Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Joseph was the son of William Henry MAY & Emily MCKENZIE and was born on the 28th of November 1892 in Church Place, Pt Adelaide, SA.

His parents were married on the 25th of February 1879 in Pt Adelaide, SA.

His father was the son of John MAY & his mother was the daughter of Alexander MCKENZIE.

Joseph was the fifth child born into this family of 8 children.

His father was a lumper (wharf labourer) and the family lived in Church Place Cannon Street, Pt Adelaide.

By 1902 they had moved to Cannon Street, Pt Adelaide and they then moved to Ship Street.

In November 1915 Joseph tried to enlist into the AIF but was rejected upon his medical with heart issues.

His brother in-law, John LIPTROT enlisted into the AIF on the 18th of the same month and was posted to the 48th Battalion, 3rd Reinforcements (2025).

His brother; George Edgar MAY enlisted into the AIF on the 7th of January 1916 and was allotted the service number 24.

At the age of 23, Joseph successfully enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 17th of January 1916 in Adelaide and allotted the service number 1067 and posted to the A Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Exhibition Camp.
This time his heart was not examined and he passed his medical.

Four days later his brother in-law, Frederick John FULCHER enlisted into the AIF on the 21st of January 1916 (3563A).

Joseph was transferred to A Company, 1 Depot Battalion and 9 days later he was admitted into the Venereal Camp on Torrens Island.
During this time his brother George was posted to the newly raised 43rd Battalion on the 15th of March at Morphettville Camp.
Joseph was discharged from Torrens Island on the 11th of April and posted to the 43rd Battalion, B Company at Morphettville Camp, with his brother.

Joseph & George gained four days leave, known as "long leave," on the 19th of April and this embraced the Easter Holidays, this being the last furlough granted prior to their departure from Australia.

Joseph & George embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A19 Afric at 2pm on the 9th of June 1916.

On the 3rd of July Joseph was admitted into the ships hospital suffering from Venereal Disease.
On the 12th of July, when they reached Port Said, Joseph was conveyed to shore and admitted into the Government Hospital in Port Said and the following day he was transferred to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital in Abbassia.

Joseph embarked from Alexandria for England on the 7th of August on board HT Megantic and marched into No.1 Camp Salisbury Plain.
Here he was posted to the 4th Training Battalion in No.12 Camp at Larkhill which was the training area for the 43rd Battalion prior to its departure for the front.

His brother in-law, Frederick FULCHER, embarked from Melbourne on board RMS Orontes on the 16th of August.
Then Joseph rejoined George and their Battalion and proceeded to France on the 25th of November and by Christmas he was located in Armentieres.

During marches, Joseph would often fall out of the marches due to shortness of breath and pain above heart.
His brother in-law, Frederick FULCHER arrived in France on the 1st of January 1917 and was transferred to the 3rd Tunnelling Company at Hill 70, near Lens.

Joseph was only in France for 2 months and suffered from Venereal Disease and was hospitalized. He was evacuated to England and admitted into the 3rd Australian General Hospital, located at the Kitchener War Hospital, in Brighton.

Whilst he was in hospital his brother George and the 43rd Battalion was still in the front line trenches and sadly, on the 18th of February, George was Killed in Action and was buried in the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery.

Then on the 24th of February his brother in-law, Frederick, was Killed in Action.

Joseph spent the next 6 weeks here receiving treatment and it was here that he was diagnosed with Heart Disease and was recommended to be returned to Australia as his condition was aggravated by active service.

Joseph embarked from Plymouth, England on the 4th of May 1917 on board HT Thermistocles, disembarked in Melbourne on the 2nd of July and entrained to Adelaide the following day.
On his arrival in Adelaide he was admitted into the 7th Australian General Hospital in Keswick and diagnosed with Organic Valvuler (aortic & mitral) Heart Disease.

He was discharged from hospital on the 20th of July and was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 8th of August 1917.
He was granted a War Pension of £3 per fortnight which decreased to £1/10/- per fortnight on the 14th of March 1918.

When Joseph was overseas his parents moved to Hart Street, Glanville and Joseph returned home to them.
He gained employment as a labourer and joined the Pt Adelaide RSL Sub-Branch.

In early July 1922 Joseph contracted a severe and heavy cold and took some cough medicine and his mother was rubbing his chest with Eucalyptus.
He remained going to work and on Tuesday the 18th of July he returned home at 8:30pm.
The same evening he complained of a pain in his back and went to bed shortly afterwards.

Joseph didn’t get out of bed and the following day his mother heard him gasping for breath about 2pm and sent for Doctor Betts.

Unfortunately Joseph died from Pneumonia at 2:30pm prior to the arrival of the Doctor at his parent’s home in Hart Street on the 19th of July 1922.

He was buried 2 days later in the Cheltenham Cemetery; Section F Drive A Path 33 Site Number 346S.

MAY.-The FRIENDS of the late Mr. JOSEPH ARTHUR (Ruggy) MAY are respectfully informed that his Funeral will leave the residence of his father (Mr. William Henry May), Hart Street, Glanville, on FRIDAY, at 2.30 pm, for the Catholic Cemetery, Cheltenham.
FRANK J. SIEBERT, Undertaker.

Joseph’s sister; Rose Helen FULCHER died of Pneumonia on the 19th of May 1925 in the Adelaide Hospital and was buried with Joseph the following day.

Military

At the age of 23, Joseph enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 17th of January 1916 in Adelaide and allotted the service number 1067 and posted to the A Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Exhibition Camp.
He listed his mother, of Ship Street, Pt Adelaide, as his next of kin.

On the 1st of February he was transferred to A Company, 1 Depot Battalion and 9 days later he was admitted into the Venereal Camp on Torrens Island.
He was discharged from Torrens Island on the 11th of April and posted to the 43rd Battalion, B Company at Morphettville Camp, with his brother George (24).

The Battalion consisted of men who had but recently enlisted, and were practically raw recruits, most of whom had joined up in January and February.

Early in April musketry was commenced throughout the Battalion with each section forming a separate squad and undergoing ten days progressive instruction in the art of handling the rifle, the course being completed by the firing of an application and grouping practice on the miniature range in the dry bed of the Sturt River.
An open range was prepared in the sand hills between Glenelg and Henley, where for two days portions of the Battalion were engaged with the service rifle; but the working of these targets proved so slow and tedious that arrangements were made to secure the use of the butts at Port Adelaide, special trains conveying the troops to and from this place. Two complete days firing was given to each company, during which grouping, application, snap shooting, and rapid practices at 100, 200, and 300 yards were completed.
Joseph and George gained four days leave, known as "long leave," on the 19th and this embraced the Easter Holidays, this being the last furlough granted prior to the Battalion's departure from Australia. The free weekends still being maintained and to those living within thirty miles of Adelaide, when desired, was extended to Monday morning.

The Battalion attended a number of functions and ceremonies, chief among which were the presentation of colours at Glenelg, the Military Tattoo on the Jubilee Oval, and the farewell dinner provided in the Exhibition Building by the Cheer-up Society; while occasional trips to the theatre were arranged, special trains usually being provided for the conveyance of the Unit to and from Morphettville. A certain amount of amusement was supplied within the camp on several occasions by concert parties.

During the whole period of training, equipment and clothing were gradually issued and they were fitted out for departure, signing for every article received and having numerous inspections to ascertain what shortages existed. The health of the men also received continuous attention, vaccination and two inoculations being administered in the early days, while dental inspections and subsequent treatment rectified any defects of the mouth.

The first week of June was spent in final preparations to embark on the 9th of June, the quartermasters and clerical departments being the most busily engaged. A final pay was drawn and as much leave as possible granted and by the 8th all preparations for embarkation had been completed, and the transport section had left for the Outer Harbour.

Dawn of June 9th was breaking behind the Mount Lofty Ranges when reveille sounded, rousing the whole camp to the activities of final preparations for departure, including the handing in of camp equipment and stores.

At 9.40 a.m. the first train, bearing Headquarters and A and B Companies, left Morphettville Station followed half-an-hour later by a second train with the remainder of the Battalion.
On reaching Port Adelaide the train proceeded by the old route down St. Vincent Street, where a large and enthusiastic crowd assembled to bid farewell to the unit. An hour later the Outer Harbour was reached and there followed a rapid embarkation on board their transport, HMAT A19 Afric.

Joseph and George embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A19 Afric at 2pm on the 9th of June 1916 and Joseph now realised that this was the commencement of the long, long trail, the end of which none could foretell.

The journey through The Bight was cold and rough, causing sickness to 70 per cent of the men. Land was first sighted at daybreak of the 13th of June and after passing through King George Sound they anchored in Albany Harbour at 11.30 am, when coaling immediately commenced.
The next day the boat drew alongside the wharf, and all were allowed ashore for a few hours.
At noon the same day the journey was resumed and soon the shores of Joseph’s homeland receded from view.
That night it was learnt that the next port of call would be Colombo. As the result of a long period of calm weather that followed the departure from Albany, it was possible to conduct training, consisting of musketry, physical exercises, bayonet fighting, and boat drill, limited in extent by the small area of deck space available.

The journey through The Bight was cold and rough, causing sickness to 70 per cent of the men. Land was first sighted at daybreak of the 13th of June and after passing through King George Sound they anchored in Albany Harbour at 11.30 am, when coaling immediately commenced.
The next day the boat drew alongside the wharf, and all were allowed ashore for a few hours.
At noon the same day the journey was resumed and soon the shores of Joseph’s homeland receded from view.
That night it was learnt that the next port of call would be Colombo. As the result of a long period of calm weather that followed the departure from Albany, it was possible to conduct training, consisting of musketry, physical exercises, bayonet fighting, and boat drill, limited in extent by the small area of deck space available.

As the tropics were approached, permission to sleep on deck was granted, and a large majority, including Joseph availed themselves of the privilege. By day a minimum amount of clothing was worn, the heavier uniform being abandoned for the lighter and more comfortable suit of dungarees.

Early on the morning of June 26th the island of Ceylon was sighted and by 10 a.m. the transport anchored in the harbour of Colombo. Coal barges were soon drawn along side the boat and coaling operations, conducted by the natives, commenced.
That afternoon they were taken ashore on lighters and marched to the military barracks in Colombo. There a wet canteen was placed at the disposal of the troops and native vendors of views, fruit, etc., offered their goods. As this was the first opportunity for some weeks of purchasing articles from other than the ship's canteen a brisk business resulted.

The following day the journey resumed at 3.45 p.m.
The voyage to Suez differed very little from the previous fortnight, except that during the four days in the Red Sea extreme heat was experienced, causing exhaustion to several of the stokers, whose work was undertaken for two days by volunteers from the troops.

On the 3rd of July Joseph was admitted into the ships hospital suffering from Venereal Disease.

By noon of July 11th Suez was reached and all preparations for disembarkation were completed.
Orders were, however, received from the military authorities that the journey was to be continued through the Mediterranean and at 4 pm an entrance was made into the Canal, the interesting surroundings of which attracted attention for sixteen hours. Along the bank were encamped Australian and English troops, who formed a portion of the Canal Garrison. An opportunity to converse with some of these was afforded by the boat being delayed for an hour at Ismalia.

By 8.30 am on the 12th the Canal was cleared and entry made into Port Said, where a transport conveying English troops southward was passed.
Joseph was conveyed to shore and admitted into the Government Hospital in Port Said.
The following day Joseph was transferred to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital in Abbassia and George and the 43rd Battalion sailed for France after having an A 4.7 naval gun mounted aft and manned by Royal Navy gunners.

He spent 2 weeks here undergoing treatment before he was discharged to Q Details on the 27th of July.
Joseph embarked from Alexandria for England on the 7th of August on board HT Megantic and marched into No.1 Camp Salisbury Plain.
Here he was posted to the 4th Training Battalion in No.12 Camp at Larkhill. This was the training area for the 43rd Battalion prior to its departure for the front.

He rejoined his Battalion on the 24th of August and spent the next few months here in training.
Towards the end of November, when they had been fully equipped for overseas, a divisional march, covering a distance of eighteen miles, was accomplished, the full issue of clothing and equipment, less blankets, being carried, the day proving most strenuous on account of the oppressive heat.

During the first three weeks of November final preparations and issue of equipment for the trip overseas were completed, and the dates of departure of the Division were expected to cover the last week of November 1916, Joseph and the 43rd Battalion eventually sailing on the 25th, prior to which the camp was thoroughly cleaned and the bulk of stores returned.

The early morning of November 25th was a repetition of June 9th. For the purpose of the move the Battalion was divided into three parties, leaving Lark Hill Camp in time to entrain at Amesbury Station by 7.15am. The weight of equipment carried by each man was far in excess of that borne on any previous march, as in addition to full marching order, two blankets, 150 rounds of ammunition, with steel and gas helmets, made a burden in all cases exceeding 80 lb.
At dusk the trip across the Channel commenced and a heavy sea was experienced, causing sea sickness to many on board, while a bleak wind with frequent showers of hail made the entry into the harbour at Le Havre and the period of waiting intensely cold.

Disembarkation and unloading commenced at 11 am and during the afternoon there followed the memorable route march to No.1 Rest Camp, situated on a hill about three miles from the wharf. Here they remained for the night, leaving at 6.30am next morning for the railway yards, where a troop train, consisting chiefly of cattle trucks, was waiting, and at 11.30am they left for Bailleul.
The journey, via Rouen, Abbeville, Boulogne, Calais, and St. Omer, occupied thirty hours, halts being made en route for the issue of rations and hot drinks.
Detraining was completed before dark, but by the time the unit moved from the station night had set in. For the march to billets, packs and blankets were carried by motor lorry. Locating these billets caused great difficulty, owing to the lack of information and absence of guides, and it was not until after 10 pm that they were settled for the night.

On December 23rd, in a high wind and through heavy rain, a march to new billets in Armentieres was carried out. They, with the 44th Battalion, formed support to the 41st and 42nd Battalions.

During these marches, Joseph would often fall out of the marches due to shortness of breath and pain above heart.

Christmas Day 1916 was celebrated in the morning with working parties to the line and in the evening by a dinner, extra supplies being obtained through Comforts and Regimental Funds.

Four days later they relieved the 41st Battalion in the front line in the Square Farm sector.
They were relieved on the 5th of January and became “D” Battalion in reserve, providing working parties to “A” Battalion.
Two days later Joseph suffered from Venereal Disease and was admitted into the 8th Casualty Clearing Station in Bailleul.
Three days later he was transferred by No.18 Ambulance Train to the 14th General Hospital in Wimereux and the same day he was discharged to No.1 Convalescent Depot in Boulogne.

Joseph spent 5 days here before he was discharged on the 16th of January to Base Details.
Five days later he was admitted into the 13th General Hospital in Boulogne and the following day he was evacuated to England on board HS Dieppe and admitted into the 3rd Australian General Hospital, located at the Kitchener War Hospital, in Brighton.

Whilst he was in hospital his brother George and the 43rd Battalion was still in the front line trenches and sadly, on the 18th of February, George was Killed in Action and was buried in the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery.

He spent the next 6 weeks here receiving treatment and it was here that he was diagnosed with Heart Disease and was recommended to be returned to Australia as his condition was aggravated by active service.

Joseph was discharged to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Harefield on the 3rd of March.
On the 15th of March he was discharged to 2 weeks furlo and then reported to No.2 Command Depot in Weymouth on the 31st of March.

Joseph embarked from Plymouth, England on the 4th of May 1917 on board HT Thermistocles, disembarked in Melbourne on the 2nd of July and entrained to Adelaide the following day.
On his arrival in Adelaide he was admitted into the 7th Australian General Hospital in Keswick and diagnosed with Organic Valvuler (aortic & mitral) Heart Disease.

He was discharged from hospital on the 20th of July and was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 8th of August 1917.
He was granted a War Pension of £3 per fortnight which decreased to £1/10/- per fortnight on the 14th of March 1918.
Joseph was awarded the British War & Victory Medals.