Born: 17 March 1891
Died: 16 February 1957
A clerk who enlisted in the AIF on 7 January 1916 under the name of Harry Carter, his birth name being Ernest Robert Aver Keyworth. He embarked for Egypt on 31 March 1916 and arrived about April 1916.
On 14 June 1916 he moved to France as a reinforcement for the 45th Battalion. On 21 July 1916 he joined his unit. He suffered a fractured rib (cause not stated) on 2 August 1916. After treatment at hospital he returned to his unit on 16 August 1916. A week later he was absent without leave for four days for which he was given 21 days Field Punishment No 2.
He deserted his unit on 14 February 1917 when it was undertaking fatigue duties in the front line at Flers, France. There followed as series of apprehensions and escapes from custody.
He was apprehended by French authorities on 1 January 1918 and taken into custody by Australian Provosts but he escaped on 24 January 1918. He was again apprehended on 2 March but escaped on 15 April. He was apprehended on 5 August at Hazebrouck, France but escaped again and was next apprehended at Paris on 18 December 1918 and escaped three days later. For this last offence, a General Court Martial sentenced him on 19 January 1919 to 28 days of Field Punishment No 1 (equivalent to hard labour).
He returned to the 45th Battalion on 9 February 1919 to await the hearing of the charge of desertion. On 4 April 1919 a General Court Martial found him guilty and sentenced him to two years hard labour. The initial two months were at a military prison at Rouen, France after which he was transferred to a civilian prison at Gloucester, England.
On 21 July 1919 his sentence was suspended and he was transferred to a holding unit. He embarked for Australia on 3 September 1919 and arrived on 24 October 1919, then was discharged from the AIF on 4 November 1919. [JSB]
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