Lennon, Hugh

No.4059 – Sergeant Hugh Lennon – 28^th Battalion AIF

Hugh Lennon was born in Bendigo Victoria in 1894 to Robert and Margaret Lennon. He moved with his parents to Western Australia where they took up residence in Fremantle and Hugh attended Fremantle State School.

After leaving school Hugh took up work as a labourer and upholsterer. During this time he also served in the 86A Cadets of the Citizen Military Forces. In 1915 Hugh married Elsie Wisby in Fremantle and they would have one son, William Robert born the same year. During this time the family were living in George Street South Fremantle.

On the 25^th October 1915 Hugh enlisted in the AIF at Swan Barracks in Perth. He was found to be fit for service with the medical examiner recording Hugh's physical attributes as;

Height -  5 feet 7 inches tall;

Weight - 133 lbs;

Chest Measurement - 35 to 38 inches;

Complexion - fresh; 

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Dark Brown;

Distinctive Marks - tattoos of a Kangaroo and Australian flag on his right arm and shoulder blade. 

Hugh was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he joined the training depots. He was made a NCO and was given duty at several infantry and artillery training depots until February 1916. This may have been on account of his recently arrived newborn son.

In February 1916 Hugh was assigned to the 10^th Reinforcements to the 28^th Battalion AIF who were training at Belmont Camp. He trained with this group in WA until the end of March 1916 when their orders to depart came through.  Before embarking the 10th Reinforcements had their photo taken at Belmont Camp

On the 1^st April 1916 Hugh’s group boarded the HMAT Ulysses in Fremantle Harbour and set sail overseas. Arriving in Egypt Hugh was disembarked for a few weeks stay but then boarded another troopship and arrived at Plymouth England on the 12^th June 1916. Hugh was sent into the 7^th Training Battalion at Rollestone Camp on the Salisbury Plains. He trained here for the next few months and was also given leave to see the sights of England.

On the 2^nd November 1916 Hugh was put in a draft of reinforcements for France. He boarded a troopship at Folkestone Harbour and set sail across the Channel for France, where he was marched into the 2^nd Australian Base Depot at Etaples. He would spend the next two weeks here, before joining the 28^th Battalion on the 18^th November 1916. The 28^th Battalion were then on the Somme battlefield near Flers and they would remain here for the winter of 1916/17.

Hugh was appointed Lance Corporal on the 16^th December 1916 and a month later to Corporal. The following day on the 18^th January 1917 he was made Temporary Sergeant. On the 10^th February Hugh was evacuated to the 5^th Field Ambulance suffering from mumps and was away from the battalion for three weeks. When he was evacuated Hugh reverted to Corporal but on his return on the 3^rd March he was again made a temporary Sergeant. Ten days later Hugh’s temporary status was removed and he became a permanent Sergeant.

During March 1917 the 28^th Battalion had been taking part in pushing back the Germans during their planned retirement to the Hindenburg Line. There were several desperate battles around the Hindenburg Line Outpost Villages and on the 26^th March 1917 the 28^th Battalion assisted the 25^th Battalion in the capture of Lagnicourt. It was during this action that Hugh was killed in action. He was given a battlefield burial and after the armistice war graves parties found his burial location and moved Hugh to Bailleul Road East Cemetery at St Laurent-Blagny France. Hugh lies in plot III.C.30.

At home in 21 Holland St East Fremantle (later renumbered to 2 Holland) Hugh’s wife and baby son received the distressing news of his death. They would both receive a pension from the Defence Department. They moved for a short time to Victoria but by 1925 had returned to Fremantle and were living at Mandurah Rd South Fremantle. In WW2 Hugh’s son William served in the Army & RAAF and survived the war.