Michael GRUBNAU

GRUBNAU, Michael

Service Number: 3152
Enlisted: 23 November 1916
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 46th Infantry Battalion
Born: Coolgardie, Western Australia, January 1894
Home Town: Laverton, Laverton, Western Australia
Schooling: State School, James Street, Perth Western Australia
Occupation: Stockman
Died: Illness - Tubercle of Lung; (secondary) Tubercle of Middle Ear, 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield Park, Harefield, Middlesex, England, 23 June 1918
Cemetery: Harefield (St. Mary) Churchyard
Harefield (St Mary) Churchyard, Harefield, Hillingdon, England, United Kingdom, Meteren Military Cemetery, Meteren, Nord Pas de Calais, France, Rookwood Necropolis, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Middle Swan - Swan Boys Orphanage Honour Board
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World War 1 Service

23 Nov 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3152, 46th Infantry Battalion
29 Dec 1916: Involvement Private, 3152, 46th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Persic embarkation_ship_number: A34 public_note: ''
29 Dec 1916: Embarked Private, 3152, 46th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Persic, Fremantle

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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/Scotland/Ireland 

Died on this date – 23rd June…… Michael Grubnau was born at Coolgardie, Western Australia around 1894. His father died in 1896.

He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 22nd November, 1916 as a 23 year old, single, Stockman, from Earlston Station, via Beria, Western Australia.

Private Michael Grubnau, Service number 3152, embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia on HMAT Persic (A34) on 29th December, 1916 with the 46th Infantry Battalion, 8th Reinforcements & disembarked at Devonport, England on 3rd March, 1917.

He had been written up for an Offence while on Troopship A34 on 19th January, 1917. “1. Absenting himself from Church Parade 2. Insolence to an N.C.O.” He was awarded 48 hours detention by Lieutenant A. V. Harefield O.C. 46th Battalion.

Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
On 4th March, 1917 Private Grubnau was marched into 12th Training Battalion at Codford, Wiltshire – No. 14 Camp from Australia.

He was admitted to Fargo Military Hospital, Wiltshire on 31st May, 1917 with ear trouble. He was discharged on 5th June, 1917 & was to report to Depot. Private Grubnau was marched in to 12th Training Battalion from Hospital on 6th June, 1917.

Private Grubnau proceeded overseas to France via Southampton on 25th June, 1917 from 12th Training Battalion at Codford. He was marched in to 4th A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Havre, France on 26th June, 1917. Private Grubnau was marched out to his Unit on 15th July, 1917 & was taken on strength of 46th Battalion in the Field on 19th July, 1917 from Reinforcements.

On 8th September, 1917 he reported sick & was admitted to 12th Australian Field Ambulance on 8th September, 1917 with Chronic Otitis Media. Private Grubnau was transferred on 9th September, 1917 & admitted to 39th Stationary Hospital at Aires, France. He was discharged on 22nd September, 1917 to Base but was admitted the same day to 2nd Australian General Hospital at Wimereux with Chronic Otitis Media. Private Grubnau was transferred to England on 23rd September, 1917.

He was admitted to Norfolk & Norwich Hospital, Norwich, England on 23rd September, 1917 with Otitis Media – severe. He was transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, England on 1st October, 1917. Private Grubnau was discharged to furlo from 8th October, 1917 & was to report to Depot at Codford on 22nd October, 1917.

Private Grubnau was sent sick to Military Hospital, Fovant, Wiltshire, on 13th January, 1918 from No. 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire. He was later admitted to the Hospital – cause N.Y.D. (not yet determined). Private Grubnau was discharged to Training Depot on 4th February, 1918. He was marched in to No. 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott on 4th February, 1918 from Hospital.

He was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth on 11th March, 1918 from No. 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott.

On 18th April, 1918 Private Grubnau was sent sick to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield from No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth. He was admitted on 19th April, 1918 suffering from Chronic Supperative Otitis Media.

Private Michael Grubnau died at 7.55 am on 23rd June, 1918 at 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield Park, Harefield, Middlesex, England from (primary) Tubercle of Lung; (secondary) Tubercle of Middle Ear.

He was buried in St. Mary the Virgin Churchyard, Harefield, Middlesex, England where 112 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/d---g2.html

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