Francis (Frank) Kerridge was born in 1893 in Barcaldine Qld to Robert and Elizabeth Kerridge (nee Hamilton).  He was their second child with siblings Effie May (b 1890), Ivie (b. 1894), Herbert Robert (b. 1899) and Eric (b. 1900).  Father, Robert, was a carrier in Irvinebank west of Cairns.  The family had moved from western Qld about 1902.

On 14 August 1914 Frank had joined the Kennedy Regiment and embarked on the Kanowna for the capture of German New Guinea.  The ship returned to Townsville after the crew refused to proceed past Thursday Island due to the lack of fresh water, the reason the soldiers were called the “Dirty 500”.  As did most of the returning soldiers, Frank enlisted in the A.I.F. on 6 February 1916.

By then he was a Blacksmith’s striker, aged 23 years 1 month, 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighed 166 pounds.  He had a dark complexion, brown eyes and brown hair.  His religion was Presbyterian and named his mother as his next of kin as his father had died in May 1907.  His mother subsequently married John Irons, a ganger, also of Irvinebank. 

He embarked on 7 September 1916 from Brisbane on the Clan MacGillivray, arriving in Plymouth, England on 2 November 1916.