HEALEY, Stephen William
| Service Number: | 2412 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 19th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Sydney, City of Sydney - New South Wales, Australia, 2 June 1887 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Painter |
| Died: | Manly, New South Wales, Australia, 18 November 1941, aged 54 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Frenchs Forest Cemetery, NSW Church of England Monumental, Row A, 54 |
| Memorials: | Belmont Presbyterian Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2412, 19th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 1915: | Involvement Private, 2412, 19th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 5 Oct 1915: | Embarked Private, 2412, 19th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Sydney |
Help us honour Stephen William Healey's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
On the 11 May 1917 Stephen Williams wrote the following to the Administrative Headquarters of the AIF,
“I have the honour to request whether my case can be considered, with a view to my obtaining base duty in England or France or failing that, that I be allowed to return to Australia.
I am one of four brothers all of whom volunteered for active service in the A.I.F. as under:
No. 1382 Pte. Henry Percival Healey 16th Batt., age 29, single, killed 3rd May, 1915.
No. 98 Pte. Ernest Francis Healey, 1st Fld. Coy. Engrs. (married) wounded 25th April 1915, shot in spine, paralysed for life, now in Aust.
No. 2412 Pte. S.W. Healey, 19th Batt., (married) age 29, wounded Pozieres 25th August 1916, recommended D.C.M., three children.
No. 3511B Pte. Alfred Charles Healey 54th Batt. (married) killed 20th July 1916, age 29, 2 children.
It is because I am the only brother left to look after the interests of the family that I submit this application.
Signed Pte. S.W. Healey No. 2412, 19th Batt., A.I.F.
Within 11 days the AIF Headquarters sent the following letter to the Headquarters of the 2nd Australian Division.
“No.2412 Pte. S.W. Healey 19th Battalion.
I am directed by the G.O.C. A.I.F., to forward you an application which has been received from the above-named soldier for return to Australia.
The G.O.C. considers this application is deserving of every of every possible consideration in view of the fact that the family has sent four sons on service, two of whom have been killed in action, and the other paralysed as the result of wound to the spine. Would you please let me have your recommendation concerning this application at an early date.
Signed H.D. Wynter, Major, for Lieutenant Colonel A.A.G., A.I.F.”
The recommendation was approved by the CO’s of the 5th Brigade and the 19th Battalion and Stephen Healey was returned to Australia 21 July 1917.
This was only one of many times that William Birdwood, as GOC AIF, was responsible for the repatriation of soldiers whose families were in distress. This was a very Australian way of the leaders of the AIF recognising their obligations to volunteer soldiers.
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