Herbert Arthur OAKLEY

OAKLEY, Herbert Arthur

Service Numbers: 89, 89B
Enlisted: 7 June 1915
Last Rank: Lance Corporal
Last Unit: 14th Field Ambulance
Born: Eversholt, Bedfordshire, England , 1890
Home Town: Blackall, Blackall Tambo, Queensland
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Wardsman
Died: Cerebral Haemorrhage, Military Hospital, Fovant, Wiltshire, England, 4 November 1917
Cemetery: Eversholt (St. John the Baptist) Churchyard, Bedfordshire, England, United Kingdom
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World War 1 Service

7 Jun 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 89
9 Nov 1915: Embarked Private, 89, 31st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: ''
9 Nov 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 89, 31st Infantry Battalion, Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A62 Wandilla
4 Nov 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 89B, 14th Field Ambulance

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Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”

Herbert Arthur Oakley was born at Eversholt, Bedfordshire, England in 1890 to parents Richard & Kate Oakley (nee Baker).  His birth was registered in the September quarter, 1890 in the district of Woburn, Bedfordshire.

He was listed as a passenger on Banffshire which departed from the port of London on 26th March, 1909. The ship was bound for Port Said, Suez, Thursday Island, Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton & Brisbane, Australia. Herbert Oakley had contracted to land at the port of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.

On 7th June, 1915 Herbert Arthur Oakley enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) as a 25 year old, single, Wardsman from Blackhall (correct spelling Blackall) Hospital, Queensland.

Private Herbert (listed as Hubert on Nominal & Embarkation Rolls) Arthur Oakley, Service number 89, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Wandilla (A62) on 9th November, 1915 with the 8th Infantry Brigade, 31st Infantry Battalion & disembarked at Suez on 7th December, 1915.

He was transferred to 14th Field Ambulance while at Ferry Post on 7th March, 1916.

On 19th June, 1916 Private Oakley embarked from Alexandria on Royal George for B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 25th June, 1916.

Private Herbert Arthur Oakley was appointed Lance Corporal on 22nd July, 1916.

He was admitted to hospital on 16th August, 1916 & rejoined his Unit on 21st August, 1916.

On 18th September, 1916 Lance Corporal Oakley was admitted to hospital with Influenza & discharged to duty on 20th September, 1916.

Lance Corporal Oakley was admitted to hospital again on 28th November, 1916 & rejoined from Hospital on 4th December, 1916.

He was on leave to England from 25th April, 1917 & rejoined from leave on 30th April, 1917.

On 3rd August, 1917 Lance Corporal Oakley reported sick & was transferred to Ambulance Train on 12th August, 1917. He was admitted to 3rd Canadian General Hospital on 13th August, 1917 with Rheumatism. Lance Corporal  Oakley was transferred to Hospital Ship St. Andrew on 18th August, 1917 for England with Rheumatic Fever.

Lance Corporal Oakley was admitted to Beaucroft Hospital at Bournemouth on 19th August, 1917. He was transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on 8th October, 1917.

He was on furlo from 11th October, 1917 to 25th October, 1917 & was then to report to No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire.

On 26th October, 1917 Lance Corporal Oakley was medically classified as B1 A1 (fit for light duty only – 4 weeks) while at No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire.

He was sent sick to Military Hospital at Fovant, Wiltshire from No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott on 4th November, 1917 – cause – not yet determined.

 

Lance Corporal Herbert Arthur Oakley died at 5.30 pm on 4th November, 1917 at Military Hospital, Fovant, Wiltshire from Cerebral Haemorrhage.

He was buried in St. John the Baptist Churchyard, Eversholt, Bedfordshire, England – Plot number – north of the church in a private family grave and has a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone.

 

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)

https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/eversholt.html

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