Delaporte, Ernest William

No.6040 – Private Ernest William Delaporte – 11^th Battalion AIF

Ernest William Delaporte was born in Bunbury WA in 1898 to Alice Elizabeth Delaporte. He was educated at school in Bunbury and after leaving became a labourer and moved up to Fremantle where he lived at 114 Marmion Street.

On the 21^st February 1916, just after he had turned 18, Ernie went to the Perth Recruiting Centre and offered his services to the AIF. As he was under 21 he needed the permission of his parents to enlist. As his father had already died, his mother signed the appropriate forms for his enlistment. On the 1^st March 1916 Ernie was given a medical examination and was passed as fit. The doctor found him to be 5 feet 6 inches tall; weight of 120 lbs; chest measurement of 34-37 inches; fair complexion; brown eyes and black hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.

Ernie was initially allotted to No.53 Depot, though on the 1^st April 1916 was transferred to the Signal School where he trained to become a Signaller. On the 29^th May 1916 he was assigned to the 19^th Reinforcements to the 11^th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA until the start of August 1916 when they were told to prepare for departure. On the 7^th August 1916 the 19^th Reinforcements boarded the transport ship H.M.A.T “Miltiades” in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for England. On the 24^th September 1916 the “Miltiades” arrived at Plymouth Harbour and the men were disembarked and marched into the 3^rd Training Battalion at Perham Downs Camp.

Ernie trained at Perham Downs & Durrington for the next few months, though on the 1^st December 1916 was sent to Brimstone Bottom Hospital with Mumps. He returned from hospital on the 15^th December 1916 to the 3^rd Training Battalion at Durrington Camp. Ernie spent the next six months in camp in England as it wasn’t until the 3^rd May 1917 that he left Durrington Camp and proceeded to Folkestone Harbour. Arriving at Etaples on the 4^th May Ernie was sent to the 1^st Australian Division Base Depot; though he only had a few days here for on the 10^th May 1917 he was taken on strength of the 11^th Battalion AIF.

The 11^th Battalion had just come out of the 2^nd Battle of Bullecourt and were pulled out of the line to have a rest period. This period out of the line for the 11^th Battalion went through to June and July and the men had a decent rest. The Australians divisions were earmarked to take part in the Third Battle of Ypres which had been taking place since July 31^st 1917 but had many postponements due to bad weather. The 11^th Battalion moved up to the line in September as their main role in the assault was to take place on September 20^th.

On the 18^th September 1917 as the Battalion was making its way forward and were at a position called Halfway House they were shelled by the Germans. Ernie was badly wounded by shrapnel, being hit in the head, leg and thigh. He was evacuated back to the 3^rd Field Ambulance but his wounds proved too severe and he died the same day. He was buried in Menin Road South Military Cemetery in Ypres plot I.U.20.