Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Francis John Foggie, born in Upper Diamond Creek, Victoria, was the son of James Henderson Foggie (1861-1923) and Elizabeth Evelyn Haley (1875-1920).

Foggie enlisted in Melbourne on 16 February 1916, aged 21, leaving his job as a farm labourer. He was initially part Company B of the 3rd Reinforcements, 37th Battalion but did not depart with this group. He later joined the 6th Reinforcements of the 37th Battalion AIF. The 6th Reinforcements embarked from Melbourne, on 16 December 1916 aboard HMAT A7 Medic. The Reinforcements arrived in Plymouth on 18 February 1917. Immediately he was admitted to hospital in Devonport. He arrived at the 10th Training Battalion from Devonport on 2 March 1917. His training continued in England for the next month and included another brief stay in hospital in Fovant.

He proceeded to France from Southampton on 19 September 1917. He then spent eight days at 3rd Australian Divisional Base Depot. He was Taken on Strength of the 37th Battalion on 8 October 1917. 37th Battalion AIF, was part of 10th Brigade, 3rd Australian Division. The 37th were in the middle of the Battle of Passchendaele (Third Battle of Ypres). The unit War Diary records on that day that ‘2/Lt W.V.H. Duff and 21 reinforcements arrive.’ The War Diary the next day (9 October) states the following;

‘Preparations and organisation still proceeding. Following attack to be known as Phase 5.’

On Friday 12 October 1917, the Battalion attacked as part of 3rd Division’s contribution to the Phase 5 operations of the Ypres Battle. This would be Francis Foggie’s first battle.

The Germans attempted to disrupt the Battalion as it was forming up with a heavy bombardment of H.E. and gas. This bombardment and the poor weather made the assembly of the Battalion difficult however by 2.30am, they had formed up in shell holes awaiting the dawn when the attack would be launched. Zero hour was 5.35 am when the first wave of the Battalion went in. Whilst very little individual fighting took place the Battalion found the going ‘extremely heavy and the Battalion was suffering fairly heavy casualties from machine gun fire and artillery fire’ with most of the Officers and NCOs becoming casualties. The Battalion Unit History described the first wave’s attack comprising platoons from A and B companies as presenting,

‘so obvious a target in the strengthening light, that men were swept down in dozens… nevertheless the line kept moving on.’

AT 7am, the objective was captured, and consolidation began with the Battalion subjected to machine gun and sniper fire as they dug in 50 yards in rear of the objective where the ground was judged to be better. The Battalion remained in this position until relieved on the evening of the 13th. In summary the Battalion, had captured 500 yards of enemy frontage to a depth of 200 yards for the cost of 3 Officers and 68 Other Ranks (ORs) killed and missing, 9 Officers and 170 ORs wounded for a total 12 Officers and 232 ORs casualties. The missing comprised those who had died or disappeared in the awful mud of Passchendaele through which the attack had been launched.

On 15 October 1917, the Battalion moved out of the fighting area. This ended Francis Foggie’s first tour of the front.

On 24 October 1917 he was reported as Absent Without Leave when he was found away from billets whilst on active service. For this offence he was given 7 days Field Punishment No. 2. His disciplinary troubles continued and on 12 November 1917 he was charged with conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline for failing to obey an order. His punishment this time was to forfeit 7 days’ pay. He was found AWL from Tattoo on 16 May 1918 and forfeited one days’ pay. His next offence was more serious in that he was charged with being absent from his company whilst in the trenches in July 1917. He was absent for a period of 11 days and was apprehended by the Military Police in Pont-de-Brigues. He was initially charged with desertion for which he plead not guilty. He was found not guilty of this charge but found guilty of being AWL and sentenced to 90 days Field Punishment No.1 although this was commuted to 60 days of Field Punishment No. 2. Once the war was over, he again went AWL, this time on 13 December 1918 for three days and then again on 10 May 1919 for two days.

He sailed for Australia on 27 May 1919. On the way home, his service records indicate that he went Absent Without Leave in Cape Town after shore leave from his ship HT Rio Pardo. The shipped sailed to Australia without him on 23 June 1919 and then he stowed away on HMAT Beltana.

After returning from the war, his issues with absence may have followed him home. A note in his service records dated 17 May 1920 states ‘Proceedings of Courts Martial filed in Attorney Generals Department 8857’.

His service records also show him applying for his war medals from Pentridge Gaol in April 1922. In 1925 he married Ethel Florence Gunn (1909 – 1991). They would go on to have an extraordinary twelve children.

He died on 31 July 1977 and is buried at Diamond Creek Cemetery.