CHIGNELL, David
| Service Number: | 3051 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 27 September 1915, Holsworthy, NSW |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 20th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Balmain, New South Wales, Australia, 2 September 1894 |
| Home Town: | Pyrmont, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Rozelle Primary School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer, Railways |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 17 October 1917, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery Plot XXI, Row E, Grave No. 12, |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket Loco Fitting Shop Roll of Honor, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Pyrmont Public School Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 27 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3051, 20th Infantry Battalion, Holsworthy, NSW | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Dec 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3051, 20th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Dec 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3051, 20th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Suevic, Sydney | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement 20th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
David CHIGNELL, (Service Number 3051) was born at Balmain on 1 September 1894. His first work for the NSW Railways was as a temporary shop boy at Eveleigh Loco from 3 February 1914. He became permanent on 27 May and was designated as a labourer on 1 September 1915, his 21st birthday. A month later he joined the Expeditionary Forces. David Chignell was not married.
He left Australia through Sydney on board HMAT ‘Suevic’ on 23 December 1915.
He suffered a gun shot to his head and he died of these wounds on the same day, 17 October 1917.
Submitted 26 May 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of Elizabeth CHIGNELL, 2 Fourcart Street, Rozelle, NSW
CHIGNELL.---In loving memory of my dear son and our dear brother, Lance-corporal David Chignell, killed in action, France, October 17, 1917, aged 23 years.
His soul is safe in God's most holy keeping,
His earthly form in hallowed land is sleeping,
Somewhere in France.
Inserted by his loving mother and brothers and sisters
Biography contributed by John Oakes
David CHIGNELL, (Service Number 3051) was born at Balmain on 1st September 1894. His first work for the NSW Railways was as a temporary shop boy at Eveleigh Locomotive Depot from 3rd February 1914. He became permanent on 27th May and was designated as a labourer on 1st September 1915, his 21st birthday. A month later he joined the Expeditionary Forces. On his Attestation Papers, which were signed on 27th September, he advised that he had three years’ experience in the 29th Infantry. David Chignell was not married.
He left Australia from Sydney on board HMAT ‘Suevic’ on 23rd December 1915. On arrival in Egypt he joined the 56th Battalion in February 1916. At the end of March, he was admitted to hospital with diarrhoea. He took a month to recover. In June he left Egypt from Alexandria and went toMarseilles. He re-joined the 56th Battalion after a two-week course at the Bombing School in the latter part of January 1917. He attended another course, this time in musketry, for two weeks in February.,
On 3rd April, he received shrapnel wounds to his face and hand and remained in hospital until 2st1 April. At the end of June, he attended the Gas School for a week. Early in August he had two weeks’ leave in England
On 26th September he was wounded for a second time. This time it was a contusion from a shell. It must have been a minor wound because he re-joined the unit only ten days later. Eleven days later he was wounded again. This time he suffered a gun shot to his head and he died of these wounds on the same day, 17th October 1917.
He is buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Flanders, Belgium.
- based on notes for the Grreat Sydney Central Station Honour Board
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