Kelly, Ernest James
3865 Private Ernest James Kelly - 51st Battalion & 1st light Railway Operating Company
Ernest James Kelly was born in Silvertown NSW on the 28th September 1888 to James and Amy Kelly, being one of ten siblings born into the family.
The family moved to WA in 1896 and initially settled in the Goldfields before residing in Fremantle in 1896. In 1906 Ernest was living at 57 Howard Street Fremantle (later renumbered to 1 Howard Street) and was working as a storeman.
On the 14th February 1911 Ernie began work with WA Government Railways as a shunter, then as a porter, and by 1914 he was working as a stock checker.
He was married on the 21st January 1914 to Mary (Mollie) McDermott and set up residence at 155 Holland Street Fremantle. (Later renumbered to 84 Holland St) A daughter Eileen was born in 1914 and a son Ernest in 1916.
On the 8th November 1915 Ernie enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 9 inches tall;
Weight - 132lbs;
Chest Measurement - 33-36 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Hazel;
Hair - Brown.
After his successful enlistment, Ernie was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he had a few weeks in the training depot, being taken through the basics of infantry work. On the 16th December 1915 he was then assigned to the 9th Reinforcements to the 28th battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA for the next two months.
On the 12th February 1916 Ernie and his group entrained to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Miltiades. The ship then set sail for Egypt, arriving there in March 1915. They men were then disembarked and Ernie was sent to the 7th Training Battalion.
The 28th Battalion was already at full capacity so Ernie was sent to join the 51st battalion AIF. He trained with his new unit in Egypt for the next two months. On the 5th June 1916 Ernie and the 51st battalion embarked from Alexandria Harbour bound for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 12th June 1916. After being disembarked, the 51st Battalion were entrained north for the Armentieres sector.
They had their first experience on the Western Front near Estaires. On the 5th July 1916 the Germans launched a heavy bombardment on their trenches. Ernie was wounded by shrapnel in his right arm and was evacuated to the 25th General Hospital at Camiers.
Ernie would remain in hospital for the next two months, only returning to his unit on the 12th September 1916. He served with the 51st Battalion for the remainder of 1916 but was then transferred to the 1st Anzac Light Railway Unit. This unit later became the 17th Australian Light Railway Operating Company. He served with them through the next six months of 1917 as they were transporting men and supplies around Belgium and France.
In July 1917 Ernie was given a two week furlough to England after which he returned to his unit. On the 3rd October 1917 Ernie was wounded when shrapnel from long range German shell fire struck him in the scalp. Fortunately the wound was not severe and he rejoined his unit two weeks later.
Ernie continued to serve with the railways through 1918, he was now with the 3rd Australian Light operating Railway Company. He was serving with this unit till the Armistice in November 1918.
In December 1918 Ernie was evacuated with influenza and spent a month in hospital. He then returned to his unit and served with them through to June 1919. Ernie then returned to England.
On the 23rd July 1919 Ernie boarded the transport ship Main and sailed for Australia, disembarking in Fremantle on the 28th September 1919. He was discharged from the AIF on the 20th November 1919.
Two of his brothers, Thomas and James enlisted early in the war and died in 1915 and 1916. Sadly his father died in Fremantle in 1917 while he was away at the war.
By 1925 the family was living at 152 Cadd Street Fremantle, before moving to 116 Queen Victoria Street in Fremantle in 1937 and 37 Quarry Street in the 1940's. During this time Ernie had been working as a railway employee.
He remarried in 1952 to Matilda Rose Wright
Ernie died on the 1st November 1967 in Hilton aged 79. He was buried in Fremantle Cemetery plot Roman Catholic MON CC 1647.