Henry SEATON

Badge Number: 75295, Sub Branch: Norwood
75295

SEATON, Henry

Service Number: 2105
Enlisted: 1 October 1915
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 4th Pioneer Battalion
Born: London, England, July 1981
Home Town: Not yet discovered
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Painter
Memorials: Unley St. Augustine's Church Roll of Honour
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World War 1 Service

1 Oct 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2105, 32nd Infantry Battalion
7 Feb 1916: Involvement Private, 2105, 32nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Miltiades embarkation_ship_number: A28 public_note: ''
7 Feb 1916: Embarked Private, 2105, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Miltiades, Adelaide
7 Apr 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 48th Infantry Battalion
9 Jun 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2105, 4th Pioneer Battalion
15 Jun 1917: Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 2105, 4th Pioneer Battalion, Discharged from Hospital and rejoined Army
23 Jul 1917: Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 2105, 4th Pioneer Battalion, Detached from Army
18 Aug 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2105, 4th Pioneer Battalion, Rejoined from Attachment
11 Nov 1918: Involvement Private, 2105
24 Apr 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 2105, 4th Pioneer Battalion, Discharged Permanently of Duty

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Biography contributed by Saint Ignatius' College

Biography of Henry Seaton

Henry Seaton was born in London, England on the 1st of July 1881. His father William Henry Seaton, born in London, England migrated to Australia and lived with Henry on Young Street, Norwood, South Australia. Before joining the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps, Henry’s occupation was a painter, he was single with no children and belonged to the religion of the Church of England. He was 5 feet and ½ inches tall, weighed 136 pounds (61kg), his complexion was fair, he had blue eyes and short dark brown hair.

When Henry Seaton was involved in World War 1 his service number was 2105 in the Australian Infantry Force serving as a Private. He served in the 18th Infantry Battalion and the 48th Infantry Battalion. Being a soldier in the Infantry meant Henry would have spent most of his time at war in the frontline trenches, defending their ground. Life in the trenches was hard, sorrowful and unpredictable for all. Artillery shells could have fallen from the sky at any moment and sometimes even the British artillery barrage shells backfired upon them, even though they were meant for the Germans. Along with the physical exhaustion and dangers to their lives the emotional trauma from seeing the soldier’s own comrades dying before their very eyes, hurt them more than the bullets.

Henry Seaton enlisted on the 1st of October 1915, and at the age of 34 and 3 months he embarked for Suez, Egypt for training, on the 7th of February 1916 on the HMAT Miltiades. The trip from Adelaide, South Australia to Suez, Egypt was approximately a month by ship. The journey was long and ships were filled with men just waiting to get a rip at a German. On the 11th of March 1916 Henry Seaton disembarked from the HMAT Miltiades. While in Suez, Egypt the soldiers trained rigorously to cope through the tough and challenging conditions of the desert preparing them for the real experience of War. Along with Suez Henry Seaton attended three other training camps in Egypt. On the 2nd of April 1916 Henry Seaton was taken on strength by the 48th Battalion, on the 2nd of April 1916, and he travelled to Serapeum and finally to Alexandria. After all the travelling from camp to camp it was finally time for Henry Seaton to enter the World War. 

On the 26th of July 1916 Henry Seaton was taken on strength by the 4th Pioneer Battalion and embarked from Alexandria, Egypt to France to fight in World War 1. After 11 long months in the frontline trenches Henry Seaton unfortunately took his first injury which was a gunshot wound in the left foot on the 3rd of June 1917. On the 9th of June 1917 Henry Seaton was admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital for care. Henry Seaton then re-joined the army on the 15th of June 1917 in the 48th Infantry Battalion. 

On the 24th of July 1917 Henry Seaton was detached from the army to attend the 1st Anzac Corps School. This school was established on the 11th of November 1916 and ran subjects such as bombing, signalling, using certain guns and trench mortars. Henry Seaton studied at this school for 1 month and 13 days before re-joining the Australia Army on the 6th of September 1917.

In the War the Australian New Zealand Army Corps were always known for their great mateship and spirit. Some qualities of having Anzac Spirit are: great courage, endurance, initiative, discipline, and mateship. Such qualities came to be seen as the Anzac spirit. On the battlefield I feel Henry Seaton displayed these through service and fighting for himself.

After serving in the war for another two years Henry Seaton was dismissed permanently from duty on the 24th of April 1919. From then on he returned home where he lived on happily for many more years, until he died of natural causes later in life. Henry Seaton was a loyal soldier of the Australian New Zealand Army Corps and proudly survived and took with him the British War Medal and a Victory medal. Henry Seaton fought nobly and his family should be proud.

Henry Seaton

Lest We Forget

 

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