SAXBY, Kenneth Knowlton
| Service Number: | 5533 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 11 June 1915, Liverpool |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Stanmore, New South Wales, Australia, 1 August 1896 |
| Home Town: | East Maitland, Maitland Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Sydney Boys' High School; Sydney Technical College (Electrical Engineeering Diploma); Peter Nicol Russell scholarship to the University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Engineering Student (first year) |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 20 September 1917, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
Hooge Crater Cemetery, Belgium II. B. 1., Hooge Crater Cemetery, Passchendaele, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, East Maitland Municipality of East Maitland Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 11 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5533, 1st Field Ambulance, Liverpool | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Oct 1915: | Involvement Private, 5533, 1st Field Ambulance, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Warilda embarkation_ship_number: A69 public_note: '' | |
| 8 Oct 1915: | Embarked Private, 5533, 1st Field Ambulance, HMAT Warilda, Sydney | |
| 22 Feb 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 3rd Infantry Battalion | |
| 15 Apr 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 5533, 3rd Infantry Battalion, GSW right chest | |
| 20 Sep 1917: | Involvement Private, 5533, 3rd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 5533 awm_unit: 3 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-09-20 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by ken stevenson
Kenneth was a pacifist (non-combatant) by principle, (as was his father), and he transferred from the Medical Corps to the 3rd Battalion in January 1917 to be a stretcher bearer where he would save more lives.
The Chaplain of the 3rd Battalion wrote to the parents: "Your son was very highly thought of by both officers and comrades and his loss was keenly felt. He was a brave lad and did his duty manfully."
A comrade wrte home describing Kenneth: "He was only 21 and one of the best I have ever met ... and noone could have been braver. He was killed instantly by shrapnel while attending to the wounded ... " Source: Beyond 1914 University of Sydney
Kenneth's brother, CPL Eric John SAXBY enlisted with him and had the successive Regimental Number 5534. Eric was awarded the DCM "'for conspicuous gallantry during protracted operations. He worked continuously under heavy fire, digging out a number of men, and carrying them across the open to cover.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 184, 1916.
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