Clarence Roy Champion

Clarence Roy Champion

Personal Information
Date of Birth	1 Aug 1892
Place of Birth	Ballarat, Victoria
Death	11 Jan 1945
Place of Death	Armadale, Werstern Australia
Age at Enlistment	23 years old
Description	5'6½" (1.69m) tall ; 135 lbs 61.235 kg ; dark complexion ; brown eyes ; black hair
Occupation	Orchardist
Religion	Methodist
Address	Bedfordale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Hope Champion
Military Information
Reg Number	1753
Date of Enlistment	6 Aug 1915
Rank	Driver
Unit/Formation	10th Light Horse Regiment, 11th Reinforcement, transfers to ANZAC Mounted Divisional Train (34th Coy AASC)
Date of Embarkation	1 Nov 1915 ‒ unknown "unknown" contains an extrinsic dash or other characters that are invalid for a date interpretation.
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A24 Benalla
Date of Return	15 Jun 1919 ‒ 16 Jul 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Essex
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Armadale War Memorial (Bedfordale panel) Bedfordale Roll of Honour Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Married Hope Olive Ray in July 1915 before going overseas.

War Service

On entering camp Clarence was initially allocated to the 22nd Depot Company, but this soon changed to the 3rd Depot Squadron. Other than that, his records tell us little about the period between his enlistment in Aug 1915 and 26 Feb 1916 when he left Heliopolis in Egypt for Serapeum.

On 16 Jun 1916 he was disciplined for insolence to an NCO with 7 days Field Punishment No. 2. (see notes below). Reported ill on 4 Sep 1916 to the 26th Casualty Clearing Station, on the 5th he entered the 31st General Hospital at Port Said in Egypt for treatment for influenza, being released five days later for return to his unit.

New Year 1917 is spent being cared for by the 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance, and on 6 Jan 1917 he was noted as being on duty with the dismounted HQ of the 10th Light Horse Regiment. On 18 Jul 1917 he was again hospitalised, this time with general debility before being transferred to the Australian Mounted Division Train at Kantara on 31 Aug 1917.

On the same day he was appointed Driver, and taken on strength of the 3rd Australian Army Service Company at Moascar. On 4 Aug 1917 he was again in trouble and was chastised for failing to salute an officer. Interestingly the charge was dismissed.

In late August 1918 he spent time in hospital in Jerusalem with dysentery. After passing through the hands of the 66th Casualty Clearing Station; the 76th Casualty Clearing Station; the 24th Stationary Hospital; and the Port Said annex of 14th Australian General Hospital (30 Aug - 28 Sep 1918), he reached a rest camp in late Sep where he remained for a fortnight before he went AWOL for a night.

He was also ill from 9 to 17 Apr 1919 in the 44th Stationary Hospital in Kantara before returning to Australia. Boarded the SS Essex at Kantara for Australia.

Discharged 5th Military District 9 Sep 1919.

"Enlisted 6 Aug 1915 and sailed with the 11th reinforcements of the 10th Light Horse - currently in Egypt."

Post War

On return from the war, Clarence & Hope initially return to the orchard (1921 &25 electoral rolls). However, by 1931 as a labourer he has moved to live on the Bunbury road (South West Highway) Armadale, where he remains until his death. Hope remained in Armadale until her death on 7 Dec 1987 when she was 92 years old. Son Kenneth Roy born 4 Mar 1916 at Jarrahdale.