Branch of Service

Army

Conflict

World War I (1914-1918)

Date of Enlistment

17/05/1915

Place of Enlistment

Warwick Farm NSW

Gender

Male

Place of Birth

Annandale, Sydney NSW

Address (at enlistment)

Home Affairs Camp, Duntroon ACT

School(s) Attended

Annandale Public School

Occupation

Driver

Next of Kin

Son of Frank and Annie Grant of Home Affairs Camp, Duntroon and previously of Annandale NSW

Burial Place

Aeroplane Cemetery, Belgium

Service Number

5093A

Final Rank

Private

Final Unit

30 Battalion AIF

Died in action near Zonnebeke, Belgium on 22/23 October 1917 aged 20 years

The Grant family were living in Canberra at the time Frank Grant enlisted. He embarked for Egypt in April 1916 with reinforcements for the 30th Battalion and joined his battalion in the front line near Flers, France in October 1916. He was soon hospitalised with trench feet and sent to England to recover, eventually rejoining the 30th Battalion in July 1917. In September 1917 his battalion were part of the Battle of Polygon Wood east of Ypres in Belgium.

At around midnight on 22/23 October 1917 Grant was in support near the front line at Zonnebeke when they were being heavily shelled. Lieutenant Harold Wedd wrote to his parents that "a shell landed right in the trench where your boy was resting, and blew his legs nearly off. He lingered on for a few minutes, during which he was as brave as a lion, but nothing could save him. He was buried nearby on Anzac Ridge, not far from Westhoek and Zonnebeke."

Description - height 5 feet 6 inches, weight 137 pounds, chest 36 inches, dark complexion, brown eyes, dark hair, Church of England.

AWM Roll of Honour Database
AWM Roll of Honour Circular
AWM First World War Unit Embarkation Rolls
NAA RecordSearch - Series B2455 (First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920)
ACT Electoral Roll - 1916