Private Fred Lockington

Fred Lockington was born at Carlton, Victoria, on 26 February 1880 to parents Harry Lockington and Margaret Lockington (née Swan). He was the youngest boy in a family of seven children, with three brothers and three sisters.

Lockington married Teresa Maude Bowen at Camberwell, Victoria, on 21 April 1908. The couple had two children and resided at Hawthorn, Victoria. Lockington was a blacksmith and coach builder and operated his own business as a carriage and motor body builder from premises in Hawthorn.

Lockington enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Melbourne on 11 January 1917 and was attached initially to the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) camp at Laverton, Victoria, as a private. On 10 May 1917, Lockington formed part of the 9th Reinforcements for the Australian Flying Corps that embarked from Sydney aboard the troopship Marathon and disembarked at Devonport, England, on 20 July 1917. Lockington was transferred to Parkhouse, England, and appointed 2nd Air Mechanic. On 28 July 1917, Lockington moved to Farnborough for air mechanic training and remained at Farnborough until 3 September 1917. He was transferred to the air mechanics school of the Royal Flying Corps at Halton Park East.

On 25 October 1917, Lockington was marched out to the 33rd Training Squadron at Tern Hill, an important training airfield. On 1 January 1918, Lockington was appointed 1st Air Mechanic and sent to Leighterton with the 33rd Training Squadron which had been renamed the 8th Training Squadron. On 6 November 1918, Lockington participated in a concert held at AFC Leighterton, England, by “The Flying Kangaroos”. At this concert, Lockington sang “The Bandelero” and “Mountain Lovers”; he also took the part of the detective in a sketch titled “Settling Up”.

On 27 April 1918, Teresa Lockington’s only brother, Lieutenant Clarence Bowen of the 60th Battalion was killed in action in France.

Fred Lockington remained at Leighterton until an injury and subsequent infection to his foot, in February 1919, resulted in a period in hospital. In May 1919 he was allocated for return to Australia and embarked aboard the troopship Kaiser-i-Hind on 6 May 1919. He disembarked in Australia on 16 June 1919 and was discharged on 16 July 1919.

Lockington returned to his occupation of coachbuilder at Hawthorn, Victoria, following his discharge. In September 1919 he relocated to Western Australia, leaving his wife and children in Victoria. Lockington continued to work as a coachsmith and blacksmith in the Perth suburbs of North Perth and Subiaco until 1940. In 1931 Lockington sought a divorce from his wife which, after an appeal to the Full Court of Victoria, was granted in October 1931.

Lockington enlisted in the Australian Army at Perth on 9 December 1940 and appears to have understated his age. He was attached to the Western Command General Details Depot as a private.

Fred Lockington died on 20 October 1941 after collapsing at Claremont railway station, Western Australia, at the age of 61; he was still on active service.