Francis Noel WHITE

Francis Noel WHITE

Per his military service record (regimental no. 2395), Francis Noel White was born at Canterbury, Kent, in England. He gave his age as 35 years and 9 months, his marital status as single, and his occupation as wheelwright.  His description on his medical was height 5 feet 7 ½ inches tall, weight 12 stone 7 lbs., with a fair complexion, blue eyes, and fair hair. His religious denomination was Anglican.

He completed his medical at Gilgandra on 7^th October 1915, and was attested by Captain Nicholas at Gilgandra on 9^th October 1915. He claimed to have had 2 years and 3 days previous military service with the Royal East Kent Mounted Rifles. He also stated he had been rejected once before as unfit for His Majesty’s Service with a “hit knee”.

After completing the Coo-ee March he went to Menangle Light Horse Camp as reinforcement for the 6^th Light Horse Regiment.

Francis Noel White was reported in The Bathurst Times as having been charged at Bathurst Police Court with ‘having travelled between Sydney and Bathurst without a ticket on the night of February 5’ 1916, and also ‘having attempted to travel on the return journey’ without a ticket, and was described as ‘a member of the Sixth Light Horse, and a rather good-looking Englishman of cultured speech’, who was ‘fortunate enough to be remembered favorably by Captain Hitchen’, and that ‘had not Captain Hitchen came to his rescue’, White ‘would in all probability be now spending two days in the shamed seclusion of the Bathurst Gaol’, instead of back in camp at Liverpool. White said in court that he was on final leave, and that he sailed on Friday. White also said that ‘he was from England originally’, and had been ‘working on stations up to the time’ he joined the Coo-ees. Captain Hitchen ‘informed the Bench that White had come all the way with the “Coo-ees” as a transport driver’, and that White had been in his ‘employ for a few weeks before the commencement of the march’, and that he ‘had found him a man of good character at all times, and one who had conducted himself well right through the piece’, and offered to pay White’s fare.[1]

An initial regimental number of 2254 is crossed out on his service record, and ‘16^th REINFTS 6th L.H.’ stamped over 15^th Reinforcements 6^th Regiment, A.L.H., which had initially been recorded for his unit, so it appears this episode may have held up his embarkation overseas.

On his embarkation roll his address as time of enrolment was not recorded, and his next of kin is listed as his mother, Mrs Merser, c/o Mrs Bosworth, “Linton”, College Lane, East Grimstead, Sussex, England.

Trooper White departed Sydney on the HMAT Hymttus 1 on 3^rdof May 1916, as 16^th Reinforcements for the 6^th Light Horse Regiment.

After arriving in Egypt he was taken on strength by the 2^nd Light Horse Training Regiment at Tel-el Kebir on 27^th June 1916.

On 8^th September 1916 he was temporarily attached to Military Police Headquarters, at Moascar.

On 27^th September 1916 a Field General Court Marshal was held at Moascar, where Private White charged with drunkenness when on active service on 20^th September 1916, and he was sentenced to 21 days Field Punishment Number 2.

On 1^st October 1916 he was admitted to the 24^th Stationary Hospital, with Paraphimosis.

He rejoined Police Headquarters from Hospital on 14^th October 1916.

On 18^th October 1916 he rejoined the 6^th Light Horse Regiment.

On 16^th November 1916 Trooper White was transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps at Abbassia. On 19^th November 1916 he was taken on strength of 3^rd Company, Imperial Camel Corps.

Trooper White served with the Imperial Camel Corps in El-Mustagidda and El-Arish in Egypt until 5^th February 1917, when after jumping off a camel he aggravated an old injury to his right knee where he had been ‘kicked by a horse 11 years ago’ , resulting in him being hospitalised.  He was taken by hospital train and admitted to the 24^th Stationary Hospital with Synovitis knee on 9^th February 1917.

On 12^th February 1917 he was admitted to the No. 14 Australian General Hospital at Abbassia.

On 8^th March 1917 Trooper White embarked from Suez, Egypt, aboard the HMAT Willochra bound for Australia, with Arthritis in the right knee.

He arrived at Melbourne on 25^th April 1917. He was discharged medically unfit in Sydney on 25^th May 1917.

[1] ‘A Coo-ee charged at Police Court : Captain Hitchen to the rescue’, The Bathurst Times, 8 February 1916, p. 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article109940688