Francis 'Frank' Simon Phelan (SN 2132) was born in Ballarat and educated at the Enfield State School. He was a 27 year old warder when he enlisted in Ballarat on 15 June 1916. He embarked from Melbourne aboard the Shropshire on 25 September 1916. In February 1917 he moved across to France to serve with the 39th Infantry Battalion. On May 29th he was slightly wounded but soon rejoined his unit. He was transferred for a short period of time to the Southern Command Bombing School at Lyndhurst U.K. as an instructor. He returned to France until he was hospitalised with influenza in early November 1918. On November 11th, the day the Armistice was signed, he was admitted to hospital in the U.K. He returned to Australia on the Derbyshire, reaching Melbourne on April 22nd 1919, and was discharged on May 30th. His three brothers Edmond, James and Patrick were all killed while serving with New Zealand's Rifle Brigade.