Panton, Henry Herbert

2924 Private Henry Herbert Panton - 5th Pioneer Battalion & 5th Machine Gun Battalion AIF

Henry Herbert Panton was born in Avoca Victoria in 1885 to Alexander and Catherine Panton. He had a few siblings with, Ethel (1883), Catherine (1891) and Percy (1893) though sadly Catherine died shortly after birth.

The family moved to WA in the 1900's and lived in Fremantle. In 1905 his sister Ethel was living at Rose Street South Fremantle.(In 1905 in Fremantle she married James Burgess Mills).

Henry's Father died on the 4th October 1911 in Kellerberrin, and his mother died 31st August 1915 in Perth.

Henry was living in Fremantle at 12 Ellen Street and working as a lumper at Fremantle Harbour. In July 1916 he married Amelia Gwendolyn Edmonds at St John's Church in Fremantle.

On the 15th March 1916 Henry enlisted into the AIF in Fremantle. The medical examiner passed him as fit for service and recorded his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 9 inches;

Weight - 142lbs;

Chest Measurement - 33-36 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Brown.

After his successful enlistment Henry was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.63 Training Depot. He was taken through the basics of infantry work at this depot camp. On the 3rd May 1916 Henry was transferred into the 21st Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion. 

He trained with this group in WA for the next two months but on the 3rd July 1916 he was transferred into the Australian Tunnelling Corps reinforcements. He had another two months training with this group but on the 4th September 1916 was transferred to the 6th Reinforcements to the 5th Pioneer Battalion.

Henry had several more weeks of training with this group in WA while they waited for their embarkation orders to arrive. On the 30th October 1916, Henry and his group were entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they went aboard the transport ship HMAT Port Melbourne. The ship then set sail for England, arriving at Devonport Harbour on the 28th December 1916.

The men were then disembarked and were sent to the Pioneer Training Camp on the Salisbury Plains. Henry was at the Pioneer Training Camp until the 28th February 1917. He was then shipped across to France and was sent to the 5th Australian Division Base Depot. He only had a few days there and on the 7th March 1917 was taken on strength of the 5th Pioneer Battalion on the Somme battlefield.

Henry joined his unit when the Germans were withdrawing to their pre-prepared defensive position known as the Hindenburg Line so while he joined them on the Somme they were soon in the vicinity of Bapaume. In March, April and May 1917 the 5th Pioneer Battalion put in a lot of work around Bapaume, the Hindenburg Line Outpost villages and Bullecourt.

In June 1917 the 5th Australian Division were given a three month rest period out of the front line and much of this time was taken up with training and sporting activities.

On the 14th June 1917 Henry sprained his ankle and was sent to the 14th General Hospital at Rouen. He was there for eight days and was then was sent to No.2 Convalescent Depot Camp. On the 11th July 1917 he was transferred to No.11 Convalescent Depot Camp at Buchy. It appears that it took some time for his ankle to improve as Henry was at this Convalescent Camp until the 3rd October 1917.

He was then sent to the 5th Australian Base Depot at Le Havre where he spent a few more weeks. He rejoined the 5th Pioneer Battalion near Ypres on the 28th October 1917.

From November 1917 to March 1918 the 5th Pioneer Battalion was working in Belgium in the area between Ypres and Messines. On the 20th February 1918 Henry was given two weeks furlough to the UK. He then returned to his unit on the 8th March 1918.

On the 21st March 1918 the Germans broke through the British line further south and so the Australian Divisions were sent from Belgium to the Somme in France to help stop this German breakthrough. The 5th Division were sent to the region around Vaux sur Somme and the Somme River.

Henry and the 5th Pioneer Battalion were kept busy with building defensive positions to stop any future German advance.

On the 15th May 1918 Henry was transferred to the 5th Machine Gun Battalion. These machine gun Battalion were supplied with Vickers Machine Guns and supported the infantry in their operations.

From May to July 1918 the 5th Division were located in and around Villers-Bretonneux. On August 8th 1918 Henry and his unit took part in the large advance that took place on the Villers-Bretonneux front that broke through the German positions.

The next few weeks were very busy with the constant battle. Though the advance continued the Germans were resisting strongly. By the end of August the Australians had reached the Somme River at Peronne. A large action took place at Peronne and Mont St Quentin. The 5th Australian Division, including Henry, were able to cross the Somme River and get into the City of Peronne.

During the advance on the 1st September Henry was shot in the thigh. After initial treatment at the field ambulance, Henry was sent to the 37th Casualty Clearing Station. With more medical attention taking place here, Henry was then sent to the 11th Stationary Hospital at Rouen.

Henry only had a few days at Rouen and was then shipped to England. On arrival he was sent to the Edmonton Military Hospital. As it was a severe wound to the thigh, Henry was off his feet for a few months. He was still a patient there when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918.

It wasn't until the 19th December 1918 that Henry was released from Edmonton Military Hospital. He was then sent to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield. He had two days here and after medical tests was granted a two week furlough from the 21st December 1918 to the 4th January 1919. He was then able to enjoy his Christmas and New Year celebrations.

On the 4th January 1919 Henry reported into No.1 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny. He would now wait to be assigned a berth on a troopship home. On the 25th January 1919 Henry boarded the transport ship Delta in Devonport Harbour and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 28th February 1919.

After being disembarked Henry was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for a full medical examination. He was then discharged from the AIF on the 6th April 1919.

Hen then returned home to Amelia in Fremantle and in 1921 they had a daughter Joan, followed in 1923 by Gwen. Henry had resumed employment as a Lumper at Fremantle Harbour. The family were living at Mason Street North Fremantle. They soon moved to 33 Curedale Street Beaconsfield. (later numbered 13 Curedale).

Henry Herbert Panton died in Beaconsfield on the 4th August 1961 aged 76. He was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery and placed into the family grave Plot Presbyterian MON EE 0046