1. Fred’sfinallybackThis is the story of a digger who came home, 100 years later, thanks in part to the Newcastle Herald. SIMON WALKER writes.
‘‘Ohyes,wegrewupknowingallaboutGreatUncleFred.Hewas
alwayspartofthefamily.Weknewfrompoetryandlettersfrom
GrandfatherSmiththatFred’sdadnevergotoverhisdeath.’’
FINALLY HOME: Garry Legge handing over the photo this month of Lieutenant Frederick George Smith to Lieutenant Smith’s great niece Shirlee. Picture: Phil Hearne
G
ARRY Leggeis a bornand bred
Novocastrian, butlives in
Unanderra, nearWollongong.
He’s also anartist and military
buff.
Thirty yearsago he discovereda large
photo ofa World War Isoldier hidden
behind a printhe’d picked up ina second
hand store inTighes Hill.
‘‘I saw theframe and thought Icould use
that,’’ Leggesaid.
‘‘A couple ofyears later, when Igot round
to it, Itook the print out andthere was the
photo ofthis soldier.’’
The photowas inscribed withthe name
‘‘Lieutenant FrederickGeorge Smith’’.
Research at theWar Memorial in
Canberra revealed Smithhad been a
member of theNewcastle-based 2nd
Battalion of theFirst AIF (Australian
Infantry Forces)and had diedof wounds
suffered onthe second day ofthe Gallipoli
campaign on April26, 1915.
Smith’s nextof kin were listedas George
and JuliaSmith of 154Lawson Street,
Hamilton.
Realising the historicalsignificance of the
photo, Garryresolved to return itto the
family ofLieutenant Smith.
But whereto start?
‘‘Every AnzacDay he’d try andraise some
interest tono avail,’’ Legge’ssister, Coral
Kinsela,said.
‘‘He even triedgoing on radio, butthe trail
wentcold.’’
Enter thevoice of theHunter, the
NewcastleHerald.
Legge submitteda letter tothe editor
seekinghelp.
Major John Threlfo(retired), a committee
man with aNewcastle-based group called
‘‘Friends of theSecond Infantry Battalion
Incorporated’’responded.
Threlfo’s grouphas records ofevery 2nd
Battalion infantrymen whoserved in World
WarI.
Threlfo confirmedLieutenant Frederick
George Smithjoined the 2ndBattalion on
September 3,1914, and waswounded on
April 26,1915, and succumbedto wounds
on May 8,1915, in Cairo, wherehe was
buried at thewar cemetery.
That mighthave been the endof the
story, if notfor technology.
Legge’s letterwas also postedon the
Herald’swebsite.
A woman inQueensland Googling
Newcastle Herald sawthe letter.
‘‘She said,‘That sounds likemy friend’s
lost great uncle,’ ’’Legge explained.
The woman inQueensland was Christine
Luxford andher friend was Elsiewho had
a sister Shirlee,both of whom stilllive in
Newcastle. LieutenantFrederick ‘‘Fred’’
George Smith wastheir great uncle.
‘‘It wasa long wayround,’’ Shirlee
explained.
‘‘Christine remembered Elsiehad an
uncle whodied at Gallipoli butdidn’t know
where Elsielived by then soshe rang
another friendin Newcastle thatthey both
went toschool with whose namewas Diana.
‘‘Diana calledin to seeElsie at
Adamstown Heights andnumbers were
exchanged withGarry [Legge].’’
It was aroundabout way for Fredto be
reunited withhis family, but onethat was
mostwelcomed.
‘‘Oh yes,we grew up knowingall about
Great Uncle Fred,’’Shirlee said.
‘‘He wasalways part ofthe family.
‘‘We knewfrom poetry andletters from
Grandfather Smith thatFred’s dad never
got overhis death.’’
Lieutenant Smith’s fatherGeorge had
moved toAustralia from WestBromwich in
England andhad a music storeat 469
Hunter Streetduring WWI.
‘‘When Fred waskilled, people in
Newcastle donatedmoney and hada life-
size portrait done,’’Shirlee said.
‘‘The portraitwas hung inthe courthouse
at Bathurst,because Fred wasworking for
the Justice Departmentas a deposition
clerk whenhe enlisted.
‘‘But peoplelost track ofthat portrait.
‘‘I’d certainlybe interested toknow who
the artistwas and whocommissioned it.’’
Fred waswell looked afterin Cairo.
‘‘Two Newcastle nurses– Louisa Stovo
and anothernurse Williams –cared for
him,’’ Shirleesaid.
‘‘They knewhim before hewent overseas.
‘‘Fred was shotup high in thearm, and
haemorrhaged onMay 3.
‘‘They couldn’tstop the bleedingand he
died onthe 8th.
‘‘Another nurse,Myra Wise, whoFred had
met inBathurst happened to besick in
hospital inCairo at thesame time.
‘‘Myra wroteto Fred every dayfrom her
hospital bedin Cairo.
‘‘When hedied, Louisa andWilliams came
to Myra’s bedand told her.
‘‘Myra thenwrote a letterto Grandma
Smith expressingcondolences.
‘‘Those nursesalso took photosof the
military funeralin Cairo which westill have.
‘‘It musthave been awful forgrandma, I
can’t imagine whatshe went through.
‘‘They hada big headstone puton the
grave in Cairo,but later on thebody was
exhumed andput in thewar memorial
cemetery.
‘‘Those youngnurses, what theymust have
seen anddealt with musthave been
horrendous.
‘‘They then wenton to serve inthe field
hospitals ofFrance.’’
Shirlee acknowledges thisstory has been
told athousand times overwith other
families.
By chance,after being wounded,Fred was
shipped outof Gallipoli toCairo with
another Newcastle BoysHigh acquaintance
who’d been shotin the hand.
‘‘He alsowrote a lovely letterto Grandma
Smith after Freddied,’’ Shirlee said.
‘‘On May 15they sent this fellowback to
Gallipoli andhe was killed inearly June.
‘‘Just sosad. War is sucha waste.’’
Shirlee andher family aretruly grateful
to Leggeand the Herald forhelping bring
Fredhome.
Legge, who triesto get back tothe Hunter
for every NewcastleKnights home game,
handed overthe photo toFred’s family
members ina small ceremonyat Cameron
Park thismonth. It meant theworld to
Shirlee.
‘‘When youthink that it’s nearenough to
100 yearslater, that somebody whohad no
connection to itwould take the time,I just
think, ‘how niceis this man?’ It’sjust so
lovely to haveit,’’ she said.
‘‘It must bea fate thing, thatFred was
meant tocome home.’’
Legge feelsthe same.
‘‘I wasalways determined tofind the
family butdidn’t know how todo it.
‘‘I’m reallypleased it’s going backto the
rightfulfamily.’’
Shirlee nowhas the task ofworking out
where to hangthe photo.
‘‘I have aroom where I dothe family
history. I’llask Fred, Godlove him.
‘‘Who knows,this story may sparka lead
on themissing portrait.’’
WEEKENDER PAGE 4 Saturday, August 31, 2013
weekender FEATURE