BIRKS, Frederick
| Service Number: | 47 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 August 1914, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Second Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 6th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Buckley, Flintshire, North Wales, 16 August 1894 |
| Home Town: | Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Schooling: | St. Matthews Anglican Parish School, Flintshire, North Wales |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Glencorse Wood, Ypres, Belgium, 21 September 1917, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Perth Cemetery (China Wall), Ypres Grave I. G. 45. Personal Inscription GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Keith Payne VC Memorial Park, North Bondi War Memorial, Winchelsea WWI Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 47, Melbourne, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 1914: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 47, 2nd Field Ambulance, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Wiltshire embarkation_ship_number: A18 public_note: '' |
|
| 19 Oct 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 47, 2nd Field Ambulance, HMAT Wiltshire, Melbourne | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 47, 2nd Field Ambulance, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 4 May 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 6th Infantry Battalion | |
| 20 Sep 1917: | Honoured Victoria Cross, Menin Road, "For most conspicuous bravery in attack, when, accompanied by only a corporal, he rushed a strong point which was holding up the advance. The corporal was wounded by a bomb, but 2nd Lt. Birks went on by himself, killed the remainder of the enemy occupying the position, and captured a machine gun. Shortly afterwards he organised a small party and attacked another strong point which was occupied by about twenty-five of the enemy, of whom many were killed and an officer and fifteen men captured. During the consolidation this officer did magnificent work in reorganising parties of other units which had been disorganised during the operations. By his wonderful coolness and personal bravery 2nd Lt. Birks kept his men in splendid spirits throughout. He was killed at his post by a shell whilst endeavouring to extricate some of his men who had been buried by a shell." | |
| 21 Sep 1917: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 6th Infantry Battalion, Menin Road, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 47 awm_unit: 6th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Second Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1917-09-21 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Robert Kearney
Birks, Frederick (1894–1917)
by L. Ward
Frederick Birks (1894-1917), soldier, was born on 16 August 1894 at Buckley, Flintshire, North Wales, son of Samuel Birks, groom, and his wife Mary, née Williams. His father died in a coal-mining accident when he was 8. Educated at the local St Matthew's Anglican parish school he later worked as a labourer and steel-rollerman in the near-by town of Shotton.
In 1913 Birks migrated to Australia and worked as a labourer in Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria. Enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force on 18 August 1914, he was posted to the 2nd Field Ambulance, Australian Army Medical Corps, and sailed for Egypt in October. His unit went into action at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, providing medical support for the 2nd Infantry Brigade. On 26 June, while serving as a stretcher-bearer, Birks was wounded by shrapnel; he resumed duty soon afterwards and remained at Anzac until 9 September.
https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/birks-frederick-5242 (adb.anu.edu.au)
Far Away From All Who Loved Him In A Hero's Grave He Lies
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