DENHOLM, Francis James
| Service Number: | 5685 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 April 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 12th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Sorell, Tasmania, Australia, 28 August 1890 |
| Home Town: | Sorell, Sorell, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Tubercular Peritonitis, Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich, England, United Kingdom, Belgium, 12 January 1918, aged 27 years |
| Cemetery: |
Brookwood Military Cemetery, Pirbright, Surrey, England, United Kingdom Plot XI, Row C, Grave No. 2, Underhill Farm Cemetery, Ploegsteert, Wallonie, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Sorell War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Apr 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5685, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 5685, 12th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Hobart embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Choon embarkation_ship_number: A49 public_note: '' | |
| 8 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 5685, 12th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Choon, Hobart | |
| 6 May 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 5685, 12th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second), SW to face |
biography
He was born 28th August 1890 at Sorell Tasmania the son of George Denholm and Mary G Bilton, A farmer he enlisted 10th April 1916. He was 5ft 9 in height with blue eyes, fair hair, of a fair complexion and Church of England. He embarked at Hobart on HMAT “Seang Choon” He was taken on strength of the 3rd Training Battalion on 9th August 1916 and went to France on 26th October 1916. He joined the 12th Battalion in the field on 30th December 1916. He was wounded in action between 5 and 8th of May 1917 at Bullecourt and re-joined the battalion on 23rd May. He was sick in hospital in France 31st May 1917 to 4th October 1917. He returned to hospital sick on 16th November 1917 (Ward No.1 59th General Hospital) and was admitted to the Royal Herbert on 19th December 1917 suffering from Diarrhoea and Tuberculosis. He died 12th January 1918 at the Royal Herbert Hospital Woolwich of Tubercular Peritonitis and was buried on 17th January 1918 in Grave XI C.2 Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England
Submitted 3 June 2020 by Kenneth Nisbet
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 – 12th January…… Private Francis James Denholm was born at Sorell, Tasmania on 28th August, 1890. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 10th April, 1916 as a 25 year old, single, Farmer from Sorell, Tasmania.
Private Francis James Denholm embarked from Hobart, Tasmania on HMAT Seang Choon (A49) on 8th May, 1916 with the 12th Infantry Battalion, 18th Reinforcements.
On 29th July, 1916 he embarked from Alexandria on Arcadian & was taken on strength of 3rd Training Battalion at Perham Downs, Wiltshire, England on 9th August, 1916 from Egypt where he would receive further training before being sent to the War Front.
Private Denholm proceeded overseas to France on 29th September, 1916 & was posted to 1st A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Etaples, France on 1st October, 1916.
He was admitted to 24th General Hospital on 7th November, 1916 with Mumps. Private Denholm was transferred the same day to No. 6 Convalescent Depot then transferred on 12th November, 1916 to No. 5 Convalescent Depot at Cayeux still with Mumps. Private Denholm was discharged to Base Details on 18th November, 1916 & rejoined 1st A.D.B.D. at Etaples on 19th November, 1916. He proceeded from 1st A.D.B.D. at Etaples on 27th December, 1912 & was taken on strength of 12th Battalion in France on 30th December, 1916 from Reinforcements.
Private Francis James Denholm was wounded in action in France on 5-8th May, 1917 (dates as per Casualty Form- Active Service). He was admitted to 5th Field Ambulance on 6th May, 1917 with Shrapnel wounds to Face. Private Denholm was transferred & admitted to 3rd Casualty Clearing Station on 6th May, 1917 then transferred & admitted to No. 26 General Hospital at Etaples, France on 7th May, 1917. He was transferred to No. 6 Convalescent Depot at Etaples on 10th May, 1917 & discharged to Base Depot on 12th May, 1917 & was medically classified as “A” (fit for active service). Private Denholm was posted to 1st A.D.B.D. on 12th May, 1917 & rejoined his Battalion in France on 23rd May, 1917.
[From 12th Battalion War Diary – Operations from 3 – 9th May, 1917: Killed – 3 Officers & 30 Other Ranks; Wounded – 12 Officers & 201 Other Ranks; Missing – 25 Other Ranks.]
On 31st May, 1917 Private Denholm reported sick. He was admitted to 3rd Field Ambulance on 1st June, 1917 with Cellulitis Leg. He was transferred & admitted to 56th Casualty Clearing Station on 1st June, 1917 then was transferred & admitted to No. 1 Australian General Hospital at Rouen, France on 5th June, 1917. Private Denholm was transferred to No. 2 Convalescent Depot on 21st June, 1917. He was transferred to No. 13 Convalescent Depot at Trouville on 19th August, 1917 with Cellulitis – Right Leg. Private Denholm was discharged to Base Depot on 14th September, 1917. He proceeded to his Unit from 1st A.D.B.D. on 28th September, 1917 & rejoined 12th Battalion in Belgium on 5th October, 1917.
He was admitted to 1st Australian Field Ambulance on 16th November, 1917 with Diarrhoea then transferred to 10th Stationary Hospital the same day. He was transferred to 59th General Hospital on 16th November, 1917 then transferred to St. Omer on 17th December, 1917. Private Denholm embarked for England on Hospital Ship St. David on 19th December, 1917.
On 19th December, 1917 Private Denholm was admitted to Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich, England with Tubercular Peritonitis. He was reported as seriously ill.
Private Francis James Denholm died at 7 am on 12th January, 1918 at Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich, England from Tubercular Peritonitis.
He was buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England where around 360 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
Inscription reads:
Tho’ Lost To Sight To Memory Dear
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/d---e.html
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