RHEAD, Herbert Walter John
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 49th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Rockhampton, Rockhampton, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Killed In Action, Belgium, 7 June 1917, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Gracemere Roll of Honour, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient), Rockhampton Grammar School WWI Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Apr 1915: | Involvement 9th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Kyarra embarkation_ship_number: A55 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Apr 1915: | Embarked 9th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Kyarra, Brisbane | |
| 7 Jun 1917: | Involvement Captain, 49th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 49th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Captain awm_died_date: 1917-06-07 |
Herbert Rhead
Herbert Walter John Rhead was a 23 year-old single school teacher from Rockhampton. His mother, Alice Mary Rhead lived in McDonald St, Allenstown, Rockhampton.
Rhead had spent 3 ½ years in the Senior Cadets and passed the examination for 2nd Lieutenant at the outbreak of war and applied for a commission in the AIF on 15 April 1915.
He embarked at Brisbane on 16 April 1915 as part of the 9th Battalion, 5th Reinforcements. He served on Gallipoli from 26 June 1915. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 15/10/1915 and admitted to 2nd Field Ambulance at Lemnos and then to hospital on 6/12/15. He rejoined the 9th Battalion on 23 January 1916 and was transferred to the 49th Battalion on its formation in Egypt on 25 February 16. On 4 March he was promoted to Captain. In France on 3 September during the Battle at Mouquet Farm, he was wounded in the left buttock and right leg, breaking his femur. He was admitted to hospital at Rouen and later on 2 January 1917 transferred to 3rd London General Hospital. He was discharged from hospital on 23 March 17 and proceeded to France to rejoin the 49th Battalion on 25 April 1917.
On 7 June he was leading a company of the 49th Battalion during the attack on Messines and was killed. There are conflicting reports of how he was killed. One report has him hit by gunfire early in the battle and while he was being evacuated by stretcher bearers was hit by a shell and killed. Another report, has him wounded as they reached the first line, but killed when his company reached the second line.
He was reported as having been buried near the start-line but his grave was never found and he is remembered on the panels at the Menin Gate in Ypres.
As recently as 1967, his sister, who was living at 11 Brecknell St, was writing to the Australian Government to claim his medals. Apparently, his father, who was not listed as his next-of-kin, and not living with his mother at his time of enlistment was still alive and therefore entitled to his medals. It’s not clear how this was resolved.
Submitted 7 May 2018 by John Phelan
Click images to start slideshow.