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Joseph Pulford

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Joseph Pulford
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Personal Information
Date of Birth c1870
Place of Birth Birkenhead, Liverpool, England
Death 19 Apr 1922, aged 51
Place of Death Gosnells, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment 43 years, 10 months
Description 5'6½" (1.69m) tall ; 133lbs
60.328 kg
; fair complexion ; brown eyes ; light brown hair ; tattoos on left and right forearms
Occupation Blacksmith
Religion Church of England
Address Hicks street, Gosnells, Western Australia
Next of Kin Wife , Mrs Ida Roselia Pulford
Military Information
Reg Number 1987
Date of Enlistment 25 Jun 1915
Rank Private
Unit/Formation 28th Battalion, 3rd Reinforcement, transferred to the 50th Battalion
Date of Embarkation 2 Sep 1915 ‒ ?? Jul 1915
Ship Embarked On HMAT A68 Anchises
Date of Return 4 May 1917 ‒ 24 Jun 1917
Ship Returned On HMAT A28 Miltiades
Fate Returned to Australia - medical
Monument Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll
Gosnells Ward Honour Roll
Medals 1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal



Pre War

Married with son Arthur Henry and daughters Ida and Alma Isobel (1904 - ).

Electoral Roll entry: 1903 with Ida at Muchea, fettler; 1910 at Padbury street, Moora, blacksmith; 1912 - 1913 at Gregory street, Geraldton, blacksmith; 1916 Hicks street Gosnells, blacksmith.

The 1905 Post Office Directory places Joseph at Armadale.

War Service

Entered the Blackboy Hill camp on 25 Jun 1915, and was soon after allocated to the 3rd reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion, training in WA, and travelling to Egypt with them. While in training Joseph was charged with being AWOL from 2:00pm until 4:00pm on 23 Jul 1915 when he was arrested by the piquet at the Darling Range Hotel. For this he was admonished.

Part of the 3rd reinforcement draft joined the main battalion on Gallipoli on 11 Oct 1915, remaining there until the battalion was evacuated on 12 Dec 1915. Joseph's records are silent, but he may have served on Gallipoli, albeit only for a short time.

In Egypt, on 2 Apr 1916 as part of the reorganisation of the AIF. Joseph was taken on strength by the 50th Battalion at Serapeum in Egypt. With them, on 5 Jun 1915 he boarded HMT Arcadian in Alexandria harbour for Marseilles in southern France, arriving there and disembarking on 12 Jun 1916. During the voyage Joseph was posted to the unit's Transport Section and mustered as a Driver.

In France on 15 Sep 1916 Joseph faced a General Court Martial held in the field, being charged with "Whilst on Active Service - Drunkenness" Found guilty he was awarded 40 day's Field Punishment No 2.(see notes)

On 8 Feb 1917 Joseph was seen by the 12th Field Ambulance and diagnosed with severe rheumatism. Passed to the 45th Casualty Clearing Station the same day, and next day placed aboard Ambulance Train No. 5 for the 5th General Hospital in Rouen. On 14 Feb 1917 Joseph was embarked on HMHS St Patrick for England. On arrival in England he entered the 2nd Birmingham War Hospital. With improved health he was discharged on 23 Mar 1917 and granted a fortnight's furlough, with orders to report to Perham Downs. He was then transferred to the 2nd Convalescent Depot at Weymouth before shipping home on medical grounds - Chronic Rheumatism, and senility.

Although deemed fit for home service, as was generally the case with returning soldiers, he was discharged by the 5th Military District on 16 Jul 1917 after a medical checkup in the 8th Australian General Hospital at Fremantle between 24 and 29 Jun 1917.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries: 1917 Hicks street, Gosnells, blacksmith. Ida died on 26 Apr 1938, aged 66.

Notes

Field punishment could be awarded by a court martial or a commanding officer for any offence committed on active service.

There were two categories of field punishment. Field punishment No. 1 consisted of heavy labouring duties, possibly being restrained for several hours each day in handcuffs or fetters, and being tied to a post or wheel. Field punishment No. 2 differed, in that the offender was not liable to be attached to a fixed object.

All offenders awarded field punishment would march with their unit, carry their arms and accoutrements, perform all their military duties as well as extra fatigue duties, and be treated as defaulters.


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