LONGWORTH, Hugh Benjamin
| Service Numbers: | 778, 778A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 11 January 1915, Liverpool |
| Last Rank: | Bombardier |
| Last Unit: | 5th Divisional Ammunition Column |
| Born: | Ghinni Ghinni, New South Wales, 22 June 1894 |
| Home Town: | Ghinni Ghi , New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Chronic respiratory disease, Randwick, New South Wales, 27 October 1938, aged 44 years |
| Cemetery: |
Wingham General Cemetery, NSW |
| Memorials: | Cundletown District Honor Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 11 Jan 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Trooper, 778, 12th Light Horse Regiment, Liverpool | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Jun 1915: | Involvement Private, 778, 12th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Jun 1915: | Embarked Private, 778, 12th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Ceramic, Sydney | |
| 2 Oct 1915: | Transferred AIF WW1, Trooper, 6th Light Horse Regiment | |
| 2 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Trooper, 778, 6th Light Horse Regiment, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 14 Mar 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Trooper, 12th Light Horse Regiment | |
| 1 Apr 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Gunner, 5th Divisional Ammunition Column | |
| 16 May 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Driver, 5th Divisional Ammunition Column | |
| 18 Jun 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Driver, 778A, 5th Divisional Ammunition Column, Alexandria - disembarked Marseilles 25 June 1916. | |
| 25 Oct 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Bombardier, 5th Divisional Ammunition Column | |
| 21 Mar 1919: | Embarked AIF WW1, Bombardier, 778A, 5th Divisional Ammunition Column, SS 'Kildonian Castle' for return to Australia - arriving 19 May 1919. | |
| 9 Jul 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Bombardier, 778A, 5th Divisional Ammunition Column |
Help us honour Hugh Benjamin Longworth's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Michael Silver
Five Longworth brothers enlisted for service in Worls War 1: Hugh, George, Archibald, Francis and Walter - all survived the war.
Born just north of Taree on the mid North Coast of NSW in 1894, Hugh Longworth travelled to Liverpool with his mate James Bates to enlisted in January 1915. The pair embarked for overseas from Sydney in HMAT 'Ceramic' on 25 June 1915 with the 1st Reinforcements of the 12th Light Horse Regiment.
After training in Egypt, Trooper Hugh Benjamin Longworth landed at Gallipoli on 2 October 1915. After six weeks he became ill with dysentry and was evacuated to Malta.
Transferred to the 5th Divisional Ammunition Column, now Driver Longworth moved to the Western Front. Promoted to Acting Bombadier he saw out the rest of the war in France. He returned to Australia in the SS 'Kildonian Castle' in early 1919.
On the toss of a coin with his brother George, the two brothers decided whether they would return to the family property at Johns River, near Taree or take up land as soldier settlers. The latter won and the pair obtained land on the Bulga Plateau Soldier Settlement near Eland, west of Wauhope. In 1922 he married Frances Isobelle Pfeiffer at Wingham.
Hugh and his family did not have an easy time on the Bulga Plateau and his situation gradually deteriorated until his arrears was over 800 pounds. He transferred the block to another ex-soldier John Geelan and left the property.
Hugh Longworth moved to Wingham to join his family who had been living there for some time.
His health deteriorated during the 1930's, with extensive periods in hospital suffering chronic respiratory problems, put down to being gassed during the war.
Hugh Benjamin Longworth died, aged 44 years, at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick on 27 October 1938.
Credit: M. Freckelton & A. Mason
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