Wrightson, Sydney Douglas

2966 Private Sydney Douglas Wrightson - 5th Pioneer Battalion AIF

Sydney Douglas Wrightson was born in Fremantle WA in 1889 to Robert and Harriet Wrightson. He was one of eight children, with Harriet (1880), Alfred (1882), Ada (1884), Arthur (1886), Mary (1887), Roy (1891) and Florence (1893).

The family spent time in both North Fremantle and East Fremantle and Sydney was educated at Fremantle Boys School

He was a good sportsman and played football for North Fremantle in their 1912 Premiership as part of the WA Amateur Football League. At this time he was working as a salesman and living at 29 Beach Street. His parents at this time were living at 34 East Street Fremantle.

On the 18th August 1915 he enlisted into the AIF. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 7 & 3/4 inches tall;

Weight - 127lbs;

Chest Measurement - 32-34 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Dark.

After his successful enlistment Sydney was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where hew as assigned to No.26 Training Depot where hew as taken through the basics of infantry work. He was in this depot for over a month and on the 16th October 1915 he was assigned to the 12th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion. 

However he absented himself from camp and was struck off strength and declared a deserter. It is not clear why Sydney left camp but he still wanted to serve as he re-enlisted in Fremantle on the 31st May 1916. In between times he had been living at 51 Malcolm Street Fremantle and had been working as a clerk.

On the 5th June 1916 Sydney went into Camp and was assigned to No.72 Training Depot. On the 20th June 1916 he was then transferred to the 5th Reinforcements to the 44th Battalion. He trained with this group in WA for the next few months, however on the 12th September 1916 he was transferred to the 6th Reinforcements to the 5th Pioneer Battalion who were then training at Belmont Camp.

Sydney spent the next several weeks training with this group and then their departure orders arrived. On the 30th October 1916 Sydney and his group travelled from Belmont to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship Port Melbourne and set sail for England, reaching Devonport on the 28th December 1916.

After being disembarked they were sent to the Pioneer Training Camp at Larkhill on the Salisbury Plains. In February 1917 Sydney fell ill and was sent to Hospital. He was diagnosed with venereal disease and was transferred to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford.

He returned to the Pioneer Training Camp on the 23rd April 1917. He remained in England for the next few months and in August 1917 was admitted to Fovant Military Hospital.

Sydney spent the next few months in different camps as his fitness level was downgraded. By November 1917 his health had improved, and he went across to France on the 24th. Sydney was taken on strength of the 5th Pioneer Battalion on the 9th December 1917.

The 5th Pioneer Battalion were then working in Belgium in the area between Ypres and Messines. Sydney served with his unit for the remainder of 1918.

As a result of the German offensive of March 21st 1918 which broke through the British front further south, the Australian Divisions were sent to the Somme to help stop the German advance. From April to August 1918 the 5th Pioneer Battalion was working in the Villers-Bretonneux and Somme River sector.

When the great advance of 8th August commenced, the 5th Pioneers followed their infantry and served at Peronne and the Hindenburg outpost line in September 1918. They were then withdrawn from the line for a rest period. Sydney had come through the 1918 actions unscathed.

On the 6th November 1918 he was granted a leave period to England. He had timed his break well as on the 11th November 1918 the Armistice was announced and there were great celebrations in England.

Sydney returned to France on the 23rd November 1918. When the German units pulled back to their own country, the Australians were sent to garrison parts of France and Belgium that had been under German occupation. The Australians would remain here for the next few months, but as more men were being sent home, the units were getting smaller and by April/May 1919 many units were being disbanded.

Sydney remained until his unit was disbanded in May 1919. He then returned to England on the 22nd May 1919. Sydney waited at an AIF camp while he waited to be assigned a berth on ship home.

On the 21st June 1919 Sydney boarded the transport ship Kongin Louise and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 3rd August 1919.

After being sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital for a medical check-up Sydney was discharged from the AIF.

After his return home Sydney resumed work at Fremantle Harbour where he was a Tally Clerk.

In 1923 in East Fremantle Sydney married Irene Annie McNicol. A daughter Jean was born in 1924. They initially lived at 34 East Street Fremantle and then moved with the family living at 118 Sewell Street East Fremantle (Now 56 Sewell)

In 1925, Sydney went on an ocean voyage in a 15ft clinker boat with sails, with three mates, James Brown, Arthur Robinson and H Bosworth, when rough weather began and the men didn't return to land by nightfall. A search and rescue party set sail as the men were last seen near Carnac Island. Fortunately, the men were found safe, sheltering in an old, abandoned house in Carnac Island. 

Sydney collapsed at work at C Shed on Fremantle Harbour and though he was taken to Fremantle Hospital he died the same day on October 25th 1937 aged 48. He was buried in Fremantle Cemetery plot Presbyterian MON EE 0755