GRATTON, Sydney James
| Service Number: | 5018 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 February 1916, 3 years served with Light Horse Royal North Devon Hussars at Barnstaple. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 22nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Barnstaple, Devon, England, December 1883 |
| Home Town: | Beaufort, Pyrenees, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Groom |
| Died: | Asthma, Military Hospital, Fargo, Larkhill, Wiltshire, England, 14 December 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Landkey (St. Paul) Churchyard West of Church, Landkey (St Paul) Churchyard, Landkey, Devon, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Beaufort War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5018, 22nd Infantry Battalion, 3 years served with Light Horse Royal North Devon Hussars at Barnstaple. | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Jul 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5018, 22nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ayrshire embarkation_ship_number: A33 public_note: '' | |
| 14 Dec 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5018, 22nd Infantry Battalion, Died of illness (asthma) |
Help us honour Sydney James Gratton's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 14th December…… Sydney James Gratton was born at Landkey, Devon, England. His birth was registered in the March quarter, 1883 in the registration district of Barnstaple, Devon, England.
According to information provided by his widow for the Roll of Honour – Sydney Gratton came to Australia in 1910. Mrs Gratton also stated that Sydney Gratton had served with Light Horse Royal North Devon Hussars at Barnstaple.
On 29th January, 1916 Sydney James Gratton married Lavinia Matilda Baker in Victoria. A birth was registered on the district of Beaufort, Victoria in 1916 for Harriett Lavinia Ethel Gratton, daughter of Sydney & Lavinia Gratton.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 14th February, 1916 as a 33 year old, married, Groom from Beaufort, Victoria.
Private Sydney James Gratton, Service number 5018, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Ayrshire (A33) on 3rd July, 1916 with the 6th Infantry Brigade, 22nd Infantry Battalion, 13th Reinforcements & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 2nd September, 1916.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
On 3rd September, 1916 Private Gratton was taken on strength of 6th Training Battalion.
He was admitted to Fargo Military Hospital, Wiltshire on 17th October, 1916 with Scabies (date of discharge not recorded) & was re-admitted to Fargo Military Hospital on 12th December, 1916. His condition was listed as dangerously & seriously ill.
Private Sydney James Gratton died at 8.30 pm on 14th December, 1916 at Military Hospital, Fargo, Larkhill, Wiltshire, England from Asthma.
He was buried on 19th December, 1916 in St. Paul’s Churchyard, Landkey, Devon, England – west of Church & has a Private Headstone. His death is still acknowledged by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/landkey.html
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Births Mar 1883 GRATTON Sidney James Barnstaple 5b 487
He was 33 and the son of William Henry and Thirza Gratton of Landkey Newland, Barnstable, Devon ; husband of Lavinia M. J. Gratton, of Albert St., Beaufort, Victoria, Australia. Born in Devon. His brothers Alfred Frank, Thomas John and William Lewis Gratton also fell.
Lance Corporal GRATTON, ALFRED FRANK
Service Number 3/6619
Died 06/10/1916
Aged 22
2nd Bn. Devonshire Regiment
PHILOSOPHE BRITISH CEMETERY, MAZINGARBE-I. G. 11.
Private GRATTON, THOMAS JOHN
Service Number 63381
Died 21/08/1917
Aged 37
29th Bn. Canadian Infantry
M M
Husband of the late Elizabeth Gratton (nee Tapp).
VIMY MEMORIAL
Private GRATTON, WILLIAM LEWIS
Service Number 3/7817
Died 13/03/1915
Aged 40
2nd Bn. Devonshire Regiment
Husband of Annie Elizabeth Gratton, of 4, Bradiford Pilton, Barnstaple, Devon. Born in Aberdare in 1875.
LE TOURET MEMORIAL Panel 8 and 9.
All four brothers are named on the War Memorial Landkey, Devon, UK
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