DEARDEN, Ernest
| Service Number: | 4182 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 August 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 9th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Townsville, Qld., 22 March 1892 |
| Home Town: | Townsville, Townsville, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Boiler Maker |
| Died: | Natural Causes, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 4 August 1979, aged 87 years |
| Cemetery: |
Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens & Crematorium, Queensland Columbarium 34 -Section 8 |
| Memorials: | City of Townsville WW1 Honour Roll, Townsville No. 37 Magnetic Lodge P.A.F.S.O.A. Honor Board |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4182, 9th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 4182, 9th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Kyarra embarkation_ship_number: A55 public_note: '' | |
| 3 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 4182, 9th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Kyarra, Brisbane |
Help us honour Ernest Dearden's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Military Medal
'Near LE BARQUE, FRANCE, on the 25th February, 1917, Corporal DEARDEN went back and gathered together some men who had become slightly disorganised by the enemy's artillery fire, and brought them up to the front line by a track which was not under fire. Later he showed excellent spirit, and proved of great assistance in tending the wounded.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 140
Date: 27 August 1917
Military Cross
'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When on patrol with six men he engaged a hostile party of forty, killing at least two and taking a wounded officer prisoner, dispersing the remainder. On putting his prisoner under guard he took his patrol out again, but was wounded. In spite of this he engaged a similar party of the enemy and dispersed it, and when, on retiring, one of his party was found to be missing, went back, and finding him dead brought the body in, thereby preventing the enemy from obtaining an identification.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 185
Date: 27 November 1918
Ernest was born in Townsville on 22 Mar 1892, son of Clement Lovel Dearden and Lizzie Johns. He enlisted 30 Aug 1915 in Townsville aged 23.
He embarked from Brisbane aboard HMAT A55 “Kyarra” on 3 Jan 1916. Lieutenant Dearden served on the Western Front with the 9th Infantry Battalion AIF. He was wounded in action in Belgium (gun shot wound to right ankle) on 26 Mar 1918.
He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery for his actions on 25 Feb 1917 near Le Barque, France. He was later awarded the Military Cross for his bravery in action at Moat Farm, Ypres, Belgium on 27 Mar 1918. He returned to Australia on 18 Jan 1919.
He was a boiler maker in the railways. He died on 4 Aug 1979.
Courtesy of Samual Cox
Click images to start slideshow.