Australian Dictionary of Biography

Frank Pogson Bethune (1877-1942), soldier and clergyman, and John Walter Bethune (1882-1960), clergyman and headmaster, were first cousins and close, lifelong friends. Frank was born on 8 April 1877, second son of Walter Ross Munro Bethune, stock-owner, and his wife Louisa Gellibrand, née Pogson. John was born on 5 November 1882, only son of Walter Ross Munro's brother, John Charles Bethune, lawyer and sheep-farmer, and his wife Annie Emily, sister of Louisa Pogson. They lived on the family estate, Dunrobin, near Hamilton, Tasmania, established by their grandfather W. A. Bethune; both boys were born there. John's mother died when he was a child, his father moved away and he was raised by his uncle and aunt.

The cousins were educated at The Hutchins School, Hobart, and John also attended the Launceston Church Grammar School. Frank spent some years farming but both completed their education at Selwyn College, University of Cambridge, England, where they read theology and were active in sport. John (B.A., 1904; M.A., 1908) topped his final year with first-class honours and won a university prize; Frank, who won a half-blue for boxing, was rusticated for a term for burning college fences on 'Mafeking night', but also graduated with first-class honours (B.A., 1905; M.A., 1908).

In Tasmania John was ordained in 1905 and was curate of St David's Anglican Cathedral, Hobart, for two years. He was rector of St Paul's Church, Launceston, and chaplain to the Launceston General Hospital in 1908-15. Frank married Laura Eileen Nicholas on 3 January 1907 at Ouse. He was ordained in 1908, and was curate at St John the Baptist Anglican Church, Hobart, and later at Sheffield and Ranelagh parishes.

In World War I John served as chaplain to the army training camp at Claremont. Frank became a fighting padre, enlisting as a private in 1915; he was commissioned as second lieutenant in the 12th Battalion in December. On 2 April 1916 he conducted a service on the troopship Transylvania on the way to France, preaching a memorable sermon which was widely reported in the Australian press. 'We are not heroes', he said 'and we do not want to be called heroes … We are on that great enterprise, with no thought of gain or conquest, but to help right a great wrong …' He rose to the rank of captain, was awarded the Military Cross for bravery in action in 1917, and was wounded twice and gassed. In March 1918 Bethune, then commanding No. 1 section, 3rd Machine Gun Company, was ordered to defend an exposed position at Passchendaele. His group of seven men became isolated, but held the position for eighteen days. Bethune issued the following orders, later described by The Times as 'inspiring and famous':

1.This position will be held and the section will remain here until relieved.

2.The enemy cannot be allowed to interfere with this programme.

3.If the section cannot remain here alive, it will remain here dead, but in any case it will remain here.