LE MAISTRE, Lieutenant-Colonel Frank William, DSO MiD (Part A)
5th Battalion, AIF
By Robert Simpson
Frank William Le Maistre was born in St. Kilda Melbourne Australia on 22nd February 1882. He was a son to John Francis le Maistre and Mary Jane Dales, who had been married at Emerald Hill in Victoria in 1879. John was born in Jersey in the Channel Islands in 1849 and Mary had been born in St. Kilda in 1856. Frank had 2 brothers (Ernest Dale born 1883 and Victor Harold Jack born 1896) and a sister (Elsie Mary born 1887). In the 1909 Electoral roll, John was listed as a mariner and Frank as a salesman, both living at 29 Charnwood Road, St. Kilda with Mary and Elsie. By the 1913 roll, John was still a mariner and Frank was listed as an ironmonger, still at the same address. The 1914 roll has Frank at the same address and occupation, but sadly his father had passed away on 14th February 1914 at the Alfred Hospital. His medical records state Frank was in part time employment as a departmental manager at Briscoe and Co, from 1896 to 1914, with his work being satisfactory.
In 1906, Frank was involved with the death of a naval cadet. The cadets were on Swan Island and “on Christmas morning 300 of the naval cadet boys were, with several officers, bathing on the east side” of the island. One of them, Emil Johann Cedzich was struggling in the water, was seen and brought to the shore, where he “seemed helpless”. Captain George Kinross of the Melbourne Company of the Boy’s Naval Brigade was in charge and when he heard some boys crying out; “saw Captain Le Maistre and another supporting Cedzich, who was brought ashore in an apparently lifeless condition.” “Frank William Le Maistre stated that he helped to bring deceased to shore, where every effort was made to resuscitate him.” Apparently, according to the doctor’s report, the boy suffered from “unhealthy heart and lungs” but there was “nothing outwardly to indicate that the boy should not be allowed to bathe.” A file at the Australian War Memorial dated 1906 to 1913 says Captain Le Maistre from Unattached List to Victoria Rifles.
In 1912, Frank was involved with a court case against hardware merchants who “were charged, on the information of Frank William Le Maistre, late officer commanding the Victorian Rifles, with penalising a soldier for attending a camp of instruction appointed to be held by the head quarters of the Commonwealth at Kilmore, between 4th and 12th April 1912.” It was said they had dismissed Sergeant Percival George Collins for attending the camp, to which they pleaded not guilty. When asked for the time off, he was told “not sure about it”, and then that he could not get it off. The owner rang Captain Le Maistre, who said Collins must attend and they eventually let him attend. On returning, Collins was discharged on the grounds the firm was overmanned. The owner said he was discharged due to his mistakes and complaints. “He gave him a good reference because he did not want to spoil his chances. Collins and his mistakes had been the “worry of his life.” Mr. Dwyer said he considered defendants had proved that they had not been vindictive in discharging Collins, and the case would be dismissed, without costs.”
In Military Order 531 of 1914 on 23rd September, Frank was 28 in the order of precedence of Majors in the AIF. On 13th August 1914, Frank was appointed as a Major in the AIF and was appointed second in command of the 5th Battalion, and reported for duty that day. Frank filled out his application for a Commission in the Australian Imperial Force on 15th August 1914. He wrote that he was previously a Major in the 51st Infantry. On 28th January 1905, he had qualified at a competitive examination for first appointment as 2nd Lieutenant. His religion was Baptist. Frank was a departmental manager; he was 32 years and 5 months old, a British subject and single. His postal address was 29 Charnwood Drive, St. Kilda and his next of kin was his mother, Mary Jane Le Maistre of the same address. He was 5 foot 9 inches tall, chest measurement of 38 inches, weighed 11 stone 8 pounds and had good eyesight. The Commanding Officer of the 5th Battalion recommended him to be appointed as a Major and second in command under him.
Another entry in red stated address of officer “Kerami” 141 Esplanade Elwood from a letter dated 25th July 1921. The 5th Battalion was raised in August 1914 as part of 2nd Brigade, recruited from Victorians and embarked two months later. He was involved in training the troops at the Broadmeadows camp.
The 5th Battalion embarked on Transport A3, Orvieto on 21st October 1914. Frank was part of the headquarter list, as Major. He was aged 32, a departmental manager of 29 Charnwood Road St Kilda. His next of kin was his mother, Mrs Mary Jane Le Maistre of the same address. His religion was Baptist. The date of joining was recorded as 17th August and he had previously served in the 51st Infantry AMF. His rate of pay was 30 shillings a day. They arrived in Egypt on 2nd December 1914. He was put in charge of Mena camp.
A photo was taken of the 5th Battalion officers in Egypt with the Sphinx and pyramid as a background. Frank was in the second row from the bottom, as second in command. Frank embarked to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force at Alexandria on 5th April 1915.
The 1915 electoral roll still had Frank with the same address and work details.
Frank was wounded in the head by shrapnel during the landing on the first day at Gallipoli. A note in his service records says that Major (temporary Lieutenant-Colonel) F W Le Maistre was wounded in action at the Dardanelles and it was dated 9th May 1915. Another entry says wounded severely with no date given. The 5th Battalion landed as part of the second wave on 25th April. His medical records say he was wounded on the day of the Gallipoli landing with GSW head, GSW left arm and left hand and a bullet in the leg. Frank wrote a letter in 1939 appealing a decision by the Repatriation Commission about cataracts he had. He stated “I am now at a comparatively early age suffering from Cataract, a condition – unless hereditary – usually brought about as a result of injury.” He went on to say “I contend that my eye condition was caused by injury received on Gallipoli. On the night of the 25th/26th April 1915, I was evacuated wounded, suffering gun shot wound in head, and several superficial wounds on hands, wrist and elbow. Both my eyes were bruised (black rings showing around them), my field glasses which I was using at the time I was hit being smashed.” He was fine in 10 days and resumed duty in May.
The 2nd Brigade was transferred to Cape Helles 10 days after landing at ANZAC to help in the attack on Krithia, which gained little ground but cost the Battalion a third of its strength. They returned to ANZAC and were involved in the Lone Pine attack. The 5th Battalion moved into the right part of the Lone Pine position at midday on 9th August 1915, relieving the 7th Battalion. The position had been captured by the 1st Brigade on the evening of the 6th August. For his good work at Lone Pine during the period of 9th to 11th August, Colonel Nevil Smyth VC recommended Frank for an award. He wrote “The good services of the following officers are respectfully brought to notice. 2nd Infantry Brigade. 7. Major le Maistre commanding 5th Bn in LONE PINE position on 9th, 10th, 11th August.” He was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the Distinguished Service Order. (It was only one of two awards to the 5th Battalion for Gallipoli and one of five for WW1 for that Battalion). While on Gallipoli, he had several attacks of dysentery and was blown up and buried, but managed to dig himself out.
Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Edmund Courtney (of Courtney’s Post at Gallipoli wrote “This was our first introduction to real war. There were my pals. Poor old Frank Le Maistre tied up and almost bereft of his senses – never will I forget it all, much less the Monday which followed.”
The Argus of Saturday 15th May 1915 contained a list of those killed or wounded at Gallipoli which included Major Le Maistre 5th Battalion of St. Kilda Victoria, wounded. It also had personal particulars of some of them which included “Major Frank William Le Maistre is second in command of the 5th Infantry Battalion. He is 33 years of age, and previously held the rank of major in the 51st (Albert Park) Infantry. He received his first commission in a Senior Cadet battalion (Victoria) in 1905. He held a position in the Government department of Briscoe and Co. Little Collins street, where he had worked since he left school. He lives in St Kilda.”
He embarked for Alexandria on 22nd May. The next entry said he re-joined the Battalion at Anzac on 26th May and the entry was dated 25th June 1915. On 12th May 1915, his next of kin was notified. From 27th May, he was temporary commanding the Battalion and was granted the temporary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel whilst in charge of the Battalion from 20th August 1915. In June 1915, he took command of the 5th Battalion until 8th June, and then after the Commanding officer Colonel Wanliss fell ill again at the end of July and was sent back to Australia.
They served there until evacuated in December. While in Lemnos he had jaundice and was in bed for a week. He disembarked at Alexandria on 7th January 1916 from the Empress of Britain.
A group portrait of 12 officers from the 5th Battalion, at a camp on the island of Lemnos near the Turkish coast. These officers were also with the Battalion at Christmas a year earlier. Identified in the front row and seated second, third and fourth from the left respectively are: Captain J C Stewart; Major Frank William Le Maistre; Captain John Walstab.
A letter from Lance-Sergeant J W Kerr from Egypt on 24th January 1915, that was published in the Cobden Times and Heytesbury Advertiser on Saturday 20th March 1915 contains the following: “Major Le Maistre is second in command, and is at once a soldier and a man. A born gentleman, a true “Sport” and able officer, there is no one more fitted for the exalted post he holds. While an eye for the smallest detail he overlooks none of the big things that so essentially constitute the stability and existence of the battalion. While the incorrect slope of a rifle does not escape his attention, he has time to observe the companies in an attack or defence. While he unsparingly denounces negligible errors, he does not fail to give credit where it is due. The adviser of the non-com and friend of the private, the Major is held in high respect by all ranks.”
The 15th Casualty List was published in The Argus on Saturday 15th May 1915 and included in the wounded from Victoria was Major Le Maistre, F W, 5th Battalion, of St Kilda. Frank was promoted to temporary Lieutenant-Colonel on 20th August 1915 and to Lieutenant-Colonel on 1st February 1916. He was to command of the Battalion from that date as well.
He went with the Battalion back to Egypt after being evacuated from Gallipoli, and then onto France. While in Egypt, he was with the defences at the canal for 2 months and had a few attacks of dysentery. On Christmas Day, he was taken in another photo of some of the 5th Battalion officers, as Major and Commanding Officer. The 5th Battalion embarked on HMS Briton on 25th March 1916 at Alexandria for the BEF, arriving and disembarking at Marseilles at night on 30th March 1915. They disembarked onto the cobbled quayside, then marched to the rail yards and entrained for a cold and uncomfortable train journey of 63 hours. In France, the Battalion was heavily involved with the fighting at Pozieres during the Somme offensive in July and August 1916. While at Pozieres, he was blown up with a shell and felt very shaky, but he carried on. He was also slightly gassed. On 13th July 1916, he was Mentioned in Despatches in the London Gazette on page 6955 as Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel in the 5th Battalion (Victoria) Australian Infantry. After the taking of Pozieres, the 5th was involved with two companies of the 7th on an attack on the O. G. Trenches on 25th and 26th of July. (Lieutenant-Colonel Jess was not happy about this happening). The whole force for this half of the operation was under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Le Maistre. He pointed out to the company commanders two trees standing where the railway crossed the O. G. Lines, which marked the dividing line between the battalions in the objective. During the day, with others, he reconnoitred the area and brought the Battalion forward during the night. The attack descended into bitter fighting and bomb throwing. An officer was sent to Lieutenant- Colonel Le Maistre to detail the situation and ask for reinforcements, but there were none. They had to pull out of O. G. 2 to defend O. G. 1. Eventually they were able to hold O. G. 1 after some heroic work with a Lewis Gun, a continuing supply of bombs and a Stokes trench-mortar coming into action from the direction of Battalion headquarters. A Major came and relieved Lieutenant-Colonel Le Maistre at headquarters, enabling him to reorganise the front line.
As part of the 1st Division, they spent the next six weeks in the Ypres salient in Belgium until mid-October. They then moved to a rest camp. During this period, Frank left the 5th Battalion and returned to Australia. He had again been blown up while in Ypres and a couple of weeks later his nerves began to go. In all, he commanded the 5th Battalion from 20th August 1915 to 27th September 1916. He was one of five in the 5th Battalion to be awarded the Companion of the Distinguished Service Order during WW1. It was published in the Supplement to the London Gazette of 3rd June 1916 on page 5570. His MiD was published on 13th July 1916 on page 6955. His recommendation reads “Period ending 25th Sep., 1915, Anzac. As a Battalion commander consistently good work in the trenches of Lone Pine in meeting bomb attacks. Left Anzac 11-12-15.” It was signed Major-General H G Chauvel. Frank was mentioned for distinguished and gallant conduct during the period of General Sir Charles Munro’s command of the MEF.
On 30th October 1916, Frank proceeded to England for special leave of an unspecified timeframe. His medical record stated he was invalided from Ypres with shell shock and was not able to sleep and was very nervous. He had a loss of tone. He was sent to Ascot House to recuperate and while there had an attack of dysentery.
He was promoted to temporary Lieutenant-Colonel in August 1915 and promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel on 1st February 1916. A central registry file dated 1916 from Australian Imperial Force Depot in the United Kingdom Headquarters (Salisbury Plains) has a list of officers returning to Australia to replace eight senior officers of AIF Staff in Australia and included “ Lieutenant-Colonel F W Le-Maistre”.
On 26th December 1916, Frank returned to Australia per HT Nestor for staff duty and was struck off strength of the AIF. He disembarked at Melbourne on 9th March 1917. His appointment was terminated in Australia on 23rd March 1917. Frank continued his service in the Australian Military Forces upon his return to Australia in December 1916, and also in the post-war period. On 16th April 1917, he was examined and had put on weight, was nervous and still had insomnia. They listed his disability as neurasthenia and shell shock due to active service and recommended he be discharged as permanently unfit. He was still fit to earn a living and did not require further treatment to restore him to health. The Australian War Memorial has a list of administrative orders and camp routine orders by Lieutenant-Colonel F W Le Maistre of AIF 3rd Military District from July to December 1917 and April to May 1918, when he was Commanding Broadmeadows Camp. He gave details of who he had been with when he was “blown up” at Gallipoli and in France, but that most were killed afterwards, so it was impossible to confirm those details to the Medical Board. His pension claim was rejected.