« on: Sunday 30 December 12 21:50 GMT (UK) »
Hi all,
My first post on the Australian board, so hope i get this right!
I'm trying to find info on my late maternal grandmother's cousin Frank Burgess Bauer 1917 - 1942.
He was born in london to Francis (Frank) Xavier Bauer & Margaret Burgess in 1917 & until recently, i.e a couple of months ago this was all i knew about him.
I quite by chance came across a record of a will for him on anc*stry, which led me to unlock much more of his story, which had not been known to the family.
At some point he emigrated to Australia, i don't know when as i haven't been able to find anything but i suspect it was sometime between 1935 & 1942. Could sks find an emigration record for him please.
Googling him i was shocked to dicover the next part of his story, i don't shock easily but this shook me.
He joined the Australian Army (no VX18563) enlisting at Caulfield, his location at this time given as Malvern, i now know these to be suburbs of Melbourne. At time of death he was with 2/22 Australian Infantry Division with the Rank of Staff Sergeant. The bit that shook/upset me was that he was one of those killed in the Tol Plantation Massacre on Papua New Guinea on 4th Feb 1942. Was killed by the Japanese who shot &/or bayonetted him as he was one of those who did not surrender.
Would it be possible for sks to help with getting his papers from the Australian National Archives as they have as yet as far as i can ascertain yet to be digitised. They have never been accessed as far as i can tell, which makes sense as he never married, his nok was his mother at enlistment and the will record.
What his poor mother must have gone through i cannot think, as she lost her husband as a result of injuries sustained in WW1 & then loses her only child in the next.
Sorry if this rambles a bit, but it is important to me, since his story has lain forgotten in the mists of time for too long & I wish make too make sure that his story is told & never forgotten.
Kind regards in advance
David
Aitcheson, Aldred, Batty, Bauer, Bone, Brewer, Dean, Doyle, Durant, Fife, Finney, Gibson, Graham/Grayham, Hall, Harrison, Hersey, Hill, Holliss, Hudson, Hussey, Insley, Kelsey, King, Laver, Longmore, Luke, Mellor, Newman, North, Parker, Phillips, Porter, Read, Robinson, Rowel, Spink, Sproxton, Steer, Stevenson, Tanner, Witty/Whitty, Warburton, Wood.
(For more information on the above surnames please check the Surname Interest Table below.)
