Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Name: Ernest Wilkinson Fairey
Service Number: 192
Place of Birth: Windsor, England
Date of Birth: August 1882
Place of Enlistment: Sydney NSW
Date of Enlistment: 24 August 1914
Age at Enlistment: 32 years 8 months
Next of Kin: Father – F.C.Fairey
Occupation: Carpenter
Religion: Congregational
Rank: Sergeant
Reverend Fred. C.B. Fairey served the Keyneton parish from 1890 to
1902. After twelve years of pastoral care, Fairey and his family
moved on and at the outbreak of the Great War were residing in
Merryland, New South Wales, then a rural area and now a suburb
on the outskirts of Parramatta in Sydney’s west.
In late August 1914, 32 year old Ernest and his 19 year old Kenneth
enlisted as Gunners with the 2nd Battery, Field Artillery Brigade, AIF.
Ken stated his occupation as an accountant and Ernest, a self
employed carpenter.
Ken and Ern trained in the Middle East until Ken was transferred to
a base in Abyssinia and by March 1916 disembarked at Marseilles,
France, only to be struck down with mumps within three weeks. He
also suffered from a bout of orchitis but rejoined his unit by 10 June.
During the same period, Ern served with the 5th Howitzer Battery
and embarked for the Gallipoli Peninsula. By the following March he
was “taken on Strength” by the 21st Howitzer Battery and posted to
101st Battery and proceeded to the Western Front.