypt, reaching there at the end of November 1915.
The men would have been expecting to be sent on to Gallipoli, but with plans underway to evacuate that battlefield, they were instead retained in the reinforcement camp.
Fred was taken on strength of the 11th Battalion on the 7th January 1916 after they had returned to Egypt from Gallipoli. He trained with them for the next several weeks. At the end of February 1916 the Australian Imperial Force doubled in size, with the result of the original 16 Battalion being split in half to provide experienced men for the new units. When the 11th Battalion was split, Fred was in the half that went on to form the 51st Battalion AIF.
Apart from two weeks in hospital in May 1916, Fred trained with the 51st Battalion for the next few months. On the 5th June 1916 they boarded the transport ship Ivernia in Alexandria Harbour and then set sail for France, reaching Marseilles on the 12th June 1916.
The 51st Battalion was then sent to the north of France near Armentieres where they had their first taste of trench life on the Western Front. They only had a short time here and were then moved to the Somme battlefield.
The 1st and 2nd Australian Infantry Divisions had been in action at Pozieres and were then relieved by the 4th Division. The 51st Battalion took part in two actions at Mouquet Farm, the first in mid August and the second on 3rd September 1916. Fred came through both actions unscathed. In the last action the 51st Battalion had captured Mouquet farm, but lack of support on the flanks meant that the Germans were able to surround the men and kill or capture them.
After this action Fred was promoted to Lance Corporal and the 51st Battalion spent six weeks in Belgium before returning to the Somme battlefield where they would spent the 1916/17 French winter. In December 1916 Fred was promoted to Corporal.
Fred had a break from the line in early March 1917 when he was sent to the 4th Division School for an Infantry Course. His service record mentions that Fred was congratulated on the results he achieved.
After returning to the 51st Battalion he joined them in time for their action against Noreuil when they helped capture the village from the Germans. However during the assault, Fred was badly wounded in the leg and knee. He was taken by stretcher bearers to the 13th Field Ambulance where initial treatment was given and was then sent to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station.
Further work was done on his leg here and he was then put on an Ambulance train for the French village of Rouen. He was then admitted to the 6th General Hospital.
Unfortunately Fred's leg had to be amputated due to the seriousness of the wound. He remained at 6th General Hospital for a few weeks. On the 2nd May 1917 he was taken to the hospital ship Grantully Castle which took him across the Channel to France.
On arrival in England Fred was sent to the 1st Southern General Hospital in Dudley Road Birmingham. He had several more weeks here recovering and on the 21st June 1917 was sent to the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Southall.
The 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Southall specialised in amputations and recovery. Fred remained here through to the 13th October 1917. He was then well enough to be given a one week furlough after which he returned to hospital.
On the 1st November 1917 Fred was sent aboard the transport ship Anchises for the journey back to Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 25th December 1917.
After arriving back in Fremantle, Fred was disembarked and sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for further medical checks. He was discharged from the AIF on the 22nd January 1918.
He then lived with his sister in Swanbourne Street for a time before moving to Subiaco.
He married on the 21st April 1923 to Alma Elizabeth Dawson at St Josephs Church in Subiaco.
A son Desmond was born in 1924 and a daughter Irene in 1927.
In 1925 the family were living in Maddington before moving to Victoria Park in the 1930's.
Fred's wife Alma died in 1953 and Fred remarried in 1954 to Dorothy Sebina Mcperhson.
Frederick Hanson died on the 14th March 1960 aged 63. He was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery plot Roman Catholic OC 0025.