Frank Raymond Whelan (SN 2697) born at Ballarat, was a 20 year old labourer when he enlisted in Melbourne on June 25th 1915. Attached to the 7th Infantry Battalion he embarked aboard the Anchises on August 26th and saw action at Gallipoli in the final months of that campaign. While in Egypt in March 1916 he was transferred to the 15th Machine Gun Company before moving to France in June. In September 1917 he sustained slight wounds but on August 8th 1918 he suffered a severe wound to his back. He was evacuated to hospital in England before being returned to Australia aboard the Somerset. He reached Melbourne on January 15th 1919 and was discharged ‘medically unfit, incapacitated’ on March 9th 1919.

His brothers Charles , Ernest and Frederick also served in the AIF and are honoured with a tree in the Avenue.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as Frank R. Whelen.