Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Henry Lees Sercombe was born in 1892 at Charlton VIC to his parents Henry and Sarah Sercombe.  He was the eldest of 4 children with 2 younger brothers, Alf and Trobridge and sister Estelle who were all born in Walhalla VIC.  Henry’s schooling took place at Walhalla Institute and at some point the family moved to Warragul.  Henry went on to become a bank officer serving as an accountant at Traralgon Bank of Australasia before transferring to the Warrnambool Branch in 1914.  He was a loyal member of the Warragul Methodist Church serving in several areas including the Sunday School, President of the Young Peoples’ Methodist Union and he also preached from time to time. 

Henry enlisted for WW1 on the 31st December 1915 at Melbourne VIC aged 23.  He was a stretcher bearer with Australian Army Medical Corps serving with the 10th Field Ambulance, attached to the 37th Australian Infantry Battalion which was part of the 10th Brigade, 3rd Division.  His service number was 11470 and his rank Private.  He’s described as being 5ft 6ins tall with grey eyes, brown curly hair and a dark complexion.

In mid-February 1916 he proceeded to the Army Camp at Seymour where he did his basic training which included time at the Army Hospital.  Henry, along with the 37th Battalion, embarked from Melbourne on the 3rd June 1916 on HMAT Persic.  They disembarked at Plymouth, England, on 25th July 1916 and proceeded to No. 5 Camp at Larkhill on the Salisbury Plain for more training.  While at Larkhill in late September the King of England, George V, inspected the 3rd Division which included Henry’s unit.  Two months later on 22nd November Henry embarked from Southampton and arrived at Le Havre, France, the following day.  He entrained there the next day travelling through Ballieul, Strazelle and arrived at Armentieres on the 22nd December. 

During 1917 Henry moved regularly throughout northern France including L’Estrade, Borre, Renescure and Leulinghem.  In August he was attached to the 5th Division Ammunition Column at Brandhoek near Ypres in Belgium.  He remained with them until late February 1918.  He spent the first 3 weeks of January 1918 on leave in England. 

On the 1st February 1918 Henry was awarded the Military Medal for his heroic actions while serving at Brandhoek when on the 12th October 1917 he dressed the wounded while in an exposed position under heavy fire for 50 hours straight.  This was part of the Second Battle of Passchendaele. 

In late February 1918 Henry left the 5th Division Ammunition Column stationed at Dranoutre outside Armentieres and was once again attached to the 37th Infantry Battalion who were by now at Warneton north of Armentieres on the France/Belgium border.  He remained with the 37th Battalion till early November moving to several places during that time including Buire-sur-l’Ancre, Mericourt-l’Abbe, Marett Wood and Allonville just north of Amiens. 

On the 1st October 1918 Henry was promoted to Corporal and 11 days later was attached to the 38th Australian Infantry Battalion serving with them for a month at Bailleul and Sorel.  He then served with the 10th Field Ambulance for a month at Bray-Les-Mareuil and Toeufles before being posted to the AIF Headquarters in London to serve with the Australian Army Pay Corps.  He embarked from Le Havre on the 13th December and disembarked the same day at Folkestone in England.  He remained in London until the 22nd July 1919 when he embarked from Devonport, Plymouth, on HMAT Ulysses for return to Australia.  He arrived in Melbourne, Australia, on the 2nd September and was discharged on 17th October 1919. 

In 1921 Henry married Annie Elizabeth Gray at the Church of Christ in Port Fairy VIC.  In May the same year he bought a Fruit and Confectionery Shop in Raymond Street, Sale VIC.  The following year Henry and Annie welcomed their first child, a son John.  Subsequently, 3 more sons followed, Robert, Richard and Charles. 

In 1922 Henry formed a new general store business in Gellibrand Street, Colac VIC...“H L Sercombe & Co Pty Ltd.”  By 1928 he had a dairy produce business in Elsternwick VIC. 

In the mid 1940’s Henry and Annie were living at Black Rock VIC and then at some point, either in the late 40’s or early 50’s, they moved to Emerald VIC where Henry helped out with the preaching at the Church of Christ.  Their son Richard was ordained as a Minister of the Church of Christ the following year.  In 1953 they moved to Avonsley VIC.

Henry died in 1974 at Murrumbeena VIC aged 81.  Annie died 2 years later aged 78.  Henry’s name appears on these WW1 Memorials: Warragul Methodist Church Honour Roll and Sunday School Honour Roll, Warragul Shire Honour Roll, Warragul State School Honour Roll and the Bank of Australasia Honour Roll WW1.

Henry Lees Sercombe was awarded for service in WW1 the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and the Military Medal.

Respectfully submitted by Sue Smith 3rd May 2022