Frank ROWLEY born at Young St, St Kilda, Vic., Aust. when father 28, mother 22, sister 3, and all living at 15 Young St, East St Kilda. 218

Merit Certificate (grade 8- end of Elementary School) 29 Nov 1929, Bentleigh, Vic.

His father made him leave school after grade 8 and start work straight away as an apprentice builder. He used to attend night classes for his apprenticeship and other night classes to study radio, he became a house builder but this would not have been his choice.

At the time of his marriage Frank was a soldier, temporarily resident at the AIF Camp at Mangalore, with "normal residence" 8 Cushing Ave, Bentleigh, Melb, Vic. 219

War Record during WWII
Frank enlisted 21 Oct 1939 in Australian Imperial Force and served in 6th Australian Division on Continuous Full Time War Service for 2148 days, including Active Service in Australia for 875 days and outside Australia for 1193 days. R.A.S. War Badge A82133. During the war he attended and qualified at a School of Cooking 1940, a Corps School of Signals 1941, a Special Course for Radiologists and Radiographers 1945. He was appointed as Cook 1940, Operator 1940, Inst. Mech. 1941-2. At time of discharge he was a Staff Sergeant with 6 th Australian Division Signallers VX1527. He was discharged 6 Sep 1945 at Royal Park, after the end of WW II, at his own election on 13 Aug 1945. 220 He always said that he didn't really want a discharge! He applied for discharge thinking that his application would be refused but that it was necessary to avoid being trapped indefinitely in the Army.

Frank and Kathleen lived in many houses. Their last home in Australia was at 9 The Outlook, Glen Waverley, Vic, from - to 1982. They emigrated to New Zealand on Kathleen's retirement and bought Unit 3, 135 Cook St, Palmerston North, N.Z., next door to Keith & Lesley at 131 Cook Street.

Amateur Operator's Certificate of Proficiency 8 Feb 1938 [Cert # 2071], Member of Wireless Institute of Australia 25 Feb 1982 [Cert #14153], Victorian Amateur Radio Station Licence 14 Dec 1982 [Licence # VA 4001], N.Z. Amateur Radio Station Licence 15 Jun 1982 [#6507]

Frank died in Palmerston North Public Hospital, N.Z., in presence of his wife, daughters Lesley and Susan, son-in-law, Keith, and grandson Andrew. He was cremated at Kelvin Grove, P.N. and is commemorated there by a memorial plaque in the section for returned soldiers. 221

WORLD WAR II WAR RECORD
STAFF SERGEANT
FRANK ROWLEY VX1527
SERVICE AUSTRALIAN ARMY
DATE OF BIRTH 22 JANUARY 1916
PLACE OF BIRTH MELBOURNE, VIC
DATE OF ENLISTMENT 21 OCTOBER 1939
LOCALITY ON ENLISTMENT BENTLEIGH, VIC
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT ALBERT PARK, VIC
NEXT OF KIN ROWLEY, KATHLEEN
DATE OF DISCHARGE 6 SEPTEMBER 1945
POSTING AT DISCHARGE SIGNALS 6 AUSTRALIAN DIVISION