Francis David COMLEY

COMLEY, Francis David

Service Number: 36
Enlisted: 29 March 1916
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1)
Born: St Peters, South Australia, September 1886
Home Town: St Peters (SA), Norwood Payneham St Peters, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Painter & decorator
Died: Wounds, 1st London General Hospital, Camberwell, England , United Kingdom, 27 October 1917
Cemetery: Brookwood Military Cemetery, Pirbright, Surrey, England, United Kingdom
Memorials: Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Norwood Baptist Church WW1 Honour Rolls, St Peters All Souls Anglican Church Honour Board WW1, St Peters Heroes War Memorial, St. Peters Baptist Church Roll of Honour WW1
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World War 1 Service

29 Mar 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 36, 3rd Division Cyclist Company
18 May 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 36, 3rd Division Cyclist Company, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Demosthenes embarkation_ship_number: A64 public_note: ''
10 Sep 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 12th Infantry Battalion
16 Oct 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1)
2 Apr 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 36, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1), SW to back - minor
9 Jun 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 36, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1), Battle of Messines, GSW left thigh
27 Oct 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 36, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1), Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 36 awm_unit: 51 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-10-27

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Biography contributed by Evan Evans

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK

Died on this date - 27th October.....

Of the almost 1,400 Australian War Graves I have researched so far - 10 have died on this date - 4 from Wounds received in action & 6 from Pneumonia related illnesses.

Today I have chosen........Private Francis David Comley who was born at St. Peters, South Australia in 1886. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 29th March, 1916 as a 29 year old Painter (Sign Writer).

Private Francis David Comley embarked from Sydney, NSW on HMAT Demosthenes (A64) on 18th May, 1916 with the 3rd Divisional Cyclist Company. He was posted to Australian Cyclist Training Battalion at Chiseldon, England on 31st July, 1916.

Private Comley was transferred to 12th Battalion on 7th September, 1916. He proceeded to France on 29th September, 1916 & was transferred to 51st Battalion on 16th October, 1916.

Private Francis David Comley was wounded in action in France on 2nd April, 1917 at Noreuil with GSW to back. He recovered in France & rejoined his Unit on 1st May, 1917.

Private Francis David Comley was wounded in action (2nd occasion) on 9th June, 1917 (Battle of Messines). He was transferred to England on Hospital Ship Warilda on 15th June, 1917 with GSW to left thigh.

Private Comley was admitted to 1st Southern General Hospital, Dudley Road, Birmingham, England on 15th June, 1917 with GSW to left thigh. He was discharged to furlo on 3rd July, 1917 & was then to report to No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs. Private Comley was returned to France & rejoined his Unit on 27th August, 1917.

Private Francis David Comley was wounded in action on 16th October, 1917. He was invalided to England on Hospital Ship Port Elizabeth with Gas poisoning. He was admitted to 1st London General Hospital, Camberwell, England on 25th October, 1917 – seriously ill.

Private Francis David Comley died on 27th October, 1917 at 1st London General Hospital, Camberwell, England from wounds – gas poisoning (Gas poisoning was classed as “Died of wounds”). He was buried on 1st November, 1917 in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/c.html

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