Regimental number | 81 |
Place of birth | Morpeth, New South Wales |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Occupation | Dealer |
Address | West Maitland, New South Wales |
Marital status | Single |
Age at embarkation | 21 |
Height | 5' 5.5" |
Weight | 126 lbs |
Next of kin | Adopted Mother, Miss Annie Soorley, Cohen Street, Horse Shoe Bend, West Maitland, New South Wales |
Previous military service | Served in the 14th Infantry, Citizen Military Forces; still serving at time of AIF enlistment. |
Enlistment date | |
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
Place of enlistment | Maitland, New South Wales |
Rank on enlistment | Private |
Unit name | 34th Battalion, A Company |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/51/1 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A20 Hororata on |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 34th Battalion |
Fate | Returned to Australia |
Discharge date | |
Other details |
War service: Western Front Embarked Sydney, 2 May 1916; disembarked Plymouth, 23 June 1916. Admitted to 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital, Bulford, 15 October 1916; discharged, 19 December 1916; total period of treatment for venereal disease: 66 days. Proceeded overseas to France, 30 December 1916; rejoined 34th Bn, in the field, 5 January 1917. Admitted to 10th Field Ambulance, 28 January 1917; transferred to 2nd Casualty Clearing Station, 30 January 1917 (gonorrhoea); to No 1 Convalescent Depot, Boulogne, 31 January 1917; to 51st General Hospital, Etaples, 31 January 1917; marched in to 3rd Australian Divisional Base Depot, 29 April 1917; total period of treatment for venereal disease: 92 days. Rejoined 34th Bn, in the field, 8 May 1917. Wounded in action, Messines, Belgium, 7 June 1917 (gun shot wound, right arm), admitted to 9th Field Ambulance, and transferred same day to 2nd Casualty Clearing Station; to 4th General Hospital, Camiers, 9 June 1917 (arm amputated); to England, 20 June 1917, and admitted to Norfolk War Hospital, Norwich, 21 June 1917 (further amputation of arm). Transferred to No 2 Auxiliary Hospital, Southall, 27 October 1917; discharged to No 2 Command Depot, Weymouth, 24 October 1917. Commenced return to Australia on board HT 'Runic', 20 December 1917; disembarked Melbourne, 13 February 1918, for overland travel to Sydney; discharged (medically unfit), 9 August 1918. Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal Committed suicide (shooting), 17 September 1918. Originally denied burial in consecrated ground; following the deputy coroner's finding of temporary insanity, the Bishop of Maitland permitted reburial in the Catholic portion of the West Maitland Cemetery. |
Miscellaneous details | Adopted mother's name incorrectly recorded on Embarkation Roll as Annir SOOLEY. |
Date of death | |
Age at death | 23 |
Place of burial | West Maitland Cemetery, New South Wales |
Sources | NAA: B2455, HACKETT Reginald James
'Maitland Mercury', 19 September 2008. |