Comery, Rueben James

No.5692 – Private Rueben James Comery - 16th Battalion AIF

Rueben James Comery was born in Fremantle in 1894. The family lived in Pakenham Street and Rueben was educated locally. After leaving school Rueben began work as a labourer and then secured employment as a Horse Driver. Rueben had been classed as exempt from service with the Cadets of the Citizens Military Forces though after he turned 21 he enlisted into the AIF. Rueben was classed as fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as; 5 feet 8 inches in height; weight of 126lbs; cheat measurement of 32-35 inches; dark complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. His religious denomination was also Roman Catholic.

On the 4^th April 1916 Rueben was sent into the 18^th Reinforcements to the 16^th Battalion at Blackboy Hill Camp. They trained here for the next three months and on the 18^th July 1916 entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the HMAT Seang Bee and set sail for England, disembarking in Plymouth on the 9^th September 1916. Rueben was then sent into the 4^th Training Battalion at Rollestone Camp on the Salisbury Plains. He trained in England through October and November, apart from a short stint in hospital with influenza, but was then put in a draft of soldiers for France, leaving Folkestone Harbour on the 4^th December 1916.

After his arrival in France, Rueben was sent into the 4^th ADBD in Etaples. He spent just over two weeks there and joined the 16^th Battalion on the 22^nd December 1916. The 16^th Battalion was then situated on the Somme battlefield near Flers, where they were spending the 1916/17 French winter. Rueben would have been thrilled to see his brother Frank arrive in March 1917, though unfortunately they would not have long with each other in the 16^th Battalion.

Rueben was also taken Prisoner of War at Bullecourt though he was imprisoned in different camps from Frank. He was firstly sent to Wahn but it appears that for the majority of the war Rueben was interned at Gustrow. In June 1918 Rueben wrote to the Red Cross in London;

“Have just received your two most welcome letters and am very pleased to hear the good news you told me. I am very pleased you went to see my brother. If he is not out of the hospital when you receive this will you kindly go down and tell him that I am well and in good health at present for I have just got over a little sickness, and tell him to keep on smiling until the good day comes when we shall all be able to meet once again.”

Rueben remained in Germany for the entire war. After the Armistice the move of some prisoners only commenced slowly and Rueben didn’t arrive in England until the 30^th December 1918. Rueben was sent to No.1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny Camp. On the 3^rd March 1919 he boarded the HMAT Euripides and set sail for Australia, disembarking in Fremantle on the 10^th April 1919.

Rueben was discharged from the AIF on the 25^th March 1920 and in 1921 he married Lydia Eyre in Perth. They later moved to South Australia and resided in Adelaide. It wasn’t until 1943 that Rueben claimed his war medals.

Rueben Comery died in Adelaide SA in 1962.