Age 17, Fred enlisted in the AIF and was posted to France with the medical corps. He returned home to marry and settle in Macleod where he was very active in the local sporting community and local RSL
10/12/1901 to 30/7/72.
Fred Sweeney was born in Bendigo, where he attended school and later worked in the family Timber Mill. Among other interests he was involved in the Scouting movement. At 17 he attended a Scout Parade at Collingwood Cricket ground, where an Enlistment rally inspired him to boost his age to 19 with ambitions of joining the Light Horse Brigade. Despite his age, Fred’s charismatic character persuaded superiors he was medically fit enough to stay in the Australian Imperial Force, and he was posted to France with the Medical Corps, where he served until Nov 1919.
When he was overseas he sent articles back to the “Bendigo Advertiser” relating tales from Bethlehem, Palestine etc.
A keepsake of this time is a British Flag signed by Fred and his fellow Anzac mates.
After returning from WW1 Fred married his sweetheart “Doris” in Bendigo, where they had 2 daughters and remained until moving to Macleod, where they had one of the first four homes. Fred worked for the Public Service, finally becoming an Inspector of Public Works and Buildings.
They were a Community minded couple and Fred was a founding member of the Macleod Progress Association he retained an active interest in it, until he retired from Civic Affairs. There were Friday evening Beatles, Crazy Whist and a Gymkanah on Australia Day. He was an Independent Councillor for the East Ward of City of Heidelberg 1954-1963 and was Mayor 1959-60. Fred was active in Civic, Charity, Sporting and Welfare organizations including Scouting and the RSL. He was Co founder of the Macleod Football Club, now the Macleod Rosanna Club, and was President many times since the formation in 1947.
He was particularly active on the administrative side of football, after serving as a delegate to the DVFL for several years, he was made Vice President in 1954. As a Delegate from the DVFL he was elected Treasurer of the Victorian Football Union and held that position for several years. He was President of the Macleod Cricket Club for many years and Vice President of the Heidelberg District Cricket Association. He helped found the Diamond Valley Baseball Assoc. in which Macleod had a team.
As father to four daughters he helped promote women’s sport in Heidelberg and was patron of the Heidelberg Marching Girls and Heidelberg Women’s Athletic Club.
Created a Justice of the Peace in 1946, he was called on at all hours, day and night. He served as an honorary Justice on the bench at Heidelberg Court, over two decades.
As a World War 1 veteran he was an early member of the RSL, and a member of the West Heidelberg Sub Branch and was President from 1953-56.
During WW2 he was active in Patriotic work and also assisted the Red Cross and the Food for Britain Fund. He was first President of the Advisory Council of Macleod Technical School and a member of the Heidelberg Bowling Club.
He supported the schools that his girls attended. After WW2 he was on the Heidelberg War Memorial Trust (the body established several memorials in various parts of the city).
Fred passed away in July 1972, leaving his wife Doris, Daughters Kathleen, Norma, Margaret and Shirley and 9 grand children.
