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Frank William Ferris - Information

Frank’s father, Alexander, came to Australia from America and married Emma Dabinett, an English migrant, at St John’s in Camden on the 19th of June 1877. They settled in the Camden area, near Razorback, where Frank was born on the 30th of May 1884. Frank grew up in the area with his siblings, before his family relocated to Wyrallah near Richmond Rivers. Here, Frank completed a three year apprenticeship in Kingeroy with George Wood. He then commenced working as a farmer and carpenter. In early 1915, the Ferris family said goodbye to Frank’s younger brother, Leopold, when he joined the AIF. After the family were informed that Leopold had been wounded in action, Frank decided to enlist. He signed up on the 26th of May 1917 in Lismore. Frank was assigned to the 14th Reinforcements, 31st Battalion as a Private. He was sent overseas onboard the HMAT Hororata, which sailed from Sydney on the 14th of June 1917.

Frank landed in Liverpool in late August and was marched into the 8th Training Battalion at Hurdcott. After training for the conditions on the Western Front, he left Southampton for France in late December. Early in the new year he was taken on strength to the 41st Battalion. Fighting throughout 1918 was intense. In March, the Germans launched their Spring Offensive almost achieving victory, the Allies, using the Australian Corps as their spearhead, halted the advance. With the Germans now on the run, the Allies commenced their own offensive starting with the Battle of Amiens, in which the 41st Battalion played a part. They later helped to breach the Hindenburg Line leading to the signing of the Armistice and thus ending the war on the 11th of November. Frank remained with his unit well into 1919, when he was transported back to England. He returned to Australia on the Valincia on the 20th of July 1919. He was discharged by mid October and returned to his family.