The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (464) Private Frederick John Thompson, 9th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

Places
Accession Number AWM2019.1.1.305
Collection type Film
Object type Last Post film
Physical description 16:9
Maker Australian War Memorial
Place made Australia: Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, Campbell
Date made 1 November 2019
Access Open
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright Item copyright: © Australian War Memorial
Creative Commons License This item is licensed under CC BY-NC
Copying Provisions Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction.
Description

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Sharon Bown, the story for this day was on (464) Private Frederick John Thompson, 9th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

Film order form
Speech transcript

464 Private Frederick John Thompson, 9th Battalion, AIF
KIA 25 April 1915

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Frederick John Thompson.

Frederick Thompson was born in Wairarapa, New Zealand in September 1882. He grew up in the town of Feilding where he attended Feilding State School, and as a young adult served for two and a half years with the Manchester Rifle Volunteers.

In February 1907 Thompson went to work as a member of the literary staff of the New Zealand Times.

By the time of the First World War, Thompson was living in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda with his sister Emily, working as a travelling salesman.

22 August 1914 found Thompson in Warwick, Queensland, enlisting for service in the Australian Imperial Force. He was sent to Enoggera, where the 9th Battalion was being raised, and was posted to D Company of the new battalion.

After finishing initial training, Thompson embarked with the 9th Battalion from Brisbane on 24 September on board the transport ship Omrah.

The initial port of call was Albany Harbour in Western Australia where other transport ships carrying men of the 1st Infantry Division and the 1st Light Horse Brigade formed up to depart in convoy.

The convoy left Albany Harbour on the 1st of November, with a naval escort that included HMAS Sydney. A little over a week into the voyage, Sydney steamed off to encounter and eventually sink the German light cruiser SMS Emden. It was the first victory for the Royal Australian Navy and a source of immense pride for the men on the transport ships.

Initially bound for England and the Salisbury Plain, the Australian convoy was diverted to Egypt.

After disembarking in Egypt the 9th Battalion assisted in setting up Mena Camp and began training. During their periods of leave, Thompson and his comrades saw much of Cairo and its surrounds.

While in Egypt the Australian infantry battalions, which had been formed along an old British model of eight companies, changed to the four company system. As a result, Thompson was transferred from D Company to B Company, where he joined No. 16 Section, 8 Platoon.

In early March 1915 the 9th Battalion sailed for Lemnos, where the battalions of the 3rd Brigade made final preparations for the Gallipoli campaign.

In the early hours of 25 April, Thompson was amongst the first wave of Australians ashore. He was, according to one report, acting as a platoon scout and was well-forward of his platoon when he disappeared. He did not return to his platoon and as no one had seen what had become of him Thompson was listed as missing in action in early May.

Thompson’s sister Emily kept up a frequent correspondence with the Base Records Office in Melbourne in an attempt to find information about the fate of her brother. Despite exhaustive searches of prisoner of war lists and enquiries made by the American ambassador in Constantinople, no trace of Thompson was found.

A court of enquiry held by the 9th Battalion in France on 5 June 1916 declared Frederick Thompson to have been killed in action on 25 April.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Frederick John Thompson, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section


  • Video of The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (464) Private Frederick John Thompson, 9th Battalion, AIF, First World War. (video)