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Sydney Charles Welch

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Sydney Charles Welch
Welch_Sydney_Charles.jpg
Courtesy Mark Heath
Personal Information
Date of Birth March 1882
Place of Birth Wandsworth, Surrey, England
Death 10 Oct 1964, aged 82
Place of Death East Fremantle, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment 33 years, 7 months
Description 5'9½" (1.76m) tall ; 158 lbs
71.668 kg
; fresh complexion ; grey eyes ; dark brown hair
Occupation Commercial traveller
Religion Church of England
Address c/- Kitley Chemist, Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin Father , Mr C Welch
Military Information
Reg Number 4539
Date of Enlistment 1 Nov 1915
Rank Corporal
Unit/Formation 16th Battalion, 14th reinforcements transferred to AIF HQ / 4th brigade, 4th Division
Date of Embarkation 12 Feb 1916 (embarked 9 Feb) ‒ 11 Mar 1916
Ship Embarked On HMAT A28 Miltiades Fremantle to Port Tewfik (Suez)
Date of Return 18 Dec 1919 ‒ 28 Jan 1920
Ship Returned On SS Königin Luise England to Fremantle
Fate Wounded in Action 18 Sep 1917
Returned to Australia
Monument none at present
Medals British War Medal
Victory Medal




Pre War

Born to Charles Welch and Rose Alice Scopes, Sydney was the oldest of three children, the others being sisters (Gertrude, and Doris Isabel). Prior to emigration to Australia he had served for 5 years with the 3rd Middlesex Artillery.

Electoral Roll entries - 1925 Piawaning, timekeeper; 1928 at 102 Hay street, Perth, clerk; 1931 at 6 Jubilee street, South Perth, cost clerk; 1936 at 131 Bourke street, Kalgoorlie, clerk.

Family history has it that he bought several gold mining leases and seems to have found gold as money was sent back to the family in England. They used the money to purchase silver hair brushes and Doris also used some of the money to electrify her sewing machine.

War Service

Entered Blackboy Hill camp on 1 Nov 1915 and on 16 Dec 1915 was allocated to the 14th reinforcement draft for the 12th Battalion. However, on 4 Jan 1916 this was changed to the 14th draft for the 16th Battalion.

In Egypt, on 16 Apr 1916 he was again reassigned, this time to 4th Division Artillery as part of the reorganisation of the AIF in Egypt in preparation for service on the Western Front. Taken on strength by the 4th Division Ammunition Column at Tel-el-Kebir, on 1 May 1916 he was promoted temporary Bombardier before being transferred a fortnight later to the Artillery Training Depot. At Alexandria on 28 May 1916 he embarked on HMT Corsican for France.


On 27 Jul 1916 he was made Acting Sergeant and transferred to AIF HQ at Tidworth in England. Transferred to France, on 15 Mar 1917 he embarked from Folkestone and reverted to Gunner, before on 29 Mar 1917 when he was appointed Driver, and 10 Apr 1917 when he was made Acting Bombardier again.


Wounded on 18 Sep 1917 in Belgium, he was seen by the 6th Field Ambulance, and the 16th Casualty Clearing Station who placed him on the No 10 Ambulance Train for admission to the 14th Stationary Hospital in Boulogne, before being evacuated to England on 22 Sep 1917 for treatment to his wounded left thigh. In England he was admitted to the Military Hospital in Eastbourne.


On 13 Feb 1918 he was well enough to return to France and to his unit the 47th Battery which he reached on 20 Feb 1918. Prior to leaving England he had reverted to his substantive rank of Driver at his own request. Following the conclusion of hostilities, on 27 Dec 1918 he was transferred to the Army HQ Records Section, where from 6 Mar to 9 Jun 1919 he was temporary Corporal, before being granted leave with pay from 10 Jun till 10 Oct 1919, and without pay until 10 Nov 1919. Discharged by 5th Military District on 28 Mar 1920.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1943 at 317 Fitzgerald street Northam, time keeper; 1949 at 61 Coronation street, Merredin, accountant; 1954 at 33 Carnac street, South Fremantle, no occupation; 1958 at 263 High street, Fremantle, retired; 1963 War Veterans Home, Mt Lawley.

On 31 Mar 1960 Sydney is an active member of the Fremantle sub branch of the RSL.


Notes

Never married. For enlistment he used an Armadale address.


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