Dedman, Ernest John

No.3772 – Private Ernest John Dedman – 11^th Battalion AIF

Ernest John Dedman was born in Beverley WA in 1890 to George and Sarah Dedman. The family moved to Northam for a few years and then set up residence in Victoria Avenue North Fremantle. Ernest was educated at North Fremantle Primary School and after leaving here, he took up employment with the WA Government Railways. By the time of the Great War, Ernie was working as an Engine Driver.

Ernie enlisted into the AIF in September 1915, three months after his younger brother Herman. At the Swan Barracks in Perth Ernie was given a medical examination and was passed as fit for service. The medical officer recorded Ernie’s physical attributes as; Height of 5 feet & ¾ inches; weight of 159lbs; chest measurement of 36-38 inches; fresh complexion; blue eyes and light brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.

Ernie was originally sent to No.29 Training Depot at Blackboy Hill Camp. He trained here for the next six weeks and on the 1^st November 1915 he was transferred into the 12^th Reinforcements to the 11^th Battalion AIF. The next three weeks were spent on training but on the 22^nd November Ernie’s reinforcement group entrained down to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the RMS Mongolia.

The Ship then set sail for Egypt and reached there just over three weeks later. After being disembarked the men were sent to the AIF reinforcement camp. Due to Gallipoli being evacuated the reinforcements were retained in Camp and Ernie would remain with the 3^rd Training Battalion until the 3^rd March 1916. He was then taken on strength of the 11^th Battalion. He only had a few weeks with his new unit in Egypt as on the 29^th March 1916 the 11^th Battalion boarded the HMT Corsica and set sail for France, disembarking at Marseilles on the 5^th April 1916.

Ernie and his Battalion were then entrained north for the Armentieres sector and they had their first taste of Western Front trench life at Fleurbaix. On the 6^th May Ernie reported ill and was sent to the 1^st Field Ambulance where he was diagnosed with influenza. He was transferred to the 20^th Casualty Clearing Station and after a short time was sent to the 35^th General Hospital at Boulogne. It must have been a severe case of influenza as Ernie would spend some time at this hospital and the Convalescent Depot.

On the 1^st August 1916 Ernie reported to the 1^st Australian Division Base Depot and he would spend the next several weeks at the Base. Subsequently Ernie missed his Battalion’s actions at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm so when he rejoined the Battalion in Belgium on the 16^th September 1916 it would have been a totally different unit with many faces missing. However Ernie was only with the 11^th Battalion for a few days as on the 20^th September he was wounded in the back by a closely exploding shell and he was evacuated to the 41^st General Hospital in Etaples.

He was soon sent across to England and was admitted to the 1^st Eastern General Hospital at Cambridge. Ernie seemed to have soon recovered and on the 21^st December he was back in France. He rejoined the 1^st ADBD but was struck down ill with pyrexia of unknown origin. He was admitted to No.26 General Hospital at Etaples where he remained until the 10^th January when he was transferred to the 5^th Convalescent Depot.

Ernie remained here for the next five months, only rejoining the 11^th Battalion on the 12^th May 1917. Ernie was again hospitalised in July 1917 with severe ear trouble and was again sent to England where he was admitted to 1^st London General Hospital. After a few weeks he was transferred to the 3^rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital. He was medically assessed and found to be medically unfit for front line service due to deafness. Ernie would spent the next few months at No.3 Command Depot Camp at Hurdcott and would also be treated for tonsillitis.

Due to the condition of his health the decision was made to send Ernie back to Australia. On the 1^st February 1918 he boarded the Hospital Ship Balmoral Castle and set sail for Australia, disembarking in Fremantle on the 18^th March 1918. A month after he returned home, Ernie was discharged from the AIF.

On the 10^th October 1919 Ernie married Rhoda Sims and they moved for a time to the Goldfields, where two sons William Thomas, and Ernest George were born. Both sons would serve in World War Two; William with the 2^nd AIF (WX34364) from 1942-1948 and Ernest with the 3^rd Field Company 1941-42 (W24752) and the Royal Australian Navy (F4304) from 1942 – 1946.

Ernest John Dedman died in East Fremantle on the 28^th November 1948 and is buried in Fremantle Cemetery, Plot Anglican Mon AA 0775.