The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (QX15400) Lance Sergeant Francis William Sides, 3rd Independent Company, Second Wolrd War.

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 Craig Berelle, the story for this day was on (QX15400) Lance Sergeant Francis William Sides, 3rd Independent Company, Second Wolrd War.

QX15400 Lance Sergeant Francis William Sides, 3rd Independent Company
KIA 25 August 1943

Today we remember and pay tribute to Lance Sergeant Francis William Sides.

Francis Sides, generally known as “Frank”, was born on 15 December 1913 in Mackay, North Queensland, the eldest son of John and Florence Sides.

Young Frank Sides attended Townsville Grammar School, where he quickly became known as an outstanding cricket player. He made his debut first-class appearance for Queensland against South Australia in the Sheffield Shield at the age of 17, making him the youngest player to play for the team.

Illness caused by his work as a member of the Townsville Fire Brigade forced Sides to retire from cricket for a number of years. When he returned, he quickly became well known as a dashing left-handed batsman.

Sides moved to Victoria in 1937, and in his final match for Victoria scored 121 runs, achieving his first century in first-class cricket.

The coming of the Second World War disrupted many professional sporting events. By December 1941 most state cricket associations had agreed to abandon interstate matches until the end of the war, and the Melbourne Cricket Ground was commandeered by the services.

Sides, whose father was a veteran of the First World War, followed that example by enlisting on 26 March 1941.

After a period of pre-embarkation leave, he began training at Redbank. He was then marched out to Caulfield Camp, where he was promoted to acting corporal and attended various training centres.

On 1 September 1941, Sides was transferred to the 3rd Independent Company, one of one of 12 independent or commando companies and squadrons formed by the Australian Army.

Following Japan's entry into the war, the 3rd Independent Company was sent to New Caledonia. While it was intended to garrison New Caledonia as a temporary measure, when it was relieved by a much larger American division, the American divisional commander was so impressed that he sought to retain the unit so that it could retrain his division.

At the start of August 1942, the company was withdrawn and returned to Australia. In October 1942 Sides married Dorothy Sarovich, whose brother he had met while playing cricket in Victoria. The newly wedded couple’s time together would be brief.

After six months in Australia, Sides sailed for New Guinea with his unit. From Port Moresby the company was flown to Wau, participating in the Australian pursuit of the Japanese towards Mubo. When the company moved to Missim, they waged a guerrilla war against the Japanese around the Komiatum Track, in support of the 3rd Division's campaign around Salamaua.

The terrain over which the company fought during the Wau–Salamaua campaign was dense with rugged jungle-covered mountains. Sides and his comrades patrolled deep into Japanese territory, setting ambushes and gathering intelligence, as well as making a number of attacks against Japanese positions.

In May 1943, the company captured Ambush Knoll, which controlled a nearby ridge and threatened Japanese supply lines. The Japanese made several counter-attacks in force to try to retake the knoll. Despite having only 52 men, the Australians managed to hold the position. But heavy casualties were suffered, including Lance Sergeant Sides, who was killed on 25 August at Kunai Spur, Salamaua.

The 3rd Independent Company earned high praises for its part in the Wau–Salamaua campaign, but it cost them heavily. Credited with having killed 969 Japanese, the company suffered 65 battle fatalities, 119 wounded, and 226 men had to be evacuated for medical reasons. By the time they campaign was over, there were only 34 men were left from the original group that had flown into Wau. Among those who survived was Frank Sides’ younger brother, Ferdinand, who served in the same unit.

Frank Sides was remembered as “gentle, determined, and courageous”, and his death was noted sadly by major newspapers as another loss of a promising Australian cricketer.

Today, Frank Sides lies buried in the Lae War Cemetery under the epitaph chosen by his grieving family: “The close of a noble innings. His duty well done.”

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, among almost 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Lance Sergeant Francis William Sides, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Duncan Beard
Editor, Military History Section