Name
Frederick Harold Tubb (VC)
28 November 1881
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
20/09/1917
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Major
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Victoria Cross
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LIJSSENTHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY
XIX. C. 5.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
OUR DEARLY LOVED SON AND BROTHER CALLED TO HIGHER SERVICE
UK & Other Memorials
Digswell House Australian Hospital Memorial, St John's Church, Digswell
Pre War
Frederick Harold Tubb was born on 28 November 1881 in Longwood, Victoria, the son of Harry and Emma Tubb. Occupation: Grazier. Served for 14.3 years including 1.9 years commissioned service, 58th infantry (Essendon Rifles), Citizen Military Forces; Victoria Rifle Brigade, later with Light Horse Brigade.
Wartime Service
He enlisted on 24 August 1914 as a Lieutenant Transport Officer with the 7th Battalion, HQ. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on Board Transport A20 Hororata on 19 October 1914. He sailed from Alexandria to Gallipoli on 10 July 1915 and was promoted to Captain on 6 August 1915. He was wounded on 9 August 1915 (see VC citation below), transferred to HS Gascon, on to Malta on 16 August 1915, later being transferred to England.
Citation for the VC. An extract from "The London Gazette," No. 29328 dated 15th Oct., 1915, records the following
"For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty at Lone Pine trenches, in the Gallipoli Peninsula, on 9th August, 1915. In the early morning the enemy made a determined counter attack on the centre of the newly captured trench held by Lieutenant Tubb. They advanced up a sap and blew in a sandbag barricade, leaving only one foot of it standing, but Lieutenant Tubb led his men back, repulsed the enemy, and rebuilt the barricade. Supported by strong bombing parties, the enemy succeeded in twice again blowing in the barricade, but on each occasion Lieutenant Tubb, although wounded in the head and arm, held his ground with the greatest coolness and rebuilt it, and finally succeeded in maintaining his position under very heavy bomb fire."
After a brief return to Australia, he rejoined the 7th Battalion in France on 10 December 1916, and was promoted to Major on 17 February 1917. He was wounded in action in Belgium on 20 September 1917 from a gunshot wound to his back which penetrated his abdomen and from which he died.
Additional Information
His mother, Mrs E E Tubb of St Helena, Longwood, East Victoria, Australia, ordered his headstone inscription: "OUR DEARLY LOVED SON AND BROTHER CALLED TO HIGHER SERVICE" aif.adfa.edu.au
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
aif.adfa.edu.au
