Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

No. 1341 Private Clarence John Hembury, born Hindmarsh Island, South Australia, 4 November 1892. Enlisted 3rd Light Horse 17 May 1915. Served Egypt. Returned to Australia 1919.

Clarence was the son of William Henry HEMBURY & Martha HARRIS and was born on the 4th of November 1892 in Hindmarsh Island, SA.

His parents were married on the 12th of February 1889 at the residence of Rev. E.G. Day in Adelaide, SA.

His father was the son of John HEMBURY & Amelia HEMBURY and was born on the 22nd of March 1870 in Nailsworth, SA.
His mother was the daughter of William HARRIS & Ellen MURPHY and was born on the 16th of April 1870 in Willaston, SA.

Clarence was the fourth child born into this family of 7 children.

His father was a labourer and in 1900 the family moved to Russell Street, Rosatala (Rosewater) and his father gained employment as a smelter.
Clarence was baptised on the 23rd of November 1900 in St Paul’s’ Church, Pt Adelaide.

In his early teens Clarence began to get into trouble with the police and was arrested several times and charged with larceny.
After completing school he gained employment as a labourer but then committed more larceny and was sentenced to the Magill Boys Reformatory until he turned 18 years of age.

During this time his parents moved to Victoria Road, Birkenhead.

His brother Albert enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 12th of September 1914 and served with the 16th Battalion (1278).

At the age of 22, Clarence enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 17th of May 1915 in Keswick, SA and allotted the service number 1341 and posted to E Company, Base Infantry in Mitcham Camp.

He was then transferred to the Base Light Horse before being posted to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, 10th Reinforcements.

Clarence embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A70 Ballarat on the 14th of September 1915, disembarked in Pt Suez and marched to Aerodrome Camp in Heliopolis.
He served with the 3rd Light Horse Regiment in Egypt and Palestine where he suffered a broken shoulder & concussion when he fell from his horse and was hospitalised and then rejoined his Regiment.

In January 1918 he first suffered from Synovitis to his left knee and was hospitalised on two separate occasions.
When the Armistice of Mudros was signed on the 30th of October Clarence was recommended for return to Australia.

Clarence embarked from Pt Suez on board HT Lancashire on the 19th of February 1919 and disembarked in Adelaide on the 26th of March.

He was discharged from the AIF on the 18th of May 1919.

Clarence married Mary HAYSMAN on the 25th of June 1919 in St George’s Church, Alberton, SA.
Mary was the daughter of Ann HAYSMAN and was born on the 25th of March 1900 in Walkerville, SA.

They made their first home at Semaphore Road, Glanville and welcomed Clarence Edwin into the family on the 15th of October 1920.
By 1922 they had moved to Fleetwood’s Farm, 12 miles north of Ceduna, where Beryl Marjorie was born on the 22nd of February 1923.

They were only in the west for a few years and then moved to Botting Street, Albert Park, where Clarence was employed as a labourer and Muriel Joyce was born on the 2nd of March 1925.

In September 1927 Clarence reverted back to his old ways and was imprisoned for 7 months for stealing 4 bags of wool at Wingfield and for unlawful possession of 300lbs of wool.
Whilst he was imprisoned Mary gave birth to their last child, Ronald Clifford on the 13th of March 1928.

Clarence was released the following month but was then in and out of gaol for the new several years.

By 1934 they had moved to 15 Trinity Street, Ottoway and Clarence was admitted into the Adelaide Hospital in 1939 when he suffered a stroke.
The following year he was granted a war pension.

With the outbreak of WW2 their son Clarence enlisted on the 8th of January 1941 (S24500).
The following year Clarence was employed as a casual gardener at the Finsbury Munition Works for a short period.
It was about this time that Clarence and Mary separated and Mary moved out of the home and was living with William Page.

On the 19th of May 1944 Clarence was admitted into the Adelaide Hospital for 3 months suffering from heart trouble and cardiac infarction.
On the 14th of August 1951 he was admitted into the Royal Adelaide Hospital for 6 weeks suffering from congestive cardiac failure.
On his discharge from hospital he asked Mary to moved back home to help care for him, which she did, with William Page.

Clarence lived in the front room of their 4 roomed weatherboard home and Mary and William lived in the rest of the home.

At 7:15pm on the 19th of March 1952, Clarence went to wash his face in the bathroom and Mary never saw him after that.
Soon afterwards she went to Clarence’s room and found him lying on the double bed and he appeared to be deceased.

Mary called the doctor and the police and Clarence was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
An inquest was held into his death and the coroner concluded that he died from congestive cardiac failure.

Clarence was buried 2 days later in the Cheltenham Cemetery; Section I, Drive C, Path 9, Site Number 284S.

Military

At the age of 22, Clarence enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 17th of May 1915 in Keswick, SA and allotted the service number 1341 and posted to E Company, Base Infantry in Mitcham Camp.
He listed his mother, of Victoria Road, Birkenhead, as his next of kin.

On the 2nd of June he was transferred to the Base Light Horse and then on the 1st of July he was posted to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, 10th Reinforcements.

Clarence embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A70 Ballarat on the 14th of September 1915, disembarked in Pt Suez and marched to Aerodrome Camp in Heliopolis.

Clarence began training in the desert and then on the 20th of December the 3rd Light Horse Regiment arrived in Aerodrome Camp from the Gallipoli campaign.
Nine days later, Clarence was taken on strength with the 3rd Light Horse Regiment and posted to B Squadron and the following day they equipped and proceed to Wadi Natrum via Barrage, Wardan and Khatatba.

By the 17th of January 1916 they had moved to Light Horse Wells, near Lake Beida and continued training in heavy winds and dust storms and patrolled the area daily.
Whilst here, on the 30th of January, Clarence was absent from stable piquet and was awarded 7 days confined to barracks.
On the 5th of February they moved to El Gaar and El Zawia where they sunk wells for the horses and continued patrolling the area for enemy movement.

On the 8th of February Clarence disobeyed an order to fold his blanket in a certain way and then showed insolence towards his superior when he was told to refold the blanket, and he threw it to the ground.
He was awarded 10 days Field Punishment No.2 and forfeited 10 days pay.

They then moved back to Khatatba on the 7th of March and by the end of March had moved to Qara, Beit Khalaf and then Girga.
On the 20th of April Clarence was a sentinel and when on duty at his post he was found not being alert and was awarded 14 days Field Punishment No.2.

Their next moved was to Kantara by the 17th of May, Hill 70, and then Romani by the 26th.
Whilst they were in camp at Romani a Turkish Aeroplane dropped 10 bombs on them on the 1st of June killing 5 men and wounding 20 others. It also killed 36 horses and wounded 9 horses and caused a stampede in the camp.
On the 23rd of June they moved out to carry out reconnaissance in the area of Hod-el-Geelia before returning back to Romani Camp 2 days later.
Two days later Clarence suffered a broken shoulder & concussion when he fell from his horse and was admitted into the 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance.
He was then transferred to Pt Said and admitted into the 31st General Hospital on the 18th.

After a few weeks here Clarence rejoined his Regiment on the 3rd of August at Romani Camp and spent the rest of August supplying patrols every 3rd day at Hill 110.
Clarence and his Regiment then played a significant role in turning back the Turkish advance on the canal at the battle of Romani on the 4th of August. In ensuing days they participated in the immediate follow-up of the defeated Turks, but were soon withdrawn to rest.

They then rejoined the Allied advance across the Sinai in November and were subsequently involved in the fighting to secure the Turkish outposts on the Palestine frontier - Maghdaba on the 23rd of December 1916 and Rafa on the 9th of January 1917.

Clarence and the Regiment then had a stint of protective duty along the line of communications through the Sinai.
Their next major engagement was the abortive second battle of Gaza on the 19th of April.
They were then involved in reconnaissance and patrols and by May they had moved to Shellal and then to Heseia, near Sausage Ridge.
They then spent June in the vicinity of El Kebir and Kazar before moving onto Tel-el-Fukhari and Ghabi in July.

By August they had moved to Shauth, Marakeb by September and then onto Rafa Beach Rest Camp at the end of September.
It was here on the 29th that Clarence suffered from ICT (Inflammation of the Connective Tissue) in his right hand & back and was admitted into the 65th Casualty Clearing Station at Rafa.
Three days later he was transferred by Ambulance Train and admitted into the 45th Stationary Hospital at El Arish.
Clarence spent 3 days here and was then transferred to the 24th Stationary Hospital in Kantara before being transferred by Ambulance Train and admitted into the 14th Australian General Hospital in Abbassia.

He spent all of October here recovering and was then discharged to the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment in Moascar on the 30th of October.
On the 9th of November he was transferred back to his Regiment and was taken on strength with them on the 22nd of November at Ayun Kara, Palestine.

All December was spent at Ayun Kara, even Christmas Day 1917, where they trained and exercised their horses.

With the capture of Gaza, back in November, the Turkish position in southern Palestine collapsed. The 3rd Light Horse Regiment participated in the advance to Jaffa that followed, and was then committed to operations to clear and occupy the west bank of the Jordan River.
By mid January 1918 they had moved to Deiran and then back to Ayun Kara for training on the 19th of January.

On the 28th of January Clarence suffered from Synovitis to his left knee and was admitted into the ANZAC Receiving Station and transferred to the 45th Stationary Hospital in El Arish and then to the 44th Stationary Hospital in Kantara.
On the 5th of February he was transferred to the 14th Australian General Hospital in Abbassia and spent all of February here before he was discharged to the Rest Camp in Pt Said on the 3rd of March.

On the 21st of March he was transferred to the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment in Moascar and after nearly 3 months, marched out to rejoin his Regiment.
Clarence rejoined his Regiment at Mussettereh on the 26th of June and they were then involved in the repulse of a major German and Turkish attack on the 14th of July at the Battle of Abu Tellul.

Two days after the battle Clarence was again admitted into the ANZAC Receiving Station suffering from Synovitis to his left knee.
He was then transferred to the 26th Casualty Clearing Station and then admitted into the 44th Stationary Hospital at Deir el Belah before being transferred to the 31st General Hospital in Abbassia on the 22nd of July.

On the 19th of August he was transferred to the Boulogne Convalescent Depot and the following week he was discharged to ANZ Rest & Details Camp before marching into Headquarters on the 2nd of October.
Whilst he was here the Armistice of Mudros was signed on the 30th of October and Clarence was recommended for return to Australia.

Clarence embarked from Pt Suez on board HT Lancashire on the 19th of February 1919 and disembarked in Adelaide on the 26th of March.

Clarence was discharged from the AIF on the 18th of May 1919 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War & Victory Medals.