Francis Washington POWER

Francis Washington Power was born on the 15 February 1895 in Charters Towers, the second child of Martin Francis Power and Ellen (Helen) Frances Carney. He had an older sister, Aethela Mary born 1893, a younger brother Henry Carr born 1899 and a younger sister Ellen Agnes born 1903.

On his enlistment in Claremont, Tasmania he was 23 years 2 months, occupation a labourer and next of kin was his father Mr. Martin F Power, McLeod St, Cairns. He was 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighed 150 pounds with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair.  He was Roman Catholic.

He embarked from Brisbane on 29 June 1915 on HMAT Aeneas but contracted illness while in Cairo and was invalided home to Australia where he spent his recuperation at Langwarrin Military Hospital, Melbourne. He embarked again from Brisbane on the HMAT Boonah on 21 October 1916, arriving in Plymouth, England on 10 January 1917. He proceeded to Etaples, France on 15 February 1917 only to be admitted to hospital with mumps.

Francis  rejoined his unit on 23 March 1917.  On 23 April 1917 he suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was admitted to 45th Casualty Clearing Station where he died of his wounds on 26th April 1917. He was buried at Achiet-le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension, Achiet-le-Grand Arras, Nord Pas de Calais, France.