The AIF Project

Ernest HOWES

Regimental number1946
Place of birthMelbourne, Victoria
SchoolState School, Victoria
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationBlacksmith
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation21
Height5' 10.5"
Weight144 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs R Howes, 50 Palmer Street, Collingwood, Victoria
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date15 January 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll14 January 1915
Place of enlistmentMelbourne, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name8th Battalion, 5th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/25/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A20 Hororata on 17 April 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll60th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Age at death from cemetery records22
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 20), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
170
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Wesley and Eliza [known as Rose] HOWES, 50 Palmer Street, Collingwood, Victoria
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Joined 8th Bn, Gallipoli, 17 July 1915.

Found guilty, 31 August 1915, of neglect of duty: awarded 28 days' Field Punishment No 2.

Admitted to 2nd Stationary Hospital, Mudros, 28 September 1915 (diarrhoea); discharged to duty. 5 October 1915, and rejoined Bn, Lemnos, same day.

Admitted to hospital, 29 December 1915; rejoined Bn, 30 December 1915.

Disembarked Alexandria, 7 January 1916 (general Gallipoli evacuation).

Transferred to 60th Bn, 24 February 1916.

Found guilty, 12 March 1916, of being absent without leave from 2130, 4 March, to 1200, 6 March 1916: awarded 7 days' detention, and forfeited 3 days' pay under Royal Warrant.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, france, 29 June 1916.

Reported missing, 19 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 4 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'.

Note, Red Cross File No 1380413: 'No trace Germany. Cert. by Capt. Mills. 10.10.19.'

Statement, 782 Sergeant A.J. FERGUSON, B Company, 60th Bn, 30 [?] Aptil1919: 'At Fleurbaix during our attack we wereadvancing and I was about 10 yards from Howes. He was carrying a box of bombs and a bullet struck the box, causing the bombs to explode. He was killed instantly. I was wounded myself so I could not say where he was buried.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, HOWES Ernest
Red Cross File No 1380413

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