Thomas Percival (Percy) Hanretty

Thomas Percival (Percy) Hanretty

Western Mail 27 Sep 1918 page 19
Personal Information
Date of Birth	Baptised 9 Jun 1884
Place of Birth	Fremantle, Western Australia
Death	8 May 1959, aged 74
Place of Death	Fremantle
Age at Enlistment	31 years, 10 months
Description	5'7" (1.70m) tall ; 160 lbs 72.575 kg ; dark complexion ; brown eyes ; black hair
Occupation	Mill hand
Religion	Church of England
Address	Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Brother , Mr Francis John Hanretty
Military Information
Reg Number	5022
Date of Enlistment	8 Mar 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, 13th Reinforcement /7th Brigade, 2nd Division
Date of Embarkation	18 Jul 1916 ‒ 9 Sep 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A48 Seang Bee
Date of Return	18 Jan 1919 ‒ 23 Feb 1919
Ship Returned On	HMHS Margha
Fate	Wounded in Action 4 Oct 1917 Broodseinde Wounded in Action 2 Sep 1918 Mont St Quentin Returned to Australia
Monument	Mundijong Honour Roll Jarrahdale Honour Roll ANZAC Memorial Park (Byford)
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entry - 1910 Board Mill, Jarrahdale, labourer; 1916 Mundijong, labourer.

War Service

A month after entering Blackboy Hill camp, Tom was allocated to the 13th reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion. Along with the rest of the draft he boarded HMAT A48 Seang Bee in Fremantle on 18 Jul 1916 and disembarked in England on 9 Sep 1916. On arrival in England he was sent to the 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone to undertake training related to serving in the trenches on the continent. On 16 Nov 1916 Tom proceeded to France via Folkestone on the HMT Victoria. In France he was held at the 2nd Division Base Depot for some other specialised training until he was taken on strength by the 28th Battalion on 4 Dec 1916 at St Vaast-en-Chaussee where it was in billets, training in preparation for the 1917 campaigns.

Percy was Wounded in Action with a shell wound to his scalp on 4 Oct 1917 when his unit was involved in an attack on Broodseinde Ridge on the southern outskirts of Zonnebeke at 7:00am. The 28th Battalion suffered fewer casualties than the 26th Battalion that advanced through them to capture the actual ridge line. Tom's wound was treated first by the 3rd Field Ambulance, followed by the 17th Casualty Clearing Station, and then the 26th General Hospital in Étaples. The 28th Battalion's casualties numbered 91 wounded, 5 missing and 42 killed in action. Tom made a speedy recovery and returned to the battalion on 24 Oct 1917. On 3 Dec 1917 he presented to the 7th Field Ambulance with Venereal Disease, and was forwarded to the 39th General Hospital in Le Havre. A total of 90 days ineffective service resulted before he was again available for duty.

Rejoining the 28th Battalion on 12 Mar 1918, he was with them during the period when the German attack towards Amiens was blunted, and then reversed with the Australians involved in a series of successful battles as the German front line was pushed back in the Somme region. On 2 Sep 1918 Tom was wounded for a second time. The 28th Battalion was the Reserve Battalion for an attack to the east of Mont St Quentin, as part of a larger attempt to capture Péronne. Operating in reserve they were used to plug holes in the attacking forces as they appeared. By the end of the day 13 members of the battalion had been killed, and 75 wounded, including Tom who had received a GSW to his left leg and thigh.

Initially seen by the 6th Field Ambulance, followed by the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station, Percy was then transported by Ambulance Train to No 10 General Hospital in Rouen. On 6 Sep 1918 Percy was evacuated by the HMHS Guildford Castle to England where he entered the Beauford War Hospital in Bristol. Surgical treatment completed he was released on 16 Oct 1918 to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford who in turn released him a week later, transferring him to the No 2 Command Depot, where he began the process of returning to Australia. Percy boarded the HMHS Margha on 18 Jan 1919 and disembarked at Fremantle on 23 Feb 1919. Finally, Percy was discharged by the 5th Military District on 2 Apr 1919.

Post War

In November 1924 his address was 83 Solomon street, Beaconsfield. Electoral Roll entries - 1943 South street, Hilton Park, poultry farmer; 1949 at 1 Esplanade North Fremantle, retired; 1954 - 1958 at 151 Solomon street, South Fremantle, retired

Notes

Signed his name Percy Hanretty

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial