Embarkation Roll
Francis Mawson
Frank Mawson (Service No 3896) was born in Helensburgh in 1896 to Francis Jonah Mawson, a miner from Auckland, New Zealand, and Emily Louisa (nee Messer) from Penrith.
Frank attended Helensburgh school with his siblings, Emily, Christina, Dorothy (Doris) and Henry. At the same school were his cousins John and Gladys Mawson as well as Will, Thomas and Francis Hunt.
Frank enlisted at Holsworthy NSW on 22 August, 1915, at the age of 19, although Army documents show his age to be 21. He joined the 17th Battalion 9th Reinforcements and embarked on the HMAT Runic on 20 January, 1916.
Frank was in Pozieres at the same time as William Henry Hunt, also from Helensburgh. He arrived back in Sydney on 28 September, 1917; his parents at this time had moved to Concord West and he was discharged on 2 March 1918.
Frank and Alice Beryl Doran (nee Ridgers) from Tasmania married on 4 March 1918 and at the time he worked as a railway signalman. He and Alice had 5 children. In 1939 Frank enlisted in WWII, with his sons also enlisting in 1941 & 1942.