Walter Raymond Farnham

Personal Information
Date of Birth	24 Sep 1897
Place of Birth	Fremantle, Western Australia
Death	9 Oct 1922
Place of Death	Edward Millen Home, Victoria Park, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	21 years, 6 months
Description	5'6½" (1.69m) tall; weight 142 lbs (64.4 kg); fair complexion, blue eyes, brown hair
Occupation	clerk
Religion	Church of England
Address	Station Master's House, Kelmscott, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father Mr Joshua Farnham
Military Information
Reg Number	4436
Date of Enlistment	1 Oct 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	11th Battalion, transferred to 51st Battalion / 13th Brigade, 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	9 Oct 1915 - unknown at Alexandria
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A7 Medic As a Stowaway
Date of Return	10 Jul 1916 - 6 Aug 1916
Ship Returned On	HMAT A46 Clan McGillivray
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Kelmscott
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

2 Oct 1912 accepted as a cadet in the Western Australian Railways. On 9 Feb 1914 he was suspended and then dismissed for unsatisfactory conduct and submitting a bogus letter re military leave.

War Service

Walter stowed away on the HMAT Medic, and was enlisted at Ghezirah, Cairo, Egypt on 1 Oct 1915. He appears to have served at Gallipoli with the 11th Battalion before returning to Egypt where he was transferred to the 51st Battalion on its formation. During his time at Gallipoli, he was hospitalised on Lemnos (2nd Stationery Hospital) for three weeks with Rheumatic Fever.

On his return to Egypt, he suffered an accidental bullet wound to his arm, and was hospitalised again in July, five days after joining the 51st Battalion with heart issues (myocarditis). Found to be unfit for duty, he was promptly returned to Australia, leaving Suez, Egypt via the HMAT A46 Clan McGillivray on 10 Jul 1916, and arriving in Melbourne on 6th August.

He was discharged by 5th Military District on 28 Aug 1916.

Post War

Awarded a pension which was increased on 21 Jun 1917 to 30/- fortnightly. At the time he was again residing with his parents at the Kelmscott Railway Stationmaster's house.

Married in 1921 to Janet Cowan. Janet appears to remarry in 1935 to James H McCulloch.

DEATHS - FARNHAM - On October 9, 1922, at his residence, 437 Albany-road, Victoria Park, Walter Raymond, dearly beloved husband of Janet Farnham, aged 25 years. A patient sufferer at rest. A later entry speaks of the staff at the Edward Millen Home where obviously Walter was being cared for.