PURDON, Reginald Arthur
| Service Number: | 3901 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 23 August 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 55th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, 8 March 1895 |
| Home Town: | Bathurst, Bathurst Regional, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway porter |
| Died: | 1964, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, O`Connell ANZAC Memorial Avenue |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3901, 19th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 3901, 19th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 3901, 19th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Runic, Sydney | |
| 3 Apr 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 55th Infantry Battalion | |
| 20 Jul 1916: | Imprisoned Fromelles (Fleurbaix) |
Help us honour Reginald Arthur Purdon's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Reginald was a 20-year-old railway porter when he enlisted in August of 1915. He gave his next of kin as his father, George Purdon, 23 Oak Street, Bathurst, NSW. Reginald embarked with his brother Sydney in January 1916, as part of the 9th reinforcements of the 19th Battalion. They both transferred to the 55th Battalion at Moascar in April 1916. He was reported missing, then confirmed as wounded and captured 20 July 1916, suffering a gunshot wound to the right side of his face. His Red Cross file states in a report dated September 1916 that he had wounds to his cheek, ribs and abdomen. He was eventually repatriated back to England on the 2 December 1918. He returned to Australia in March 1919, and seems to have completely recovered from his wounds. Reginald passed away in 1964 at 69 years of age.
His brother Sydney Purdon was captured at the same time and they were repatriated to England on the same day.
A sister, Staff Nurse Edith Purdon enlisted in the Australian Army Nursing Service at 34 years of age and embarked for overseas from Sydney in June 1917, serving in Suez, Salonika and England. She arrived back in Australia during August 1919.
Click images to start slideshow.