TREBILCOCK, Frank (1886-1968)Frank Trebilcock was born on the 11 January 1886, a son of Richard Trebilcock and Occeanna nee Richardson.
He was educated at Geelong College enrolling in 1903 with an entry address of Monomeath, Leopold.
He was farming when he enlisted (No. 2150) on 11 March 1916 at Bendigo. He embarked with the 38 Battalion (5th Reinforcement Group) on
HMAT A9 Shropshire on 25 September 1916 for France, arriving there on 24 November. He was sent from France to Fovant, England, on 30 July 1918, to an appointment as permanent instructor, lecturing in the different kinds of gas and their effect on the body. He was promoted to Sergeant.
The
Geelong Advertiser in October 1918 published a letter that he wrote to his parents:
'Son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Trebilcock, Pakington Street Geelong West, writing home from Fovant England, says he has been sent from France to the above address, where he has been appointed permanent instructor. He was going into a school of instruction, and would be taking up lecturing on the different kinds of gas and their effect upon the body. 'All the recruits at Fovant are straight from Australia, and have a lot to learn about tho different kinds of gas used by Fritz, our boys are having a lively time on the Western Front, but doing splendid work. It would be a great thing to be able to get some of the surplus eggs of Australia to England where 5d each is the price; tho soldiers seldom see any eggs; occasionally on Sunday morning one egg is allowed for breakfast in the sergeants' mess.' He married Annie Phillips, of Shaftesbury, Dorset, in the St Martins-in-the-Fields Parish Church, London, on 26 July 1919. He returned to Australia on
HMT Port Denison, embarking on 25 September 1919.
Frank Trebilcock died at the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital on 12 August 1968.
His brothers, John Augustus Trebilcock (1873-1958), and
Richard Ernest Trebilcock MC (1880-1976), were also educated at Geelong College.
Sources: Geelong Advertiser 25 December 1897 p3; Geelong Advertiser 17 October 1918 p3; ‘Geelong Collegians at the Great War’ compiled by James Affleck. p 329 (citing The Pegasus; National Archives).