SILK, Reuben Henry
| Service Number: | 1734 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 February 1916, Enlisted in Bathurst. |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 56th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Richmond, New South Wales, Australia, 26 January 1898 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Tram Cleaner |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 22 May 1918, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
Crouy British Cemetery, Crouy-sur-Somme |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Richmond War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1734, 53rd Infantry Battalion, Enlisted in Bathurst. | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 1734, 53rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 14 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 1734, 53rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Sydney | |
| 28 May 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 56th Infantry Battalion, Transferred from 53rd Battalion at Ferry Post. | |
| 25 Sep 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 56th Infantry Battalion | |
| 10 Dec 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 1734, 56th Infantry Battalion, Shrapnel to his left foot. This led to treatment at the 1st Anzac Dressing Station, the 38th Casualty Clearing Station, the 3rd Stationary Hospital at Rouen, transport to England on the hospital ship 'Carisbrooke Castle', and admission to the 1st Southern General Hospital at Edgbaston, Birmingham, by 14th December 1916. Recovery took until February 1917. | |
| 21 May 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 1734, 56th Infantry Battalion, Shrapnel to his right loin and abdomen. Admitted to the 5th Casualty Clearing Station where he died the next day. | |
| 22 May 1918: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 1734, 56th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1734 awm_unit: 56th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-05-22 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Oakes
Reuben Henry SILK (Service Number 1734) was born on 26th January 1898 at Richmond, NSW. He worked for the NSW Tramways was as a cleaner of electric trams in Sydney from 22nd June 1915. He enlisted with A.I.F. on 9th February 1916. He enlisted in Bathurst, and he gave his age as 21 years whereas he was barely 18. He gave the name of his mother, Amy, living at Richmond as his next of kin and claimed 2½ years military service with the 41st Infantry Regiment.
He was allotted to the 2nd Reinforcements to the 53rd Battalion. He embarked HMAT ‘Ceramic’ at Sydney on 14th April 1916 and reached Suez on 15th May 1916. In Egypt he joined the 53rd Battalion at Ismailia soon after arrival and was transferred to the 56th Battalion at Ferry Post on 28th May. On 19th June he embarked HT ‘Huntsend’ at Alexandria for passage to join the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front in France, passing through Marseilles on 29th June. On 25th September he was promoted to Lance-Corporal. Silk was severely wounded in action with shrapnel to his left foot on 10th December 1916 and this led to treatment at the 1st Anzac Dressing Station, the 38th Casualty Clearing Station, the 3rd Stationary Hospital at Rouen, transport to England on the Hospital Ship ‘Carisbrooke Castle’ and admission to the 1st Southern General Hospital at Edgbaston, Birmingham, by 14th December 1916.
Recovery took until February 1917, and he was then granted furlough and a reduced fitness classification. he was not taken on the strength of the 61st Battalion until 23rd March. It was October before he was fully fit and could proceed overseas to France once again and be taken on the strength of the 56th Battalion on 27th October 1917.
Silk was wounded on a second occasion on 21st May 1918, with shrapnel to his right loin and abdomen. He was admitted to the 5th Casualty Clearing Station where he died on 22nd May. He was buried at Crouy British Cemetery, 10 miles North West of Amiens.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great sydney Central Station Honour Board.