Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

World War 1, France, Gold Watch Sporting Award, 4th Division Australian imperial Force, 1261 SCHRYVER, DCM, MM Australian Army Medical Corps, 2 Stationary Hospital

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Overview

Gold watch awarded to 1761 Sergeant Frank Schryver, Australian Army Medical Corps from 1st Avenue, Maylands.as first prize for winning a 440 yards swimming event at 4 Divisional Sports Meet in 1917.

Historical information

Francis Esdale “Frank” Schryver (1888–1965), known as “Snow,” was born in Perth to an American father and Australian mother. He lived in Mount Lawley from about 1909 before moving to East Perth around 1920. A gifted swimmer, Frank gained international recognition in 1912 when he travelled to England and placed third in the King’s Cup life-saving event. His success led to his selection in the Australian Olympic team, making him Western Australia’s first Olympian. At the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, he competed in the heats of the 200 and 400 metres breaststroke.
At nearly 24, Frank enlisted in the First World War while working as a painter. He departed Australia in December 1914 and landed at Gallipoli in April 1915 with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Forces. Promoted to Corporal in March 1916, he later served in France as a stretcher-bearer with the 13th Field Ambulance Brigade and the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital. He was promoted to Sergeant in June 1917 and was awarded the Military Medal two months later, followed by the Distinguished Conduct Medal in December 1917. In April 1918, Frank sustained a severe gunshot wound to the head and was sent to England before returning to Australia. He was discharged in November 1918 as medically unfit.
In 1919, Frank married Rachel Martha Smith, and they had three sons. He later served again during the Second World War in the Citizen Military Forces. Frank died in East Perth in 1965, and Rachel died in 1993.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-45-999

Inscriptions and markings

Citation for Distinguished Conduct Medal
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in charge of a bearer subdivision. He tended the many wounded without adequate protection from early dawn till dusk, under heavy shell fire. When a shell struck a cupola in whjch he was sheltering, killing one man and wounding and burying five others, though badly shaken, he, unaided, under incessant shelling, succeeded in digging out these five men, and after tending their wounds obtained stretcher squads for their evacuation.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 110
Date: 25 July 1918

Links to additional resources

Distinguished Conduct Medal

Military Medal

Last modified

Monday, 15 December, 2025

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