Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Francis Edward Dwyer was born on 18 October 1874 in the central west of New South Wales to Owen Dwyer and his wife Elizabeth nee Byrne, both of whom were born in Ireland. His birth was registered in Bathurst but Francis on his WWI enlistment papers stated he was born in Oberon. It is more likely that he was born in Trunkey Creek which is about equidistant from Bathurst and Oberon. His father was the owner of "The Corner Hotel" in Trunkey Creek.

His mother died in Bathurst when he was only ten in 1884. It is probable that the family moved to West Wyalong around 1893 (which is when the John Meagher store was opened) where Owen earned his living as a grocer in his brother-in-law's department store. It is not known if Francis accompanied the family to West Wyalong or not.

Francis, who was a twenty five year old clerk in Geraldton, joined the Fourth Imperial Bushmen (possibly also known as the Fourth Western Australian Mounted Infantry) and sailed from Fremantle, Western Australia for South Africa on 8 May 1900. The unit took part in quite a few engagements during the Boer War before returning to Australia.

Frank returned to his calling as a clerk on the railways and sometime afterwards he was involved in the Murchison goldfields originally as a prospector and later as a clerk.

Francis appears to have lost contact with his family although they appear to have tried to re-establish contact around the time of his death.

On the seventh of October 1914, he enlisted in the 11 Battalion Infantry in Blackboy Hill, Perth. He embarked on HMAT Ascanius A11 on second of November 1914 for training in Egypt.

His battalion was the first ashore on Anzac day 1915.

He was killed by shrapnel on twenty first of June 1915 and was buried in Browns Dip Cemetery at the head of Victoria Gully about half a mile South East of Anzac Cove and in 1923, his remains were exhumed and reburied in Lone Pine Cemetery as the former cemetery was in danger of being flooded.