BATTYE, Ernest Joseph
| Service Number: | Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 May 1915, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 11th Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Hindmarsh, South Australia, 12 February 1893 |
| Home Town: | Hindmarsh, Charles Sturt, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Pulteney Street Church Public School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Clerk (civil servant) |
| Died: | Killed In Action, France, 29 September 1918, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension, France |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Commissioner of Public Works Roll of Honour, Adelaide Muirden College of South Australia Great War Roll of Honor, Adelaide National War Memorial, Adelaide Public Stores Department WW1 Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 18 May 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Sep 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 10th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Ballarat embarkation_ship_number: A70 public_note: '' | |
| 14 Sep 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Officer, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ballarat, Adelaide | |
| 29 Sep 1918: | Involvement Lieutenant, 11th Field Artillery Brigade , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 11th Australian Field Artillery Brigade awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1918-09-29 |
Biography
Born February 12 1893
Died September 29, 1918, age 26
Attended Pulteney Street School 1907
Ernest was the first of three children of Elizabeth Mary and Joseph Battye of Orsmond Street Hindmarsh. His brother Edward Sansom Battye also attended Pulteney Street School from 1908-1909. Ernest sat the civil service examination in 1909 and entered the Chief-Storekeeper’s Office at Port Adelaide where he worked as a clerk until 1915.
He enlisted on May 18, 1915, and sailed from Adelaide to the front as officer in charge of the 10th reinforcements 10th Battalion on 14 September 1915. In Egypt he transferred to the artillery and was sent to France. He was killed in action at the Somme, France on September 29 1918.
Lieutenant Ernest Battye is buried at Rosiel
Submitted 6 February 2016 by Faithe Jones
Biography
Son of Elizabeth Mary and Joseph BATTYE
Biography contributed by Adelaide Botanic High School
Ernest Joseph Battye was born in Hindmarsh South Australia on February 12th, 1893. He attended Pulteney Street Church Public School and Muirden College, South Australia. As an adult, he took up the occupation of a Clerk, later in life joining the Australian Imperial Force. Battye was not very tall, standing at 5'6" and weighing 56kg. He had blue eyes and brown hair.
Before joining WW1, Battye already had prior experience as a Sergeant Major, Signal Company Militia Forces, and Lieutenant in Citizen Forces.
On the 17th of May 1915, Ernest Joseph Battye signed up to fight in the World War. On the 14th of September 1915, Battye embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A20 Ballarat to Egypt where he joined the 50th Battalion 26th February 1916. 5 months later, on the 17th of March 1916, Battye was promoted to rank Lieutenant. In April and May he completed artillery training and then was dispatched to France arrving at Marseilles on the 15th of August 1916. He was transferred to the 4th Divisional Ammunition Column and later that month was taken on strength with the 4th Field Artillery. He completed some training at Mortar School in September 1916.
On the 28th of May 1917 he was admitted to 14th General Hospital after suffering multiple gunshot wounds on the left shoulder, back of the head and the left ear. On the 31st of May he embarked for England to the Kitchener War Hospital to recover. 10 months later, Battye proceeded overseas back to France on the 3rd of March 1918. When arriving, Battye left the 4th Division Artillery to join the 4th Division Ammunition Column.
On the 29th of September 1918, 6 months after coming back from recovering prior injuries, Ernest Joseph Battye was killed while supervising work at the gun line. He was hit through the heart by a piece of high explosive shell, death was instantaneous. Battye was buried at the Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension (Plot I, Row H, Grave No. 10), in France. Battye’s next of kin, Battye’s Mother, Mrs Elizabeth Mary Battye was informed about the loss.