Henry George Frew was born August 1895 at Hillgrove. In later years he moved with his family to Emmaville.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Henry volunteered for overseas duty in WW1 on the third day of June 1917. His name has been inscribed on the war memorial at Emmaville.
When he enlisted he was drafted to unit 8/34th Battalion. His army records show he was 21 years of age.
He embarked for overseas active service from Sydney, aboard the ship 'Port Melbourne.' They sailed on July 27, 1917.
He disembarked at Liverpool England September 16, 1917 where he joined 9/34 Battalion. He proceeded to France where, according to official war records, he was marched out on February 13 to the war front at Rouelles France to form the 14th Battalion Infantry in the field.
Many books have been written about the carnage, the diseases and the mud and rain of the western front. Of these horrors I have never heard my father mention. I have read them myself which gives me an understanding of why he and so many others were unable to talk of their experiences.
No counselling was available for the returned men to help them cope with the trauma they had experienced. They were left to get on with their life as best they could and so they buried these memories and chose not to talk about the war.
Sometime between the 3rd and 5th of April 1918, according to records dated 5th April 1918, Henry was admitted to the 5th African General Hospital with a gunshot wound to the left knee. He had been wounded at the Battle of Villers-Bretonneux.
CEW Bean wrote his book Anzac to Amiens, an account for 4th-5th April 1918.
The fight at Villers-Bretonneux had cost the 9th Brigade 600 casualties. They were met by intense fire but drove the Germans back, the strongest attack made against Australian troops in that war.
It is likely that Private Henry George Frew probably owed his life to that gunshot wound to the knee.
On April 7, 1918 he was transferred to Kitchener Military Hospital, Brighton England where he recuperated.
By October 21 he appeared fit and was transferred and sent back to the battle front.
On March 10, 1919 his report was marked for early repatriation.
He was awarded war medals, the 1914/15 Star, the British war world and the victory medal for his services in WW1.
Although his leg was scarred from the gunshot wound to the knee and continued to cause some pain he was not disabled and received a small pension for being wounded.
When WW2 was declared this did not deter him from enlisting and wishing to go overseas again.
At this time he was now living in Cowra. He went to Sydney to enlist on September 5, 1940. He was not fit to be sent overseas again however they offered him a promotion as Corporal and transferred to area command on railway transport. On April 2, 1941 he was promoted to Sergeant.
He remained serving as the Railway Transport Officer at Cowra. He was well-known by many of the young soldiers passing through the area.
He assisted many on their travelling after or on their way overseas.
He was given permission to live at home and was a well-known sight on his cycle riding to work each morning.
Henry George Frew was formally discharged on August 11, 1945.
Henry George Frew died in Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney, March 23, 1957 after a fatal car accident.
He was cremated and his ashes interred in the northern suburbs crematorium, Sydney.
