Austin, Henry Ernest

No.1101 – Corporal Henry Ernest Austin – 11^th Battalion AIF

Henry Ernest Austin was born in York Western Australia in 1886, the son of Henry & Amelia Austin. He grew up in Northam where he went to the local school and later became a farm hand. In the 1910 Census he was listed as a brewery hand. He then married Mary Hatherly in Perth in 1914 and resided in Howard Street South Fremantle. A son, Cecil Ernest Austin was born in 1914 though unfortunately the child died at just 8 months old.

On the 25^th November 1914 Henry offered his services to the recruiting office where he was passed as fit. The medical examiner found Henry to be 5 feet 11 inches; weight of 162 lbs; chest measurement of 34-37 inches; dark complexion; grey eyes & brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.

Henry was assigned to the 1^st Reinforcements to the 11^th Battalion AIF. This reinforcement group was sent to Melbourne where they embarked on the HMAT A32 Themistocles 22^nd December 1914. He joined the 11^th Battalion in Egypt on the 16^th February 1915 and went with them when they embarked for Lemnos Island in March 1915. Henry would have been among the 11^th Battalion when they landed at Gallipoli on April 25^th 1915 though it seems he was wounded during the first few days of the campaign as by May 1915 he was back in hospital in Egypt. He arrived back at Gallipoli on the 24^th August 1915.

In September he was struck down with diarrhea and evacuated once again to hospital in Egypt. He was only released from hospital on the 14^th December 1915 and as Gallipoli was being evacuated, he did not go back there. He was attached to base headquarters in Cairo where he was employed as a staff picquet. During this time he contracted VD and thus spent some time at No.2 ASH and No.1 Australian Dermatological Hospital. It wasn’t until July 1916 that he was well again and he travelled to the UK where he went to the 3^rd Training Battalion at Perham Downs. On the 29^th August 1916 he embarked for France and joined the 1^st Australian Division Base Depot.  On the 16^th September 1916 he was admitted to 18^th General hospital at Camiers with gonorrhoea. He was discharged back to the 1^st Division base depot at Etaples on the 4^th November 1916. He rejoined the 11^th Battalion at Flers on the 16^th November 1916. He was with the 11^th Battalion until the 4^th of April 1917 when he was evacuated to hospital with influenza, only rejoining the 11^th on the 10^th May 1915, thereby missing two of the 11^th’s costliest engagements for 1917 at Lagnicourt & Bullecourt. On the 31^st May 1917 he was appointed Lance-Corporal and in July to Corporal. Henry served in the Third Battle of Ypres in September/October 1917 but was then transferred to the 3^rd Training Battalion in England where he was on the teaching command at the Lewis Gun School at Sutton Veny. Henry had stints at both No.2 & No. 3 Training school until he transferred back to France on the 31^st December 1917. He rejoined the 11^th on the 2^nd January 1918.

Henry spent the next five months with the 11^th Battalion and was involved when the 3^rd Brigade units were opposing the Germans in their advance against Hazebrouck. On the 11^th May 1918 Henry was killed in action just outside the village of Strazeele. He was buried by his battalion mates and later interred at Borre British Cemetery Plot I.A.35.

His wife Mary, having moved from South Fremantle to Spearwood received his effects & medals. She received a pension of 52/3 per fortnight