OCRd book entry or other narrative
McNAMARA, FRANK HUBERT. 1913.
Agric. Coll. (Shepparton) and Teachers' College; 1st year Science; S.S. Teacher.
2.8.15, Flying School, Point Cook; Lieut. A.F.C. 5.1.16; Capt. and Flight Commander 20.4.17. Embarked with No. 1 Sqdn. 16.3.16; arrived Egypt; to England, attd. No. 42 Sqdn. R.F.C. May and June 1916; to Egypt, instructing some time at Aboukir; rejoined No. 1 Sqdn. A.F.C. and remained with sqdn. (Egypt, Sinai, Palestine) August 1916 till evacuated wounded 20.3.17. Returned to Australia September 1917, attd. for light duty (instructional) at Point Cook December 1917 till termination of old organisa - tion 31.12.19. Awarded '{)_([. in Palestine "for most conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an aerial bomb attack upon a hostile construction train, when one of our pilots was forced to land behind the enemy's lines. Lieut. McNamara, observing this pilot's predicament, and the fact that hostile cavalry was approaching, descended to his rescue. He did this under heavy rifle fire, and in spite of the fact that he himself had been severely wounded in the thigh. He landed about 200 yards from the damaged machine, the pilot of which climbed on to Lieut. McNamara's machine, and an attempt was made to rise. Owing, however, to his disabled leg he was unable to keep his machine straight, and it turned over. The two officers having extricated themselves, immediately set fire to the machine, and made their way across to the damaged machine, which they succeeded in starting. Finally Lieut. McNamara, though weak from loss of blood, flew this machine back to the aerodrome, a distance of 70 miles, thus completing his comrade's rescue."
