Frank William “Frank” Jopling
Trooper · NZ #1314 · T1 Patrol
| Rank | Trooper |
|---|---|
| Service number | NZ #1314 |
| Patrol | T1 Patrol |
| Regiment | 2nd NZ Divisional Cavalry Regiment |
| Known as | “Frank” |
| Born | 1913-04-15 |
| Died | 1987 |
| POW / KIA | PoW — near Barce, 25 Sep 1942 |
| Record | https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C137174 |
What this roll records
Added 27 Jul 2026. Frank William Jopling, Trooper (2nd Div Cavalry), NZ #1314; LRDG, POW from 14 Sep 1942 (Italy). Diarist of O'Carroll's "Bearded Brigands". Patrol T1 per Brendan O'Carroll, "The Long Range Desert Group in North Africa" (T1 wireless truck "Te Aroha III"). DOB 15 Apr 1913; died 1987 (year only). Verified vs Auckland Museum Online Cenotaph. NOTE: appended at end of sheet to avoid disturbing Name Compare formulas - re-sort if desired.
On original LRP Roll (5 Dec 1940): T — Dvr T Patrol; PW captured Barce Sep 42. Source: LRP Roll (Original LRP Nominal Roll as at 5 Dec 1940, Capt L H Browne).
March 1942 roll (courtesy Tarek el Mahdy): Driver
Barce Raid, Sept 1942 (courtesy Tarek el Mahdy): Navi — WIA/POW
Captured in North Africa: T1 Patrol, 25 Sep 1942, near Barce. Source: "Names of LRDG NZ personnel captured in North African campaign" (per Brendan O’Carroll).
Prisoner-of-war camp: Stalag XI-A (code 11A), POW No. 142087. Source: Germany & German-Occupied Territories Imperial POW Alphabetical List, Section 4 (N.Z.), 2NZEF. Transcription via Zenodo (DOI 10.5281/zenodo.3632116, CC BY 4.0).
North Africa — 25 Sep 1942, near Barce: prisoner of war. Though wounded at Barce (14 Sep) he evaded capture but was found 11 days later. Source: TRACKS magazine (LRDG Association), Ian Chard, 'Not all were lucky — LRDG missing in North Africa', June 2023.
Captured 14 September 1942; POW at P.G. 120, Cetona, Italy and Military Hospital 203, Bologna; POW serial 142087. Farm hand in civilian life. Embarked/served with 2nd Division Cavalry. An LRDG member who made radio recordings in 1941; a letter he wrote from a POW hospital in Italy was published in 'The New Zealand prisoner of war' pamphlet (July 1943). Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph.
The Kiwi Scorpions (Brendan O'Carroll): Tpr F. W. Jopling — farmhand, Auckland; born England, 15 Apr 1913; wounded and taken prisoner Sep 1942.
Te Aroha III (T9, WD L4618825): Jopling was the navigator of T Patrol's newly-issued 1942 Chevrolet 1533X2, alongside driver Pte Tom Ritchie and the attached British signaller Sgmn Tommy Scriven. The truck was lost on the Barce Raid (Sept 1942); Jopling and a companion then endured a 12-day trek ending in captivity. (The Kiwi Scorpions, Brendan O'Carroll.)
Wounded during the withdrawal from Barce, 14 September 1942. With Guardsman Gutteridge, unable to keep up with the walking party, he trekked at least 150 miles by night navigating by the stars — his leg wound turning gangrenous — before both were captured near Barce on 25 September, twelve days after the raid. Source: ‘The Barce Raid’, Episodes & Studies Vol. 1 (NZ official war history).
Farm hand, of Auckland; born England, 15 Apr 1913. Wounded 14 Sep 1942; prisoner of war 25 Sep 1942. Source: Episodes & Studies Vol. 1 (biographical notes).
At Gebel Sherif (31 January 1941), ordered by Clayton to back his truck to the wadi mouth, drew the Auto-Saharan Company’s opening fire. Source: ‘Long Range Desert Group in Libya, 1940–41’, Episodes & Studies Vol. 1 (NZ official war history).
Took part in the Barce Raid with T1 Patrol, 13/14 September 1942. Source: Brendan O’Carroll, ‘The Kiwi Scorpions’ (Appendix VIII, T1 Patrol members who took part in the Barce Raid, September 1942).
Farm hand in civilian life. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph.
commemorated at Roll of Honour, Tirau District 1939-1945, Tirau Museum. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph.
See him in the full roll →Where this comes from
- AKA added from the LRDG Preservation Society’s Troopers roll (missing information).
- Murzuk Raid roll (courtesy Tarek el Mahdy)
- Additional sources (AWMM Online Cenotaph). Nominal Roll 2NZEF No. 1, p.94. Unit history: Mason, W.W. (1954). Prisoners of war; Cooke, P. (2001). Defending New Zealand. External links: Tirau Museum (NZ Museums): http://www.nzmuseums.co.nz/account/3158; Ngā Taonga, Frank Jopling radio talks April 1941: https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?record_id=170844; Ngā Taonga, 1941 recording (U-series, LRDG Pts 1-8, 11719): https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/search-use-collection/search/11719; Johnston, Sarah (2023). With the boys overseas: https://phanza.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Sarah-Johnston-With-the-Boys-Overseas.pdf Also cited: List of 2NZEF Prisoners of War 1941-1945, AWMM Library MS 2009/8; Roll of Honour, Tirau District 1939-1945, Tirau Museum.
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Not By Strength But By Guile