Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Ern had been foreman in a carrier’s yard until he enlisted in AIF on 2 February 1916. At 35 he was well above the average age of those who enlisted: perhaps the recent death of his wife played a part in his decision.

At Mitcham Army Camp he trained as a driver. He then sailed for Europe aboard the Afric on 9 June 1916, arriving at Southampton on 24 July. He had not long been in England when he developed an abscess, and became so ill that on 15 August he was hospitalised. He was discharged on 9 September, but was readmitted a month later. After surgical intervention in December his condition had improved until he was able to be discharged again on 16 April 1917. However, within a matter of weeks the infection had flared up again and he was readmitted on 29 June 1917. On 30 July 1917 he was described as “dangerously ill”. By 29 September there had been some improvement, and his condition was reclassified to “seriously ill”.

On 30 October 1917 a medical board concluded that Ern should be discharged from the army as he was permanently unfit for either general or home service. He was placed on board the hospital ship Karoola, which sailed from England for Australia on 25 November 1917. He died while at sea on 21 December 1917. His family understood that he was buried at sea as the ship passed through the Red Sea.

In October Ern’s treating doctor had written a report summarising the history of his illness. The doctor was stated that he believed it likely that Ern had originally contracted the infection in about May 1916, before he had left Australia.