Vivien Wilfred (Straf) STRAFORD

STRAFORD, Vivien Wilfred

Service Number: 5797
Enlisted: 29 February 1916, Melbourne, Victoria
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 39th Infantry Battalion
Born: Ballarat, Victoria, 19 February 1897
Home Town: Brighton, Bayside, Victoria
Schooling: Ballarat State School
Occupation: Clerk (later Chief accountant, Lands Dept.)
Died: Natural causes (heart attack), Melbourne, Victoria, May 1971
Cemetery: Brighton General Cemetery, Victoria
Memorials:
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World War 1 Service

29 Feb 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5797, Melbourne, Victoria
3 Jul 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5797, 7th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ayrshire embarkation_ship_number: A33 public_note: ''
3 Jul 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5797, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ayrshire, Melbourne
24 Oct 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 39th Infantry Battalion
7 Jun 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 5797, 39th Infantry Battalion, Battle of Messines, GSW (right forearm - partial amputation)
25 Feb 1918: Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 5797, 39th Infantry Battalion

Wounded at Messines


During the Battle of Messines on 07 June 1917, Vivien was wounded by shrapnel from a nearby German bomb explosion, whilst he was restoring telecommunications connections, and suffered the subsequent amputation of his right forearm due to an infection. As he was right-handed, he then taught himself how to use his left hand for the rest of his life.

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Biography contributed by Virtual Australia

Note: Family has provided evidence to confirm the correct spelling of the first Given Name as VIVIEN. The record on this Memorial has been corrected to reflect this spelling. Chief Moderator, September 2018.