The AIF Project

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Taken on strength of 18th Bn, Gallipoli, 29 September 1915; marched in to Alexandria from Mudros, 9 January 1916 (general Gallipoli evacuation).

Proceeded from Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 March 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 25 March 1916.

Found guilty, 6 July 1916, of (1) drunkenness and (2) using insubordinate expressions: awarded 14 days' Field Punishment No 2.

Wounded in action, 28 July 1916; admitted to Field Ambulance, 1 August 1916 (gun shot wound to leg); transferred to 29th Casualty Clearing Station, 2 August 1916; to England, 4 August 1916; admitted to 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, England, 5 August 1916; discharged from hospital and marched out to Perham Downs Command Depot, 19 October 1916.

Granted leave, 21 October 1916; rejoined from leave, 6 November 1916; marched out to Barracks, 27 November 1916; marched in to Perham Downs Command Depot, 24 May 1917; marched out to Camp Headquarters, 4 June 1917; reported absent without leave from Training Depot, 9 June 1917; returned from absence, 11 July 1917.

Admitted to Military Hospital, Tidworth, 15 July 1917 (tonsillitis); discharged to duty, 30 July 1917.

Found guilty, 21 July 1917, of being absent without leave from 9:30 pm, 12 June to 9:45 pm, 11 July 1917: awarded 28 days' Field Punishment No 2 and forfeited 60 days' pay.

Proceeded overseas to France, 4 August 1917; marched in to 2nd Australian Division Base Depot, Havre, France, 6 August 1917.

Found guilty, 13 August 1917, of having a breech cover on rifle, while on parade: awarded 14 days' confined to Camp.

Rejoined Bn, 20 August 1917.

Field General. Court Martial held 'in the field' on 23 October 1917: charge: 'When on active service, deserting his Majesty's Service in that he, in the field on 4 October 1917, when warned for a particular duty did absent himself without leave from 4:00 am, 4 October 1917 until apprehended at 11:00 am, 6 October 1917.' Plea: not guilty. Finding: guilty. Sentenced to 10 years' Penal servitude. In confinement, awaiting trial from 7 October to 22 October 1917. Sentence of 10 years suspended, 6 November 1917.

Admitted to 10th Field Ambulance, 18 December 1917 (oedema feet); transferred to 11th Field Ambulance, 20 December 1917; to Divisional Rest Station, 24 December 1917; to 1st Casualty Clearing Station, 7 January 1918 (trench feet); discharged to duty, 3 February 1918; rejoined unit, 7 February 1918.

Found guilty, 18 March 1918, of being absent without leave from 7:00 am to 2:45 pm, 18 March 1918: awarded forfeiture of 5 days' pay.

Declared illegal absentee, 26 March 1918; to unit, 27 April 1918; rejoined unit, 2 June 1918.

Field General. Court Martial held in the field on 27 June 1918: charge: when on active service, deserting his Majesty's Service in that he, when in the front line trenches on 26 March 1918 did absent himself without leave and remained absent until apprehended at Abberville at 9:35 pm, 28 May 1918: found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment for life.

Sentence for life commuted to 10 years, 10 July 1918; first sentence of 10 years (Field General Court Martial, 23 October 1917) ordered to run concurrently with second sentence FGCMl, 27 June 1918), 31 July 1918; marched out to No 1 Military Prison, France, 18 August 1918; sentence of 10 years commuted to 2 years' imprisonment with hard labour, 12 November 1918.

Released from Military Prison on remission of remainder of sentence, 7 April 1919; rejoined 18th Bn, 11 April 1919.

Admitted to 20th Casualty Clearing Station, France, 29 April 1919 (tonsillitis); transferred to 1st Ambulance Train, 6 May 1919; to 26th General Hospital, 7 May 1919; to England, 23 May 1919; admitted to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, England, 24 May 1919; discharged from hospital and granted pre-embarkation leave, 30 August 1919; marched in to Sutton Veny Command Depot, 15 September 1919.

Commenced return to Australia on board HT 'Port Denison', from Devonport, 25 September 1919; disembarked Sydney, 17 November 1919; discharged, 16 January 1920.