Doing our bit, Mosman 1914-1918 -- Frank Edmund Page

confirmed

Born: 9 March 1889

Died: 10 April 1970

Frank Edmund Page, a bank clerk born in Twickenham England, married Phyllis Sharp of 19 Keston Ave, Mosman.

The 1st Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery unit war diaries record when he was wounded. The entry for 17 April 1918 when Battery was in the front line in front of Strazeele in Northern France reads:

"Weather fine. Enemy artillery very active, Strazeele, Pradelles & Borre being subjected to heavy shellfire. Enemy aircraft were very active. Enemy gained a direct hit on our H.Q.rs [Headquarters]. Capt Page F. M.C. CO [? Commanding Officer] of Battery 8 o/r [other ranks] being wounded. 1 o/r died of wounds. Later that night our guns engaged enemy posts at Mont de Merris ? and ... [?] ... 48 Rds [rounds?] being expended with good results. Strength 2 off [officers] 53 o/r [other ranks]."

Capt Page was taken to 1 Aust. Field Ambulance, then 15th CCS. (Source: service record.)

A group portrait of the personnel of the 1st Light Trench Mortar Battery at Meteren, 1918, shows Captain Frank Page MC.

The well known Frank Hurley photo of Australian soldiers around a fire in a dugout shows men of the 1st Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery. Captain Frank Page MC is not pictured, but was Officer Commanding at this time.

Photos on this website and a number more in Mosman Library's Digital Archive (search "Frank Page") were shared by his grand-daughter, Dianne Page.