| Regimental number | 1 |
| Date of birth | |
| Place of birth | Bendigo, Victoria |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Occupation | Student |
| Address | Carlton, Victoria |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 21 |
| Height | 5' 3" |
| Weight | 129 lbs |
| Next of kin | Father, George Aarons, 173 Lygon Street, Carlton, Victoria |
| Previous military service | Served for 2 years in the Senior Cadets; 2 years at Royal Military College, Duntroon: discharged on account of failure to qualify, December 1915. |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Rank on enlistment | Sergeant |
| Unit name | 39th Battalion, A Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/56/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Lieutenant |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 3rd Machine Gun Battalion |
| Promotions |
2nd Lieutenant Unit: Machine Gun Battalion Promotion date: Lieutenant Unit: 3rd Machine Gun Battalion Promotion date: |
| Fate | Returned to Australia |
| Discharge date | |
| Other details |
War service: Western Front Embarked Melbourne, 27 May 1916; disembarked Devonport, England, 18 July 1916. Appointed Company Sergeant Major (WO II), 23 August 1916. Marched into 10th Training Bn, 9 December 1916. Promoted Temporary Regimental Sergeant Major, 1 January 1917. Selected to attend Machine Gun Course at Grantham, 1 June 1917. Appointed 2nd Lieutenant, 5 October 1917, and posted to Machine Gun Corps Reinforcements. Admitted to 1st London General Hospital, 29 December 1917 (epistaxis); discharged to No 1 Command Depot, Sutton Veny, 5 February 1918. Proceeded overseas to France, 25 June 1918; taken on strength, 3rd Machine Gun Bn, in the field, 1 July 1918. Promoted Lieutenant, 5 August 1918. Wounded in action, 2 October 1918 (gassed), and admitted to 11th Australian Field Ambulance; transferred to 2nd Red Cross Hospital, Rouen, 3 October 1918; to England, 8 October 1918, and admitted to 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth; discharged to Cobham Convalescent Hospital, 22 November 1918. Attached to Repatriation & Demobilisation Department, AIF Headquarters, London, for duty, 21 December 1918. Marched into Overseas Training Brigade, Longbridge Deverill, 14 January 1919. Granted leave with pay and subs, 20 April-20 June 1919 (Non-Military Employment: attending Pitman's School, Southampton Row, London; NME leave extended, 25 July-29 October 1919). Granted leave without pay, 1 November 1919-30 May 1920: business. Commenced return to Australia on board HT 'Orontes', 19 June 1920; disembarked Melbourne, 1 August 1920; appointment terminated (discharged), Melbourne, 30 May 1921. Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal Moved to New Zealand post 1919. Legally adopted the surname ASHTON in 1921. |
| Miscellaneous details | Religion stated to be 'Hebrew' on Attestation Form; crossed out and replaced with 'Church of England' following formal request from soldier, 12 October 1917. |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, AARONS Theodore Harold
Repatriation File R 18078 |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
