Fred Penhall was born in Ballarat and was a Labourer living in Ballarat East when he enlisted in the Australian Stationary Hospital 2, Reinforcement 3 on 12 November 1914 at the age of 26. His unit embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia, on board HMAT A50 Itonus on 19 February 1915. On 4 December 1915 he was admitted to hospital with influenza, discharged to duty a week later. In early 1916 he boarded the Dunvegan Castle for Alexandria, disembarking on 22 January. According to a later medial report he was wounded in battle on 24 May 1918, gassed, and lost his voice for a period of time. He returned to Australia from London on 30 December 1918 and received a medial discharge on 16 March 1919.
Tree No. 571