Frank Cheadle
Encyclopedia
Frank Cheadle was a pioneer Australia
n rugby league
player and soldier who fell in World War I
. A national representative centre, he was reputedly the first Sydney rugby union
player to sign with the new breakaway league in its earliest formative days in late 1907.
, Cheadle's family moved to Sydney when he was young. He grew up in the inner-western suburbs of Marrickville and Stanmore and was educated at Fort Street High School
. He was playing rugby union with the Newtown RUFC in 1906 and on the verge of national selection when he signed with the new rugby league code.
and Baskerville's
touring "All Golds" in 1907. Part of Newtown's original rugby league team of 1908, he debuted for Australia in the inaugural Tests in early 1908 against those same New Zealanders
on the homeward leg of their trip to England and back. He was selected in the inaugural Kangaroo tour
of 1908-09 but took part in only seven tour matches and no Tests.
His final Test appearance was against New Zealand in 1909 in Australia and by the end of 1910 his club career was also over.
on 4 January 1915 enlisting as a Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant and left Sydney on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on 12 May 1915 as a member the 17th Battalion, 5th Brigade
, 2nd Division.
His battalion arrived at Gallipoli
in August 1915 to relieve the 1st Division who had been there since April. Cheadle was transferred to the 18th Battalion
and promoted to Lieutenant on 1 October 1915. He was evacuated with the 18th Battalion in the December winter, regrouped in Egypt and reached France in March 1916 seeing front line action in the trenches near Armentieres
.
Cheadle was shot through the head shortly after his battalion moved into the trenches and he died of wounds on 12 May in the 7th Australian Field Ambulance. Charles Bean
, the Australian war historian, wrote that "Lieutenant Cheadle of the 18th Battalion, when boldly scouting with the moon nearing the full, was seen by the enemy, fired on and fatally wounded as the patrol withdrew over the parapet". He is buried in the Erquinghem-Lys
Churchyard, 1.2 km west of Armentieres.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player and soldier who fell in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. A national representative centre, he was reputedly the first Sydney rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player to sign with the new breakaway league in its earliest formative days in late 1907.
Early life
Born in Wollongong, New South WalesWollongong, New South Wales
Wollongong is a seaside city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 82 kilometres south of Sydney...
, Cheadle's family moved to Sydney when he was young. He grew up in the inner-western suburbs of Marrickville and Stanmore and was educated at Fort Street High School
Fort Street High School
Fort Street High School is a co-educational, academically selective, public high school currently located at Petersham, an inner western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. He was playing rugby union with the Newtown RUFC in 1906 and on the verge of national selection when he signed with the new rugby league code.
Rugby league career
Cheadle played in the inaugural series of matches between New South WalesNew South Wales rugby league team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
and Baskerville's
Albert Henry Baskerville
Albert Henry Baskerville was a Wellington postal clerk, a rugby union forward, author of the book "Modern Rugby Football: New Zealand Methods; Points for the Beginner, the Player, the Spectator" and a pioneer of rugby league.-Rugby football:Prior to becoming the administrator of the 1908 tour...
touring "All Golds" in 1907. Part of Newtown's original rugby league team of 1908, he debuted for Australia in the inaugural Tests in early 1908 against those same New Zealanders
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
on the homeward leg of their trip to England and back. He was selected in the inaugural Kangaroo tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
of 1908-09 but took part in only seven tour matches and no Tests.
His final Test appearance was against New Zealand in 1909 in Australia and by the end of 1910 his club career was also over.
War service
Frank joined the AIFAIF
AIF may refer to:*AIF , refer List of role-playing games by name*Accredited Investment Fiduciary*Adult Interactive fiction, a game genre*American India Foundation*Anti-Iraqi Forces*Apoptosis inducing factor...
on 4 January 1915 enlisting as a Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant and left Sydney on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on 12 May 1915 as a member the 17th Battalion, 5th Brigade
5th Brigade (Australia)
5th Brigade is a brigade of the Australian Army. It is a Reserve combined arms formation based in New South Wales and forms part of the 2nd Division.-History:...
, 2nd Division.
His battalion arrived at Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
in August 1915 to relieve the 1st Division who had been there since April. Cheadle was transferred to the 18th Battalion
18th Battalion (Australia)
The 18th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. During World War I, the battalion was raised in 1915 as part of the Australian Imperial Force, attached to the 5th Brigade, of the 2nd Division...
and promoted to Lieutenant on 1 October 1915. He was evacuated with the 18th Battalion in the December winter, regrouped in Egypt and reached France in March 1916 seeing front line action in the trenches near Armentieres
Armentières
Armentières is a commune in the Nord department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in northern France. It is part of the Urban Community of Lille Métropole, and lies on the Belgian border, northwest of the city of Lille, on the right bank of the river Lys....
.
Cheadle was shot through the head shortly after his battalion moved into the trenches and he died of wounds on 12 May in the 7th Australian Field Ambulance. Charles Bean
Charles Bean
Charles Edwin Woodrow Bean , usually identified as C.E.W. Bean, was an Australian schoolmaster, judge's associate, barrister journalist, war correspondent and historian....
, the Australian war historian, wrote that "Lieutenant Cheadle of the 18th Battalion, when boldly scouting with the moon nearing the full, was seen by the enemy, fired on and fatally wounded as the patrol withdrew over the parapet". He is buried in the Erquinghem-Lys
Erquinghem-Lys
-See also:*Communes of the Nord departmentErquinghem is one of a series of villages on the river Lys established by the Viking Rikiwulf in 880 AD at the time of the invasion led by Godfrid, Duke of Frisia: Racquinghem, Reclinghem, Rekkem and Rijkegem .-References:*...
Churchyard, 1.2 km west of Armentieres.