Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Stephen J. Hicks was a South Australian soldier who participated in WWI, fighting for the Australian Imperial Force. Born in March, 1892 near the town of Kensington, South Australia, Hicks was a Methodist and worked as a labourer before he enlisted in the AIF. He had a mother named Mary J. Hicks and a brother named Ernest J. Hicks who also served in the AIF during World War I.

He enlisted in the Australian Army on August 28th, 1915 having no previous military service. At the time he enlisted, he was physically described with black hair, hazel eyes, being 5 foot (1.52 metres) tall and weighed 145lbs (65.77 Kg). His next of kin was listed to be his mother. He was assigned to the 48th Battalion. Hicks embarked from Adelaide on the 1st of November in 1916 aboard the H.M.A.T “Borda”.

During his service he was and was deployed on the Western Front. Hicks fought in France, Belgium and England. Whilst deployed in France on August 6th, 1916, he was under enemy fire and was subsequently shot in the right ear. He was taken to hospital after the injury and treated. He was once again deemed fit for combat once his wounds was treated and sent back to the frontlines. When he returned to active duty, he was transferred from the 48th Battalion to the 32nd Infantry Battalion. He continued to serve again once redeployed but suffered another injury that went unspecified in the records. However, the injury was described to be only minor and Stephen Hicks remained on the frontlines on active duty with the rest of his unit. Later during the war, on the 14th of February 1917 whilst in London, Stephen Hicks contracted the influenza virus and was hospitalised. Once Stephen Hicks recovered from the illness, he was once again sent back into active duty being reassigned to the 48th Battalion in the Australian Army Ordnance Corps (AAOC).

Stephen Hicks proudly served for 5 years fearlessly on the frontlines of the war on the Western Front just like his brother. Even after getting wounded multiple times and contracting illness, he always returned to the battlefield to continue to serve is country during the war from 1915 to even after the war until 1920. He served honourably on the field whilst still trying to stay attached to his family via responding to concerned letters whilst in hospital assuring them about his condition.

 On April 17th, 1920, Stephen J. Hicks returned to his home in Australia and resumed his life with his brother who has also returned home from service.

Bibliography

Rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au. (2016). Australian Soldiers, Memorials and Military History. [online] Available at: https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/ [Accessed 13 Mar. 2016].

Naa.gov.au. (1914). Army – World War I – National Archives of Australia. [online] Available at: http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/explore/defence/service-records/army-wwi.aspx [Accessed 13 Mar. 2016].