FROWD, Hugh McGee

Hugh Frowd was born in Kyabram in 1895, but by 1915, when he enlisted, was living at 51 Berry St., East Melbourne. He was a maltster by trade and probably worked at one of the breweries in nearby Abbotsford. His parents may have been dead, because he gave his next of kin as his brother, Issac Frowd, a policeman living at the Police Barracks in West Melbourne. Hugh Frowd had had previous experience in the military, having served in the 56th Infantry, where he was still serving when he signed up.

He was sent to Broadmeadows for training, then placed in the newly formed 22nd Battalion. They embarked for Egypt on board HMAT Ulysses A38 on 8 May, 1916, landing at Alexandria and marching out ot Mudros Camp. They were deployed at Gallipoli in the 1st week of September and withdrawn i mid-December with the rest of the Austrlaian forces, moving back to Mudros, Egypt. On 19 March, 1916, they were sent to France, landing at Marseilles and proceeding by train to the Western Front. Hugh Frowd and the others from the 22nd Battalion were immediately engaged at Fleurbaix/Pozieres in April, 1916. on 8 August, 1916, Hugh Frowd received a gunshot wound to his right foot and was evacuated from the battlefield to hospital at Etaples,  rejoining his unit in the field on 30 September, 1916. 

In September-October, the 22nd Battalion marched in to the Ypres Sector and on 16 December, he was promoted to Lance Corporal. By then they were back at the Somme and spent the bitter winter of 1916-17 in the trenches. Hugh Frowd had an accident on 26 March, 1917, scalding his face and foot in a trench at Le Barke - presumably he was carrying boiling water back to his dugout. He was taken to hospital at Rouen, then transferred back to England where he was admitted to the Royal Victorian Hospital on 30 March.  

It was a long recovery. On 27 April, 1917, he was transferred to the 1st Auxiliary Hospital at Handfield and on 16 May, sent to convalescence at Hurdcott. On 7 July, he finally returned to the front, leaving from Perham Downs camp and travelling by ship from Southampton. He rejoined his battalion on 4 August, 1917.

On 31 July, General Haig began his 'great attack' on the German Army to push their soldiers back to the Hindenburg Line. The 22nd Battalion was part of this series of battles, called after the name of the village that was the last objective: Passchendaele. On 22nd September, at the Battle of Menin Rd., Hugh Frowd's inspirational leadership won him a Military Medal. 

The Australian 1st and 2nd Divisions were, for the first time, placed together and were the centre of an assault along Westhoek Ridge, facing Glencorse Wood. Their casualties were high, with 2,754 losses to the 1st Division, 2,259 to the 2nd Division. Hugh McGee's citation was as follows:

At Westhoek on 22 September, 1917 for conspicuos courage and coolness. During heavy bombardment he kept constantly moving round th members of his platoon encouraging each man in turn and setting at fine example of coolness and self-possession. On night 22/23rd September, 1917, under heavy shell fire, he collected and re-organised fatigue parties which the shelling had dispersed and enabled them to complete their tasks. The gallant example of this NCO had a marked effect on all he came in contact with.

Hugh McGee was recalled to England on 7 February, 1018, and sent to Fovant to attend a course on defence measures against gas attack. He attended the No.1 Gas School from 20-27 February and qualified 2nd Class. On 28 April, he was discharged to a Training Depot, and then attached for duty at Tidworth and placed on the permanent staff of the 5th Training Battalion. However, on 29 May he committed an offence - failing to obey Training Station Quarter Guard Standing Orders. He was reprimanded, but there was no further punishment. Perhaps he felt unsuited to training, because on 2 August, 1918, he left again for France and by 17 August, was back with his unit. On 24 August, he was promoted to Sergeant, remaining with the 22nd Battalion until the war ended on 11 November, 1918. 

Hugh McGee Frowd returned to Australia on board the Port Macquarie on 28 March, 1919, disembarking at Melbourne on 26 May. He had been discharged from service on 18 April.

Hugh McGee Frowd died on 20 June, 1965. He left  a widow, Mildred Ann Frowd.