Cecil James BAXTER

Cecil James BAXTER Update Details

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BAXTER, Cecil James

Service Number:	1615
Enlisted:	16 February 1916, Place of enlistment - Bathurst, New South Wales
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	56th Infantry Battalion
Born:	Sutton Forest, New South Wales, Australia, 1897
Home Town:	Burwood, Burwood, New South Wales
Schooling:	Burwood Public School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation:	General carrier
Died:	Wounds, Fromelles, France, 22 July 1916
Cemetery:	Estaires Communal Cemetery and Extension Plot III, Row E, Grave 1
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour

World War 1 Service

16 Feb 1916:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1615, Place of enlistment - Bathurst, New South Wales
14 Apr 1916:	Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1615, 53rd Infantry Battalion, Embarked on HMAT 'A40' Ceramic from Sydney on 14th April 1916, disembarking Egypt. Embarked on HT Huntsend from Alexandria, Egypt on 19th June 1916, disembarking Marseilles, France 29th June 1916.
19 Jul 1916:	Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1615, 56th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix)
20 Jul 1916:	Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 1615, 56th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix), GSW (chest, arm, buttocks - one arm blown off)
22 Jul 1916:	Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1615, 56th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix), Died of wounds

Help us honour Cecil James Baxter's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Julianne Ryan

Father David James Baxter and Mother Frances BAXTER,
lived at "Beaconfield," Oxford Street, Burwood, NSW.

Brother in service:
Private 5334 David Lyle Baxter - 5th Infantry Battalion
Born: Jan 1889 Goulburn, New South Wales
16/02/1916 enlisted with younger brother Cecil into WWI in Sydney, NSW
03/07/1916 embarked Melbourne, VIC onboard HMAT A33 Ayrshire
as a Private with 5th Battalion, 18th Reinforcement
18/01/1919 returned to Australia onboard HT Ulyssis, ex England
15/03/1919 disembarked into Australia
06/06/1919 discharged from service
Married: Dorothy Isabel Atkinson
23/08/1941 passed away
cremated at: Rookwood Cemetery and Crematorium

Cecil's previous service:
2 years 'A' Company, 40th Battery Burwood (still serving on enlisting)

Cecil (Eric) was described on enlisting as 21 years 8 months of age; single;
5' 7.5" tall; 10 stone; fair complexion; grey eyes; light brown hair; Church of England

16/02/1916 enlisted with his brother David into WWI at Bathurst, NSW

19/02/1916 appointed to D Company, 1st Infantry Battalion, Bathurst

14/04/1916 embarked Sydney, NSW onboard HMAT A40 Ceramic
as a Private with 53rd Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement

28/05/1916 taken on strength 56th Infantry Battalion at Ferry Post

19/06/1916 embarked onboard HT Huntsted to join British Expeditionary Forces
ex Alexandria
29/06/1916 disembarked into Marseilles, France

20/07/1916 gun shot wound to chest, arms and buttocks (arm blown off),
received in action during the Battle of Fromelles

22/07/1916 died of wounds received in action
at 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station, in the field, France

buried in:     Estaires Communal Cemetery and Extension, Estaires, France
                   Plot III, Row E, Grave 1
                   buried by Reverand P Baker

His name is commemorated on Panel 161 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT.

Medals: British War medal (38969); Victory medal (38651)
Memorial Plaque and Scroll (318027)

Submitted by Julianne T Ryan. 25/04/2017. Lest we forget.

Dedicated to: Pam Dubber
- who said in 2014:- "To my Great, Great Uncle Private Cecil James Baxter 56th Battalion. Born 1897 Sutton Forest, NSW. Died 22.7.1916 Fromelles, France. My Great, Great Uncle Private Harold Gordon Smith 45th Battalion. Born 1894 Wongarbon, NSW. Died 7.6.1917, Belgium. My Great Uncle Private Norman Arthur Gribble 4th Battalion Born 3.4.1891 Bulli, NSW. Died 19.5.1915 Gallipoli & Great Uncle Private Clement John Gribble 30th Battalion Born 7.2.1893. Died 22.3.1917, Beaumetz, France."

Biography

"...1615 Private Cecil James Baxter a carrier of Burwood, New South Wales. He enlisted on 16 February 1916 and embarked on HMAT Ceramic for Egypt. On 28 May 1916 he was transferred to the 56th Battalion and embarked at Alexandria and disembarked at Marseilles on 29 June 1916 for service on the Western Front. Pte Baxter was wounded in action during the Battle of Fromelles and died in the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station on 22 July 1916, aged 22 years." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

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