PIERCEY, Hubert Charles
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 19th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Benalla, Victoria, Australia, 4 May 1884 |
| Home Town: | Burnie, Burnie, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Dental Surgeon |
| Died: | War Service related , Burnie, Tasmania, Australia, 1926 |
| Cemetery: |
Wivenhoe General Cemetery, Burnie, Tasmania |
| Memorials: | Burnie Emu Lodge No. 23 T C WW1 Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Dec 1915: | Involvement Lieutenant, 19th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Berrima embarkation_ship_number: A35 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Dec 1915: | Embarked Lieutenant, 19th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Berrima, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by tony griffin
Captain HUBERT CHARLES PIERCEY
Hubert Charles Piercey was born in Benalla, Victoria on 4 May 1884 and was the son of a Presbyterian (or Church of England) Minister, the Rev. Joseph. P. Piercey. Hubert was a Dental Sugeon married to Amy with three children , Jack, Maxwell and Jane.
Prior to his enlistment Hubert had served in the Tasmanian Rangers, a militia unit, with the rank of Lieutenant. As the Australian Expeditionary Force was established 31 year old Hubert enlisted on 1 May 1915 and was placed second in command of Claremont Camp, base of the Tasmanian Rangers 91st Infantry (Militia). Appointed to 8 Reinforcements 19 Battalion, Hubert embarked from Australia aboard HMAT A35 Berrima on 27 December 1915. At Duntroon Plateau on the Sinai Desert Hubert was transferred to the newly formed 60th Battalion and promoted to the rank of Captain. 60 Battalion arrived in France in June 1916 and within a month, at Fromelles on 19 July, was involved in what is described as “the worst 24 hours in Australia’s entire history”. On this day the battalion was virtually wiped out, suffering 757 casualties
“Battalion scaled the parapet and advanced in four waves, the first wave leaving at 6.45, the last at 7. Each wave advanced under very heavy artillery, machine gun and rifle fire, suffering very heavy casualties. Advance continued to within 90 yards of enemy trenches. The attack was held up although it is believed some few of the battalion entered enemy trenches. During 19/20 a few stragglers, wounded and unwounded, returned to our trenches.” - Entry for 19 July 1916, 60 Battalion War Diary.
During the attack Hubert received a gun shot wound to his forehead and lay unconscious in no-mans-land for 40 hours. During that time he was also hit by shrapnel in his left shoulder blade. On 21 July he was brought in from the battlefield and admitted to No. 7 Stationary Hospital in Boulogne with a compound fracture of his frontal bone, the Dura Mater penetrated and with gas infection of the brain. He underwent surgery where pieces of bone were removed from his brain. The flaps were left open on account of septis. Over the next few days Hubert suffered frequently recurring severe Epileptiform attacks and some loss of speech. Hubert was evacuated to England aboard HS Brighton and admitted to 4 London General Hospital on 6 August where his report read “flap edges 2½ inches apart leaving large area of bare brain. Cerabal hernia 1½ inches diameter.” On 4 October Hubert was admitted to 6 Australian Auxiliary Hospital and would spend the remainder of his time in England there and at the Whitechapel Convalescent Hospital. A Medical Board deemed Hubert permanently unfit for future service and sufficiently recovered he embarked for Australia from Avonmouth aboard Karoola on 22 February 1917 and disembarked on 10 April. He arrived in Launceston from Melbourne aboard SS Rotomahana on 13 April 1917.
A Medical Board examination at 12 Australian General Hospital, Launceston on 1 May 1917 stated that although the wounds had healed Hubert suffered frequent headaches and giddiness and had had two convulsive attacks. The Board recommended that Hubert’s appointment in the AIF be terminated as from 16 May 1917.
Hubert resumed practicing as a dental surgeon in his practice at the Town Hall Buildings, Burnie but also devoted much time to helping other incapacitated war veterans by becoming President of the Burnie Returned Servicemen’s Association. He also became a member of the local recruiting committee as his commitment to the war effort. In 1923 Hubert was charged with having practiced dentistry between January and May without being a certified dentist. The Registrar stated that Hubert had been repeatedly asked to become certificated and had failed to do so. Described as an “obstinate man”, Hubert was fined £2 with £2/10/6 costs.
Hubert continued to suffer from the effects of his war injuries and passed away at home on 19 September 1926. He is buried in the Wivenhoe General Cemetery, Burnie. Amy died in December 1958 and is buried with Hubert.