Henry William PURNELL MM

Henry William PURNELL MM Update Details

If you confirm that you want to proceed with the update, this record will be locked for editing by all other users until you have finished. You will have 7 days to complete your changes before they will be automatically submitted.

Do you want to proceed?

Service Number:	871
Last Rank:	Gunner
Last Unit:	5th Field Artillery Brigade
Born:	Geelong, Victoria, date not yet discovered
Home Town:	Geelong, Greater Geelong, Victoria
Schooling:	Geelong College
Occupation:	Farmer
Died:	Killed in Action, France, 29 May 1918, age not yet discovered
Cemetery:	Frechencourt Communal Cemetery Row D, Grave 2, Frechencourt Communal Cemetery, Frechencourt, Amiens, Picardie, France
Tree Plaque:	Modewarre Avenue of Honour
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Geelong College WW1 Roll of Honour, Modewarre Avenue of Honour Plaque, Newtown Aberdeen Street Baptist Church Roll of Honor

Help us honour Henry William Purnell's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

10 Sep 1915:	Involvement Private, 871, 13th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Malakuta embarkation_ship_number: A57 public_note: ''
10 Sep 1915:	Embarked Private, 871, 13th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Malakuta, Melbourne
25 May 1918:	Honoured Military Medal, "For gallantry and devotion to duty at RIBEMONT on 16th May 1918. Gunner PURNELL with two others endeavoured at great personal risk to himself, to put out blazing ammunition exploding charges and priners in a gun pit. The heat and fumes drove him back repeatedly but each time he returned and continued his efforts, at one time rolling clear of the conflagration, shells which had become dangerously hot. Finding that it was impossible to put out the fire, he with two others went into the blaze again and manhandled the gun clear of the fire. This man's courage undoubtedly was of great assistance in preventing the destruction of the Howitzer" Brigadier-General Commanding 2nd Aust. Div. Arty.
29 May 1918:	Involvement Gunner, 871, 5th Field Artillery Brigade , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 871 awm_unit: 5th Australian Field Artillery Brigade awm_rank: Gunner awm_died_date: 1918-05-29

Help us honour Henry William Purnell's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.