Paul Henzell Hemy

Personal Information
Date of Birth	c1880
Place of Birth	Newcastle-on-Tyne, Northumberland, England
Death	19 Feb 1958
Place of Death	Kelmscott, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	35 years, 2 months
Description	5'3½" (1.61 m) tall; weight 124lbs (56.2 kg); fresh complexion, dark brown eyes, dark hair
Occupation	storeman
Religion	Roman Catholic
Address	1183 Hay Street, West Perth, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife Mrs. Margaret Isabel Hemy
Military Information
Reg Number	5024
Date of Enlistment	6 Mar 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, 13th Reinforcement / 7th Brigade, 2nd Division
Date of Embarkation	18 Jul 1916 - 9 Sep 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A48 Seang Bee
Date of Return	16 Jun 1919 - 24 Jul 1919
Ship Returned On	RMS Ormonde
Fate	Returned to Australia
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries - 1916 at 1183 Hay street, storeman

War Service

A month after enlisting Paul was allocated to the 13th reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion. After early training in WA his draft was shipped to England aboard HMAT A48 Seang Bee, departing Fremantle on 19 July 1916 and arriving in Plymouth on 9 Sep 1916. On arrival he was sent to the 7th Training Battalion to undertake further training on the Salisbury Plain. On 2 Nov 1916 he was judged to be ready for front line service and he proceeded overseas to France on the SS Princess Henriette from Folkestone. On arrival he passed through final training at the Divisional base depot before he was taken on strength by the 28th Battalion on 18 Nov 1916 as they are being replaced in the front line.

On 17 Jan 1917 he was admitted to the 5th General Hospital in Rouen from the 36th Casualty Clearing Station with conjunctivitis, and on 31 Jan 1917 was embarked in Le Havre on the HMHS Lanfranc for England. On arrival in England, he was admitted to a Voluntary Aid hospital in Cheltenham, and on 3 Apr 1917, following treatment he was given furlough before reporting for further duty in France. However he spent 5 months from 24 Apr 1917 till 19 Sep 1917 with the 70th Battalion in Wareham, including a week long stint in Fovant hospital due to a sprained ankle, before he returned to France via Southampton on 17 Oct 1917. On 23 Oct 1917 he was again a member of the 28th Battalion and he remained with them until he returned to Australia, although he did enjoy another leave break in the UK during late Oct 1918.

At the time of the Armistice the battalion was resting and rebuilding in the small village of Berteaucourt, north-west of Amiens. Soon after the Armistice the 28th Battalion and the rest of the Australian 7th Brigade was initially earmarked as part of the British 4th Army to relocate to Coblenz as part of the Army of Occupation. They began their move on 23 Nov 1918, travelling through Amiens and Péronne by train, and then marched via stops at Busigny, Ribeauville, Grand Fayt, Beaufort, and Cousolre into Belgium. At this point it was decided that the Australian troops would not proceed into Germany, but wait in Belgium for their return to Australia, with the 28th Battalion basing itself in Marcinelle, some 2 miles from the large industrial city of Charleroi.

On 13 Apr 1919 Paul left the 28th Battalion for England and he embarked on RMS Ormonde on 16 Jun 1919 for Australia, disembarking in Fremanl;te on 24 Jul 1919. Paulo was discharged by 5th Military District on 7 Sep 1919.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1919 152 Hill street, Fremantle, storeman; 1922 carter for Standard Bakery, Wittenoom street, Collie; 1931 an engineer at Holden road, Roleystone; 1936 -1937 a conveyor belt attendant at Canning Dam; 1943 - 1954 same job but has moved to River road, Kelmscott

Margaret Isabel died 9 Apr 1973 in Thornlie.

Notes

Worker on the construction of the Canning Dam, and he afterwards remained in the district.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial