FORSAITH, Hughie John
Service Number: | 6838 |
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Enlisted: | 23 February 1915 |
Last Rank: | Private |
Last Unit: | 300th Company Mechanical Transport |
Born: | Prospect, South Australia, 2 July 1889 |
Home Town: | Horsham, Wimmera, Victoria |
Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
Occupation: | Motor mechanic |
Died: | Shot down by anti aircraft fire, France, 18 August 1917, aged 28 years |
Cemetery: |
Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord |
Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Unley Arch of Remembrance, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board |
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
2nd Lt. Harold (Hughie) John Forsaith of the 55th Squadron RFC was killed in action shortly after, on the 18th August, 1917. He and his observer 2nd Lt. H. Dunstan were flying a D.H.4 on this day when it was hit by antiaircraft fire and broke up. The two airman are buried side by side in the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, near the Belgian border in northern France.
Second-Lieutenant H. J. Forsaith was born in Prospect, and educated at the Parkside and Unley State schools. He served his apprenticeship with an engineering company, afterwards leaving for the eastern States, where he took up motor work. He enlisted from Victoria in February 1915, and left for the front in June of the same year as driver in the motor transport. He was three months on Gallipoli, and was amongst the last to leave. Subsequently he was attached to the headquarters' staff of the 5th Division. He went from Egypt to France in June 1916, and in October of the same year joined the Royal Flying Corps. As a boy he was a successful gymnast, and took a keen interest in all sport. A younger brother served in France with the A.A.S.C, and returned safely to Australia in 1919.