CHESTERFIELD, Harold
| Service Numbers: | 776, V367655 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 July 1916, Queenscliffe, Vic. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Volunteer Defence Corps (VIC) |
| Born: | Yarragon, Victoria, Australia, 16 March 1897 |
| Home Town: | Mirboo North, Latrobe - Victoria, Australia, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Soldier |
| Died: | Natural Causes, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 October 1989, aged 92 years |
| Cemetery: |
Frankston Memorial Park and Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Lara Lake Sons of Temperance Division No 15 Honor Roll, Queenscliff Royal Australian Garrison Artillery Third Military District Honor Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Jul 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Gunner, 776, 36th Heavy Artillery Group, Queenscliffe, Vic. | |
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| 30 Sep 1916: | Involvement Gunner, 776, 36th Heavy Artillery Group, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 30 Sep 1916: | Embarked Gunner, 776, 36th Heavy Artillery Group, HMAT Aeneas, Sydney |
World War 2 Service
| 23 May 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, V367655, Volunteer Defence Corps (VIC), Yarragon, Vic. |
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Help us honour Harold Chesterfield's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Harold Chesterfield Regimental No. 776 was born 16th March 1897 at Allambee, the first child of Harold Baxter and Marion Hamilton Chesterfield. The Chesterfields came from Cowbit, Lincolnshire England. William a railway labourer married Elizabeth Rhymes 13th March 1850, They emigrated to Australia in 1853 living at Little River near Geelong. Elizabeth died in 1863 leaving William with 3 living children, the eldest of which was 10 years of age. William remarried five months later – Eleanor Taylor in May 1863. Harold Baxter was born at Duck Ponds, Little River in 1872.
Harold known as Harry took up a settler’s licence for Lot 22 at Allambee comprising 135 acres in July 1892. He married Marion Hamilton Grant from the You Yangs 3rd April 1893. Marion purchased the adjoining 94 acres, Lot 25 at Allambee in September 1901. Harold’s brother Thomas John Chesterfield took up adjoining land Lot 26, 318 acres in 1907. Harry and Marion ran the Chesterfield Post office from their property, serving the Allambee Reserve/Mirboo North postal district.
Harold enlisted in the Royal Australian Garrison Artillery at Queenscliff in 1915 with a view to getting a course of training prior to enlisting. Having served with the Australian Expeditionary Forces for 5 months at Raba, New Guinea, he then enlisted in the AIF 31st May 1916 joining the 36th Heavy Artillery Group on 1st July. He embarked from Sydney on 30th September on Aeneas, disembarking in Plymouth on 19th November. Following a period of ill health he was taken on Strength to the Australia Siege Battery Stowlangtoft on 3/1/1917 and proceeded to France where he rejoined the 36th HAG. He returned to Australia in May 1919. Harold regularly sent letters home to his family, possibly due to his involvement in the family postal business. The letters were published in the Gippslander and Mirboo Times, giving insights into his war experience.
Following his discharge from the AIF Harold returned to the family farm and in 1925 married Amy Skeeles. They made their home on the family farm and had two children – Donald and Pamela. Harold returned to assisting in the post office, particularly after the residents erected a telephone connection with Mirboo North at their own expense, and Chesterfield’s post office also had a public telephone service. Harold became the new Post Master, remaining on the family farm until September 1951 when the farm was sold and Nellie Grant, wife of the new owner, became postmistress. The post office closed on 31 October 1956.
Harold and Amy moved to a farm at Jones Road Somerville. Harold died 4th October 1989, Amy died 23rd October 1991 and they are both buried at Frankston Cemetery.
Courtesy of Avenel Jane