17539
AULD, Patrick Howard
| Service Numbers: | 1034, Commissioned Officer, SX24600, S212007 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 November 1914, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Major |
| Last Unit: | 4 Garrison Battalion (SA) |
| Born: | Adelaide, South Australia, 30 May 1894 |
| Home Town: | Norwood (SA), South Australia |
| Schooling: | St. Peter's College |
| Occupation: | Insurance Clerk |
| Died: | Natural Causes, South Australia, 3 July 1972, aged 78 years |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Fire Underwriters' Association of S.A. WW1 Roll of Honour, Adelaide Rowing Club WW1 Pictorial Honour Board, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Hackney St Peter's College Honour Board, South Australian Garden of Remembrance |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Nov 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1034, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1914: |
Embarked
AIF WW1, Private, 1034, 4th Field Ambulance, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Berrima embarkation_ship_number: A35 public_note: '' |
|
| 22 Dec 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1034, 4th Field Ambulance, HMAT Berrima, Melbourne | |
| 12 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 50th Infantry Battalion, Mouquet Farm | |
| 12 Aug 1916: | Honoured Military Cross, Mouquet Farm, Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry ....although wounded ..... he led his men forward to reinforce part of the line ... he set a splendid example to his men" | |
| 12 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Commissioned Officer, 50th Infantry Battalion, Mouquet Farm | |
| 2 Apr 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Commissioned Officer, 50th Infantry Battalion, Noreuil | |
| 24 Apr 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Captain, 50th Infantry Battalion, Dernancourt/Ancre | |
| 24 Apr 1918: | Imprisoned Dernancourt/Ancre, Captured during the Battle of Dernancourt | |
| 22 May 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Captain, 50th Infantry Battalion |
World War 2 Service
| 8 Sep 1942: | Involvement Major, S212007 | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Sep 1942: | Involvement Major, SX24600 | |
| 8 Sep 1942: | Enlisted Major, SX24600, 4 Garrison Battalion (SA) , Strathfield, New South Wales | |
| 8 Sep 1942: | Enlisted Strathfield, NSW | |
| 8 Sep 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Major, SX24600 | |
| 9 Sep 1942: | Involvement S212007 | |
| 6 Feb 1943: | Discharged | |
| 6 Feb 1943: | Discharged Major, SX24600, 4 Garrison Battalion (SA) |
Awarded the Military Cross - Mouquet Farm
When thrown in with his platoon to reinforce a broken line on 3rd September near Mouquet Farm, this officer displayed great courage and energy in a difficult situation, and although badly shaken by being buried and slight wounded by heavy shellfire, he continued to do his work & succeeded in linking up with the unit on his flank. His conduct inspired great confidence in his men.
Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 19 April 1917
Location in Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: Page 920, position 54
Date of London Gazette: 14 November 1916
Location in London Gazette: Page 11073, position 1
Submitted 28 October 2014 by Steve Larkins
Biography
Image of Adelaide Rowing Club / AWM. Text adapated from that supplied by Adelaide Rowing Club with additional information
Patrick Howard Auld was the son of George AULD and Ellen Howard nee CLARK, of Edward Street, Norwood, South Australia, and a 20 year old insurance clerk when he enlisted on 4 November 1914. Patrick had previously served in the served in the 79th Infantry, Citizen Military Forces; still serving in 22nd Engineers Signal Troop at time of AIF enlistment.
Enlisted into the 4th Field Ambulance, he embarked for overseas as a Private from Melbourne on 22 December 1914 aboard the HMAT Berrima A35.
During the course of service at Gallipoli, he was admitted to the 16th Stationary Hospital, Mudros, 23 July 1915 (malaria); rejoining his unit on 2 August 1915.
He was Promoted Lance Corporal, at Gallipoli, on 25 August 1915. He withdrew with the main body of the evacuation and disembarked in Alexandria, on 24 December 1915.
Backin Egypt the AIF went through the 'doubling' process, and at some point Howard was identified as having leadership attributes and he transferred to the 50th Battalion, and appointed 2nd Lieutenant, 17 March 1916.
He embarked in Alexandria with his Battalion to join the British Expeditionary Force, 5 June 1916, disembarking in Marseilles, France, 12 June 1916, whereupon he headed for northern France by rail.
Howard was promoted Lieutenant, in the field, on the 10 July 1916, bust before the Battalion moved to the Somme sector from Armentieres. The great offensive had already begun and on 23 July the Australians were committed to action. The 50th Battalion was spared the losses sustained at Pozieres but they were not so fortunate at Mouquet Farm. Howard was wounded in action, 3 September 1916 but remained on duty.
He was awarded the Military Cross, 21 October 1916.
By early 1917, the Germans began their extraction to the Hindenburg Line and the 50th Battalion found itself outside the village of Noreuil, one of the so-called "Outpost Villages". The 50th Battalion sustained a lot of casulaties, particularly among the officers. Howard was Wounded in Action (second occasion), 2 April 1917 (gun shot wound, left buttock).
He was admitted to the 13th Field Ambulance, and transferred that same day via a Casualty Clearing Station; to the 7th Stationary Hospital, Boulogne, on 4 April 1917. His wound was classifed as "wound: severe" and he was evacuated to England, on 7 April 1917, and admitted the same day to the Research Hospital, Cambridge. Later he was transferred to 6th Australian Auxiliary Hospital, 11 June 1917 and then to the big personnel depot No 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs, 23 July 1917.
Seconded to No 4 Group as Assistant Staff Captain, 25 July 1917. Proceeded overseas to France, 6 December 1917; rejoined the 50th Battalion in the field on 15 December 1917 following the travials of the Third Ypres campaign.
Howard was promoted Captain on 1 January 1918. The 50th Battalion was committed to the defence of Dernancourt during the German Spring Offensive called "Operation Michael" in early March 1918, where the 4th Division distinguished itself. The 13th Brigade was detached in late April with the 15th Brigade from the 5th Division for what was to become one of its major encounters of the War - the counter attack which re-captured the town of Villers Brettoneux and halted the German advance on Amiens on the 24/5th APril 1918 ("Our Other ANZAC Day").
In the turmoil and confusion of the night attack, Howard was reported Missing in Action, 24 April 1918. Subsequent advice from the Red Cross reported him a prisoner of war in Germany. He was in the best bureaucratic tradition transferred to the Permanent Supernumerary List, 24 April -918.
He was repatriated to England following the Armistice, and he arrived on 1 December 1918.
Captain Auld returned to Australia on 25 March 1919 and was dischraged from the AIF on 22 May 1919. He later served in the Second World War from 8 September 1942 until 6 February 1943 and was discharged as a Major.
He had a brother, 1826 Lt Stuart AULD, Croix de Guerre (Belg), who served in the same unit, the 50th Battalion, returned to Australia, 15 May 1919.
Steve Larkins Oct 2014
Biography contributed
Biography written by Mia Tsimouris, Our Lady Sacred Heart College, SA attached as a document. Winning entry for 2020 Premier's Anzac Spirit School Prize.
Click images to start slideshow.