Ernest Camp

Ernest Camp

Personal Information
Date of Birth	not known 1886
Place of Birth	Jamestown, South Australia
Death	17 Oct 1973, aged 87
Place of Death	Swanbourne, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	30 years, 1 month
Description	5'8" (1.m) tall ; 162 lbs 73.482 kg ; fresh complexion ; grey eyes ; brown hair ; numerous tattoos
Occupation	Boilermaker
Religion	Church of England
Address	Gretland House, Gosnells, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Annie Elizabeth Camp
Military Information
Reg Number	7965
Date of Enlistment	4 Apr 1917
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	11th Battalion, 27th Reinforcements transferred to the 51st Battalion & then the 10th Battalion
Date of Embarkation	30 Oct 1917 ‒ 27 Dec 1917
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A60 Aeneas
Date of Return	22 Dec 1918 ‒ 5 Feb 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A41 Bakara
Fate	Wounded in Action (gassed) 25 Apr 1918 Villers-Bretonneux Wounded in Action 19 Sep 1918 Jeancourt Returned to Australia
Monument	Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll Gosnells Ward Honour Roll
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

In 1917 Ernest married Annie Elizabeth Holroyd. Annie died on 26 Oct 1966 aged 74.

War Service

Entering camp on 5 Apr 1917, Ernest was allocated to artillery's Trench Mortar training and sent to Seymour in Victoria on 19 May 1917. On 8 Aug 1917 he was transferred to the Broadmeadows camp, and on 17 Sep 1917 he was re-allocated to the 27th reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion. He travelled to England from Melbourne, disembarking in Devonport.

On arrival in England he was sent to the 2nd Training Battalion in Sutton Veny (27 Dec 1917) for further infantry training. On 2 Feb 1918 he was charged with having been AWOL from midnight 29 Jan 1918 until 9:10pm 30 Jan 1918. Awarded 3 days Field Punishment No 2, and forfeited 4 days pay. Ernest proceeded overseas to France on 1 Apr 1918 and entered the 4th Division's Base Depot in Calais, and on 6 Apr 1918 he was taken on strength by the 51st Battalion which at that time was in the line between Buire and Dernancourt, France.

On 24 Apr 1918 the 51st Battalion, with the rest of the Australian 13th Brigade marched 8 miles to take up positions near Villers-Bretonneux which had been overrun and captured from British troops the previous day. The 13th Brigade were to capture ground south of the township with the 51st Battalion closest to the town. The attack was initiated at night and by the morning of 25 Apr 1918 they were in position around the town. Given that Ernest was gassed, it could have occurred at any time after daylight on 25 Apr 1918 as the Germans used a heavy barrage of gas and High explosive artillery shells throughout the day causing casualties on a regular basis.

Affected by Mustard Gas, Ernest was seen by the 12th Australian Field Ambulance on 28 Mar 1918, before being sent to the 24th General Hospital in Étaples on 30 Apr 1918. Evacuated to England aboard HS Ville de Liege on 3 May 1918, he entered the 2/1st Southern General Hospital in Dudley road Birmingham on 4 May 1918. On 30 May 1918 he was released to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital which quickly assessed him and sent him on furlough from 1 - 15 Jun 1918.

Recovered, Ernest proceeded overseas to France again from Folkestone on 24 Jul 1918, this time as a reinforcement to the 10th Battalion, and he joined them on 31 Jul 1918 as they were coming out of the line in the Merris Sector. On 19 Sep 1918 he was wounded in action a second time, this time with shell concussion. A the time the 10th Battalion was advancing near Jeancourt, France, successfully advancing the line 5,000 yards (3,000 metres). Evacuated to England on 23 Sep 1918, he was admitted to the VA Hospital in Cheltenham after assessment by the 2nd Southern General Hospital in Bristol on 24 Sep 1918.

While recovering, Ernest was granted furlough, but returned late, and therefore was charged with being AWOL from 10:00am 12 Nov 1918 until 9:00am 13 Nov 1918. He was admonished and forfeited a day's pay. On 16 Nov 1918 he was sent to Sutton Veny where he began the return to Australia on medical grounds, leaving the UK on 22 Dec 1918.

Ernest was discharged by the 5th Military District on 7 Mar 1919.

Post War

Son George was born 30 Jun 1918. Daughter Dorothy was born 1 Jun 1920. Electoral Roll entries: 1921 in Lincoln street, East Perth, conductor; 1925 - 1931 Lesmurdie with Annie, a labourer; 1936 at 54 Lyons street, Cottesloe, a miner; 1943 - 1972 at 99 North street, Claremont, miner (Son George Ernest a salesman in 1940s).