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1901 Census Monks Horton,
Kent, England

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Bits & Pieces - Humour

Remembrance Day

Christmas in the Workhouse

FREDERICK WILLIAM JOHN SHRUBSOLE


b 1894 Folkestone, Kent, England


d 1976 Collinsville, Queensland, Australia




Australian Army 25th Battalion

The 25th Battalion was raised at Enoggera in Queensland in March 1915 as part of the 7th Brigade. Although predominantly composed of men recruited in Queensland, the battalion also included a small contingent of men from Darwin. The battalion left Australia in early July, trained in Egypt during August, and by early September was manning trenches at Gallipoli.

At Gallipoli the 7th Brigade reinforced the depleted New Zealand and Australian Division.  It left the peninsular on 18 December 1915.

After further training in Egypt, the 25th Battalion proceeded to France. Landing on 19 March 1916, it was the first AIF battalion to arrive there. Now fighting as part of the 2nd Division, it took part in its first major battle at Pozières between 25 July and 7 August in the course of which it suffered 785 casualties. After a spell in a quieter sector of the front in Belgium, the 2nd Division came south in October to attack again in the Somme Valley. The 25th Battalion took part in two attacks to the east of Flers, both of which floundered in the mud.

Frederick is the one standing in the uniform of the Australian Infantry whilst his brother Arthur, who is sitting, is in the uniform of the London Artillery.  This photo was taken when on leave in 1916.

We have a lovely history of Frederick, who emigrated to Australia in 1912, written down by his daughter Valda, which gives us a brilliant snapshot of his life up to the end of the First World War, when he returned to Australia in March 1919.


Frederick was born in Folkestone, Kent, England, 11th March, 1894.  He attended school at Horn Street State School, Cheriton, Folkestone, Kent.  Started at age of 5 years, finished in 1908 aged 14 years.  Worked: Charles Taylor (Chemist), Cheriton until June 1911;  Army Camp canteen for three months, Farm outside London for approximately three months. Aged 17 sailed for Australia on/about 9th November, 1911 from Tilbury Docks, London, under Church Army Land Scheme, travelling with eight other 17 year old lads. Ports of call were Port Said, Aden, Colombo, Singapore, docking in Brisbane on 25th December, 1911. He was taken to a Government Institution for Christmas dinner (boiled potato in jacket, with corned beef, and plum pudding). He arrived with fourpence in his pocket and after dinner he wrote a letter home to England saying he'd arrived safely, and spent one penny on the stamp. He bought a packet of Capstan cigarettes for threepence, which left him broke. He was given a room Christmas night, and the following morning was given a packet of sandwiches and two shillings, and put on a train for Pomona. From here was picked up by a mail coach and taken to Kin-Kin, 9 miles from Pomona, to work for a dairy farmer, Blaney Keys. He worked milking cows, fencing, and general labouring on a new property. Pay was 12 shillings and sixpence. He worked there for 9 months, sleeping in a barn in the yard. After having a row with Keys one Saturday (about doing his washing on Sunday because Keys wanted fencing done on that day), he left to go to the store to get a job with another dairy farmer and bullock team owner, Jack Simpson. He started with him Sunday morning - September, 1912, he was now 18 years old, milking cows, and cutting pine for team. He stayed until October, 1914, then left to work with Noosa Shire Council, felling scrub on a new road out to Wolvi (inland towards Gympie). Frederick left the council May 20th, 1915 to enlist in the Australian Army. He travelled to Gympie for a medical examination, then to Brisbane to join No. 4 Command Depot, Victoria Barracks. After a final medical, he went to Enoggera Army Camp to be sworn in on 4th June, 1915. Rations at Enoggera: roast beef, potatoes, pumpkin, bread, cheese, jam, fruit and tea. They camped in bell tents, ten men to a tent.  Fully equipped by 20th June - His Army No. 1647. On 22nd June when on leave in Brisbane he heard that volunteers were needed to strengthen 25th Battalion. He was accepted in a group of 80. (He went to the Bank and drew out savings of 22 sovereigns which were in the Kin-Kin Bank). 26th June entrained for Pinkenba, where they boarded a troop ship, Aneus, No. A60. They sailed for Sydney, & after disembarking were camped at show grounds for one week waiting for Tasmanian troops to arrive. The sailed for Suez in a convoy of sixty ships about 6th July, 1915. Disembarked at Suez, entrained for XXX camp near Abasia Barracks. (Abasia was an Egyptian barracks near Cairo.) Between training visited Cairo, Sphinx, the Pyramids, Esmalia. Entrained for Alexandria, embarked on Aneus A60, joined fleet carrying 2nd Division, landing at Gallipoli on 6th August, 1915. Left 1st Division 7th , 8th Brigade in Walker's Ridge area. Rations in Gallipoli: bully beef, biscuits, jam, one pint of water per day. On one occasion a One Pound (500g) loaf of bread was to be shared between 10, but he missed out. Dysentery was bad. He was in Gallipoli till early November when he was wounded in the shoulder with shrapnel, and evacuated to a hospital ship & then on to Valleta Hospital, Malta. One week after he was evacuated on an Italian Hospital ship to England. The ship had only orderlies to care for the wounded, rations were short, and the injured were fed by the orderlies pouring a little "turned" (soured) milk down their throats. Travelled to London on Hospital train to Bethnel Green Hospital. Arthur's (his brother) girlfriend came to visit about three times bringing chocolate from the factory where she worked. Spent Christmas (1915) in hospital, and at end of January, 1916 after discharge from hospital spent two weeks leave at Folkestone, with his mother, father, sister Mabel, and brother Alf.  During this time he travelled to London to try to get his brother, Arthur, discharged from the Artillery, as he was only 15 years old when he enlisted. Arthur refused to come home.

After his leave he went to the Australian Detail Camp at Sutton Viny (?) in February, and detailed reinforcements sailed to Egypt to join up with his old 25th Battalion at Tal-el-Kaberra.  All the troops camped there were from Gallipoli. 25 - 7th Brigade, 2nd Division, sailed for France and landed at Marseilles on 26th March, 1916 (aged 22). Camped at White Chateau and General Joff inspected. One week there waiting for transport to unload, then entrained for Amentieres where they held the line for three months with only patrol activity.

In July, 1916 entrained for Poziers where troops were regrouped as a Division in that district. The 2nd Division went into the line and attacked at Poziers. Because wire entanglements were not cut the men were slaughtered and beaten back to their own line. With English Artillery support they were reorganized and attacked five days later and took all positions.

Fred was a battalion runner at the time and remained as such until the end of the War. He was wounded in the neck by a German shell. Being walking wounded he had to take three German privates and one officer back to "Sausage Gully". The German officer who was previously a waiter in London, called up into the German Army, spoke excellent English. One prisoner was blinded, the other two led him. The German Officer refused to go the way Fred was leading them, saying that the Germans had a periscope and could see the English soldiers, and would be able to "pick them off". He then led his own three men and Fred to safety to "Sausage Gully". After handing the prisoners over to the provost, he had his wound dressed at the aid post, mounted a horse ambulance and was taken to a little village where he had a piece of steel removed from near the jugular vein. He was in that English hospital for about two weeks.

Frederick also served in the Australian Home Defence Corps during WWII from 1942-44, when he was in his late forties, in 22 Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (Qld).