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Frederick Walter Hitchens was born 1893 in Maclean, son of William Henry Hitchens and Rose Mary (Nipperess) Hitchens. Frederick was one of 11 children and two of his brothers, Percy & Thomas also enlisted. Both his parents and one brother are buried in Murwillumbah Cemetery

ATTESTATION

Frederick travelled to Brisbane to enlist on 23 July 1915. He was a single man, born in Maclean, aged 22 and his occupation was a mercer, (a person who deals in textiles) and he was eager to do his bit. His next of kin was his father, William, of Murwillumbah. He had spent time in the infantry in Murwillumbah.

He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military

Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia

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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER

On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following

“The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him

OATH

He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Frederick Walter Hitchens, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law

SO, HELP ME, GOD.” 

MEDICAL EXAMINATION

His medical showed he was 5ft 11 inches tall (1.8m), weighed 146 lbs (66kgs), with a fresh complexion, brown eyes & brown hair. His eyesight was good. He was Roman Catholic and had a scar on his left shin and 3 vaccination marks on his left arm.  

CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINATION

I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -

Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.

He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service

CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER

The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him as a private in the 6th Reinforcement of the 25th Battalion of the Australian Imperial Forces with service number 2699

TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA

As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together

Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the men received their vaccinations for smallpox, rabies & plague, then a recruit had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave

Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.

This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training would take several months

INNOCULATIONS

All recruits were given a range of inoculations while in camp. The most important jab was to protect against smallpox and typhoid – indeed, having this was an essential precondition of enlisting.

THE UNIFORM

The recruits were issued with their uniform- service dress jacket was made of Australian wool and its loose fit gave the wearer more allowance for movement. The four large pockets were very useful. A unique feature designed for comfort was the pleated back, which provided a double thickness of cloth down the back that the pack rubbed against. Breeches were corduroy worn with wool wrap puttees. The famous khaki felt slouch hat or early service cap is probably the most distinctive part of the uniform. turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge.

SOLDIER’S KIT

Australia's World War I soldiers went to war weighed down by almost 30 kilograms of clothes, weapons, tools and kit.

·      Breeches: made from khaki woollen cord fabric, with side pockets and button flies. Soldiers were issued with two pairs of breeches, plus a pair of dungarees. The breeches ended above the ankles and the gap was filled with puttees.

·      Braces: worn with breeches.

·      Puttees: The men wound these strips of woollen cloth, almost three metres long, upwards from the ankle to just below the knee. Soldiers disliked the puttees, probably with good reason: the tight binding restricted circulation and might even have contributed to the high incidence of trench foot. Mounted troops wore leather leggings.

·      Shirt: Soldiers were given two grey, collarless, flannel shirt, plus a military shirt.

·      Ankle boots: brown and lace-up.

·      Socks: Made from wool or cotton. Soldiers were issued with three pairs.

·      Greatcoat: the khaki woollen coat (which weighed about 3kg) often doubled as a soldier's bedding and was his chief protection against the cold and wet. The coat came into its own when snow hit Gallipoli in November 1915 and also on the Western Front.

·      Jersey

·      Singlets: Soldiers were issued with 2 woollen singlets.

·      Cotton "drawers" (underpants): Soldiers were issued with two pairs.

·      Abdominal belts: a sort of cummerbund that was issued to keep soldiers warm and supposedly ward off disease.

·      Backpacks and webbing: The main backpack was a rectangular sack measuring about 15 inches x 13 inches, closed at the top by a folding cover secured by two straps. The webbing included a web belt, cartridge pouches, small haversack, bayonet frog, an entrenching tool holder (plus another holder for its handle), and a water-bottle holder.

·      Identity disc: Soldiers were initially issued with one medal "dog tag" on a cord, but later in the war they were given two tags, made of compressed fibre.

·      Soldiers were also issued with a "housewife" - a sewing kit containing such items as needles, thimble, thread, wool and button so they could carry out running repairs.

·      Also in their kit were a short-magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, a rifle sling, a bayonet and scabbard, and an "entrenching tool" (they were "diggers" after all). This came in two parts, with the helve (handle) separate from the spade part.

·      Soldiers were issued with eating equipment (knife, fork, spoon, an enamel mug, water bottle (with two-point capacity), and a mess tin with carrier.

·      They also had a clasp knife (with marlin spike, tin-opener and lanyard), razor, shaving kit, soap, comb, two towels, field dressing (carried in the tunic's inside pocket), and a hold-all, in which they could pack their private possessions.

·      No item was probably looked after more carefully than their service pay book: privates were paid six shillings a day

VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM BRISBANE TO EGYPT OCTOBER 1915

On the 21^st October 1915, the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Seang Bee A48. Alongside his comrades, Frederick marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.

The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. On the voyage, due to overcrowding, training was limited to mainly to lectures and a little physical training.

SLEEPING & LIVING ARRANGEMENTS

Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.

Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.

DAILY ROUTINE

Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic—drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.

MEALS

Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.

HEALTH & SANITATION

Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.

THE VOYAGE EXPERIENCE

Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. To keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.

The troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection

CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY

The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

SIGHTS AT SEA

On the way to Egypt the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.

SECURITY

By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes.

APPROACHING EGYPT

After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the sandy training grounds of Egypt, preparing for what lay ahead.

EGYPT- ALLOTTED TO 9^TH BATTALION FEBRUARY 1916

The unit arrived in Egypt but its involvement was limited to mainly defensive operations, and Frederick was allotted to the 9^th Battalion on 27 February 1916 at Zeitoun

HOSPITALISATION VENEREAL DISEASE FEBRUARY 1916

He was admitted to the 1^st Australian Dermatological Hospital in Cairo on 29 February 1916 with VD. The sense of adventure, the loneliness, and the loss of family life that overwhelmed many of the overseas volunteers during the First World War often found them on leave in large cities or small towns where alcohol and women were plentiful, and a lack of available prophylaxis allowed the spread of diseases such as gonorrhoea and syphilis to reach epidemic levels. Historians claim that the average incidence rate for this disease in the AIF was around 12 per cent

Treatment for venereal disease in the Australian Imperial Force during WWI primarily involved hospitalisation, strict rest, and medical therapies available at the time. Soldiers were often treated with salvarsan (an arsenic-based compound) or mercury-based preparations, which were administered by injection or topical application. These treatments aimed to cure the infection but could be uncomfortable and required careful monitoring due to side effects. In addition to drug therapy, patients were given regular medical inspections, hygiene instruction, and restrictions on activity until fully recovered. Lengthy stays in hospital—often several weeks or months—were common, as doctors ensured soldiers were no longer infectious and fit to return to duty

DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL AND TRANSFERRED TO 5TH CYCLIST CORPS 17TH APRIL 1916 FERRY POST

28 days later he was discharged and transferred to the 5th Cyclist Corps at the port of Ferry Port, on the Suez Canal. The Australian Cyclist Corps was a specialised formation created to provide fast-moving infantry and communication support during World War I. At the beginning of the war military planners believed bicycles could play an important role in modern warfare, particularly for reconnaissance, dispatch carrying, traffic control, and rapid movement between sectors. Cyclist units were therefore attached to divisions and corps formations across the British and Dominion armies, including the Australians.

The men of the 5th Cyclist Corps were trained soldiers who used sturdy military bicycles capable of carrying rifles, ammunition, tools, rations, and signalling equipment. Their bicycles were far heavier than ordinary civilian machines, built to withstand rough roads and long distances. Riders became highly skilled at rapid movement, navigation, map reading, and maintaining communications under difficult conditions.

In practice, the nature of trench warfare on the Western Front limited the large-scale battlefield use of bicycles. Once fighting became bogged down in mud-filled trench systems, bicycles could rarely operate close to the front line. Instead, cyclist troops found themselves undertaking a wide range of important support duties behind the lines.

One of their principal tasks was dispatch riding. Cyclists carried written orders, maps, intelligence reports, and operational messages between headquarters, artillery batteries, infantry brigades, and rear areas. Before reliable radio communication became widespread, this work was vital. Riders often travelled day and night along roads under shellfire, through blackout conditions, or during gas attacks to ensure messages reached their destinations quickly.

Their everyday life varied greatly depending on the sector. In quieter periods cyclist troops spent long hours maintaining their machines, repairing punctures, cleaning mud from chains and wheels, and undertaking route marches or patrols. The roads of France and Belgium could be extremely difficult, particularly during winter when mud and shell craters made riding exhausting. Men frequently had to push or carry bicycles through devastated areas where roads had been destroyed.

Although cyclist units were not usually involved in direct trench assaults, they were by no means safe from danger. Dispatch riders and patrols often travelled exposed roads targeted by artillery and aircraft, and casualties could occur suddenly. Many cyclists also found themselves temporarily attached to infantry or labour duties during major operations.

Overall, the 5th Cyclist Corps performed a flexible and often underappreciated role — acting as the fast-moving connective tissue of the army, helping maintain communication, organisation, and mobility across the enormous battlefields of the Western Front.

RETURNED TO HOSPITAL – VD FOR 4 DAYS

On 4 May he returned to the hospital with VD again and was released on 8 May. 

PROMOTION TO LANCE CORPORAL MAY 1916

He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 26 May 1916

ATTACHED TO 2^ND ANZAC CYCLISTS

In June he joined the British Expeditionary Force, leaving Alexandria and disembarked in Marseilles on 16 June. 

ESCORT TO GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING

On 26 June he was in 2^nd Anzac Headquarters and was attached as an escort to the General Officer Commanding, post he held till 30 September when he rejoined his unit.

WOUNDED IN ACTION NOVEMBER 1916

The unit had returned to the Somme in the last part of 1916 where they undertook further attacks throughout November to extend their observation of the Albert–Bapaume Road and he was wounded in action on 21 November 1916 with a gunshot wound to his buttocks. He was transferred to several hospital and rejoined his unit at Etaples on 10 January 1917.

REQUEST TO REVERT TO PRIVATE FEBRUARY 1917

On 16 February he requested he revert to being a private.

HOSPITALISED FRACTURED LEFT THUMB APRIL 1917

On 15 April he was admitted to the Brook War Hospital with a fractured left thumb, moderate. On 9 July he was discharged and joined the training company. As Frederick had been absent from the front line for some time, he had to be brought up to date with the latest weapons and technology, which was changing very fast.

By January 1918 he rejoined his unit in France which took part in many of the battles in France. He was again detached for duty as the Corps Commandant Guard on 30 March and returned to his unit on 27 April.

HOSPITALISED MAY 1918 INFLUENZA

On 18 May he was admitted to the 11st Australian Field Ambulance with influenza.  Influenza was a dangerous disease to have in an area with a lot of people who would continue to spread the infection. Many people died with this disease which could cause trouble breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, seizures and/or severe weakness or muscle pain.

There was no effective medical treatment for Influenza. The Army Nurse Corps was critical for soldier’s care. Symptom management by skilled supportive nursing care was the best predictor of positive patient outcomes and decreases in mortality rates. This care consisted of duties such as administering medications, monitoring vital signs, fever control, providing hydration, rest, dressing changes, open-air therapy, bed baths, clean bedding, feeding, back and chest rubs with camphorated sweet oil, and cleaning the ward.

DIED IN HOSPITAL MAY 1918

On the day before his death Frederick had been transferred by train to the No. 1 Canadian General Hospital at Etaples. On 20 May 1918, the hospital was hit by an air raid and Frederick died because of the wounds he sustained from the shelling.

FOR HIS SERVICE

Frederick is buried at the Etaples Military Cemetery Plot 67 Row 3 Grave 138 (officially Plot 67 Row D Grave 30). His name is located at panel 185 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial and he is listed on the Murwillumbah War Memorial. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal

EFFECTS

His father received his effects in January 1919. They consisted on his wallet, photos, letters, knife, scissors, purse, prayer book, cards, note book, 3 penny piece & 2 rosaries (Broken)

MEMORIAL SCROLL

His Memorial scroll was received by his father on 20^th August 1922

MEMORIAL PLAQUE

His father received his Memorial Plaque on 2^nd November 1922

VICTORY MEDAL

His father received his Victory Medal on 31^st January 1923

If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.