Private David Andrew Allison – 7205

David Andrew Allison was born in 1873 in Queensland and was a police officer in Western Australia between 1901-9, in 1909 he had to retire due to a bad broken leg. He originally enlisted in September 1915 but was discharged on request in October 1915 as his daughter was born. He re-enlisted in November 1916 and left Australia in January 1917. He was appointed as a Private in the 11th Battalion but served as an ambulance driver with the 17th Field Ambulance. In December 1917 he was admitted to hospital sick and died on the 16th of December 1917.

Details

Birth: David Andrew Allison was born in 1873 to Elizabeth and David Samuel Allison in Toowoomba, Qld.

Marriage and children: He was married to Elizabeth Rachel Allison (née Waterhouse) and had two sons named Leslie Irvine and Robert Arthur as well as a daughter named Lila Ethel.

Occupation: He worked in the Western Australian police force for 8 years between 1901-1909.

Enlistment: He enlisted at the age of 42 on the 8th of September 1915 in Blackboy Hill, WA. However after initial training, he was discharged on his own request due to the birth of his daughter on the 14th of October 1915. He re-enlisted in the A.I.F. on the 10th of November 1916 in Fremantle, WA.

Embarkation: Departed Fremantle on the 29/1/17 on board the H.M.A.T. Miltiades and arrived in England on the 27th of March 1917.

Service Details:

Private 30/12/16 – 2/7/17 24th Reinforcements, 11th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, A.I.F.
Private 2/7/17 – 9/7/17 Transferred to 17th Field Ambulance, 6th Division, A.I.F.
Private 9/7/17 – 16/12/17 Transferred to 11th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, A.I.F.
Admitted to hospital sick on 14/12/17

Death: Private Allison died from disease on the 16th of December 1917. He was buried on the 18th of December 1917 in Melcombe Regis Cemetery in Dorset, UK with grave reference II. C. 3111.

Medals: British War Medal

Sources:

https://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/records/18990

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1773668

Private Reginald Percival Aherne – 1637

aherne-reginald-percival-crop_orig — Photo of Private Aherne in uniform.

Reginald Percival Aherne was born in 1885 in Tasmania and enlisted in the A.I.F. in January 1915. He first fought at Gallipoli were he was wounded in August 1915 and then invalided to the UK. Although his injury recovered he continued to suffer from anxiety and ‘neurasthenia’ – an ill-defined medical condition characterised by fatigue, headache, and irritability, mostly associated with emotional disturbance. In April 1917 he was medically declared no longer fit for active service on the front and instead allocated to home service in the UK. In September 1917 he went missing from camp and was found drowned on the 23rd of September 1917. There was a court of inquiry into his death held and it was declared that one of the commanding officers was guilty of negligence for failing to report his depressed state of mind.

Details

Birth: Reginald was born in 1885 to Helena and James Aherne in Hobart, Tasmania. He had one sister, Lorna Aherne

Religion and Occupation: Anglican Miner

Enlistment: He enlisted in Hobart, Tasmania on the 4th of January 1915.

Embarkation: Departed Melbourne on the 19th of February 1915 on board the H.M.A.T Runic.

Service Details:

Private 4/1/15 – 23/9/17 D Company, 15th Battalion, 4th Brigade, A.I.F.
Wounded in Action in Gallipoli on 8/8/15 – Gun Shot Wound Left Forearm
- Admitted to No. 3 Australian General Hospital
- Admitted to Lowlands Casualty Clearing Station 20/8/15
- Admitted to Military Hospital Hampstead on 16/9/15 – 23/9/15
Deemed no longer fit for active service and instead to perform home duties in the UK due to neurasthenia, nervousness and melancholy – 3/4/17
Goes missing from Westham camp on 18/9/17
Died from drowning 23/9/17 (see below)
Court of Inquiry held on 29/9/17 at Monte Video Camp, Weymouth
- Sergeant Jerrems found guilty of negligence and received punishment

Death: Private Aherne died from drowning on the 23rd of September 1917. There was some suspicion around the circumstances of his death and an inquiry into the medical care he did or did not receive due to his ‘depressed state of mind’. He was buried on the 25th of September 1917 in Melcombe Regis Cemetery, Dorset UK with grave reference II. C. 3148. His funeral was attended by a large contingent of friends.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal, 1914/15 Star

Sources:

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2749478/

https://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/records/25594

https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/a—c.html

Private Edgar Stephenson – 685

3789980 — Studio Portrait Photo of Private Edgar Stephenson in 1916. Source: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1173400

Edgar Stephenson was born in 1893 in NSW and enlisted in the A.I.F. in May 1917. After arriving in the UK in August 1917, he was assigned as a Private to the 29th Battalion before arriving in France where he was transferred to the 38th Battalion. On the 29th of September 1918 Private Stephenson was badly gassed at Polygon Wood and invalided to England where he died on the 23rd of October, 1918.

Details

3789979 — Group Family Portrait of Private Stephenson in uniform, his sister Lily Stephenson and his brother Arthur Stephenson. Source: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1173398

Birth: Edgar Stephenson was born in August, 1893 to Benjamin and Rebecca Stephenson in Crookwell, NSW. He had one brother, Arthur and two sisters, Lily and Maud.

Religion and Occupation: Anglican Labourer.

Enlistment: Edgar enlisted on the 29th of May 1917 in Goulburn, NSW

Embarkation: Private Stephenson departed Melbourne, Vic on the 21st of June 1917 on board A29 HMAT Suevic and arrived in Liverpool, UK on the 25th of August 1917.

Service Details:

Private 29/5/17 – 27/8/17 8th Machine Gun Company, 8th Brigade, A.I.F.
Private 27/8/17 – 24/12/17 Transferred to 29th Battalion, 8th Brigade, A.I.F.
Private Stephenson departed England to reinforce his unit in France on the 18/12/17
Private 24/12/17 – 23/10/18 Transferred to 38th Battalion, 10th Brigade, A.I.F.
Wounded and Gassed in Action at Polygon Wood on 29/9/18
- Invalided to U.K. on 3/10/18 and admitted to Reading War Hospital on 5/10/18
On 23rd of October 1918 Private Stephenson died in hospital from mustard gas poisoning
On the 26th of October 1918 he was buried in Reading Cemetery in section 72 in grave number 16493.

Medals: Victory Medal, British War Medal

Sources:

https://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/records/408379/1

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/649094/STEPHENSON,%20EDGAR

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1173398

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2041668

Private William Robert Heard – 4318

William Robert Heard was born in October 1889 in New South Wales and was raised by his unmarried mother after his father left them when he was young. In September 1915 William enlisted in the A.I.F and was appointed as a Private in the 20th Battalion. Private Heard mostly fought on the Western Front in Belgium and France but experienced a number of bad illnesses and wounds which resulted in his return to England for recovery and treatment on a number of occassions. In June 1918 he was diagnosed with Trench Fever and invalided to England but unfortunately he died on the 17th of August 1918.

Details

Birth: William Robert Heard was born on the 18th October 1889 in Tumbarumba, NSW to Rachel Elizabeth Heard and William Gregson. His parents were not married and his father left the family when William was young, requiring his mother to raise him alone.

Enlistment: William enlisted on the 11th of September, 1915 at Cootamundra, NSW.

Embarkation: William Robert Heard embarked from Sydney, NSW on the 11th of March, 1916.

Service Details:

Private 14/12/15 – 11/1/16 10th Reinforcements, 20th Battalion, 5th Brigade, A.I.F.
Private 11/1/16 – 17/8/18 C Company, 20th Battalion, 5th Brigade, A.I.F.
Departed Alexandria for Marseille on 9/5/16
Admitted to hospital with Furunculosis 4/10/16 – 8/11/16
- Taken to England for treatment
Returned to France on 3/2/17 on board S.S. Victoria and rejoined 20th Battalion on the 8/3/17
Wounded in Action on the 3/5/17 – Gun Shot Wound to the Face and taken to hospital in England.
Returned to France on the 4/8/17 and rejoined 20th Battalion on the 22/8/17
Wounded in Action on the 20/9/17 – Gun Shot Wound to the Left Arm and taken to hospital in Bologne
Returned to 20th Battalion on the 20/10/17.
On 4/3/18 Private Heard went on leave to England until 22/3/18
Admitted to hospital on 22/4/18 with scabies until 27/4/18
Admitted to hospital on 24/5/18 with illness and transferred to Reading War Hospital in England on 3/6/18 with Trench Fever.
On the 17th of August 1918 he died of septicaemia and oedema of the lungs.
He was buried in Reading Cemetery on the 21st of August 1918 in Section 72, grave number 16469.

Medals: Victory Medal, British War Medal

Sources:

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1894780

Click to access heard__william_robert.pdf

http://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/records/198515

Corporal Robert George Baillie – 1049

Robert George Baillie was born in 1892 in Camberwell and enlisted in the A.I.F. in February 1915. In April 1915 he was assigned as a Private to the 22nd Battalion and sent to Gallipoli. He was admitted to hospital for leg ulcers in October 1915 and then went to the Western Front in France in March 1916. He joined the 65th Battalion in March 1917 and was promoted to Corporal before again being transferred back to the 22nd Battalion in August 1917. On the 19th of May 1918 Corporal Baillie was badly wounded with a shattered femur in his left leg and was transported to Reading War Hospital. Although he at first showed signs of recovery, in late August 1918 his leg was amputated and he died on the 1st of September 1918 from Septicaemia.

Details

Birth: Robert George Baillie was born in 1892 to Mary Phillipa (née Affleck) and Hugh Baillie in Camberwell, Victoria.

Enlistment: Robert Baillie enlisted on the 5th of February 1915 in Melbourne, Victoria.

Embarkation: Departed on the 10th of May 1915 on HMAT Ulysses in Melbourne, Vic.

Service Details:

Private 1/4/15 – 23/3/17 B Company, 22nd Battalion, 6th Brigade, A.I.F.
Arrived on the Gallipoli Peninsula on the 30th August 1915
Admitted to 6th Field Ambulance with leg ulcers on 18/10/15
- Transferred between various hospitals before returning to active service on 2/12/15
Departed Alexandria on the 19/3/16 and arrived in Marseille, France on 26/3/16
Private 23/3/17 – 12/7/17 Transferred to 65th Battalion, 16th Brigade, A.I.F.
Promoted Corporal 12/7/17 – 21/8/17 65th Battalion, 16th Brigade, A.I.F.
Corporal 21/8/17 – 1/9/18 Transferred to D Company, 22nd Battalion, 6th Brigade, A.I.F.
Attended Training at School of Farriery from 24/9/17 – 7/2/18 and qualified as instructor
- Rejoined unit in France 9/3/18
Wounded in Action on 19/5/18 with Gun Shot Wound to Leg
- Admitted to 5th Field Ambulance, 61st Casualty Clearing Station, 4th General Hospital before being transferred to England on 3/6/18
Died on the 1st of September 1918 in Reading War Hospital from Septicaemia of Wounds after amputation completed.
He was buried in Reading Cemetery on the 4th of September 1918 in section 72 and grave number 16472.

Medals: 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Sources:

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1912743

https://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/records/30748

Corporal Philip Gidley King – 4400

15139453 — Photo of Corporal Philip Gidley King published in Sydney Mail Newspaper on the 15th May 1918. Source: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page16892042

Philip Gidley King was born in Tamworth in 1898 and enlisted in the A.I.F. in Sydney in July 1916. After embarking for Europe in November 1916 Private King was assigned to the 29th Battalion and began completing NCO training and then bombing school. He was later promoted to Corporal and transferred to the 63rd Battalion and later transferred to the 33rd Battalion. In April 1918 Corporal King was severely wounded in the leg by a gun shot. He returned to Australia and was discharged in October 1920.

Details

Birth: Philip Gidley King was born in August 1898 to Amalie and George MacArthur Gidley in Tamworth, NSW. He is a direct descendant of Captain Philip Gidley King the third Governor of New South Wales.

Religion and Occupation: Anglican Clerk

Enlistment: Philip G King enlisted in Sydney, NSW on the 12th of July 1916.

Embarkation: Private King embarked from Sydney, NSW on the 3rd of November 1916 on board the HMAT Afric and disembarked in Plymouth, UK on the 9th of January 1917.

Service Details:

Private 25/10/16 – 19/6/17 11th Reinforcements, 29th Battalion, 8th Brigade, A.I.F.
- Attended NCO’s Training School from 14/2/17 – 24/3/17
- Private Transferred to 8th Training Battalion 24/3/17 – 4/6/17
- Attends Bombing School at Lyndhurst 4/6/17 – 25/8/17
Promoted to Acting Corporal 19/6/17 – 23/8/17 Transferred to 63rd Battalion, 16th Brigade, A.I.F.
Promoted to Corporal 23/8/17 – 20/10/17 63rd Battalion, 16th Brigade, A.I.F.
- Qualifies as instructor at Lyndhurst Bombing School 25/8/17 – 20/10/17
Corporal 20/10/17 – 22/10/17 Transferred to 29th Battalion, 8th Brigade, A.I.F.
Corporal 22/10/17 – 9/10/20 Transferred to 33rd Battalion, 9th Brigade, A.I.F.
Wounded in Action on 30/3/18 with severe Gun Shot Wound to left leg in France
- Invalided to Bath War Hospital, UK on the 10/4/18
Discharged in Sydney NSW on the 9th of October 1920.

Medal: British War Medal and Victory Medal

Sources:

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1950078/

https://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/records/195373/21

Private William Andrew Mackenzie – 2218

William Andrew Mackenzie was born in Scotland in 1880 but later moved to Western Australia where he enlisted in the A.I.F. in April 1916. He fought on the Western Front in France as a Private with the 44th Battalion before being Killed In Action on the 18th of October 1917.

Details

Birth: William Andrew Mackenzie was born in 1880 to Margaret (née Ross) and John Mackenzie in Tain, Ross-shire Scotland. He had a sister Jessie Campbell (née Mackenzie).

Enlistment: William A Mackenzie enlisted in Blackboy Hill, WA on the 4th of April 1916.

Embarkation: He left Fremantle, WA on the 9th of August 1916 on board HMAT Miltiades A28.

Service Details:

Private 13/4/16 – 27/10/16 4th Reinforcements, 57th Battalion, 15th Brigade, A.I.F.
Private 27/10/16 44th Battalion, 11th Brigade, A.I.F.
Departed England for the Western Front on the 25/11/16
Admitted to hospital with a septic foot from 21/1/17 – 9/2/17
Admitted to hospital with an injured foot on 8/3/17
- Invalided to England 13/3/17 where he was admitted to Middlesex War Hospital
- Discharged and returned to duty on the 14/4/17
- Embarked from England to return to France 8/8/17
Killed in Action on 18th of October 1917 in Belgium

Medals: British War Medal and Victory Medal

Death: On the 18th of October 1917 Private Mackenzie was killed in action. His memorial lies in Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium.

Sources:

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1920293

http://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/records/75654

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/463794/

Captain John Henry McElroy – 427 or 1631

John Henry McElroy was born in Melbourne in 1878 and originally enlisted in August 1914 and allocated as a Private to the 2nd Battalion. While serving in Gallipoli and France he was steadily promoted up to the rank of Captain but was invalided to England due to shell shock in 1917. He was then sent to Australia and discharged as medically unfit. In mid 1918 he then reenlisted under an alias of John Henry with a new service number of 1631 and joined the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force where he served until 1919. In mid 1961 John Henry McElroy died in Heidelberg, Victoria.

Details

Alias: John Henry with service number 1631 used to re-enlist after being discharged as medically unfit.

Birth: John Henry McElroy was born on the 15th of July 1878 to Bridget (née Spauhan) and Michael Jose Elroy in Melbourne, Victoria.

Enlistment: Originally, John H McElroy enlisted in Sydney NSW on the 22nd of August 1914.

Embarkation: He embarked fromSydney NSW on the 18th of October 1914 on board the HMAT Suffolk A23.

Service Details:

Private 22/8/14 – 13/1/15 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, A.I.F.
Promoted Lance Corporal 13/1/15 – 7/4/15 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, A.I.F.
Promoted Corporal 7/4/15 – 7/8/15 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, A.I.F.
Promoted Second Lieutenant 7/8/15 – 28/1/16 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, A.I.F.
Promoted Lieutenant 28/1/16 – 18/10/16 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, A.I.F.
Promoted Captain 18/10/16 – 30/12/17 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, A.I.F.
Invalided to England in late 1917 and then was discharged due to being medically unfit on the 30th of December 1917.
On the 12th of June 1918 John Henry McElroy re-enlisted under the alias of John Henry and received new service number of 1631.
Private 12/6/18 – 20/11/18 Recruit Depot Broadmeadows
Private 20/11/18 – 4/2/19 Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
Private John Henry embarked from Sydney on the 18th of December 1918 on board SS Melusia.
Promoted Second Lieutenant 4/2/19 – 23/9/19 A Company, 3rd Battalion
Discharged for the second time on the 23rd of September 1919.

Medals: 1914/15 Star, Victory Medal, British War Medal

Also awarded a Military Medal on the 7th of November 1916 and a Military Cross on the 17th of January 1917.

Marriage: John H McElroy was married to Catherine McElroy after the war.

Death: John Henry McElroy died on the 13th of April 1961 in Heidelberg, Victoria.

Regimental Sergeant Major Herbert James Fowles – 1855

Herbert James Fowles was born in Western Australia in 1889 and after attending school became a Light House Keeper. In February 1915 he enlisted in the A.I.F. and was initially ranked as a Private in the 11th Battalion. Throughout his service he was awarded a number of medals for his bravery in the field and also received promotions to the position of Regimental Sergeant Major. After the war he got married and returned to Australia. In January 1947 Herbert J Fowles went fishing in a small boat and died from drowning.

Details

Birth: Herbert James Fowles was born on the 4th of January 1889 to Sophia Elizabeth (née Simmons) and James Fowles in Albany, Western Australia. He had one brother, Frederick William Fowles.

Religion, Education and Occupation: Roman Catholic, attended Christian Brothers’ College, Albany WA and was a Light Keeper.

Enlistment: On the 12th of February 1915 Herbert J Fowles enlisted in Perth, WA.

Embarkation: He left Fremantle, WA on the 19th of April 1915 on board the HMAT Argyllshire A8.

Service Details:

Private 4/6/15 – 15/3/16 11th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, A.I.F.
Wounded in Action with Gun Shot Wound to the Head from 24/6/15 – 25/10/16
Promoted Lance Corporal 15/3/16 – 25/10/16 11th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, A.I.F.
Promoted Corporal 25/10/16 – 1/3/17 11th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, A.I.F.
Promoted Sergeant 1/3/17 – 7/4/17 11th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, A.I.F.
Promoted Company Sergeant Major 7/4/17 – 14/11/18 11th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, A.I.F.
Promoted Regimental Sergeant Major 14/11/18 – 1919 11th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, A.I.F.

Medals: 1914/15 Star, Victory Medal, British War Medal

Awarded the Military Medal 15th of May 1917
Awarded a Distinguished Conduct Medal in June 1917

Marriage: On the 31st of July 1919 Herbert married Winifred Scott.

Death: On the 12th of January 1947 Herbert James Fowles went fishing alone in a small boat and drowned near Point Moore, Western Australia.

Sources:

http://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/records/93899

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/fowles-herbert-james-6227

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1828214

Second Lieutenant Richard Anacletus Nelson – 4240

Photograph portrait of Richard A Nelson in uniform. Source:https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1255935

Richard Anacletus Nelson was born in South Australia in 1893. In August 1915 he enlisted in the A.I.F. in Adelaide where he embarked for the front in January 1916. At first he was posted as a Private to the 2nd then 10th Battalion, but by February 1916 he was appointed to the 50th Battalion where he was steadily promoted through the ranks to the position of Second Lieutenant by October 1917. On the 7th of November 1917, Richard A Nelson was killed after stepping on an unexploded bomb.

Details

Birth: Richard A Nelson was born on the 11th of July 1893 to Annie O’Halloran and Patrick Nelson in Petersburg, South Australia. He had three brothers, Tom, Mick and P (full name unknown).

Religion and Occupation: Catholic Engine Cleaner.

Engagement: He was engaged to be married to Miss E Owens.

Enlistment: He enlisted in Adelaide, SA on the 11th of August 1915.

Embarkation: Private Nelson departed Adelaide, SA on the 11th of January 1916 on board the HMAT Borda A30.

Service Details:

Private 11/8/15 – 1/11/15 C Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, A.I.F.
Private 1/11/15 – 25/2/16 Transferred to 13th Reinforcements, 10th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, A.I.F.
Private 25/2/16 – 12/3/16 Transferred to 50th Battalion, 13th Brigade, A.I.F.
Promoted to Corporal 12/3/16 – 15/7/16 50th Battalion, 13th Brigade, A.I.F.
Promoted to Lance Sergeant 15/7/16 – 14/8/16 50th Battalion, 13th Brigade, A.I.F.
Promoted to Sergeant 14/8/16 – 10/10/17 50th Battalion, 13th Brigade, A.I.F.
Wounded in Action on 7/11/16 with severe gun shot wound to eye and foot. Admitted to 2nd Southern General hospital until 12/9/17.
Promoted to Second Lieutenant 10/10/17 – 7/11/17 50th Battalion, 13th Brigade, A.I.F.
Died on the 7/11/17.

Medals: Victory Medal, British War Medal

Also received Military Medal for his brave actions at Zonnebeke on 26th of September 1917.

Death: On the 7th of November 1917, while walking across a field with unexploded bombs during a break, Richard A Nelson was killed. He was buried in the Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension in Albert in Plot VI. F. 25.

Sources:

http://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/records/334921

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/427090/

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1658969

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2382396

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1498860

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1947666

http://ww1sa.gravesecrets.net/ne.html