Tag Archives: HMAT A15 Star of England

Frank Duncan

Per his military service record (regimental no. 4767), Frank Duncan was born at Bourke, N.S.W.[1]  He gave his age as 22 years and 3 months, his marital status as single, and his occupation as labourer. His description on his Certificate of Medical Examination was height 5 feet 10 inches tall, weight 154 lbs., with a dark complexion, brown eyes, and black hair. His religious denomination was Church of England. He claimed to have had no previous military service.

Frank Duncan completed his medical examination, along with several other men from Cobar, at Dubbo on 2^nd November 1915, (the day the Coo-ees were at Lithgow).  He was attested at Dubbo on 7^th November 1915.  It appears he then caught up with the other Cobar boys (including Walter and Robert Mitchell, Andrew Lennox and Norman Francisco), to join the Coo-ee March somewhere in the Blue Mountains.[2]

After completing the Coo-ee March he went to Liverpool Camp as reinforcement for the 13^th Battalion.

On 13^th January 1916 Private Duncan was charged with Being Absent Without Leave (1 day).from Liverpool Camp. He was fined 5 Shillings. On 7^th February 1916 he was charged with Being Absent from Piquet. He was fined 5 Shillings.

A farewell was held at the Masonic Hall in Cobar on Friday 3^rd March 1916 to bid farewell to Cobar boys Private Duncan and brothers Private Bob Mitchell and Corporal Walter Mitchell, when they were on final leave before departing overseas. [3]

On his embarkation roll his address at time of enrolment was Monaghan Street, West Cobar, N.S.W., and his next of kin was listed as his father, F. Duncan, at the same address.[4]

On 8^th March 1916 Private Duncan, along with many of the other Coo-ees, departed Sydney on the HMAT A15 Star of England, with the 15^th reinforcements for the 13^th Battalion. 

He arrived in Egypt on 11^th April 1916.

On 16^th April 1916 Private Duncan was transferred to the 4^th Pioneer Battalion at Telelkebir.

On 4^th June 1916 Private Duncan left Alexandria aboard the Transport Scotian bound for France. He arrived at Marseilles on 11^th June 1916. He was then sent to the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples, France.

On 27^th August 1916 Private Duncan was sent to hospital sick, and on 28^th August 1916 he was admitted to the 11^th Stationary Hospital at Rouen, France, suffering a concussion of the brain. (A later memo entry in his service record notes that ‘This soldier whilst asleep fell on to a stone floor from top bunk (bunks three tiers high) soldier not to blame’, which appears to relate to this injury).[5]  On1^st September 1916 he was placed aboard the Hospital Ship Salta at Le Havre.  On 2^nd September 1916 he was admitted to the Meath Hospital at Dublin in Ireland. On 9^th October 1916 he was transferred to the Holywood Military Hospital in Ireland. On 24^th October 1916 he was transferred to the 1^st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield, England. On 31^st October 1916 he was discharged from Hospital and sent to the No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, England.

On 4^th November 1916 Private Duncan was granted leave to report to the No.4 Command Depot at Wareham, England on 18^th November 1916, where he marched in from furlough on 20^th November 1916.

On 22^nd January 1917 Private Duncan was charged with Being Absent Without Leave from 9.30 pm on 14^th January 1917 till 2.30 pm on 19^th January 1917. He was awarded 144 hours detention and forfeited 12 days pay.

On 29^th March 1917 Private Duncan was transferred to the No.3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, England.

On 11^th April 1917 Private Duncan was charged with Failing to obey Routine Orders by being out of bounds and of Being Absent Without Leave from 7 am on 7^th April 1917 till 11.30 pm on 7^th April 1917. He was awarded 6 days confined to camp.

On 14^th April 1917 Private Duncan was transferred from Hurdcott to the Australian H. & D. Depot at Perham Downs. On the 21^st of April 1917 he was transferred to the Pioneer Training Battalion at the No. 4 Camp at Perham Downs, England.

On 26^th May 1917 Private Duncan was transferred to the No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs, England.

On 13^th June 1917 Private Duncan was charged with Being Absent Without Leave from 12 noon on 11^th June 1917 till 3 pm on 12^th June 1917. He was admonished and forfeited 2 days pay.

On 16^th July 1917 Private Duncan was detached for duty with the Headquarters of the AIF Depots in the United Kingdom. He returned to the No. 4 Camp at Perham Downs on 3^rd August 1917.

On 12^th February 1918 Private Duncan departed Southampton, England bound for France. He arrived at the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot at Le Harve, France on 13^th February 1918.

On 15^th February 1918 Private Duncan was charged with Being Absent Without Leave from 10 pm on 13^th February 1918 till 10 pm on 14^th February 1918. He was awarded 16 days field punishment no. 2 and forfeited 18 days pay.

Private Duncan re-joined the 4^th Pioneer Battalion in France on 20^th February 1918.

On 1^st March 1918 Private Duncan was detached from the 4^th Pioneer Battalion for duty with the 184^th Tunnelling Company.  He re-joined the 4^th Pioneer Battalion on 24^th March 1918.

On 12^th September 1918 Private Duncan was sent to the 12^th Australian Field Ambulance sick. On 13^th August 1918 he was moved to the 41^st Stationary Hospital.  On 16^th September 1918 he was transferred to the 1^st Stationary Hospital at Rouen. On 18^th September 1918 he was transferred to the 39^th General Hospital at Le Harve, France.  On 12^th November 1918 he was discharged and sent to the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot. He departed the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot on 17^th November 1918 and re-joined the 4^th Pioneer Battalion on 19^th November 1918.

On 27^th January 1919 Private Duncan marched into the Australian Division Base Depot at Le Harve, France to commence his return to Australia.  On 10^th February 2019 he departed Le Havre, for England. He arrived at Weymouth, England on the 11^th of February 1919 and marched into the 3^rd Training Brigade.

On 16^th March 1919 Private Duncan was sent to Hospital suffering from a Septic Hand. On 19^th March 1919 he was transferred to the 1^st Australian General Hospital at Sutton Veny. He was discharged on 31^st March 1919 and returned to the 3^rd Training Brigade.

On 13^th April 1919 Private Duncan departed England on the Transport Commonwealth, bound for Australia.

He arrived in Sydney on 12^th June 1919, and was discharged Medically Unfit on 18^th September 1919.

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[1] NAA: B2455, DUNCAN F.

[2] Corp. E. J. Hitchins [sic], Pte F. Duncan. (1916, October 25). Sydney Mail (NSW : 1912 – 1938), p. 26. Retrieved September 17, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article160388889 ; Kay Stingemore, From the Far West to the Western Front : Cobar and the Great War, Cobar : Great Cobar Heritage Centre, c2015, p. 192.

[3] Cobar’s Farewell. To Corporal Mitchell, Privates Mitchell and Duncan. (1916, March 10). Western Age (Dubbo, NSW : 1914 – 1932), p. 2. Retrieved September 17, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136721446

[4] Australian War Memorial. First World War Embarkation Rolls, Fred Duncan, HMAT Star of England A15, 8^th March 1916.

[5] NAA: B2455, DUNCAN F., Casualty Form – Active Service Regimental No. 4767, Pte. Frank Duncan, entry for Memo from C.O. 4^th Pioneer Btn AIF, France, to 3^rd Echelon G.H.Q. 25 January 1917.