Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Name: Harold Edward Munchenberg
Service Number: 3259
Place of Birth: Keyneton
Date of Birth: 24 August 1892
Place of Enlistment: Adelaide
Date of Enlistment: 18 July 1916
Age at Enlistment: 23 years 10 months
Next of Kin: Mother – Bertha Amalie Munchenberg
Occupation: Farmer
Religion: Lutheran
Rank: Private
Harold was the son of Johann Eduard and Bertha Amalie
Munchenberg (nee Fiebiger). He attended North Rhine Lutheran
School. Upon leaving school Harold found employment with Evans,
Heath and Reimann, and learnt blacksmithing with Harry Wagners
at Eden Valley and with Hermann Merten at Truro. He also worked
at home on the vineyard, orchard and farm. In the 1915 harvest he
went to Notts Well and Naidia, east of the River Murray, where he
assisted farmers with harvesting and also did some scrub clearing at
Malpas, 40 kilometres south of Loxton.
1
Harold embarked A35 Berrima in Adelaide on 16 December 1916
and arrived at Devonport, England on 16 February 1917. He was
sent with the 58th Battalion to France on 14 June. He spent the
summer of 1917 in the trenches at the Battle of Messines, at
Bullecourt. Harold was evacuated and hospitalised with trench feet
and scabies on 4 August, rejoining his unit in France on 6 October.
He returned per Port Napier on 12 May 1919 and was discharged on
9 October.
History of Ernst August Fiebiger and Descendants in Australia 1847
– 2007,states “Upon his discharge he was allotted a Soldier
Settlement block at Enoomah Bore in the Hundred of Kekwich,
about 48 kilometres south of Loxton....Harold leased the block to
Charlee Von Sanden, but eventually lost it. Meanwhile he went to
Adelaide where he had a greengrocer business for some years and
then worked at General Motors Holden as a blacksmith.
After the outbreak of the Second World War, Harold enlisted for
service on 5 September 1940. He was a private with the 33rd
Garrison Battalion, and served at the Loveday Army Camp. He was
discharged on 31 January 1944.
After the war Harold lived in Allen Place in Adelaide with May Hayes
as his housekeeper. He retired to Klemzig, and Windsor Gardens,
and then for a few years lived with May’s daughter, Rene Curtis at
Piccadilly. He passed away on 14 November 1960, while living with
the Curtis family, aged 68, and was buried at Summerton.”2
See
photo of Harold’s gravestone below.
Harold’s niece, Annette Koch of Moculta, stated when Harold
returned from the war, he did not come “home”, but went to live at
Harrogate in the Adelaide Hills. Annette’s father, Arthur, tried to
make contact with his oldest brother, but without success.
Source: NAA; B2455; MunchenbergH; Barcode 7983704
Footnoted 1 & 2
History of Ernst August Fiebiger and
Descendants in Australia 1847 – 2007.
Interview with Annette Koch: courtesy Kay Gerhardy

From History & Family Tree of Johann Friedrich Munchenberg and Johanne Eleonore Munchenberg 1839-1989 by Reginald Schiiling Munchenberg:

Harold was born at North Rhine, Keyneton and attended the North Rhine Lutheran and Keyneton Public Schools.
He found employment with Evans, Heath and Reimann and learnt blacksmithing at Eden Valley at Harry Wagners and Hermann Merten at Truro. He also worked at home in the vineyard, orchard and farm. In the 1915 harvest he went to Notts Well and Naidia, east of the River Murray, where he helped farmers harvesting and did some scrub clearing at Malpas.
In 1916 Harold enlisted and served in France in the 50th Infantry Battalion ,A.I.F until 1919.
On his discharge he was allotted a Soldier Settler's scrub block at Enoomah Bore in the Hundred of Kekwick, s.w. of Paruna in the Loxton District. This block of 1,400 acres (567ha) had to be cleared, it became a good farm. Harold leased it to Charlee Von Sanden, but eventually lost it. Harold meanwhile went to Adelaide where he had a green grocer business for some years, then worked at General Motors Holdens as a blacksmith.
He enlisted for service in the Second World War and was at Loveday Army Camp.
Harold lived in Allen Place, off Carrington Strret in Adelaide and May Hayes was his housekeeper.
He retired to Klemzig and Windsor Gardens and the for a few years lived with May's daighter Rene Curtis at Piccadily. Harold never married, he passed away whilst living with the Curtis family and was buried at Summertown S.A.