Virtual War Memorial | Francis Lawrence BIGNELL MID, DSO

Francis Lawrence BIGNELL MID, DSO Update Details

If you confirm that you want to proceed with the update, this record will be locked for editing by all other users until you have finished. You will have 7 days to complete your changes before they will be automatically submitted.

Do you want to proceed?

BIGNELL, Francis Lawrence

Service Number:	Officer
Enlisted:	6 September 1916, Place of enlistment - Melbourne, Victoria
Last Rank:	Major
Last Unit:	2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station
Born:	Carlton, Melbourne Victoria, 3 May 1886
Home Town:	Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria
Schooling:	Melbourne University
Occupation:	Medical Practitioner
Died:	Complications following surgery, associated with wounds received during WW1, Lismore, New South Wales, 27 August 1928, aged 42 years
Cemetery:	Lismore Memorial Gardens (Cemetery & Crematorium - Goonellabah)
Memorials:	Lismore Club WW1 Roll of Honour

World War 1 Service

6 Sep 1916:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Captain, Officer, Medical Officers, Place of enlistment - Melbourne, Victoria
30 Sep 1916:	Embarked AIF WW1, Captain, Medical Officers, Embarked on HMAT 'A56' Palermo from Melbourne on 30th September 1916, disembarking Devonport, England on 21st November 1916.
23 Nov 1916:	Transferred AIF WW1, Captain, 9th Field Artillery Brigade , Appointed Regimental Medical Officer.
30 Nov 1916:	Embarked AIF WW1, Captain, Officer, 9th Field Artillery Brigade , Proceeded to France from Southampton, England on 30th November 1916.
10 Feb 1917:	Transferred AIF WW1, Captain, 11th Field Ambulance
15 Feb 1917:	Transferred AIF WW1, Captain, Australian Army Medical Corps WW1, Posted to 2nd Division Australian Army Medical Corps.
17 Feb 1917:	Transferred AIF WW1, Captain, 9th Field Artillery Brigade
25 Feb 1917:	Transferred AIF WW1, Captain, 26th Infantry Battalion, Appointed Regimental Medical Officer.
24 Sep 1917:	Wounded AIF WW1, Captain, Officer, 26th Infantry Battalion, Wounded in action, returned to duty on 1st October 1917. Proceeded to 13th BG Hospital
12 Oct 1917:	Promoted AIF WW1, Major
5 Nov 1917:	Transferred AIF WW1, Major, 26th Infantry Battalion
1 Jan 1918:	Honoured Mention in Dispatches, Captain Francis Lawrence BIGNELL 'For devotion to duty This Medical Officer has served with the Battalion during the heavy fighting at MALT TRENCH (near WARLENCOURT) 2/3/17, LAGNICOURT on 28/3/17, and BULLECOURT 2/5/17, and showed great coolness and devotion to duty in attending to wounded under heavy shell fire. His energy and devotion to duty both in and out of line has had a marked effect on the health of the Battalion.' Major -General Commanding Second Australian Division
10 May 1918:	Transferred AIF WW1, Major, 6th Field Ambulance
23 May 1918:	Wounded AIF WW1, Major, Officer, 6th Field Ambulance, Wounded in action, severe gassing. Transferred and initially treated at Duchess Westminster Hospital then Lady Ridley's Hospital, London. Returned to duty 1st September 1918.
16 Sep 1918:	Transferred AIF WW1, Major, 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station
2 Jun 1919:	Embarked AIF WW1, Major, Officer, 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, Embarked for return to Australia on HMAT 'A' Beltana from Devonport, England on 2nd June 1919, disembarking Melbourne.
3 Jun 1919:	Honoured Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, Major Francis Lawrence BIGNELL(Mentioned in despatches Jan 1st 1918) 'This officer has done exemplary work with this Battalion during the past four months. In the line, throughout the winter, by constant care and attention to all the details on which the comfort and health of the troops so much depends, he has set an example of efficiency rarely equalled and perhaps never excelled by a Regimental Medical Officer. At no time in or out of the line has he spared himself in order to maintain the fighting strength of the unit and considering his long service with this one unit , a reward is highly merited.' Major-General Commanding Second Australian Division
28 Sep 1919:	Discharged AIF WW1, Major, Officer, 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station

Help us honour Francis Lawrence Bignell's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.