TOWNSEND, Austin Charles
| Service Numbers: | 1633, 1271 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 23 November 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Tideswell, Derbyshire, England, 15 November 1891 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer - later Taxation Officer |
| Died: | Natural causes, Chester, Cheshire, England, 22 April 1941, aged 49 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Nov 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1633 | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Feb 1915: | Involvement Private, 1633, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Choon embarkation_ship_number: A49 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Feb 1915: | Embarked Private, 1633, 1st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Choon, Sydney | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1271, 1st Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 7 Aug 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 1271, 1st Infantry Battalion, The August Offensive - Lone Pine, Suvla Bay, Sari Bair, The Nek and Hill 60 - Gallipoli, GSW head | |
| 22 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 1271, 1st Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , GSW legs (fracture - severe) | |
| 7 Aug 1917: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 1271, 1st Infantry Battalion, Medically unfit - amputated right leg, at thigh. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Michael Silver
One of five children of George and Sarah Jane Townsend, Austin Townsend was born in the village of Tideswell in the Peak District of Derbyshire, England.
He worked for the tramways as a trolley boy before migrating to Australia as part of a British migrant farm labour scheme in 1914, listing his occupation as a fitter. Departing Liverpool in the SS Irishman on 21 March 1914 with about 300 others workers, he arrived in Sydney on 23 May 1914 and took up work as a farmer.
Within eight weeks the world would be plunged into war. In November, Austin Townsend enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force and was assigned to the 3rd Reinforcements of the 1st Battalion.
The 1st Battalion took part in the ANZAC landing on 25 April 1915 as part of the second and third waves. Private Townsend fortunately survived a grazing bullet wound to his scalp during the battle of Lone Pine in August 1915 and was evacuated to Egypt for treatment.
In March 1916, he sailed with the 1st Battalion for France and the Western Front. Deployed to the Somme Valley in France, he was involved in the Battle of the Somme in July and August. On 16 August 1916 the battalion moved into support trenches between Ovillers-la Boiselle and Bailiff Wood. It took over the front line trenches on August 18, remaining there for the next four days, suffering very heavy casualties. Relief occurred late on August 22 and it was at this point that Austin Townsend was severely wounded, suffering shell wounds to his legs, including multiple fractures of his right leg and foot.
Taken to the 44th Casualty Clearing Station at Puchevillers (north-east of Amiens) and later evacuated to England, his right leg could not be saved and was amputated at the thigh.
Discharged in August 1917, he did not return to Australia and remained in England. In April 1923 he married Esther Shallcross at Chester. They were to have two children and he later worked for the Taxation Department.
Austin Charles Townsend died at Chester in 1941 - his wife Esther in 1966.
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