Military History

Embarked Fremantle per HMAT ‘Berrima’ A 35 for UK, 23.12.1916.
Roll Rank Private.
Roll Unit 18th Reinf. 27 Bn.
Davis disembarked at Devonport, England 10.2.1917. He was promoted to Lance Corporal without pay for Voyage Only (VO) 24.1.1917. He marched in to Rollestone with his Regt. 18.2.1917 and joined the 7th Training Bn. He proceeded overseas to France 22.5.1917. Davis transferred from the 27th Bn. to 28th Bn. as a Private 13.6.1917 and was allotted a new Reg. No. 6314A. He fought with his Bn. at Menin Ridge and was KIA in the Field in Belgium 20.9.1917. His body was not recovered nor a grave located, despite Red Cross searches (AWM Red Cross File). Davis is commemorated at the Menin Gates Memorial, Ypres, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Final Rank Private, 28th Bn. AIF
Medical Condition Deceased, KIA.
Awards and Medals British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Notes His Mother lost 3 sons in service in WW1, including Walter and Reginald Davis. His brothers Gilbert and  Ray survived the war. His sister Judy Davis became a  noted Hollywood actress.

Photo  Palmer and Ashworth. Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire. NSW 1920 . Facsimile Edition. 2014. Reproduced with permission of Hesperian Press
            HMAS 'Berrima' under construction 1913. Unsourced image Wikipedia
            Rollestone Training Camp, live grenade throwing practice. Photographer Downes H. album, photograph source AWM P10688.011.002
            Menin Road. Soldiers marching to the front 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E04649
            Menin Gate War Memorial 1938. Secured by Captain James Murphy of the British War Graves Commission. Photograph source AWM H16916

Information Source
AWM P10688.011.002. Rollestone Training Camp, live grenade throwing practice. Photographer Downes H. album, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM E04649. Menin Road. Soldiers marching to the front 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australin War Memorial
AWM H16916. Menin Gate War Memorial 1938. Secured by Captain James Murphy of the British War Graves Commission. Photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Embarkation Roll- Frederick Charles Davis
AWM Roll of Honour- Frederick Charles Davis
Guildford War Memorial
St Matthew’s Honour Roll,
St Matthew’s Church Honour Roll-Fallen
NAA: B2455, Davis F C
Palmer and Ashworth, Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire, 1914-1918. NSW 1920. Facsimile Edition 2014, reproduced with permission of Hesperian Press, Victoria Park, WA
Wikipedia. HMAS 'Berrima' under construction 1913. Unsourced image from Wikipedia website, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Berrima
Wise, H. and Co. Western Australian Post Office Directories.  SLWA


34 Market Street Guildford. WA. (Mother)
4 Stirling Street. Guildford. WA.

Associated Images