Ayling, Henry Edward

No.1508 – Private Henry Edward Ayling – 28^th Battalion AIF

Henry Ayling was born in Bermondsey London England in 1896 to Henry Alice Ayling. It appears his father may have died or left as the 1901 Census, Henry was living with his mother and grandmother in Lewisham England. They came to Australia in 1905 when Henry was 9 years old. Upon arrival Henry went to a local state school and later took up work as a farm cook. His mother lived at Ellen Street Fremantle.

On the 29^th April 1915, Henry offered his services to the AIF. He was examined by the medical examiner who found him to be 5 feet five inches in height; weight of 108 lbs; chest measurement of 35-36 inches; fair complexion; brown hair and brown eyes. His religious denomination was Church of England.

On the 3^rd of May 1919 he was assigned to the 1^st Reinforcements to the 28^th Battalion AIF with the regimental number of 1508. On the 5^th June 1915 Henry embarked on the H.M.A.T. Geelong from Fremantle Harbour bound for Egypt. After their arrival in Egypt; Henry was transferred into C Company of the 28^th Battalion. The battalion embarked for Gallipoli in early September 1915 and went into the trenches around Rhododendron Spur. On the 6^th October 1915 Henry was sent to 7^th Field Ambulance suffering from rheumatism. It was deemed serious enough for him to be sent to Hospital in Malta and then on to England where he was admitted to the County of London war Hospital in Epsom. His stay in England was for several months and it wasn’t until the 5^th March 1916 that he arrived back in Egypt. He rejoined the 28^th Battalion and on the 16^th March embarked with them for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 21^st March 1916.

On the 23^rd June 1916 near Armentieres, Henry was evacuated with Shell Shock, firstly to hospital at Camiers, then Boulogne. By November he had not recovered and so was transferred to hospital in England, spending time at Warren Rd Hospital in Guildford and then the 3^rd Auxiliary Hospital. On the 5^th February 1917 Henry was admitted to No.1 Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford for treatment of VD. He had a few weeks in hospital before he was discharged. Instead of being sent back to the 28^th battalion in France he went and joined the 70^th Battalion which was part of a proposed 6^th Australian Division which was then forming in England. He stayed with this unit until it was disbanded through lack of reinforcements. He arrived back to the 28^th Battalion on the 23^rd October 1917 when they were in the mud of Passchendaele. Unfortunately, Henry only lasted until the 2^nd November 1917 when he was killed by a shell. He was buried by his mates, but the grave was later lost, so he is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial. His mother of Ellen St and later John St North Fremantle received his effects & medals.