Cameron, Kenneth
No.6733 – Private Kenneth Cameron – 16th Battalion AIF
Kenneth Cameron was born in Glasgow Scotland to Adam and Isabella Cameron in 1873. Ken spent the majority of his early life in Scotland, where he was educated. He also took up an apprenticeship for two years in Glasgow which was presumably in pharmacy as Ken soon found employment as a Chemist. Prior to World War One he travelled to Western Australia In 1912 from Cape Town. Ken had a brother Allan residing in WA, while another brother, Charles, lived in Melbourne Victoria. It seems that Ken took up temporary lodgings at the Alhambra Café in Fremantle.
In 1916 when he enlisted into the AIF, Ken was Forty three years old however he lowered his age to 35 to be able to enlist.
On July 31st 1916 at the Fremantle Drill Hall Ken was given a medical examination by Dr Dermer and he was passed as fit for service, with his physical attributes being recorded as; Height of 5 feet 4 inches tall; weight of 134lbs; chest measurement of 33-35 inches; ruddy complexion, brown eyes and fair hair. His religious denomination was Presbyterian. After being passed as fit Ken was sent to No.80 Training Depot at Blackboy Hill Camp. He remained there until the 14th August 1916 when he was transferred into the 23rd Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion AIF. He stayed with this group for a few weeks when he was transferred into the 22nd Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion. He had a few more months training with this group in WA. On the 9th November 1916 this group boarded the HMAT Argyllshire in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for England. It was a two month sea journey and the ship berthed in Devonport Harbour on the 10th January 1917.
After being disembarked the men were sent into the 4th Training Battalion at Codford Camp on the Salisbury Plains. A few weeks after his arrival; Ken got into trouble for going absent without leave from the 2nd to 5th February 1917. As a punishment he was confined to camp for one day and he had to forfeit three days pay. Ken would remain at the 4th Training Battalion in England for the next several months. On the 13th August 1917 he was put in a draft of soldiers bound for France. After embarking at Southampton the transport ship made its way across the Channel and disembarked the men in France.
Ken was sent into the 4th Australian Division Base Depot at Rouelles where he spent the next few weeks. Ken was taken on strength of the 16th Battalion on the 7th September 1917 in Belgium. He spent the next month with the 16th Battalion and served with them through the Third Battle of Ypres. On the 7th October 1917 Ken was transferred to the 4th Division Headquarters and he served with this unit for the remainder of the war in 1917/18. The only entries into his service record during this period was firstly on the 16th January 1918 when he was found to be drunk on active service and he had to forfeit seven days pay.
On the 2nd September 1918 he was grant a fortnight’s leave to the UK, returning on the 16th September. He saw out the war with this unit and went with them to Belgium after the war was over.
On the 21st April 1919 Ken was put in a quota of soldiers to return to England and he was put into No.4 Group camp. Two months after arriving in England from France, on the 21st June 1919 Ken boarded the Ship Kongin Louise and set sail for Australia, disembarking in Fremantle on the 3rd August 1919.
Ken was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace for a medical check-up and as he hadn’t been wounded or sick on active service, it was a quick check up. Ken was subsequently discharged from the AIF on the 10th September 1919.
Ken soon moved to Perth and in April 1920 he was living at His Majesty’s Hotel in Hay Street Perth. Unfortunately on the 17th April 1920 Ken died suddenly at the Hotel. An autopsy was requested which found that he died of chronic nephritis and heart failure.
He was buried in the Presbyterian section of Karrakatta Cemetery in a family plot. His war medals were sent to his elder brother.