Frank BLACK
Per his initial military service record (Depot), Frank Black was born at Cumberland, England.[1] He gave his age as 42 years, his marital status as single, and his occupation as laborer. His description on his Certificate of Medical Examination was 5 feet 2 inches tall, weight 130 lbs., with a fair complexion, blue eyes, and light brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England. He claimed that he had no previous military service. His postal address on his initial Application to Enlist in the Australian Imperial Force form was ‘Grafton’.
He completed his medical examination at Wellington on 28th October 1915, then travelled to Bathurst to join the Coo-ees that same day. He was attested by Captain A. C. Eade at Bathurst on 28th October 1915.
Frank Black was named in The Bathurst Times as one of four recruits who came forward to join the Coo-ees at the recruiting meeting held at Machattie Park in Bathurst on the evening of 28th October 1915.[2]
After completing the Coo-ee March he went into Liverpool Camp as reinforcement for the 13th Battalion.
On 30th December 1915 Private Black was charged with being absent from Parade on 29th and 30th December 1915. He was fined 10 shillings.
On 23rd January 1916 Private Black was charged with being absent without leave from 21st to 23rd January 1916. He was fined 15 shillings.
On 28th January 1916 Private Black was charged with being absent without leave on 27th and 28th January 1916, when he was arrested by the civil police for being drunk in Sydney. He was fined 15 shillings.
On 6th February 1916 Private Black was charged with being absent without leave from 1st to 6th February 1916. He was recommended to be discharged.
On 10th February 1916 Private Black was discharged from the A.I.F. with his services no longer required.
Sixteen months later, Frank Black reenlisted in the A.I.F. on 20th June 1917 at Toowoomba, Queensland. He made no mention of his previous service on his enlistment papers.
On his embarkation roll Private Black’s address at time of enrolment was G.P.O. Clifton, Queensland, and his next of kin is listed as his brother, James Black, 43 Queen’s Street, Cleatormore, Cumberland, England.
Issued with Regimental no. 3747, Private Black departed Sydney on the HMAT Miltiades A28 on 2nd August 1917, with the 10th reinforcements for the 47th Battalion.
He disembarked at Glasgow, Scotland, on 2nd October 1917.
On 3rd October 1917 he marched into the 12th Training Battalion at Codford, England.
On 27th December 1917 he departed Southampton, England, bound for France to reinforce the 42nd Battalion.
He marched into the Australian General Base Depot at Rouelles, France on 28th December 1917.
On 31st December 1917 Private Black was charged with being absent without leave from 0900 on 29th December 1917 till 0700 on 30th December 1917. He was also charged with being absent without leave from 0800 on 30th December 1917 till 0700 on 31st December 1917. He was fined 4 days pay.
On 5th January 1918 Private Black was taken on strength of the 42nd Battalion when it was training at Locre, France.
On 20th January 1918 Private Black was sent to the 11th Australian Field Ambulance sick with debility, and he was transferred to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing station.
On 23rd January 1918 he was transferred to the 5th General Hospital in Rouen, Franc.
On 10th February 1918 he was transferred to the 6th Convalescent Depot at Etaples, France.
On 12th February 1918 he was transferred to the Australian General Base Depot at Rouelles, France, arriving on 16th February 1918.
On5th March 1918 Private Black departed Le Harve, France, bound for England. He arrived at Weymouth on 6th March 1918, and marched into the No. 2 Command Depot.
On 15th April 1918 Private Black departed England aboard the H.T. Marathon.
He arrived in Australia on 12th June 1918, and was discharged medically unfit with chronic rheumatism on 14th July 1918.
[1] NAA: B2455, BLACK F
[2] ‘In the Park’, The Bathurst Times, 29 October 1915, p. 2. Retrieved June 15, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article111246741
1915 Coo-ee March 