Family honour their brave Military Medallist

AT midday on Wednesday, October, 3 some 30 grandchildren, partners and family of Frederick Norris Hanks will meet for lunch at the Leongatha R.S.L. to commemorate one hundred years since he won the Military Medal for displaying bravery in the field in France. After lunch the gathering intends to visit Mr Hanks’ grave at the Leongatha Cemetery.
Private Hanks was a machine-gunner with “C” Company, 22nd Battalion, when on October 3rd,1918, he risked his own safety to gain ground on an enemy position which was holding back the advancement of his unit.
After marrying his wife Victoria at Trentham in 1900, they moved to Kardella near Korumburra and worked on a farm owned by the Alcorns, before moving to Nerrena about ten years later, where they worked for various farmers. During the first sixteen years of their marriage, Fred and Victoria had eight children ranging in age from fifteen years to two weeks old. Unfortunately, two of the children passed away at a very young age.
In 1916, at the age of 37, Frederick Hanks enlisted in the army and in November that same year, joined 22 Battalion in the trenches of France on the Western Front. He remained with that battalion which was the last A.I.F. unit to endure fighting before withdrawing from the trenches after the ceasefire was announced in early November 1918.
After he returned home in 1919, they purchased a farm at Nerrena through the Soldier Settlement Commission. They then increased the number of children by another four.  Many of those children remained in South Gippsland where the Hanks name has increased over several generations.
Times were tough and so they sold the farm after several years. It is estimated that Fred and Victoria had lived in at least sixteen houses during their marriage.
Frederick Norris Hanks passed away in 1960 at the age of eighty two at the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital, just two weeks after their 60th wedding anniversary. His remains are buried at the Leongatha Cemetery with his beloved wife Victoria and the two small children who died before he went to war.

We will remember: Private Frederick Norris Hanks, a WW1 Military Medal recipient will be remembered at a special lunch by his grandchildren on Wednesday, October 3 at the Leongatha RSL.

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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Sep 25 2018. Filed under Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry