SYMONDS, Harry Francis Clifford
| Service Number: | 13451 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 February 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 11th Field Ambulance |
| Born: | Chain Of Ponds, South Australia, 18 December 1895 |
| Home Town: | Chain of Ponds, Adelaide Hills, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Chain of Ponds Public School |
| Occupation: | Teacher |
| Died: | Chain Of Ponds, South Australia, 13 March 1921, aged 25 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Chain of Ponds Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Adelaide High School Great War Honour Board, Adelaide South Australian Education Department Roll of Honour, Cudlee Creek Millbrook Public School Roll of Honour, Kent Town Wesleyan Methodist Church WW1 Honour Roll, Norwood Primary School Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 13451, Army Medical Corps (AIF) | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 13451, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 13451, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Adelaide | |
| 19 Sep 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 11th Field Ambulance |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Modbury High School
Harry Francis Clifford Symonds was born on 18 December 1895. He grew up at Chain of Ponds in the Adelaide Hills. Before the war, he worked as a teacher at Adelaide High School.
Harry enlisted 1st February 1916, when he was 20 years old. His mother Mrs Amelia Symonds was his nominated next of kin. According to his enlistment record he was 5 foot and 8 inches. He weighed in at 130 pounds. He had blue eyes and brown hair.
His unit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A19 Afric on 9 June 1916.
He initially served with the 43rd Battalion at the Western Front. During the war, he was transferred to the 11th Field Ambulance on 22nd December 1916. The 11th Field Ambulance's primary duties involved providing medical support to the troops in the field during wartime. They were responsible for establishing and operating medical posts, dressing stations, and rest areas, as well as evacuating casualties from the front lines. This included setting up casualty collection posts, administering initial treatment for injuries, and preparing casualties for evacuation to the main dressing station.
His unit was gassed in 11th November 1917, and he was sent to England for medical treatment. He was discharged from hospital 17th December 1917 and served in Depots in England until he was repatriated home to Australia, medically unfit.
He returned home on 18 September 1918. He died 13 March 1921 at the age of 25. He was weak after his gas poisoning during the war and died due to an unnamed illness according to a newspaper article commemorating his involvement at the Kent Town Methodist Church where he taught Sunday School.
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