The AIF Project

War service: Western Front

Embarked Adelaide, 9 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, 20 July 1916; proceeded to England.

Proceeded overseas to France, 25 November 1916.

Admitted to 11th Field Ambulance, 16 March 1917 (tschio rectal abscess), and transferred to Casualty Clearing Station; to 10th Ambulance Train, 20 March 1917, and admitted to 2nd Canadian Stationary Hospital, Boulogne, 21 March 1917; discharged to 7th Convalescent Depot, 25 March 1917; to 3rd Australian Division Base Depot, 29 March 1917; rejoined unit, 16 April 1917.

Transferred to England to join Australian Flying Corps.

Attached for instruction at No 71 Squadron, Castle Bromwich, 27 June 1917. Found guilty, Shawbury, 30 June 1917, of being absent without leave from 11.45 pm, 28 June, to 11.45 pm,

Detached to 43rd Bn, and marched out to No 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, 15 August 1917. 29 June 1917: severely reprimanded and forfeited 2 days' pay.

Marched out to Overseas Training Brigade, 12 September 1917. Proceeded overseas to France, 24 April 1918; taken on strength, 43rd Bn, 28 April 1918.

Admitted to 53rd Casualty Clearing Station, 2 June 1918 (accidental burns, left forearm); transferred by Ambulance train No 23, 3 June 1918, and admitted to 9th General Hospital, Rouen, 4 June 1918; transferred to No 2 Convalescent Depot, 8 June 1918; to No 11 Convalescent Depot, 11 June 1918; rejoined unit, 6 August 1918.

Admitted to 11th Australian Field Ambulance, 10 October 1918 (not yet diagnosed); transferred same day to 41st Casualty Clearing Station (trench fever); to 3rd Australian General Hospital, 11 October 1918; discharged to duty, 4 November 1918; rejoined Bn, 5 November 1918.

Detached to Divisional Train, 11 November 1918; transferred to 5th Motor Transport Company, 13 January 1919; to 3rd Motor Transport Company, 1 May 1919.

Marched out to England for return to Australia, 14 May 1919; taken on strength, Australian Motor Transport Section, 20 May 1919.

Granted leave with pay only from 25 July to 31 October 1919 for Non-Military Employment, to attend James Coulter Morgan Works, Dundee, Scotland; reverted to substantive rank of Private (from Driver) as from 25 July 1919. Leave cancelled, 14 October 1919.

Discharged from the AIF in England, 17 October 1919. Approval for discharge in England followed application form his father, James Couttie, who ran a well-established biscuit manufacturing business in Dundee.