Carroll, Henry Joseph

2722 Sapper Henry Joseph Carroll - 5th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company AIF

Henry Joseph Carroll was born in South Melbourne in 1886 to Peter and Carroll. After his birth the family moved across to Western Australia and took up residence in Thompson Road North Fremantle. Henry was educated at St Anne's School in North Fremantle.

He then joined the WA Government Railways when he was 14 years old. He worked his way up to Station Master and by the First World War was in charge of Gosnells Railway Station.

In 1914 he married Mary Connell in Yarloop WA and the family continued to reside in Gosnells. In 1915 a son Peter was born and a daughter called Isabella followed in 1916.

On the 18th May 1917 Henry enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service with the medial examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 6 feet & 1/2 inches;

Weight - 169lbs;

Chest Measurement - 35-37 inches;

Complexion - Dark;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Brown.

After his successful enlistment, Henry went to Blackboy Hill Camp but also served at Rockingham Camp. Due to his railway experience Henry was assigned to the Railway Corps reinforcements and went to Victoria to complete his training.

On the 13th March 1918 Henry embarked from Port Melbourne aboard the transport ship Ormonde and set sail for England, disembarking at Southampton on the 15th May 1918.

After his arrival Henry was sent to the Australian Railway Corps depot camp at Longmoor. He had a few months in England, during which time he was hospitalised for several weeks with bronchitis but had recovered.

On the 22nd September 1918 Henry arrived in Calais France and the following day was taken on strength of the 5th Broad Gauge Railway Company. He served with the Company for the next several weeks but on the 5th November 1918 was hospitalised with appendicitis. He was admitted to the 7th Canadian General Hospital and had a few weeks here but soon recovered and rejoined his unit on the 26th November 1918.

On the 27th December 1918 Henry was granted a period of leave to Paris. Unfortunately on the 1st January 1919 Henry was admitted to hospital suffering from influenza and died the following day on the 4th January 1919.

Henry was buried in the City of Paris Cemetery Pantin Paris France Plot 6.20.10. Mary chose the following epitaph

UNTIL THE DAY BREAKS

Mary Carroll was sent Henry's personal effects and would receive his war medals and death plaque.