Date of birth: June 24,1882

Place of birth: near Germanton (Holbrook)

Link to Wagga: Home town

Date of enlistment: September 14, 1914

Age at enlistment: 32 years 3 months

Occupation: Auctioneer

Religion: Roman Catholic

Next of kin: Wife, Alice Plunkett, North Sydney

Battalion or Regiment: 6th Australian Light Horse Regiment, 3rd Infantry Battalion

Battlefields: Gallipoli, France

Outcome: Returned to Australia, January 22, 1920

‘He gained his sergeant’s stripes at Liverpool camp, his commission on Gallipoli, and his promotion to the higher rank on the gory field of Guidecourt.’

Gunning Francis, the son of Gunning Francis (Senior) and Matilda (née Thekla), was living at Yerong Creek at the outbreak of World War I.

An auctioneer by trade, he was among the first batch of volunteers who offered themselves at Sydney for service in the Light Horse.

Gunning, nicknamed ‘Gun’, broke his leg (or ankle) during bayonet exercises at camp in Sydney. As a result, he was unable to sail with the 6th Light Horse when they embarked overseas.

On December 20, he was transferred from ‘A’ Squadron to the 1st Reinforcements, and sailed from Sydney aboard A29 ‘Suevic’ 3 on December 21, 1914.

On his arrival in Egypt, Gun discovered that Colonel Cox (known affectionately as ‘Fighting Charlie’) had kept his position as Sergeant open for him.

Despite still suffering from the injury to his leg, Gun spent approximately five months on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

During this time, he was admitted to the HS ‘Nile’ with scabies, before being transferred to the No. 19 General Hospital in Alexandria, where he spent a month recovering.

On November 28, he received his commission at Chatham’s Post, from the hands of Major Howell-Price.

Gunning was one of the last officers to evacuate the Peninsula in December, 1915.

The evacuation was successfully accomplished, and the troops were conveyed by transports to Lemnos Island. Once aboard, they enjoyed a Christmas dinner, and it was reported that ‘they had a glorious time… after months of bully beef, flies and dysentery.’

In March, 1916, he joined the B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) at Alexandria, and attained the rank of Lieutenant before proceeding to the battlefields of France, disembarking at Marseilles on March 29.

On December 1, he was promoted to Captain.

Less than a month later, he was stuck down with gastritis and haemorrhoids.

After initial treatment at the 5^th Australian Field Ambulance (France), he was transferred to the 3rd Australian General Hospital in England.

On February 8, 1917, he was transferred to Cobham Hall, still suffering with gastritis, and at the end of March was placed on the supernumerary list, for return to Australia.

Gunning was invalided home aboard the ‘Ayreshire’ on March 23, 1917.

On July 19, he disembarked in Sydney, where he was admitted to hospital suffering from influenza, emphysema and gastritis.

Despite the AIF’s recommendation that he should retire from active service, Gunning re-embarked for the front, sailing from Melbourne aboard the ‘Indarra’ on November 26, 1917.

Once again, he proceeded overseas to France, restored to the establishment from being ‘struck off’.

On April  13, 1918, he was wounded in action, sustaining severe gunshot wounds to his right thigh and abdomen.

After treatment at the 3rd London General Hospital, his medical records read that his wound healed cleanly, but that there was some residual stiffness.

On November 16, 1918, Gunning was attached to the 1st Infantry Brigade as Transport Officer, and he rejoined the 3 d Battalion in the field in February, 1919, before leaving for Australia on board the ‘Friedricksruh’ in early 1920.

Before leaving for home, Gunning married Alice (née Park) at the Church of the Holy Ghost in Wandsworth (London).

Her father, James Alexander Park, was an Orchestral Musician. She was 29 and Gun was 37.

After the war, Gunning was employed at Australia House, London.

He died in 1943, aged 61.