COLLIGAN, Frederick William
| Service Number: | 1763 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Grance Plains, South Australia, 24 November 1884 |
| Home Town: | Grace Plains, Mallala, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Nailsworth State School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Steel Furnaceman |
| Died: | 7 March 1962, aged 77 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Nailsworth Primary School Great War Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1763, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 1763, 50th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 1763, 50th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Adelaide | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 1763, 27th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Modbury High School
Frederick William Colligan son of Henry Colligan was born in Mallala, South Australia, in 1884, and grew up in the rural community of Grace Plains. Later the family moved to Adelaide and at the age of 12 William attended Nailsworth Primary school on the 3rd of August but only stayed enrolled till 25th of February 1897. Before the outbreak of the First World War, he worked as a furnaceman, likely gaining valuable skills in metallurgy and industry. He followed the Church of England faith
Frederick enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on the 4th of January 1916 in Adelaide, at the age of 31 years and 1 month .According to his Attestation Papers he had brown hair, blue eyes and was around five foot four and 3 quarters. He joined the 50th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement, a unit formed during the war to bolster existing battalions with fresh troops.
His embarkation date was the 11th of April 1916, departing from Adelaide aboard the HMAT Aeneas A60. During his service, Frederick experienced the harsh realities of trench warfare in Europe. He was wounded with Shell Shock at Pozieres on the 16th of August 1916 but recovered and returned to active duty. In March 1917, he contracted trench feet, a painful condition caused by prolonged exposure to damp, cold conditions. This necessitated his evacuation to No.1 General Hospital in London for treatment.
After recovering, he spent a month training in England and returned to the Western Front in Octover 1917 until the end of the war. He assisted with demobilisation in France after the war and was moved back to England in February 1919 for repatriation back to Australia.
Frederick returned to Australia arriving 21st July 1919 and was discharged from the military on the 13th of April 1919.
Following his return, Frederick resumed civilian life. He married Elsie Mary Colligan and lived in South Australia. The couple settled back into the community, where Frederick likely drew on his pre-war experience as a furnaceman.
Frederick William Colligan passed away on the 7th of March 1962, leaving behind a legacy of service to his country during one of its most challenging periods. He was survived by his wife, Elsie Mary Colligan.
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