HomeHistoryFrederick Salmoni stories interest amateur historian

Frederick Salmoni stories interest amateur historian

Childers soldier Frederick Salmoni
Childers' district soldier Frederick Salmoni, who was born in Cardiff, Wales

Bundaberg Now stories relating to Childers district Gallipoli casualty Frederick Salmoni have stirred interest in his birthplace in Cardiff, Wales.

Danny Richards, an amateur historian, has contacted the Bundaberg Now team seeking additional information and an image of Frederick Salmoni.

Mr Richards' interest stems from the fact that Frederick Salmoni was born at 8 Elm Street, Roath, Cardiff on December 24, 1892 before emigrating to Queensland in 1912 and settling at Booyal.

He said the coverage afforded Mr Salmoni through Bundaberg Now had been picked up by a Cardiff-based history group, the Roath Local History Society.

“They knew I was interested in Frederick Salmoni because I am in possession of one of his war medals and I am documenting as much history as I can about him.”

Frederick Salmoni
Danny Richards, an amateur historian from Cardiff in Wales, with a medal awarded to Frederick Salmoni, a First World War soldier from the Isis district who was among the first to fall at Gallipoli.

He said the group held a focus of ensuring the memory of the fallen was perpetuated.

“Roath and other areas around Cardiff do not have public memorials to honour the fallen or inscribe their names and the historical group facilitate a Virtual War Memorial.”

Frederick Stanley Salmoni was the subject of two Bundaberg Now articles, one relating to the correction of the spelling of his name on the Gin Gin Cenotaph and the other in relation to being among the first locals to be killed in action at Gallipoli.

Having his name on Honour Rolls at various locations in Booyal and also on the Gin Gin Cenotaph as well as the Childers Memorial Hall is not unusual given that Mr Salmoni was domiciled at Booyal where he had taken up property.

Bundaberg Regional Council undertook to have his name – incorrectly spelt Salamoni – corrected and this was completed and announced on Remembrance Day, November 11 last year.

The Roll of Honour from Cardiff, Wales, honouring Childers' district soldier Frederick Salmoni

Reportedly a man of very slight build – records indicate that he was around 64 kilos in weight and just 161cms tall (5 feet 3 and a half inches) – Frederick enlisted in Brisbane on September 22, 1914 just 49 days after war had been declared.

In historical accounts supplied by Mr Richards, it appears that on April 27 1915 Frederick Salmoni was among a party of 30 selected men to advance and set up an outpost ahead of the allied main line.

A strong contingent of Turkish soldiers set up opposite them and demanded their surrender. This was refused and Salmoni and his group attempted to head back to their main line while under heavy fire.

Along with most of his detachment he was killed on April 28, but his body was not removed until May 24 and he was buried in Shrapnel Valley. Frederick Salmoni was 22 years of age.

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