Name
Frank Richmond Brook
18 February 1883
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/07/1918
35
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
43rd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Mentioned in Despatches
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VILLERS-BRETONNEUX MILITARY CEMETERY
III. C. 3.
France
Headstone Inscription
BELOVED HUSBAND OF JEAN & FATHER OF JIM BROOK FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH
UK & Other Memorials
Digswell House Australian Hospital Memorial, St John's Church, Digswell
Pre War
Frank Richmond Brook was born on 18 February 1883 in Richmond, South Australia, the son of William and Edith Brook.
He was educated at Mr Leonard's Old College, Adelaide, South Australia. He worked as a Carpenter and lived at Olive Street, Prospect, South Australia with his wife Jean (Hopkins) and son Jim.
Wartime Service
He had previously served in the ANA Unit, Citizen Military Forces and enlisted on 30 August 1915 as a Sergeant in the 43rd Battalion, 'C' Company. His unit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia on board HMAT A19 Afric on 9 June 1916. He was promoted Warrant Officer Class II (Company Sergeant Major), 22 January 1917, then Warrant Officer Class I (Regimental Sergeant Major), 17 May 1917.
He was wounded in action on 4 July 1917 and admitted to No. 2 Australian Field Ambulance and eventually to England. Whilst there, he was promoted on 14 July 1917 to 2nd Lieutenant with the 43rd Battalion, was discharged on 17 September 1917 and went to Weymouth Command Depot, being promoted again to Lieutenant on 24 November 1917. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 7 November 1917 for distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty in the field during the period 26 February 1917 and 20 September 1917, and was recommended for the Military Medal.
He went back to France on 10 January 1918 and rejoined the 43rd Battalion on 16 January 1918. He was admitted to No. 11 Australian Field Ambulance on 25 February 1918 with trench fever and again sent to England to recover., where he was granted 3 weeks' sick leave, rejoining his battalion on 25 April 1918.
He was killed in action on 4 July 1918 at Hamel, France, age 35, and was originally buried at Hamelet Communal Cemetery, Bayonvillers , along with several other Australians, and later exhumed and reburied in Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery in France which was made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from other burial grounds and battlefields in the area.
Additional Information
His wife, Mrs J Brook, Olive St., Prospect, South Australia, ordered his headstone inscription: "BELOVED HUSBAND OF JEAN & FATHER OF JIM BROOK FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH".
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
aif.adfa.edu.au
