NEALE, Ernest Alfred
| Service Number: | 62335 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 July 1918, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 27th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Tea Tree Gully, South Australia, 28 April 1899 |
| Home Town: | Hope Valley, Tea Tree Gully, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Hope Valley Public School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died of Illness, Military Hospital, Tidworth, Wiltshire, England , 7 September 1919, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
Tidworth Military Cemetery, England |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Hope Valley & Highbury Heroes of the Great War Roll, Tea Tree Gully Hope Valley Methodist Church and District Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Jul 1918: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 62335, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Aug 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 62335, 1st to 6th (SA) Reinforcements, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '20' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Barambah embarkation_ship_number: A37 public_note: '' | |
| 31 Aug 1918: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 62335, 1st to 6th (SA) Reinforcements, HMAT Barambah, Melbourne | |
| 7 Sep 1919: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 62335, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 62335 awm_unit: 27 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1919-09-07 |
Help us honour Ernest Alfred Neale's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Kelly Ryan
Ernest Alfred Neale was 19 years old when he enlisted to join World War 1. Ernest had not been in any military services before the war. Before Ernest joined the war, he was a labourer. Ernest was born in Hope Valley, Adelaide in 1889. Ernest was an only child. His mother’s name was Eliza Hall Neale and his father’s name was WJ Neale.
When Ernest was enlisted into the war he embarked on the ship HMAT Barambah on the 31st of August 1918 from Melbourne, Australia. His service number was 62335. His unit was the 27th Australian Infantry Battalion. During his time at war Ernest was not moved to another unit. Ernest was in battle for one year before he died of illness in the United Kingdom at the age of 20. Ernest died on the 7th of September 1919.
It is highly likely that Ernest would not have been on the first boat back to Australia because it was an official policy to transport Australian solders who had been fighting longer to go home first. To keep solders occupied there were various education options. When Ernest died his final rank was Private. Ernest was buried at the Tidworth Military cemetery Tidworth, Wiltshire, England.
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 7th September…… Ernest Alfred Neale was born at Tea Tree Gully, South Australia on 28th April, 1899.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 9th July, 1918 as a 19 year old, single, Labourer from Hope Valley. South Australia.
As Ernest Alfred Neale was under the age of 21 years – his parents were required to consent to their son enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) for active service abroad.
The Enrolling Office wrote a letter to D.A.A.G. Headquarters, 4th Military District on 12th July, 1918 advising: “Herewith Attestation Papers and Objection for Pte E. A. Neal. Forwarded for your information under Def: Circular 129.”
A reply was sent from D.A.A.G. Headquarters, 4th Military District on 17th July, 1918 to Recruiting Depot advising: “… The Recruit is to be enlisted in accordance with instructions from Executive of State Recruiting Committee. Applicant has been advised.”
Private Ernest Alfred Neale, Service number 62335, entrained from Adelaide, South Australia on 29th August, 1918 & embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Barambah (A37) on 31st August, 1918 with the 5th (South Australian) Reinforcements & disembarked at London, England on 14th November, 1918.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
He was posted to No. 2 Camp Details, Parkhouse, Wiltshire, England on 14th November, 1918 from Australia & was allotted to Reinforcements of 27th Battalion from General Service Reinforcements.
On 17th November, 1918 Private Neale was sent to Military Hospital, Tidworth, Wiltshire then admitted to Isolation Military Hospital, Brimstone Bottom, Wiltshire on the same day with Mumps. He was discharged on 7th December, 1918 & was discharged to Training Depot the same day.
Private Neale was admitted to No. 4 Group Hospital, Codford, Wiltshire on 23rd December, 1918 from 5th Training Battalion. He was discharged to his Unit on 1st January, 1919 & returned to 5th Training Battalion the same day.
He proceeded overseas via Southampton on 28th January, 1919 from 5th Training Battalion at Codford, Wiltshire. He was marched in to Australian Staging Camp on 29th January, 1919 & reported sick the same day. He was admitted to 34th Stationary Hospital at Abancourt on 29th January, 1919 with Tonsilitis. Private Neale was discharged on 3rd February, 1919 & was marched in to Australian Staging Camp the same day.
Private Ernest Alfred Neale was marched out from Australian Staging Camp on 3rd February, 1919 & was taken on strength of 27th Battalion in France on 6th February, 1919.
On 25th February, 1919 Private Neale reported sick. He was admitted to 7th Australian Field Ambulance on 25th February, 1919 with VD then transferred the same day & admitted to 55th Casualty Clearing Station. Private Neale was transferred to Ambulance Train 25 on 28th February, 1919 & admitted to 7th General Hospital in France on 2nd March, 1919. He was transferred to England on 4th March, 1919.
He was admitted to 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford, Wiltshire, England on 4th March, 1919 with VD. He was discharged to Military Hospital, Delhi (Tidworth) on 1st September, 1919 & was reported to be seriously ill with Appendicitis on 4th September, 1919.
Private Ernest Alfred Neale died on 7th September, 1919 at Military Hospital, Tidworth, Wiltshire, England from Cholecystitis Appendicitis.
He was buried in Tidworth Military Cemetery, Wiltshire, England where 172 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/n---s1.html
Click images to start slideshow.