DAVISON, Frank Sinclair

Frank Davison was born on 10 August 1890. His father, John, had been a practising General Practitioner in Shepparton, but the marriage broke up in 1890 and Dr Davison moved to 19 George St., East Melbourne. Frank was brought up in East Melbourne and went to school at Christian Brother's College, St Kilda. He was living at 19 George Street, East Melbourne in 1914 [ Electoral Roll] His mother was living in South Perth, Western Australia.

Frank enlisted in the AIF at Melbourne on 20 January 1915. He was single, 25 years 5 months old, 5 feet six inches, and was described as having a pale complexion. He listed his profession as Clerk.

Frank was allocated to the 14th Battalion, 5th Reinforcements and spent his first two months in the Melbourne Depot. On the 17 April he embarked on the SS Hororata [A20] and proceeded to join the MEFD in the Dardenelles on the 19 July 1915.

He was part of the major action at Sari Bair in early August 1915 and was reported wounded, with a gun shot wound to his right knee on the 7 August 1915. He was transferred firstly to the 4th Australian Ambulance Station and then to the Beach Clearing Station at Anzac Cove. At a later Court of Enquiry held in Eygpt on the 28 April 1916 it was established that he died of his wounds on the 8 August 1915, possibly from an attempt to amputate the arm.

He is commemorated with a headstone at the Lone Pine Memorial, but this was a mistake. He died following the battle of Sari Bair and has no known grave. the inscription on the monument read:

          In memory of Private Frank Davison, 1931, Australian Infantry, who died on 07 August 1915.

         Son of  John and Marie Davison, of Lyall St., South Perth, Western Australia.

                                      Remembered with Honour

                                      Lone Pine Memorial

Following the end of the war, his mother wrote to the authorities at Victoria Barracks in St Kilda Rd., Melbourne and received this reply ' ...in reply I have to state no burial report has been  received in connection with your son, the late No.1931 Private Frank Davison, 14th Battalion. An intensive search is, however, bring made over all battlefields with a view to locating unregistered graves and should your son's be discovered you would be notified through this office. The grave would be photographed and three copies transmitted to you.'

On 24th August, 1920, his mother wrote  back to the War Department.

Sir,

In reply to yours of 11th re my late son Pte Frank Davison. His father left me in 1890 and although I had all enquiries made have failed to find him since. Yours faithfully, Marie Davison.

She was sent her late son's war medals on 3 September,1920, the son she had not seen since the marriage broke up.