Born: 15 February 1895
Died: 19 July 1966
A share farmer who enlisted in the AIF on 8 August 1915. He embarked for Egypt on 2 November and arrived on 30 November 1915.
He was initially allotted to the 55th Battalion then was transferred to the 53rd Battalion which arrived at Marseilles, France on 23 June 1916. It moved to Thiennes in northern France where it remained until 8 July at which time it moved to a forward area. Two days later it was in the front line for the first time at Fleurbaix.
On 19 July the Battalion attacked the German trenches as part of the Battle of Fromelles. It suffered very heavy casualties. Out of a fighting force of 851, there were 35 killed, 353 wounded and 236 missing, a total of 624 (73%).
He was among the missing, having been taken prisoner of war as the Battalion withdrew to its starting point on the morning of 20 July 1916. He remained in Germany until after the Armistice and arrived in England on 10 December 1918.
He embarked for Australia on 9 February 1919 and arrived on 26 March then was discharged from the AIF on 27 May 1919.
Thomas Alexander Wells is his brother-in-law. [JSB]
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