THORPE, Harry
| Service Number: | 5459 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 February 1916, Sale, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 7th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Orbost, Victoria, Australia, 7 October 1886 |
| Home Town: | Lakes Entrance, East Gippsland, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Lakes Entrance State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 9 August 1918, aged 31 years |
| Cemetery: |
Heath Cemetery, Picardie, France Plot 4, Row J, Grave 15 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Lakes Entrance & District Roll Great War Roll of Honor, Lakes Entrance WW1 Memorial, Lakes Entrance and District HR, Lakes Entrance and District War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Sale, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5459, 7th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: '' | |
| 4 Apr 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5459, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Melbourne | |
| 28 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5459, 7th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières | |
| 19 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 5459, 7th Infantry Battalion, Mouquet Farm, GSW to leg. Evacuated to hospital (Etaples). Rejoined unit 12 November 1916. | |
| 10 Jan 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 7th Infantry Battalion, France | |
| 29 Apr 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 5459, 7th Infantry Battalion, The Outpost Villages - German Withdrawal to Hindenburg Line, GSW to shoulder sustained in the line near Queant. Evacuated to 3rd Aust CCS. Rejoined unit 20 May 1917. | |
| 4 Oct 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 5459, 7th Infantry Battalion, Broodseinde Ridge | |
| 20 Oct 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 7th Infantry Battalion, Belgium | |
| 31 Oct 1917: | Honoured Military Medal, Broodseinde Ridge, Near YPRES on 4/5th October, 1917, L/Cpl. THORPE displayed great courage and initiative in mopping up enemy dugouts and pill boxes. | |
| 14 Apr 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 5459, 7th Infantry Battalion, German Spring Offensive 1918, Hazebrouck | |
| 9 Aug 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Corporal, 5459, 7th Infantry Battalion, The Battle of Amiens, Wounded (GSW to abdomen) during the attack on Lihons. Died later the same day. | |
| 9 Aug 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 5459, 7th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 5459 awm_unit: 7 Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-08-09 |
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"Lance Corporal Harry Thorpe (Service No. 5459) was from Lakes Entrance in Victoria when he enlisted on 12 February 1916. Thorpe was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 17th Reinforcements and embarked on the HMAT Euripedes. Thorpe saw active duty on the Western Front in France and Belgium where he was wounded at Pozieres and again at Bullecourt. He rejoined his regiment for the Third Battle of Ypres and it was here at the capture of Broodseinde Ridge that Thorpe distinguished himself.
'Near YPRES on 4/5th October, 1917, L/Cpl. THORPE displayed great courage and initiative in mopping up enemy dugouts and pill boxes. In the capture of Battalion objective, he was conspicuous for his courage and leadership, handling his men with skill and materially assisting his Company Commander. By his splendid example and disregard of all danger he inspired those under him.' Source: ‘Commonwealth Gazette’ No. 31.
Thorpe was originally recommended for the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM), although he received the Military Medal (MM) for ‘bravery in the field’. Thorpe and the 7th Battalion saw further action on the Western Front at Flanders and later Somme. During the battle of Lihons, on 9th August 1918, Thorpe was seriously wounded in the stomach and despite the efforts of the stretcher-bearers to reach him, the wounds proved fatal. Harry Thorpe is also buried in the large Heath Cemetery near Harbonnières..." - SOURCE (blogs.slq.qld.gov.au)
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