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Frank Campbell Rudd - Information

Frank was born in Campbelltown in 1866 to Joseph and Elizabeth Rudd. His family eventually settled down on Essington on Robinson St in Chatswood. When the war began, Frank was living on Margaret St in Campsie and earned a living as a poultry farmer. Having watched many of his family and friends leave for war, he decided to support the war effort. Joining the colours, he enlisted at the Royal Australian Showground Camp on the 1st of November 1916, he was 30 years old. He was then sent overseas on the HMAT Boorara, leaving Melbourne on the 10th of May 1917 as a Trooper with the 25th Reinforcements, 7th Light Horse Regiment.

On the 20th of June, Frank stepped off the ship at Suez in Egypt. The following month, he was taken to the 2nd Training Regiment in Moascar. Here, he was transferred to the Australian Mounted Division Train, heading to the Depot for instruction. In August, he was assigned to Division Train Headquarters and appointed Driver. Logistics were an essential component of the First World War. The task of transporting men, equipment, munitions to bases and units was unrelenting. However, working in the harsh desert terrain, Frank subsequently reported sick with malaria in July 1918. A week later, he was admitted to the 14th Australian General Hospital. Returning to duty at the beginning of September, he was assigned to the Australian Army Service Corps. He continued to aid operations with the 32nd Company, ASC. After the war ended, he was moved to the 38th Company in June 1919. The following month, he received his travel orders, sailing out of Kantara upon the Morvada.