People Australia

Frederick William Dempster Forbes

from Bank of NSW Roll of Honour

FREDERICK WILLIAM DEMPSTER FORBES, son of the late Mr. Robert A rth u r Forbes and Mrs. Forbes, was born at Prahran, Victoria, on 24th February, 1883. He was educated at the Hawkesburn Grammar School and the Caulfield Grammar School, and joined the service of the Bank in Melbourne on 16th November, 1899.

On 29th July, 1910, he proceeded to Moama as teller, and in December, 1912, to Corowa as accountant. Having interested himself in military work long before the war, he received his commission in the Victorian Military Forces in 1900, and was promoted to the rank of captain in the Commonwealth Military Forces in 1904. He enlisted in the A.I.F. in January, 1915, embarked in May of the same year and served on Gallipoli from September, 1915, until the evacuation.

Thereafter he proceeded to France and continued to serve in France and Belgium until 20th April, 1919. On 1st April, 1915, he had received his majority, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel on 1st August, 1916, when he took over the command of the 21st Battalion.

Lieut.-Col. Forbes continued in this command until 29th November, 1917, when he took over the command of the Second Training Brigade. On 30th May of the following year he assumed command of the 20th Battalion and remained in that capacity until leaving France in April, 1919. In the meantime Lieut.-Col. Forbes had held the following temporary commands: 6th A. I. Brigade, 24th December, 1916, to 25th February, 1917; 5th A. I. Brigade, 8th September, 1918, to 28th September, 1918; 5th A. I. Brigade, 24th November, 1918, to 13th February, 1919.

Lieut.-Col. Forbes had been awarded the D.S.O. “ for distinguished and gallant service” in 1916, and in June, 1919, he received the further honour of C.M.G. He had been mentioned in despatches no less than five times between November, 1916, and January, 1919. The details were as follows: — 13th November, 1916, distinguished and gallant service and devotion to duty; 9th April, 1917, special mention; 13th August, 1918, name brought to notice of Secretary of State for War for valuable services rendered; 8th November, 1918, gallant and distinguished service; 1st January, 1919, special mention.