Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Frank Edgar Owen, son of Ellen and Frank Owen, was an Aboriginal serviceman in the 26th Infantry Battalion, during World War One[1]. He served for four years, from 24th May 1915, until 13th April 1919 as part of the 26th Infantry Battalion, and he is best known for his involvement in the Gallipoli conflict.

Both of his parents Ellen and Frank Owen, were of Aboriginal descent, but unfortunately, there is no documentation of which First Nations group they were from. Frank was born in May 1878 his age at enlistment was 36 years and 11 months. He had 12 other siblings, one of whom also joined the military. His younger brother Henry Charles Owen[2] was the only known one of his siblings that fought in World War One. However, Frank’s brother was not in the same Battalion as him and did not enlist at the same time.

Before Frank served in World War One, he was a dedicated labourer in his hometown of Robe, SA.

Embarkation

Despite being from the South Australian town of Robe, he enlisted in Gympie, Queensland under service number 236 4193 on the 23rd of April 1915. There is no evidence to suggest why Frank went all the way to Queensland to enlist, though he may have been refused entry to the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in South Australia due to his Aboriginal background, which was a common occurrence. Once enlisted, he and his Battalion soon began their training at the Enoggera Barracks, a military base in Enoggera, Brisbane, Queensland.

Frank embarked from Brisbane four weeks later on the HMAT Ascanius A11 on the 24th May 1915, en route to Egypt for training.[3]

During war

After Frank’s embarkation from Australia, he went to Egypt to train and prepare for Gallipoli. Frank appears to have had an anti-authoritarian “larrikin” attitude, as he was frequently receiving fines, field punishments and detention for being absent without leave, breaking out of camp, and being drunk.[4] Frank’s biggest offence, however, was yet to occur.

According to the National Archives of Australia[5], on the 28th of August 1915 Frank was charged with being a stowaway on a ship to ANZAC Cove, Gallipoli. His service records stated that he received the punishment of 14 days field punishment for, “Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline to with leaving his unit and landing at ANZAC as a stowaway.” This suggests that Frank was eager to join the troops at ANZAC and courageously took his fate into his own hands by boarding this ship.

According to The South Eastern Times, Millicent, SA, a newspaper article found on TROVE[6], published on 14th of November 1916, whilst serving in Gallipoli, Frank was suspected of being a Turkish spy. He appeared to have become separated from his comrades after attacking a trench. He was quickly arrested by British soldiers of another unit, who, due to Frank’s dark complexion, took him in as a Turkish spy. He was taken to headquarters to be tried by drumhead court-marital, which is a military court that attends to urgent charges committed in action. Luckily, he was identified by one of the Banks’, who recognised Frank and he soon returned to his duties.

Later on, Frank found himself not enjoying the trench life and volunteered for sniping work. The article also explains that during this time, he had many near-death experiences. According to The South Eastern Times, published in 1916, also found on TROVE[7], “He appeared to possess a charmed life as although in a pretty sheltered position, he escaped all the rifle fire directed at him, and when the Turks eventually went at him with a machine gun, they managed to shoot off his knapsack, without any further damage.” Frank fortunately made it back to his base under cover at night. He eventually returned to Egypt after about four months, on the 4th of January, 1916. Just a few days before the Gallipoli campaign ended.

Whilst back in Egypt, Frank was absent without leave for about a day and a half, from 6 am on the 6th of April 1916 until 5:30 pm on the 7th of April 1916. He had broken out of his camp and attempted to steal and sell military equipment (riding breeches) and proceeded to resist his arrest and refused to provide his name to the commanding officer in charge. He was also charged with not being in possession of an I.D. disc. He was returned by an escort and was charged with 28 days of field punishment[8]. It seems that Frank was undeterred by the threat of punishment from authority figures.

Soon after, on the 28th of May, 1916, Frank embarked from Alexandria, Egypt to Etaples, France on the SS Briton. Etaples was home to a military training camp. During his time in Etaples, Frank was admitted to the general hospital on the 30th of October after contracting Bronchitis. Though he soon returned back to his active service.

On the 21st of December, 1916, his service record indicates that he was relocated to Amiens, France. The site on which the Battle of Amiens took place, in 1918. However, he wasn’t there for any of the battles as he embarked from Amiens, France for England on the 22nd of January, 1917 on the HMAS St. David due to a knee injury.

Frank returned to France from Southampton, England on the 12th of November, 1917, though this time to Rouelles. Rouelles was a battlefield in World War One.

Approximately a month before he was sent back to France, he was involved in multiple incidents where he neglected orders and was absent without leave multiple times. One of these incidents, on the 16th October, 1917, was when he was reportedly being a drunken disturbance after “lights out” and using obscene language.[9] It is possible that this could have prompted Frank’s relocation back to France soon after. Service records indicate that Frank was situated at an Australian Base Depot at Lezarde Valley. While he was in Rouelles his knee injury persisted and he continued to be admitted to hospital frequently.

 While Frank was in Rouelles he joined the Mobile Veterinary Service, commencing on the 13th of March 1918, before being sent back to hospital again for his ongoing knee injury. He later rejoined the Mobile Veterinary Service on the 5th September 1918 after approximately one month of recovering. According to this unit diary,the MVS would be responsible for the evacuation of and admittance of animals into medical care.

 Frank eventually disembarked Europe on the 2nd of January, 1919 on the SS Karmala when he contracted influenza and he arrived back in Australia on the 13th of April 1919.

After war

After Frank’s return in 1919, he married Joanna Owen and had four children, Charles, Ellen, Millicent and Phyllis. They lived in Robe, SA and although there is no evidence to support this, it can be assumed Frank returned to his occupation he had prior to the commencement of the war. Sadly, on the 2nd of July 1938, Frank was struck by a motor vehicle while walking home. He was transported to Kingston by police officer L.J.O McInnes, but at around midnight, he tragically succumbed to his injuries and lost his life. The driver of the vehicle involved in this incident was exonerated from all blame.[11] Frank was buried at the Robe cemetery at an unmarked grave, though on March 21st 2023, it was rededicated to him by Aboriginal Veterans South Australia.

Citations:

[1]         Frank Edgar Owen, 2023, Virtual War Memorial Australia, Person Details https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/136586

[2]         Frank Edgar Owen, 2023, Virtual War Memorial Australia, Relationships https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/136586

[3]         Steve Larkins, 26th Infantry Battalion, Virtual War Memorial Australia, Dec-Jan 2021 https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/313

[4]         OWEN Frank Edgar: Service Number - 4193: Place of Birth - Wallaroo SA: Place of Enlistment - Gympie QLD: Next of Kin - (Father) OWEN Frank NAA, National Archives of Australia, page 4, https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8001905

[5]         OWEN Frank Edgar : Service Number - 4193 : Place of Birth - Wallaroo SA : Place of Enlistment - Gympie QLD : Next of Kin - (Father) OWEN Frank NAA, National Archives of Australia, page 5, https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8001905

[6]         The South Eastern Times (Millicent, SA : 1906 - 1954), Tue 14 Nov 1916, Page 2, TROVE, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/200030699? searchTerm=owen%20robe&searchLimits=

[7]         The South Eastern Times (Millicent, SA : 1906 - 1954), Tue 14 Nov 1916, Page 2, TROVE, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/200030699? searchTerm=owen%20robe&searchLimits=

[8] OWEN Frank Edgar : Service Number - 4193 : Place of Birth - Wallaroo SA : Place of Enlistment - Gympie QLD : Next of Kin - (Father) OWEN Frank NAA, National Archives of Australia, page 13, https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8001905

 [9]        Unfortunately, he displayed traits such as humour by breaking rules and going against orders, which made it difficult for his character to relate to other valuable ANZAC spirit traits such as mateship and perseverance. Based on Frank’s unit diaries and service records, it seems that he would have also been a humorous and outgoing character to be around.

[10]       The South Eastern Times (Millicent, SA: 1906 - 1954), Tue 14 Nov 1916, Page 2, TROVE, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/200030699? searchTerm=owen%20robe&searchLimits=

[11]       The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1931 - 1954), Wed 6 Jul 1938, page 25, TROVE https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/35594444

Referencing

Powel, M and Crump, D. (2018, May 8). Frank Edgar OWEN #4196. State Library of Queensland. https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/frank-edgar-owen-4196

Larkins, S. (2021, Dec-Jan) 26th Infantry Battalion. Virtual War Memorial Australia. https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/313

The South Eastern Times. Robe. (14 November 1916). Page 2. TROVE https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/200030699?  searchTerm=owen%20robe&searchLimits=

Historypin. State Library of Queensland. (2017, 26 May) https://www.historypin.org/en/person/30277/explore/geo/9.186876,82.247855,2/bounds/-66.12578

,6.486136,72.580224,158.009574/paging/1/pin/1074691

The advertiser. Pedestrian Fatally injured.(1938, 6 July) Page 25. TROVE https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/35594444

Virtual War Memorial Australia. Frank Edgar Owen. (2023). https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/136586

National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, OWEN FRANK EDGAR. (2023) https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8001905

UNSW Australia. The AIF Project. (2016) https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=231589

Australian War Memorial. FIRST WORLD WAR EMBARKATION ROLL Frank Owen. (2023) https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1923408

Australian War Memorial. Fremantle, Western Australia. November 1914. The troop transport Ascanius (A11) which was the. (2023) https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C380152

Birtwistlewiki. HMHS St David. (2023, 15 January) https://birtwistlewiki.com.au/wiki/HMHS_St_David

Birtwistlewiki. SS Karmala. (2023, 23 March) https://birtwistlewiki.com.au/wiki/SS_Karmala

Australian War Memorial. Private Frank Edgar Owen. (2023) https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10526683

Australian War Memorial. The transport ship Ascanius (A11) a steam passenger ship which was requisitioned in 1914 as troop. (2023)

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1274737

Australian Imperial Force. Nomination Roll. https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm- media/collection/RCDIG1067583/large/5373234.JPG

Virtual War Memorial Australia. Charles (Henry Charles) (Mick) OWEN. (2023) https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/253005

Australian War Memorial. AWM4 27/16/23 - March 1918. (2023) https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1341136?image=5