CONNING, Henry Robert
| Service Number: | 2870 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 March 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Ararat, Victoria, Australia, 1896 |
| Home Town: | Busselton, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Dairy Farmer |
| Died: | Katanning, Western Austrakia, 16 February 1960, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Katanning Cemetery, Western Australia Anglican Sect, Lot 386 |
| Memorials: | Busselton Cenotaph Victoria Square, Busselton Rotary Park of Remembrance Memorial Walk, Busselton Volunteer Fire Brigade, Nedlands Scotch College WW1 Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Mar 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2870, 10th Light Horse Regiment | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Jul 1916: | Involvement Private, 2870, 10th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: RMS Malwa embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 31 Jul 1916: | Embarked Private, 2870, 10th Light Horse Regiment, RMS Malwa, Fremantle |
Biography
Henry Robert was born in Footscray Victoria 1896, being the fourth child of Stephen Francis Conning and Eliza nee Paterson McFarlane and the oldest son. After 1900 the family moved to Victoria following other relatives and settled in Busselton district.
Henry is the only son to have served in WW1 and his younger brother William Thomas would enlist in WW2.
Upon return to WA Henry resumed dairying with family in Capel and would later make a change by taking up farming in the Katanning District and marrying his wife Doris in 1924.
They would have a son Mervyn born in 1924.
Henry took up a role on the Katanning Road Board becoming involved in local council politics. He also was a member of the Katanning Royal Agricultural Society and become President of Katanning RAS following in the footsteps of his uncle Jaz McFarlane.
He died on the 18th February in Perth and is buried at the Katanning Cemetery.
Submitted 25 September 2025 by Chris Horvath
Biography contributed by Joy Dalgleish
Son of Stephen Conning and husband of Doris Irene Conning