PALIN, Archibald Edward
| Service Number: | 938 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 September 1914, Enlisted at Rosebery. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 13th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Dorking, Surrey, England, 6 January 1892 |
| Home Town: | Ben Lomond, Guyra, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | St Martins Church of England Infants School and then St Martins Church of England Boys School. |
| Occupation: | Builder’s yard clerk in England. Railway fireman in New South Wales |
| Died: | Died of wounds, Died at sea aboard the hospital ship Gascon and was buried at sea between Gallipoli and Alexandria, 4 May 1915, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Panel 38., Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Cooma St Andrew's Memorial Gate, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 938, 13th Infantry Battalion, Enlisted at Rosebery. | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1914: | Involvement Private, 938, 13th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Dec 1914: | Embarked Private, 938, 13th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne | |
| 4 May 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 938, 13th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, Gunshot wound to head. Evacuated to hospital ship "Gascon". Died for wounds the same day and buried at sea. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Births Mar 1892 Palin Archibald Edward Dorking 2a 158
Archibald was born in Dorking on 6 January 1892.
Dorking is a market town in Surrey, England between Ranmore Common in the North Downs range of hills and Leith Hill in the Greensand Ridge, centred 21 miles (34 km) from London.
According to his military records, he was fostered from birth by George and Ann Charman. He attended St Martins C of E Infants School and then St Martins C of E Boys School. During these early years of Archibald’s life, the family were living in Meadowbrook Road, Dorking.
By 1901 the family, which included infant Albert Charman, had moved to Mickleham where George Charman was a “Carter” on the “Burford” estate. The census return of that year records Archibald as the Charmans’ “Adopted Son”.
He is one of 8 Australian casualties of the Great War who are honoured on the Dorking War Memorials-there is the Civic one in the town and one in St Martin's Church there. The names of some of Australian casualties are also on the Dorking United Reform Church Memorial-he is one of them.
By 1911 the family had moved to 10 Dene Street Gardens in Dorking and George was working as a “Contractors Carman”. Interestingly, Archibald, now 19, is listed as a “Boarder” with the family rather than Son or Adopted Son. He was working as a builder’s yard clerk.
Archibald went to Australia when he was 21 years old – presumably by himself as his parents continued to live in Surrey. His name hasn’t been found on the passenger lists.
He found work as a railway fireman in New South Wales, living in Ben Lomond, NSW. He was only 22 and still newly arrived in Australia when he volunteered at the outbreak of War, enlisting on 3 September 1914 at Roseberry Park, NSW. His adoptive mother, Mrs Charman, is listed as his next of kin, but now living at 89 Cline Road, Guildford.
He was assigned to the machine gun section and embarked on HMAT Ulysses at Melbourne on 22 December 1914, making for Gallipoli.
Archibald was involved in the early days of the Gallipoli campaign but was killed in action soon after his arrival in the Dardanelles. He died of wounds, apparently a gunshot wound to the head, aboard the hospital ship Gascon and was buried at sea between Gallipoli and Alexandria.
Aboard ship Archibald was known as “Blue”. A fellow serviceman wrote of him: “He proved himself thoroughly brave and courageous in action and always put his duty before personal safety. He did invaluable work in his capacity as a scout and set a great example to the other men by his coolness under fire.”
Mrs Charman had to wait for the best part of year to find out how her son died; she received a letter dated 6 March 1916 with details.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Archibald Edward PALIN (Service Number 938) was born on 7th January 1892 at Dorking, Surrey, England. He began working for the NSW Government Railways in the Locomotive Branch as a casual cleaner (the first step in the career path to locomotive driver) at the Goulburn Locomotive Depot from 27th February 1913. By May his position had been made permanent, and in August he had progressed to fireman. After only a month in this role Palin was released from duty to ‘join the A[ustralian] I[mperial] Expeditionary Forces.’
He enlisted at Rosebery Park on 14th September, citing service with the ‘Territorial Force, Immigration’, and giving Mrs G Charman, of Guildford, Surrey, as his next of kin. He was allotted to the 13th Infantry Battalion. Palin embarked HMAT ‘Ulysses’ at Melbourne on 22nd December 1914. There is no entry in Palin’s file showing an arrival in Egypt, his movements there, or his embarkation towards Gallipoli. The 13th Battalion landed on Anzac Day, 25th April, and presumably Palin was with them.
He did receive at Gallipoli, only a few days later, on 4th May 1915, a gunshot wound to his head which required his evacuation to the Hospital Ship ‘Gascon’. He died of his wounds that same day. He was buried at sea between Gallipoli and Alexandria.
Buried at sea, he has no grave and is remembered on the Lone Pine Memorial high above Anzac Cove.
The Memorial Plaque and the Memorial Scroll were issued to Mrs G Charman.
The pamphlet ‘Where the Australians Rest’ was not issued, as Palin, having been buried at sea, was ‘Not Eligible.’
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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