Hicks, Donald Jabez

7069 Private Donald Jabez Hicks - 27th Battalion AIF

Donald Jabez Hicks was born in Fremantle WA on the 6th May 1899 to Francis and Barbara and Hicks. He had a younger sister called Barbara born in 1898.

The family lived in Silas Street East Fremantle and Donald was educated at East Fremantle Primary School. During this time Donald also served in the school cadets and the 86A Cadets of the Citizens Military Forces.

After leaving school Donald took up work in Fremantle as a clerk.

On the 11th May 1917 Donald enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 6 inches tall;

Weight - 116lbs;

Chest Measurement - 32-34 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Grey;

Hair - Fair.

After his successful enlistment Donald was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 21st Reinforcements to the 28th battalion AIF.

On the 22nd July 1917 Donald embarked with this group from Albany aboard the transport ship HMAT Port Melbourne. After the long sea voyage the ship arrived at Liverpool England on the 16th September 1917. After being disembarked Donald and his group were sent to the 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone Camp. He trained there for the next few weeks and on the 8th November 1917 was sent to the 6th Training Battalion at Fovant Camp.

Donald was here for the next few months and on the 22nd April 1918 he was transferred to the 5th Training Battalion. On the 21st June 1918 he was sent to France where he would join the 27th Battalion AIF.

On the 27th June 1918 Donald was taken on strength of the 27th Battalion. The unit was then in the vicinity of Villers-Bretonneux. He served with the 27th Battalion for the last few months of the war seeing action at the Battle of Amiens on August 8th 1918 as well as Chuignolles, Framerville, Peronne and Mont St Quentin and Montbrehain in the ensuing weeks.

After surviving the action at Montbrehain on the 3rd/4th October 1918 Donald and the 27th Battalion was withdrawn from the line for a well deserved rest. They were still out of the front line when the Armistice was declared on the 11th November 1918.

Once the war was over, the 27th Battalion as part of the 2nd Australian Division were sent into parts of France and Belgum that had been occupied by the Germans during the war. The 27th Battalion were near Charleroi for the next few months.

On the 22nd January 1919 Donald was detached for duty to the AIF Rest House in Brussels. He remained on duty there till the 2nd May 1919. He stayed in Belgium for a few more weeks and on the 26th May 1919 returned to England.

Donald was sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny where he waited till he was assigned a berth on a troopship home. On the 28th August 1919 Donald boarded the HMAT Kanowna and reached Fremantle on the 15th October 1919.

He was discharged from the AIF on the 15th February 1920.

Upon his return home from the war, Donald went back to Fremantle Harbour to work as a Tally Clerk.

He also moved from Silas Street East Fremantle to 199 Hampton and then to 53 South Street Fremantle. He was now working as a storekeeper.

On the 19th February 1942 Donald enlisted into the Australian Army for World War Two. He was accepted as fit for service and was assigned the regimental number W57909. He served with the 26th Labour Company in the Meekatharra and Kalgoorlie region. He was discharged from service in January 1946.

Donald died on the 31st August 1966 in Fremantle. He is buried in Fremantle Cemetery plot Congregational MON D 0016.