KELLY, Hubert William
| Service Number: | 2688 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 54th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Appleby, Westmorland, England., 21 March 1896 |
| Home Town: | Forbes, Forbes, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Knaresborough Rural Secondary School & Elles___ School, Harrogate. |
| Occupation: | Station labourer |
| Died: | Shell Gas Poisoning, C1 – 2 Ward, 1st Southern General Hospital (Stourbridge Section), Birmingham, England , 4 May 1918, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Stourbridge Cemetery Plot number D. 803 and has a shared Private Headstone **In March 2024 the CWGC added a new Pedestal marker within the Private kerbing as the names & inscription were becoming illegible. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Smithfield Honor Roll WW1 |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Oct 1916: | Involvement Private, 2688, 54th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Oct 1916: | Embarked Private, 2688, 54th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Sydney |
Help us honour Hubert William Kelly's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Births Jun 1896 Kelly Hubert William E. Ward 10b 726
East Ward is in the county of Westmorland.
Deaths Jun 1918 Kelly Hubert W 22 Stourbridge 6c 46
Address Rankin Street, Forbes, New South Wales
Next of kin-Father, George William Calver Kelly, St James Street, Wetherby, Yorkshire, England, later of Stockport Road, Timperley, Cheshire, England
Enlistment date 9 June 1916 Private 54th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement.
Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A40 Ceramic on 7 October 1916-he was then aged 20.
He was 22 and the son of George William Calver and Margaret Douglas Kelly,
War service: Western Front.
He is honoured on the war memorial in S Martin and St Meriadoc Church in Camborne, Cornwall but his connection with Cornwall is not known.
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Hubert William Kelly was born at Appleby, Westmoreland, England on 21st March, 1896 to parents George William Calver Kelly and Margaret Douglas Kelly (nee Story).
He came to Australia when he was 18 years old according to information provided by his father for the Roll of Honour.
On 9th June, 1916 Hubert William Kelly enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) as a 20 year old, single, Station Labourer from Rankin Street, Forbes, NSW.
He was posted to 54th Reinforcement Battalion on 9th June, 1916 for recruit training. Private Kelly was transferred to “C” Company, Depot Battalion at Bathurst, NSW on 12th June, 1916 then posted to “A” Company of 54th Battalion on 18th July, 1916. Private Kelly was transferred to Invalids Section, A.I.F. Victoria Barracks from 10th August to 4th September, 1916. He was posted to 6th Reinforcements of 54th Battalion (date not recorded).
Private Hubert William Kelly, Service number 2688, embarked from Sydney, NSW on HMAT Ceramic (A40) on 7th October, 1916 with the 54th Infantry Battalion, 6th Reinforcements & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 21st November, 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 19th December, 1916 Private Kelly was sent sick to Hospital at Hurdcott, Wiltshire with Influenza from 14th Training Battalion, Camps 5 & 6. He was transferred to Fovant Military Hospital, Wiltshire on 20th December, 1916 & discharged from Hospital on 1st January, 1917.
Private Kelly proceeded overseas to France on 24th January, 1917 per S.S. Princess Clementine from 14th Training Battalion. He was marched in to 5th A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Etaples, France on 25th January, 1917. Private Kelly was marched out from 5th A.D.B.D. on 6th February, 1917 & was taken on strength of 54th Battalion on the same day.
The Salvation Army, Liverpool Military Camp, NSW wrote to Base Records on 28th February, 1917 with the following letter: “The relations of Hubert William Kelly have written from Cornwall, they desire to find him & herewith I respectfully solicit your valuable assistance. Kelly was from information I have gained at Bathurst Camp on August 6th, 1916, previous to that date he was 6 weeks in Hospital with an ulcerated foot. He was in C. Company 54th Battalion, A.I.F. At the closing of the Camp at Bathurst he was transferred to Liverpool, since then his whereabouts are unknown to his father, I await with interest your reply & I trust definitive information. I am Sir, yours faithfully, John Ramage, Chaplain.”
A reply was sent by Base Records on 14th March, 1917 advising that the soldier that was being referred to has the following postal address – No. 2688 Private H. W. Kelly, 6th Reinfts., 54th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, ABROAD.
He reported sick to 8th Australian Field Ambulance on 24th October, 1917 & was admitted with Diarrhoea. He was transferred to 5th D.R.S. (Divisional Rest Station) on 24th October, 1917 & was discharged to duty on 9th December, 1917. Private Kelly rejoined his Battalion on 9th December, 1917.
From 4th February, 1917 Private Kelly was on Leave to UK & rejoined his Unit from Leave on 22nd February, 1918.
Private Hubert William Kelly was wounded in action – Gassed on 17th April, 1918. He was admitted to 55th Field Ambulance on 17th April, 1918 then transferred & admitted to 55th Casualty Clearing Station on 18th April, 1918. Private Kelly was transferred & admitted to 9th General Hospital at Rouen, France on 19th April, 1918. He was marked for transfer to England on 21st April, 1918 & embarked on Hospital Ship Grantully Castle on 22nd April, 1918.
He was admitted to 1st Southern General Hospital (Stourbridge Section), Birmingham, England on 24th April, 1918 having been Gassed.
Private Hubert William Kelly died at 8.40 am on 4th May, 1918 at C1 – 2 Ward, 1st Southern General Hospital (Stourbridge Section), Birmingham, England from wounds – Shell Gas Poisoning, result of enemy action.
He was buried in Stourbridge Cemetery, Stourbridge, West Midlands, England where 12 other WW1 Australian Soldiers are laid to rest.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/stourbridge.html
Click images to start slideshow.