Harold KATTE

Regimental number3863
Place of birthHurstville, New South Wales
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationWire worker
AddressGreenacre Road, Hurstville, New South Wales
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation28
Height5' 3.75"
Weight108 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs R Katte, Greenacre Road, Hurstvillle, New South Wales
Previous military serviceServed for 4 years in the Senior Cadets.
Enlistment date6 September 1915
Place of enlistmentSydney, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name17th Battalion, 9th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/34/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A54 Runic on 20 January 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll20th Battalion
FateReturned to Australia 16 March 1919
Discharge date13 November 1920
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked, 20 January 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 27 March 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 3 April 1916.

Found guilty, 2nd Australian Divisional Base Depot, Etaples, 28 April 1916, of being associated with discharge of firearm in lines, 27 April 1916: confined to barracks for 7 days.

Taken on strength, 20th Bn, 16 May 1916.

Wounded in action (remaining at duty), France, 26 July 1916.

Admitted to 5th Australian Field Ambulance, 3 May 1917, and transferred to 9th Casualty Clearing Station (venereal disease), 5 May 1917; transferred to Ambulance Train, 6 May 1917, and admitted to 51st General Hospital, Etaples, 7 May 1917; discharged to Base Depot, 2 June 1917; total period of treatment for venereal disease: 31 days.

Admitted to 51st General Hospital, 2 June 1917 (urethritis); transferred to Base Depot, 4 July 1917. Found guilty, 13 July 1917, of being absent without leave, 9.30 pm until apprehended by M.P., 9.45 pm: awarded 14 days' confined to camp; no forfeiture of pay. Rejoined Bn in the field, 13 July 1917.

Wounded in action (second occasion), 7 April 1918 (gun shot wound, right arm), and admitted to 54th Field Ambulance; transferred same day to Casualty Clearing Station; to 12th General Hospital, Rouen, 8 April 1918; discharged to No 2 Convalescent Depot, Havre, 9 April 1918; discharged to duty, 10 May 1918; rejoined Bn, 20 May 1918.

Admitted to Field Ambulance, 28 May 1918, and transferred same day to 20th Casualty Clearing Station (old wound: right elbow); to Ambulance Train No 28, 30 May 1918, admitted to Complementary Hospital (French), Brest; to Hopital de la Marine, 21 June 1918; to 10th General Hospital, Rouen (prisoner), 25 June 1918.

Note on file states: 'Arrived at Brest by French Ambulance Train posing as a Frenchman. French authorities discovered on 20.6.18 that the man was really an Australia. Base Commandant best has the matter in hand.'

Admitted to No 2 Military Prison, Rouen, for safe custody, 27 June 1918; rejoined Bn, 6 August 1918.

Wounded in action (third occasion), 6 August 1918 (gun shot wound, left knee), and admitted to 6th Australian Field Ambulance; transferred same day to 20th Casualty Clearing Station; to Ambulance Train No 23, 10 August 1918; to 8th Stationary Hospital, Wimereux, 10 August 1918; to England, 26 August 1918, and admitted to Military Hospital, Edmonton (gun shot wound, left knee: severe fracture); to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, 19 December 1918. Discharged on furlough, 24 December 1918, to report to No 2 Command Depot, Weymouth, 7 January 1919.

Commenced return to Australia on board Ht 'Czaritza', 16 March 1919; transhipped to HT 'Dunluce Castle', Alexandria, 7 April 1919; disembarked Sydney, 18 May 1919; discharged (medically unfit), Sydney, 13 November 1920.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal

In 1929 he applied for a Qualification Certificate, in order to be eligible to apply for a land grant, under the name Marcel Jacques KATTE.

Wrote to Base Records, 23 November 1939, requesting a copy of his war service: 'I enlisted under the name of Harold Katte but my pension has been paid in the above name [M. Caux]. Please make the statement out in the name of M. Caux (no aliases).' Made a statutory declaration, 2 December 1939, in the name of 'Caux, Marc or Katte, Harold', and signed both names.
Miscellaneous detailsAlias (post AIF): Marcel CAUX