Collage Rhoades Family

Collage Rhoades Family

mardi 9 décembre 2014

Photo 6, 7, 8 and 9 of 100: Young Frederick Ashton Rhoades

The 3 brothers 1910
Gordon Pegus, Frederick Ashton, Edison Rankin
Frederick Ashton was the oldest son of Frederick Rhoades and Josephine Isabella Victoria Rhoades (nee Rankin). He was born in 1895  and was known by many names and nicknames during his lifetime. To the family he was known as Ashton or Ack or Acky. Later in life, in the Soloman Islands and New Guinea he was always addressed as Snow or Snowy.

Ashton grew up in a privileged environment in a huge house, 'Haddon' in Chatswood, complete with servants, cooks and gardeners. He attended a private school, Sydney High School, graduating on to Sydney University and Hawkesbury Agriculture College. Regardless of his privileged upbringing he seemed indifferent to his father's attempts to indoctrinate him with his elitist attitudes. He was not a good student and preferred sport, excelling in rifle shooting, boxing, surfing and, above all, cricket. Ashton did not finish his studies at either university or agriculture college, giving up both to "go bush". He worked as a jackeroo at various sheep and cattle stations in northern NSW and QLD, until, very much against his father's wishes, he enlisted as a Private in the 41st Infantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Forces, in 1916. Of course with his education and father's influence he could have obtained a Commission with little effort.

WWI Embarkation Rolls. From the Australian War Memorial website
http://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1964528/

He was 20 years old when he was shipped to Suez on the SS Mooltan, disembarking on 21 September, 1916. The Army soon discovered, with the combination of his experience with horses and his marksmanship skills, that he was more suited as a mounted soldier than as an infantry man. On 20 November, 1916 he was transferred to the elite outfit of the AIF, the First Light Horse Regiment. During his 3 years in Palestine, Ashton took part in many actions against the Turks, was twice wounded in action and eventually spent a lot of time in hospital with malaria.

The highlight of his service in Palestine was the taking of Beersheba (now in Israel) on 31 October, 1917. A huge British Force of 60,000 men had fought all day to take the town without success. 600 Australian Light Horse Troopers over ran the Turks within hours.

The Australian losses were 31 dead, 36 wounded (including Ashton) and 70 horses killed or destroyed. It was a remarkable cavalry victory for a force trained as mounted infantry, against an enemy of 4000 Turk Infantry equipped with field and machine guns in fortified positions.

Private Frederick Ashton Rhoades 1916
Private Frederick Ashton Rhoades 1916

























Ashton became seriously ill with cerebral malaria and was embarked on the hospital ship Demosthenes, departing Cairo, for Australia on the 4 February, 1919. He was lucky to get home alive. After the war he spent 4 years as a jackeroo on various stations in QLD. Another 7 years passed as a soldier settler without much success. He walked off his block almost broke in 1933; these were Depression years and things were bad.

Ted Rhoades (excerpts from his book Taim bolong Masta) 

The full description of the "Taking of Beersheba" can be found in Dad's book. Really gripping stuff!

Phil Rhoades' website also has information on Frederick Ashton Rhoades. Click on the link of related websites.

Check out the Australian War Memorial website at http://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1964528/

Your grandfather's brother or great grandfather's brother or even uncle in the case of (Auntie Jill Greeves) was a war hero.

More to come on WW2, his medals and his later years in the Soloman Islands and Papua New Guinea.

Linda Blochet 7 December, 2014

Acky was such as wonderful man. I remember he used to visit us at Terrigal just after the war and tell us these amazing stories of his experiences during the war. He used to sing his little "ditties" that he had composed …. I'm sure Ted would remember some of them!

Jill Greeves via Facebook 9 December 2014


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