Henry Hobbins was born in Lincolnshire England in 1865 to William and Ann Hobbins, being one of three siblings. He grew up and was educated in Lincoln and after leaving school he took up a boiler making apprenticeship with Robey and Co. in Lincoln, which was of six years duration.
After his apprenticeship was complete Henry took up employment as a Boilermaker.
He married Annie Symonds in Lincolnshire in January 1886 and they moved to Australia in the 1880's. They set up residence in Perth, and they would have several children, William 1887, Clara 1888, Samuel 1890, John 1893, Alfred 1894, May and Stella in 1895. Sadly both Alfred and Clara would died in the 1890's both aged 5 years old.
The family lived in Mary Street Fremantle in the early 1900's and then at Cantonment Street Fremantle though they also spent time at Yarloop.
Early in the Great War, two of Henry's sons, Samuel and William, enlisted in 1915 and went to serve with the AIF in Gallipoli and France. Henry also wanted to serve, despite being in is 40's. On the 17th May 1916 Henry enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force in Fremantle.
He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 6 & 3/4 inches tall;
Weight - 140lbs;
Chest Measurement - 35-37 inches;
Complexion - Ruddy;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Grey.
Upon his successful enlistment. Henry was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was admitted to No.69 Training Depot. He spent the next month here being taken through the basics of infantry work. While he was in this camp he soon had news that his son Sam had arrived home, having been invalided from Gallipoli after serving with the 28th battalion AIF.
On the 21st June 1916 Henry was then assigned to the 22nd Reinforcements to the 16th battalion AIF. Henry trained with this group in WA till the 5th September 1916. He was then transferred to the 6th Reinforcements to the 48th Battalion. Henry trained with this group for several weeks and then their embarkation orders came through.
On the 30th October 1916 Henry and his group entrained to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Port Melbourne and set sail for England, arriving at Devonport Harbour on the 28th December 1916. After being disembarked Henry was sent to the 12th training Battalion at Codford Camp on the Salisbury Plains.
On the 20th January 1917 he was sent to hospital at Codford and was medically downgraded as no longer fit for active service, the reason being senility. They found that Henry was 52 years old, not 44 as he had stated on his enlistment.
Henry was then sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth. He would be here for the next few months but on the 4th May 1917 embarked for Australia on the transport ship HMAT Miltiades. On the 24th June 1917 he disembarked at Fremantle and was discharged from the AIF on the 16th July 1917.
Henry then returned home to Cantonment Street and resumed his boilermaking trade. The family then moved to Malcolm Street Fremantle. Sadly in April 1918, news came through that their son William had been killed while serving with the 11th Battalion at Meteren.
Henry Hobbins died at home in 15 Malcolm Street Fremantle in 1924 aged 59. He was buried at Fremantle Cemetery plot Anglican MON A3 0635.
