The AIF Project

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Gallipoli, 5 April 1915.

Admitted to Field Ambulance, Anzac, 10 August 1915; rejoined 5th Bn, 11 August 1915.

Admitted to No 2 Field Ambulance, 26 August 1915 (diarrhoea); transferred to No 1 Casualty Clearing Station, 27 August 1915, and thence to Mudros; admitted to No 25 Casualty Clearing Station, Imbros, 27 August 1915; transferred to HS 'Gascon', 28 August 1915 (enteritis); disembarked Alexandria, 1 September 1915, and admitted to No 1 Australian General Hospital, Cairo (dysentery).

Transferred to No 1 Auxiliary Hospital, 9 September 1915; discharged to Base Details, 12 December 1915.

Detached to Imperial School of Instruction, 28 April 1916.

Promoted 2nd Lieutenant, and seconded for duty with 14th Australian Machine Gun Company, 5 May 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 25 June 1916.

Killed in action, 20 July 1916.

Note on file, Lt H.S. CLEARY, for CO, 5th Machine Gun Bn: '2/Lieut. HODDLE-WRIGLEY was killed in action during the operations in the vicinity of FROMELLES on the night of 19/20th July 1916. A machine gun bullet entered his head and death was instantaneous. Owing to the activity of the operations he was buried in the Old German trenches and subsequent recapture of these trenches made it possible to erect a cross over the grave.'

Statement, Red Cross File No 3050307, 4789 Pte W. DUCKETT, 14th Machine Gun Company (patient, No 9 General Hospital, Rouen), 24 May 1917: 'At Fromelles on the 20th July/16 we were in trenches and went over the top at 5.45 p.m. on that day, our objective being the German trenches about 300 yards to our front. Lt. Wrigley got into the German trench with the others and was shot about 6 p.m. He had got out of the trench to select a position to emplace a M.G. and was then shot through the head and killed instantaneously. We were driven back next morning and his body had to be left there and I never heard of it being recovered.'

Second statment, 3264 Pte H. CARDEW, 14th Machine Gun Company (patient, 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, England), 21 March 1917: 'Informant states that on 19th or 20th August at Fromelles to the right of Armentieres, Lieut Heddle-Wrigley (sic) was hit by a shell during the attack. He asked to be buried in the sap where they were at the time, and this was done.' Eyewitness: 'No. His mates told him at the time.'

Third statement, 1267 Pte N.S. WHALLEY, 14th Company, 5th Machine Gun Bn, 20 July 1919: 'He was killed by a bullet through the head at Fromelles about 7 p.m. on July 19th (not August 8th.) He was directing his M.G.s from the parapet when he was hit. He was buried on the spot immediately. I don't know if cross was erected. I am not an eyewitness.'