Conway, Harry
No.1806A – Corporal Harry Conway – 33rd Battalion AIF
Harry Conway was born in Perth WA in 1899 to Harry and Edith Conway. He was the eldest of six siblings, his sister Eileen was born in 1900, William in 1902, Mavis in 1903, Enid in 1904, Douglas in 1907 and Gwyneth in 1909. Unfortunately his young sisters Mavis and Enid died at 4 weeks and 7 weeks old respectively.
In his early years Harry was educated at Highgate State School but after Harry’s father died in 1911 he soon left school and found employment as a cellarman in Fremantle. As he was working in Fremantle, he soon took up residence in the Port City as the travel to and from his family home in West Perth each day was time consuming.
Harry was still employed as a cellarman when he enlisted into the AIF in 1916. However Harry lied to the recruiter about his age as when he enlisted he stated that he was 22 years old when in fact in 1916 he was only 17. He also stated that his birthplace was Launceston Tasmania. However his build was obviously enough to convince the recruiters that he was over 21 and didn’t need parental consent.
In April 1916 the medical examiner found Harry to be 5 feet 9 inches in height; weight of 148 lbs; chest measurement of 33-35 inches; fresh complexion; grey eyes and light brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England. From his enlistment in Fremantle Harry was sent to Claremont Showgrounds Camp where he was assigned to the 2nd Reinforcements to the 44th Battalion AIF with the regimental no.1806. This group trained in WA until the 7th August 1916 when they embarked from Fremantle aboard the H.M.A.T. “Miltiades”. Shortly before their departure the Y.M.C.A had organised a farewell for the group and Harry was presented with a bullet proof mirror by a Mr. Pickering.
After a sea voyage of seven weeks, they arrived in Plymouth England on the 25th September 1916 and were marched into the 11th Training Battalion on the Salisbury Plains. On the 12th November 1916 Harry was taken on strength of the 44th Battalion but two days later was transferred to the 33rd (NSW) Battalion. The 2nd Reinforcement group to the 44th Battalion was being used to bolster the numbers in the 9th Brigade, particularly the 33rd & 34th Battalions.
On the 21st November 1916 Harry left England for France with his new unit. After arriving in France they were sent to the region around Armentieres, where they stayed for the next few months. In 1917 they transferred up to Belgium in the Ploegsteert sector where they conducted trench raids and prepared for their role in the Battle of Messines. Harry survived the June 7th Messines battle, in which the 33rd Battalion took all their objectives, and one of Harry’s compatriots in the 33rd Battalion, No.1804 John Carroll, who had come across with him from WA in the 2nd/44th was awarded the Victoria Cross for his courageous feats that day.
After this action was over the 33rd Battalion continued to hold the line in the vicinity of Messines and on the 22nd July Harry was wounded but as the wound was not too serious he elected to remain on duty. On the 24th Harry was promoted to Lance Corporal and on the 22nd August 1917 to Corporal.
In September/October 1917 the 33rd Battalion took part in the Third Battle of Ypres. Harry survived until October 12th when the capture of Passchendaele was attempted; he was killed in action along with 30 other members of his battalion.
No.789 Pte W.C. Howard of the 33rd Battalion stated that;
“I saw him killed. It was on the sunken road up at Ypres, near Passchendaele on the left hand side of the railroad on 12th October…He and two others were blown out of the shell hole by a shell. I saw his body afterwards, not much damaged.”
No.1471 Private H.D. Coppock stated that;
“In the morning under cover while in the sunken road he had the back of his head blown off by a shell. Pte. W Dunn saw this himself and buried him on October 14th on the sunken road in the same hole where Lt. Armstrong is buried and another private.”
Unfortunately after the war when war graves parties came through this region no news came of the discovery of Harry’s grave and subsequently both Harry Conway and Lt Armstrong who were buried together are commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres. Harry was 18 years old when he was killed.
Edith Conway would receive a letter from one of Harry’s friends in the 33rd Battalion, No.867 Sergeant Harry Shatwell.
“France 25-10-17 – Dear Madam, I am writing these few lines to you as I feel very sure you would like to hear from someone who was close by when your brave boy gave his life for his country. But first let me explain that Harry and I were very close comrades. When he first joined the battalion, he was attached to the platoon of which I was sergeant. When we went on active service I was transferred into the Scouts, and Harry went with me, and during our long association, his manly qualities, his great unquenchable courage, endeared him to me. I mourn his loss as I would that of a brother. Some short time ago I advised him to leave the scouts and go back to his company so that he could gain some well merited promotion. After a great deal of persuasion he took the advice and was quickly made a corporal and I know in a very short time he would have been made a Sergeant. Twice he was mentioned in orders for conspicuous gallantry, and that, madam, is something you may pride yourself on. I was with him only half an hour before he was killed and he said to me; “Well Harry, this is the worst spot I was ever in with you. But never mind old man, we will pull through.” And I quite agreed with him, for both he and I, whilst we were connected with the Scouts, had some wonderful escapes. I will not intrude upon your grief much longer, but conclude by saying in losing your son, the Australian Army lost one of its best and bravest soldiers, and my deepest sympathy is extended to you, his mother, and those of your family who mourn his loss. I know that to me (and we lose our chums daily) his loss was a very heavy blow, but to you his mother, it must be well nigh unbearable. With deepest sympathy No.867 Sergeant Harry Shatwell “C” Company 33rd Battalion AIF France.”