Glasson, Henry

4794 Private Henry Glasson - 51st Battalion AIF

Henry Glasson was born in Perth WA on the 27th May 1883 to Cornelius and Annie Glasson. He was one of 15 siblings born into the family.

He initially grew up in Perth but in the 1890's the family moved to 78 East Street East Fremantle as his father Cornelius ran a shop here. Cornelius Glasson was also a Councillor for East Fremantle. Henry completed his education at the nearby Christian Brothers College Fremantle.

After leaving school henry took up an apprenticeship as a tailor with Joseph Fowlie of 132 High Street Fremantle.

Even though he had spent three years as an apprentice tailor, in 1910-11 Henry was working as a Carter and they were living at "Grassmere" Canning Road East Fremantle.

Sadly his father Cornelius died on the 19th August 1912 in Fremantle and he then moved with his mother to 18 Hubble Street East Fremantle.

Henry had moved to Norseman in 1914 where he worked as a teamster.

On the 11th December 1915 Henry enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was passed as fit for enlistment with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 6 & 1/2 inches tall;

Weight - 156lbs;

Chest Measurement - 36-38 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Grey;

Hair - Light Brown.

Upon his successful enlistment, Henry was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp and was initially assigned to No.39 Training Depot. He would spend a few weeks going through basic infantry training and was then assigned to the 15th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF.

He spent the next few months in WA training with this group. On the 1st April 1916 Henry and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Ulysses. The ship then set sail for Egypt, arriving at Egypt on the 25th April 1916.

As the 11th battalion had already departed for France, Henry was sent to the 3rd Training Battalion. Henry remained in the AIF reinforcement camp for the next six weeks and it now appears that he had been reassigned to the 4th Australian Division reinforcements.

On the 7th June 1916 Henry left Egypt aboard the transport ship Huntspill and was shipped to France, arriving at Marseilles on the 14th June 1916. He was then entrained north for Etaples where he was sent into the 4th Australian Division Base Depot Camp.

Henry remained at this base camp for a further month and was then taken on strength of the 51st Battalion AIF on the 23rd July 1916. The 51st Battalion had just arrived at the Somme battlefield where they would soon go into action.

The 51st Battalion went into the line near Pozieres on the 14th August 1916. They attacked a German trench near the Mouquet Farm positions. Despite some men getting into the German line, the attack was not a success and the survivors had to withdraw. Henry came through this attack unscathed but just over two weeks later, on the 3rd September 1916, the 51st Battalion took part in another assault on Mouquet Farm.

Despite initial success in capturing the Farm position, the flanks of the 51st Battalion were not supported and the Germans were able to surround the men of the 51st Battalion. No ammunition or supplies were getting through to them, so the men had to fight their way our or surrender.

Henry's position was surrounded and with no more ammunition left the survivors were captured by the Germans. Henry would now spend the remainder of the war as a Prisoner of the Germans.

After his capture, which is always a worrying time, Henry and his fellow captives they were taken to the prison camp at Cambrai. On the 27th September 1916 they were then sent to Germany and the prison camp at Dulmen. In December 1916 Henry was then transferred to Lager 1 at Munster Westphalia.

Henry was repatriated after the Armistice in November 1918 but it took time to return to England, only arriving at Hull on the 7th December 1918. On the 11th December 1918 Henry reported into AIF HQ in London and was granted a month's furlough. After being cooped up as a Prisoner of War for over two years, and with a build up of his pay, no doubt his leave was well spent.

On the 11th January 1919 Henry reported back after his leave, and was then sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth. He would now wait here while he was assigned a berth on a troopship home.

On the 5th March 1919 Henry boarded the transport ship Nevassa and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 20th April 1919.

After being disembarked Henry was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for a medical check. Food had been scarce during his time as a Prisoner of War so a full medical check had to be undertaken on Henry's health.

Henry was then discharged from the AIF on the 20th April 1919. He then returned home to 64 Hubble Street East Fremantle. (Later renumbered to 34 Hubble). His mother had moved to 5 Pearse Street North Fremantle.

Henry was working for the Fremantle Harbour Works during this time.

In 1923 Henry discovered a body in the Swan River, which was reported in the Daily News on the 16th March.

SWAN RIVER MYSTERY

FLOATING BODY OF UNKNOWN MAN.

Borne by the eddying tides to a spot on the east side of the North Fremantle traffic bridge, the dead body of a man of between 45 and 50 years of age floated on the surface of the river near the brewery jetty this morning until seen by Henry Glasson, of Hubble-street, East Fremantle. Glasson secured assistance from George Morris, of the Water Supply Department; a boat was procured, and the body brought ashore. It was fully clothed, and a pair of spectacles and a hat were still upon it.

From this it would appear that the body had been in the water only a short time, and as there did not appear to be water on the lungs it is possible that the man was dead before the river claimed his body. A superficial examination does not show marks of violence of any kind on the body. The man was about 5ft. 6in. or 5ft. 7in. in height, with blue eyes, fair hair, and fair moustache. At the tune of his death he was wearing a dark-grey coat and grey cotton trousers, splashed with red stains, presumably paint stains, although they have not yet been analysed. The supposition that they might be bloodstains is discounted by the apparent absence of any injury to the body. The shirt worn by the dead man was' black, with a khaki tie, and hat of blue felt. Protruding jaws and a full set of false teeth are' other features which might lead to the identification of the man. Sergeant Cassidy, who examined the body, was of opinion that from the extreme thinness of the man he had not been in good health prior to his death. A post-mortem examination is being held.

Henry continued to live in Hubble Street through to the 1930's.

Henry Glasson died September 12th 1933 at Fremantle Hospital aged 50. He was buried at Fremantle Cemetery plot Roman Catholic Mon C 0027.