ANDERSON, Frederick
| Service Number: | 545 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 September 1914, An original member of E Company |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 14th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Buangor, Victoria, Australia, 15 July 1893 |
| Home Town: | Buangor, Ararat, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Forest foreman |
| Died: | 7 May 1965, aged 71 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Ararat Shire of Ararat WWI Roll of Honor, Beechworth Forest Service of Victoria Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 545, 14th Infantry Battalion, An original member of E Company | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1914: | Involvement Private, 545, 14th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Dec 1914: | Embarked Private, 545, 14th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne | |
| 15 Jan 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
| 14 Apr 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
| 12 Aug 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
| 1 Jan 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
| 23 Jul 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, 14th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Frederick Davies was an original member of the 14th Battalion enlisting in September 1914 as a 21-year-old Private and returning to Australia over 4 and a half years later with the rank of Captain and a Military Medal. Prior to the war he worked with the Victorian State Forests Department.
He served at the Anzac Landing and was evacuated to Egypt a week later with shrapnel wounds to the face and head. He went back to Gallipoli during June and was again evacuated to Malta with sunstroke on 9 July 1915. He was then evacuated to England a few weeks later. He rejoined his Battalion in Egypt after the evacuation of Gallipoli.
Promoted to Sergeant Davies arrived in France with the 14th Battalion only three weeks before he volunteered as one of the members of a raiding party of about 90 men of A Company 14th Battalion which forced its way into the German trenches at Armentieres on the night of 2 July 1916. Sergeant Davies role was as the intelligence NCO. In all seven men from the Battalion died as a result of the raid, but many of the survivors were wounded to some extent. They found the wire uncut, and came under heavy fire while breaching the wire, but did reach the German line.
The survivors, many of whom were wounded, were trapped in a drain in No Mans Land for a long period as the Germans kept up heavy machine gun fire on the area for many hours. Sergeant Anderson is said to have rescued and carried back 14 men (14th Battalion History). He was awarded a Military Medal for his outstanding work during and after the raid.
The 14th Battalion had a short spell before returning to Pozieres. During the heavy fighting around Mouquet Farm the now 2nd-Lieutenant Fred Davies was recommended again for an award when he held and extended a "strong point 77" to within 100 yards of the enemy positions under heavy shell fire. He was able to hold the position even though his party was isolated and almost surrounded. He received no medal for his effort.
Frederick Davies was promoted to Lieutenant and Captain during 1918. He was gassed during February 1918 and sent to England to recover. He led C Company of the 14th Battalion during the Battle of Hamel as a Captain. He was returned to Australia during June 1919, having been married in England during 1918.
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