S6748
CHAMBERS, Sidney Harold
| Service Number: | 2045 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 July 1916, at Adelaide |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 37th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Balaklava, South Australia, Australia, April 1898 |
| Home Town: | Manna Hill, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Stationhand |
| Memorials: | Manna Hill & District Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Jul 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2045, 43rd Infantry Battalion, at Adelaide | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2045, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: '' | |
| 28 Aug 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2045, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Anchises, Adelaide | |
| 10 Dec 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2045, 37th Infantry Battalion, GSW back | |
| 13 Oct 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2045, 37th Infantry Battalion, 1st Passchendaele | |
| 1 Oct 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2045, 37th Infantry Battalion, Wounded 3rd Occas | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2045, 37th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Sidney Harold Chambers's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by St Aloysius College
Sidney Harold Chambers was born in 1898, in Balaklava, South Australia. Sidney was 5 foot 9 and single throughout his life. He was religious and his religion was Methodist. He embarked into the war at the age of 18 and was looked after by his father, William Bernard Chambers. Sidney Harold Chambers worked as a station hand at Oulnina (near Manna Hill, on the road to Broken Hill), which is where an employee is involved in duties on a station caring for livestock.
On the 28th of August, 1916, Sidney embarked into Adelaide on “Anchises”. The Anchises was a large cargo ship used in the War. Sidney was then taken on strength with the 37th Battalion on the 11th of November. This Battalion was assembled for the Australian Army. They raised the battalion in 1916 for all service during the War. They took part in fighting in the trenches on the Western Front in France and Belgium. He then proceeded overseas to South Hampton, France on the 22nd of November, 1916.
On the 10th of December, 1916 Sidney was wounded in action (n the back) and admitted to Weymouth Hospital the same day. He then was embarked on HS Carisbrook Castle at Havre on the 5th of January, 1917. Sidney was admitted to Princess Christian Hospital Weymouth on the 6th of January. Weymouth is a city located in England. On the 17th of February, Sidney marched into number 2 CD Weymouth from Mil Hospital and on the 2nd and 3rd of April, Sidney marched out to the number 3 Command depot Hurd from Weymouth. The Command Depots upon the discharge from hospital, send newly arrived Australians to training groups.
On the 4th of May, 1917, Sidney Harold Chambers was transmitted to the 66th battalion from the 37th. The reason for this was the 37th battalion disbanded in 1918 and provided reinforcements for others. The 37th battalion was temporarily suspended but then fought its last battle, six days later. The 66th battalion was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Sidney then proceeded overseas on the 25th of August, 1917 to France via South Hampton, which is located in England.
Sidney returned to his 37th Battalion on the 1st of September. On the 13th of October, 1917, Sidney was wounded in action and embarked for England on the 22nd of October. On the 24th, Sidney was then admitted to Queen Mary’s Military Hospital and discharged six days later.
On the 28th of February, 1918, Sidney Harold Chambers was rejected from his battalion whilst in England and wounded in hospital. On the 1st of October, 1918, Chambers was wounded in action again and admitted to L of C Hospital two days later. Due to his wound, Sidney was made invalid to the United Kingdom on the 4th of October, 1918. On the 25th of October he was transferred to 3rd Auxiliary hospital. He was then discharged from hospital two days later. On the 31st of October he was admitted to Aux hospital with contracting influenza. Sidney was then discharged from hospital on the 15th of November, 1918.
Sidney Harold Chambers was lucky to be able to return to Australia on the 2nd of January, 1919. He received three medals. He was awarded star issues in 1914, a British war medal and a victory medal in 1917. Unfortunately, the date of Sidney Harold Chamber’s death is unknown but his memorial is on the Mannahill Honour Board in South Australia.