CLOHESSY, Henry William
| Service Number: | 4750 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 September 1915, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Alberton, South Australia, 23 November 1891 |
| Home Town: | Prospect, Prospect, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Marist Brothers College, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 4 September 1916, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
Serre Road Cemetery No.2 Beaumont Hamel, France Plot IX, Row B, Grave No. 1. |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Prospect Roll of Honour A-G WWI Board, Rosewater Marist Brothers Port Adelaide Roll of Honour, Somerton Park Sacred Heart College Men of "The Marist Brothers Old Scholars Association" Honor Roll WW1 |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4750, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4750, 10th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: RMS Mongolia embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 9 Mar 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 4750, 10th Infantry Battalion, RMS Mongolia, Adelaide | |
| 4 Sep 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4750, 50th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4750 awm_unit: 50 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-09-04 |
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Add my storyBiography
"THE LATE PRIVATE H. W. CLOHESSY.
Private Henry William Clohessy was the fourth son of Mr. and Mrs. P. Clohessy, late of Alberton. He was born on November 23, 1891, at Alberton, and educated at the Marist Brothers' College, Port Adelaide. He joined the colors in October 1915, and left South Australia on March 9, 1916. After a brief service at the front he forfeited his life for his country. A widow and two children are left. A month after his departure for the front one of his children, aged two years, died." - from the Adelaide Chronicle 28 Oct 1916 (nla.gov.au)
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Henry William (Harry) Clohessy was almost 24 years of age when he enlisted. He was married to Gladys Ruby during late 1912 and was father to three infant children when he left Australia with the 10th Battalion during March 1916.
His two-year-old daughter passed away less than a month after he left.
Harry Clohessy joined the 50th Battalion in France on 14 August 1916, and was killed in action less than three weeks later when the 13th Brigade made a large attack on Mouquet Farm. He was buried where he fell.
His brother, Joseph Clohessy served in Egypt and at Gallipoli. He was returned to Australia, suffering from severe concussion from constant shelling at Gallipoli during August 1915. Although discharged as medically unfit, after his brother Harry was killed, he re-enlisted, and served in France until being wounded again in July 1918.
Harry Clohessy’s remains were found by the Imperial War Graves Commission, near Mouquet Farm, during 1927, and his identity disc was recovered and sent to his wife during 1928. Gladys had remarried during 1922.
Harry’s son would serve in the Second AIF, as SX14445 James Harold Clohessy.
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