Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Born  18 January 1891 in Richmond, South Australia
(SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 472 Page: 295 District: Ade).

Father James Henry ALDRIDGE (b. 1849 - d. 11/11/1925 76 years old, Richmond SA )
(SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 2 Page: 171 District: Ade.)
(SA Death Record 1916 - 1972, Book : 482, Page 584, District Code : Ade);  and

**Father James purchased in the 1880's and ran a STUD FARM at Richmond Park - see attached link**
This stud farm was famous throughout Australia - it is said that buyers came from all over Australia
to Richmond Park - if they wanted something good.

m. 9/7/1879 St Paul Church, Adelaide SA (James aged 30 years & Sarah aged 22 years)
     (SA marriage record 1842 - 1916, Book/Page - 120/85 - District Code - Ade.)

Mother  Sarah (nee CARR - b. 1857 - d. 27/7/1916 58 years old, Richmond, SA)
(SA Birth Record
(SA death Record 1916 - 1972, Book : 403, Page 193, District Code : Ade)

Harry lived with his parents at Richmond Park, South Australia - the youngest of 8 children.

Siblings:
Brother    George Aldridge   (b. 9/6/1880 in Mitcham SA - d. 15/6/1944 Adelaide SA)
                (SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 242 Page: 352 District: Ade.)
                lived at Kensington Park
                (SA Death Record 1916 - 1972, Book : 676, Page 2500, District Code : Ade)

Sister       Maud Rosa Aldridge  (b. 28/9/1881 in Adelaide, SA - d. _____)
                (SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 276 Page: 195 District: Ade.)

Brother    Leslie Frank Aldridge  (b. 13/1/1883 in Adelaide, SA - d. _____)
                (SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 295 Page: 360 District: Ade.)

Sister       Violet Aldridge  (b. 28/2/1884 in Adelaide, SA - d. _____)
                (SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 325 Page: 42 District: Ade.)

Sister       Rose Clara Aldridge  (b. 4/7/1885 in Adelaide, SA - d. 18/12/1885  5 months)
                (SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 356 Page: 17 District: Ade.)
                (SA Death Record 1842 - 1915, Book : 151, Page 53, District Code : Ade)

Sister       Maggie Daisy Aldridge  (b. 24/6/1886 in Adelaide, SA - d.  _____)
                (SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 379 Page: 438 District: Ade.)

Brother     James William Aldridge  (b. 15/4/1888 in Adelaide, SA - d. _____)
                (SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 416 Page: 241 District: Ade.)

Himself:    Harry Richmond Aldridge

Next of kin in service:
Eldest brother  George Aldridge - fought in the Boer War

Brother            1931  James William Aldridge
                         Private in 9th Light Horse Regiment
                         11/4/1916  Returned to Australia

WWII
Nephew            SX4024 James Harding Aldridge - Australian Army (James William Aldridge's son)
                        b. 23/5/1918
                        31/5/1940 Enlisted at Gawler, SA
                        20/6/1942 died - Corporal in 2nd/27th Australian Infantry Battalion

Son                  416173 Elliot Richmond Aldridge - RAAF
                         b. 5/5/1922
                         31/3/1941 Enlisted at North Adelaide, SA
                         29/11/1945 discharged from services
                         as a Warrant Officer in 5th Medical Rehabilitation Unit

Described on enlisting 23 years 8 months old; single; 5' 8 1/2" tall; 148 lbs;
fresh complexion; blue eyes; brown hair; Church of England.

29/8/1914       Commanding Officer appointed Harry to A Squadron
                      3rd Light Horse Regiment, Morphettville Camp

15/9/1914       Enlisted at Morphettville, South Australia

3rd Light Horse Regiment was raised in Adelaide on 17/8/1914. Although most of its recruits were enlisted in South Australia (one of the regiment's three squadrons was composed of Tasmanians and was raised and trained in Hobart). The two components sailed from their home ports in late October 1914 and arrived in Egypt in the second week of December.

22/10/1914     Embarked from Outer Harbour, South Australia on board HMAT A17 Port Lincoln
                      as a Private with 3rd Light Horse Regiment, A Squadron
9/12/1914       disembarked in Egypt

Here, they joined the 1st and 2nd Regiments to form the 1st Light Horse Brigade.

9/5/1915         Proceeded to join Mediterranean Expeditionary Forces, GALLIPOLI

The 1st Light Horse Brigade deployed to Gallipoli without its horses and landed there on 12 May 1915, joining the New Zealand and Australian Division. The 3rd Light Horse played a defensive role throughout the campaign and was in reserve when its sister regiments attacked as part of the August offensive.

18/6/1915       Sick to hospital with Neuralgia - Monash Valley
22/6/1915       transferred to 24 Casualty Clearing Hospital

2/7/1915         Embarked to Cairo on board HS Minnewaska, ex Gallipoli

4/7/1915         admitted to 24th Casualty Clearing Station
5/7/1915         Eye troubles - admitted to No.2 Australian General Hospital, Ghezireh, Cairo
7/7/1915         Eye troubles - admitted to 1st Australian General Hospital, Heliopolos
13/7/1915       discharged for duty

6/8/1915         rejoined 3rd Light Horse Regiment in Gallipoli

26/12/1915     The 3rd Light Horse Regiment evacuated from Gallipoli on board Caledonian
                      disembarked from Mudros with resk party, into Alexandria

29/12/1915     proceeded to join Western Frontier Force

Back in Egypt, the 3rd Light Horse joined the ANZAC Mounted Division.
Between January and May 1916, the regiment was deployed to protect the Nile valley from bands of pro-Turkish Senussi Arabs.
On 18 May, as part of its parent brigade, it joined the forces defending the Suez Canal. The 1st Light Horse Brigade played a significant role in turning back the Turkish advance on the canal at the battle of Romani on 4/8/1916. In ensuing days the regiments of the brigade participated in the immediate follow-up of the defeated Turks, but were soon withdrawn to rest.

9/8/1916         Promoted to Lance Corporal, Romani

2/9/1916         taken on strength of Staff of Anzac Rest Camp, Port Said, Egypt

24/12/1916      sick with conjunctivitis, admitted 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance, El Arish
28/12/1916      discharged to duty

28/12/1916      discharge to duty, ex 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance

14/1/1917        sick to hospital - Tis in Arm
17/1/1917        admitted to 14th Australian General Hospital
18/2/1917        discharged to 3rd Light Horse Regiment, Mouscar, Abbassia
19/2/1917        taken on strength into 1st Light Horse Training Regiment

26/2/1917        transferred to 3rd Light Horse Regiment
27/2/1917        taken on strength from details

The 3rd's next major engagement was the abortive second battle of Gaza on 19/4/1917 (Gaza finally fell on 7 November, after a wide outflanking move via Beersheba, in which the 1st Light Horse Brigade played a part).

28/5/1917        sick to hospital, Abasan-el-Kebir
30/5/1917        admitted to 53rd Casualty Clearing Station, Rafa
30/5/1917        transferred to 26th Casualty Clearing Station, El Arish
31/5/1917        transferred to Hospital Train, El Arish
31/5/1917        Amblyopia - admitted - transferred to 24th Stationary Hospital
1/6/1917          transferred to Cairo

1/6/1917          defective vision - admitted 14th Australian General Hospital, Abbassia
17/6/1917        discharged and attached to 14th Australian General Hospital for duty

5/7/1917          marched in to Australian Depot Stores, Ghezireh

11/7/1917        Returned to Australia on board Port Sydney, ex Suez, Egypt
                       working in Messing Duties on board ship
22/8/1917        disembarked into Melbourne, Victoria

12/9/1917        Keswick Medical Board - stated Lance Corporal Aldridge was suffering
                       from traumatic catarach and chronic conjunctivitis

26/9/1917        discharged from service with AIF

Total service:   3 years 12 days (overseas 2 years 306 days)

17/2/1921        married Kathleen Rischbreth (nee Jury, b. 4/7/1897 - d. ____)
                                    in St. Mary Magdalene's Church, Adelaide, South Australia

5/5/1922          a son - Elliott Richmond (Frosty) Aldridge  (later enlisted in RAAF #16173)
____                a daughter - Elizabeth Aldridge

Medals:
1914-15 Star (2155); British War medal (371); Victory medal (373)

Harry worked as a Pastoralist at Port Augusta and later on Kangaroo Island.

3/1/1976       Harry passed away  (84 years old)
buried in:       St Jude's church of England Cemetery
                     buried at the Aldridge family grave
                     1/444 Brighton Road,  Brighton, South Australia

Commenced - sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  8/3/2015.  Lest we forget.