Veteran Story: Frank Morris (1881-1957) was born in Walkerston, near Mackay to Jane Morris of the Yuwibara people. Morris was employed as a stockman at Oxford Downs Station, via Nebo when he enlisted in August 1917. Morris was assigned to the 20th Reinforcements for the 11th Light Horse Regiment, where he was in the company of a number of other Indigenous recruits, including Leonard Lynch and James McBride. These reinforcements became known as the "Queensland Black Watch" as all but three of the unit were of Aboriginal heritage. Arriving in Egypt in January 1918 he was admitted to hospital with measles and didn't join his unit in the field until June, when the regiment was operating in the vicinity of Musallabeh, Palestine. At the end of the war, Morris returned to Australia in June 1919 and was discharged in September 1919. Upon his return to Mackay, Morris received an Exemption from the Aboriginals Protection Act (Qld) and resumed work at Oxford Downs Station.
