Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Henry was the son of Henry William PARTRIDGE & Elizabeth Jane HUBBARD and was born on the 14th of March 1895 in Portland (Pt Adelaide), SA.

His parents were married on the 1st of January 1894 at the residence of J H Berryman, in Quorn, SA.

His father was the son of James Charles PARTRIDGE & Mary Ann HATFIELD and was born on the 12th of May 1871 in Kooringa, Burra, SA.
His mother was the daughter of Thomas BUBBARD & Mary DALE and was born in 1871 in Woodchester, SA.

Henry was the eldest child born into this family of 8 children.

He also had a half sibling; William Herbert HUBBARD.

Henry’s father was a labourer and the family moved quite frequently.
They lived for a few years at Wirrabara before moving to Bundaleer Camp.

Whilst here, his little sister Evelyn died at just 15 months of age.
They then moved to Spalding where Henry attended the little Public School.
In March 1903 they left Spalding and moved to 4 Marlborough Street, Adelaide and Henry then attended the Sturt Street Primary School.

After 12 months the family then moved to Glenelg and Henry attended the Glenelg Primary School before they moved to Murray Bridge in April 1905.
After 12 months in Murray Bridge they moved back to Adelaide and by the 31st of January 1907 they had moved to Quorn where Henry completed his education and gained employment as a labourer with the South Australian Railways.

By now his father was an invalid pensioner and Henry helped to support his parents and siblings.

Henry was 16 years old when is mother died on the 15th of December 1911 in the Pt Augusta Hospital and they buried her in the Pt Augusta Cemetery.

In May the following year his father appeared in the State Children’s Court as Henry’s 6 younger siblings were charged with being destitute. His father argued to keep his children, but was unsuccessful and they went into the care of the state.

In November 1913 Henry was charged at Quorn with not fulfilling his personal service requirements as a cadet. Henry stated that due to his employment it was hard to get time off to attend drill, but his was still fined 5/.

When he aged out of the cadets, Henry transferred to the 81st Battalion.

At the age of 21, Henry enlisted into the AIF on the 16th of March 1916 in Quorn and was allotted the service number 3409 and posted to A Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Mitcham Camp. He was then posted to the 43rd Battalion, 3rd Reinforcements.

Henry had previously met a young lady, Miss Maud GRANTHAM and on the 7th of May 1916 they welcomed their first child; Kathleen Grantham PARTRIDGE, whilst Henry was in camp.

Henry and Maud then married 3 weeks later, on the 22nd of May 1916 at the residence of Frank Copley, in Pt Augusta.
Maud was the daughter of Alfred John GRANTHAM & Mahala Vera MARSHALL and was born on the 31st of August 1900 in Pt Augusta.

Henry returned to camp, but within tow weeks, on the 3rd of June he deserted his service and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Henry managed to evade arrested for six months until he was arrested in Pt Augusta on the 8th of December 1917 and transported back to Mitcham Camp.

Henry was awarded 90 days detention for his desertion.

On the 13th of February 1918 he was transferred to the 48th Battalion, 11th Reinforcements and then two weeks later Henry was transferred to the 48th Battalion, 8th Reinforcements.

Henry embarked from Melbourne on board RMS Ormonde on the 6th of March 1918, disembarking in Suez on the 4th of April.

Whilst Henry was serving in France, Maud remarried to Arthur Ernest SEARLE on the 15th of January 1919 in the Congregational Manse, Alberton.

This was almost certainly a bigamous marriage following from her falling pregnant whilst Henry was overseas fighting in WW1.
Maud gave birth to Arthur’s son; Arthur Douglas Partridge SEARLE on the 4th of July 1919 in Medindie.

Henry embarked for Australia on the 12th of July 1919 on board HMAT City of Exeter, disembarking in Adelaide on the 21st of August.

Henry was discharged from the AIF on the 14th of September 1919 and awarded the British War and Victory medal.

Henry’s returned to Pt Augusta and although it is not known how or why, Maud was waiting for him and they welcomed their second child; Beryle, on the 3rd of October 1921.

By 1936 Maud was living with Arthur Ernest SEARLE and her son Arthur at 7 George Street, Ottoway.

Henry was living at Stoddart St Pt Augusta

Henry died on the 9th of April 1962 in the Daw Park Repatriation Hospital.
He was buried in the Pt Augusta Cemetery on the 11th; Un-Leased, Block 131, Plot 2.
The minister was Rev. Richards Pugh.

Military

At the age of 21, Henry enlisted into the AIF on the 16th of March 1916 in Quorn and was allotted the service number 3409 and posted to A Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Mitcham Camp.
He listed his mother, of Pt Augusta as his next of kin.

On the 16th of April he was posted to the 43rd Battalion, 3rd Reinforcements and then on the 3rd of June Henry deserted and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Henry managed to evade arrested for six months until he was arrested in Pt Augusta on the 8th of December 1917 and transported back to Mitcham Camp.

Henry was awarded 90 days detention for his desertion.

On the 13th of February 1918 he was transferred to the 48th Battalion, 11th Reinforcements and then two weeks later Henry was transferred to the 48th Battalion, 8th Reinforcements.

Henry embarked from Melbourne on board RMS Ormonde on the 6th of March 1918, disembarking in Suez on the 4th of April.

On the 30th of April he was transferred to Pt Lewfik and embarked for England, disembarking in Southampton on the 5th of May and then marched into the 9th Training Battalion at Fovaut.
On the 4th of June he was transferred to the 12th Training Battalion in Codford and posted to the 50th Battalion.

Henry proceeded to France on the 8th of August and marched into the Australian Infantry Base Depot (AIBD) in Le Havre. He marched out two days latter and was taken on strength with the 50th Battalion on the 17th of August in the front line, south west of Bray-sur-Somme.

By the end of August they were in Rivery when they received orders on the 5th of September and were bussed Biaches where they bivouacked near the ruins.
Two days later they had reached Cartigny and the following day they marched to Beaumetz and then onto Flechin and Soyecourt.

In mid September they moved to the Hindenburg Line and this would be the Battalion’s last major operation of the war. They then moved to Ferrieres in October where they were billeted, rested and trained.

On the 10th of November they were entrained for Brancourt and en route, whilst stopped at St. Quentin, they received the news of the Armistice.

By the 13th they had reached Brancourt and then marched into Fresnoy-le-Grand on the 15th.
They then moved through St. Souplet, Favril, Le Petit-Fayt, Sains-du-Nord and had arrived at Sivry by the end of November.
In mid December they moved to Dinant and this is where they spent their last Christmas Day away from family and friends in a foreign land.

All of January and February was spent here in training, church parades and sports games and the Battalion started to organise for their return to Australia.
When they moved out of Dinant in early March they received a magnificent send off by the locals.

The 50th Battalion ceased to exist as a separate entity when it amalgamated with the 51st Battalion on the 6th of March 1919.
By ANZAC Day they were at Aiseau and they spent the day in beautiful weather and all parades were cancelled and they held a midday dinner in the local school room.
Henry was the last quota from the Battalion to march out for embarkation to England on the 20th of May and he was then posted to Hurdcott Camp awaiting return to Australia.

Henry embarked for Australia on the 12th of July 1919 on board HMAT City of Exeter, disembarking in Adelaide on the 21st of August.

Henry was discharged from the AIF on the 14th of September 1919 and awarded the British War and Victory medal.