Harry Simpson Francis

Harry Simpson Francis

The Westralian Battalion, N Browning, page 325
Personal Information
Date of Birth	9 Feb 1893
Place of Birth	Gawler, South Australia
Death	6 Aug 1965
Place of Death	Subiaco, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	23 years
Description	5'7" (1.70m) tall ; 125lbs 56.699 kg ; fair complexion ; light blue eyes ; dark brown hair
Occupation	Civil servant
Religion	Church of England
Address	Homestead road, Gosnells, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Richard Edgar Francis
Military Information
Reg Number	1820
Date of Enlistment	16 Mar 1916
Rank	Corporal
Unit/Formation	44th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement
Date of Embarkation	9 Aug 1916 ‒ 25 Sep 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A28 Miltiades
Date of Return	1 Jun 1919 ‒ 8 Jul 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Somali
Fate	Wounded in action 4 Jul 1918 at Hamel Returned to Australia
Monument	Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll Gosnells Ward Honour Roll
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Harry was the second of four children born in South Australia to Richard Edgar Francis and Emma Laura Smith. The family moved to Western Australia after 1897, and Harry attended Perth Boys School where he sat the Junior Examination in 1908 before being employed by the Western Australian Civil Service. Electoral Roll entry: 1916 at Homestead road, Gosnells, civil servant.

War Service

Entered camp on 16 Mar 1916 and on 4 Apr 1916 was sent to the Signal School until 29 May 1916 when he was assigned to the 2nd reinforcement draft for the 44th Battalion. He sailed with them on 9 Aug 1916 from Fremantle on the HMAT A28 Miltiades, arriving and disembarking at Plymouth on 25 Sep 1916. In England on 25 Sep 1916 he was admitted to the 4th Southern General Hospital in Plymouth with Cerebro Spinal Barrier.

His stay must have been brief as on 13 Oct 1916 he left the 11th Training Battalion to join his unit, but then on 2 Dec 1916 he was transferred from the 3rd Division's Amalgamated Training Battalion to the 8th Training Battalion. On 11 Jan 1917 he was again transferred, this time to the 11th Training Battalion, and then between 25 Jan and 3 Mar 1917 he was in training to be qualified as an Assistant Instructor at the Signal School in Weymouth. On 1 May 1917 he was promoted Corporal, before being detached for duty with the No.3 Eastern Group HQs from the 44th Battalion. On 7 Nov 1917 he was taken on strength of the permanent Cadre of HQs 2nd Training Brigade as an acting Sergeant at Fovant until 23 Jan 1918 when he transferred to the 10th Training Battalion, returning to his substantive rank of Corporal.

Harry proceeded overseas to France via Southampton on 30 Jan 1918, and on 7 Feb 1918 he was taken on strength by the 44th Battalion who at the time were out of the line. On 9 May 1918 he reported ill to the 11th Field Ambulance who transferred him the same day to the 61st Casualty Clearing Station. On 11 May 1918 he was admitted to the 10th General Hospital in Rouen where he was treated until 19 May 1918. Harry returned to the battalion through the normal base depot chain, arriving back with the 44th Battalion on 25 May 1918.

On 4 Jul 1918 the 44th Battalion were a part of the Battle for Hamel, where Harry was wounded in action. He received a bullet wound to his right leg and after being patched up by the 13th Field Ambulance he was sent to the 47th Casualty Clearing Station who in turn placed him aboard Ambulance Train No. 9 for the 1st Australian General Hospital at Rouen. Admitted on 6 Jul 1918 he was released to the base depot on 26 Jul 1918. On 4 Aug 1918 he was reclassified as a result of his wounds and transferred to the Australian Employment Company in advance of his Medical Board on 4 Sep 1918.

On 25 Oct 1918 he was reunited with the 44th Battalion, then resting and rebuilding well behind the action at Heucourt midway between Arras and Cambrai. Granted Paris leave on 22 Jan 1919, he returned to the battalion on 1 Feb 1919, remaining with them at Cerisy-Buleux until he was part of the second group from the Battalion to head home. He left France on 4 Apr 1919 for Codford in England. Following his return to Australia, Harry was discharged at 5th Military District on 22 Aug 1919.

Post War

Dorothy Milicent Electoral Roll entries: 1925 - 1937 Homestead road, Gosnells, civil servant; 1943 Albany road, Cannington, civil servant; 1949 - 1963 at 17 Chester street, Subiaco.

Notes

For further information on this soldier, or for more information about the history and heritage of the City of Gosnells, please contact the Heritage Coordinator on 9391 6011