Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Sydney was the son of Cornelius Henderson SHAKESHAFT & Eliza Ann WILLIAMS and was born on the 26th of March 1890 in Kapunda, SA.

His parents were married on the 28th of April 1884 at “Park House”, Kapunda, SA.

His father was the son of Lawrence SHAFESHAFT & Martha DRIVER and was born on the 6th of July 1860 in Angaston, SA.
His mother was the daughter of Charles Edwin WILLIAMS & Catherine O’CONNOR and was born on the 4th of September 1862 in Kapunda, SA.

Sydney was the third child born into the family of 8 children.

His father was a Tailor and they lived in Bakers Street, Kapunda.
The Tailors shop was located in the Main Street.

Sydney was educated in Kapunda and after he finished school he followed in his fathers footsteps and joined his father in his business as a Tailor.

In 1912 Sydney joined the 23rd Light Horse Regiment (Barossa) – D Troop.

At the age of 24, Sydney tried to enlist into the AIF on the 29th of December 1914 in Oaklands, but was rejected.

The following year, aged 25, Sydney enlisted into the AIF on the 8th of September 1915 in Adelaide and allotted the service number 1644 and posted to E Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Mitcham Camp.

Sydney was then posted to E Company, Light Horse Regiment on the 16th of September and then on the 1st of October he was posted to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, 12th Reinforcements.

He embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT Geelong on the 18th of November 1915 at 11am, disembarking in Suez on the 18th of December and marched into Aerodrome Camp in Heliopolis.

Sydney was then posted to 68 Squadron AFC (Australian Flying Corps) as ground crew and then served in France before embarking from England on the 6th of May 1919 on board SS Kaiser-i-Hind and disembarked in Adelaide on the 14th of June.

Sydney returned home to Kapunda and was discharged from the AIF on the 6th of August 1919.

Whilst he was overseas, his brother Maxwell enlisted into the AIF on the 21st of September 1918 (S15406), but was discharged due to the cessation of the war.

In July 1920 Sydney announced his engagement to Miss Hilda Heather WAGNER of Kapunda.

Sydney and Hilda married on the 8th of April 1922 in the Holy Trinity Church, North Terrace, Adelaide.
Hilda was the daughter of Friedrich Wilhelm WAGNER & Johanne Auguste Louise SCHRIMER and was born on the 9th of October 1898 in Florieton, SA.

They welcomed their first child; Joan Henderson on the 22nd of October 1923 and Sydney joined the Kapunda RSL.
He then purchased a little home at 11 Beck Street, Kapunda.

Sydney then took over his fathers business in 1926 when is father retired and then on the 25th of November 1928 they welcomed little Heather into the family.

Sydney took over his fathers business in 1926 when is father retired.

Sydney died suddenly on the 26th of July 1947 at his residence 11 Beck Street, Kapunda and was buried 2 days later in the Kapunda Public Cemetery; Old Section, Row L, Plot 3C.

Military

At the age of 24, Sydney tried to enlist into the AIF on the 29th of December 1914 in Oaklands, but was rejected.

The following year, aged 25, Sydney enlisted into the AIF on the 8th of September 1915 in Adelaide and allotted the service number 1644 and posted to E Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Mitcham Camp.
He listed his mother, of the Main Street, Kapunda as his next of kin.

Sydney was then posted to E Company, Light Horse Regiment on the 16th of September and then on the 1st of October he was posted to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, 12th Reinforcements.

He embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT Geelong on the 18th of November 1915 at 11am, also on board was the 32nd Battalion.
They arrived in Port Suez harbour at 5am on the 14th of December and disembarked 4 days later and marched into Aerodrome Camp in Heliopolis.
Sydney spent Christmas 1915 here in training and then on the 1st of March 1916 he was taken on strength with the 1st Light Horse Reserve Regiment in Heliopolis.
On the 25th of April Sydney was promoted to Temporary Corporal and they moved to Tel-el-Kebir.

Then on the 22nd of July he was taken on strength with the 3rd Light Horse Regiment in Romani and reverted back to trooper.
Two days later they moved to Katia as an advance guard for the Brigade and then by August they had moved to Hod-el-Hisha, before returning to Romani on the 13th and supplied patrols every 3rd day the Hill 110.

On the 2nd of October they entrained to Kantara and whilst here, on the 28th of October, Sydney was transferred to the 67 Squadron AFC (Australian Flying Corps) for a Trade Test in Kantara.
Then on the 22nd of November he was attached to the newly raised 68 Squadron AFC (Australian Flying Corps) and then taken on strength with them 5 days later.
Sydney then had a short attachment back to 67 Squadron before returning to 68 Squadron.

They spent Christmas 1916 in Kantara before embarking from Alexandria on the 13th of January 1917 and disembarking on Southampton 2 weeks later for training at Harlaxton.

The Squadron flew to France on the 21st of September 1917 and Sydney, with the rest of the ground crew, proceeded the same day by rail and then sea.
A few days later, Sydney arrived at Baizieux Aerodrome, in the Somme and joined the rest of the Squadron and the 13th Army Wing, RFC.

Initially equipped with Airco DH.5 (De Havilland) aircraft, the unit's main role with these aircraft was the strafing of hostile trenches.
It was also used as a "scout" squadron, the main role of which was to escort larger, slower aircraft, seek out and destroy the enemy's aircraft, and provide support for ground troops.

The squadron was soon drawn into the ongoing operations that constituted the third battle of Ypres and was heavily involved in ground attack operations. This role continued during the battle of Cambrai (20 November - 7 December 1917). On the first day of the battle 68 Squadron lost seven of its eighteen aircraft either destroyed or badly damaged; on each day of the battle, losses among the ground attack squadrons averaged 30 per cent.
Six Military Crosses were awarded to 68 Squadron personnel for their actions above the Cambrai battlefield and all the while Sydney and the ground crew kept their planes going.

In January 1918 the unit was re-equipped with S.E.5a fighters (British biplane), but its operations throughout the winter of 1917-18 were hampered by bad weather.
Then on the 18th of January 68 Squadron was redesignated No.2 Squadron AFC.
Sydney became ill on the 22nd of February and was hospitalised for 2 weeks before rejoining his Squadron.

Early 1918 saw the squadron operate from a succession of airfields under the command of several RAF wings - 10th, 22nd and then 51st. Like much of the Allied air forces, the squadron operated at fever pitch during the German spring offensive to regain the initiative in the air and support the troops on the ground. In June, the squadron played a similar role in support of French forces when the Germans launched their Marne offensive.

On the 21st of June 1918, 2 Squadron along with 4 Squadron, AFC, and 46 and 103 Squadrons of the RAF, became part of the newly formed 80th Wing.
2 Squadron was active throughout the Allied counter-offensive and it was almost as mobile on the ground as it was in the air, relocating on several occasions to ensure it was best placed to support the Allied advance. By this stage in the war the Allied air forces had almost complete dominance of the air.

Then on the 1st of August Sydney was promoted to 1st class air mechanic and on the 14th of October, whilst at Serny Aerodrome, he was granted 2 weeks leave to England.

The squadron's last major operation of the war was flown on the 9th of November 1918. After the Armistice, squadron personnel, including Sydney, were involved in evaluating captured German aircraft.

The squadron claimed 77 enemy aircraft destroyed during their time in France.

They moved from Hellemmes to Serny on the 1st of February and then relinquished their aircraft in late February before embarking from Le Havre for England, on the 3rd of March on board CSP Duchess of Argyll.

They then marched into the 3rd Training Battalion at No.6 camp in Hurdcott and awaited their embarkation orders back to Australia.

Sydney embarked from England on the 6th of May 1919 on board SS Kaiser-i-Hind and disembarked in Adelaide on the 14th of June.

Sydney was discharged from the AIF on the 6th of August 1919 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War & Victory Medals.