FUTCHER, Herbert Edison
| Service Number: | 10853 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Royal Flying Corps |
| Born: | Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia, 24 April 1898 |
| Home Town: | St Kilda, Port Phillip, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Draftsman |
| Died: | Aircraft accident, France, 21 October 1918, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
Perreuse Chateau Franco British National Cemetery |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Driver, 3rd Divisional Train | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Jun 1916: | Involvement Driver, 10853, 3rd Divisional Train, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '21' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Persic embarkation_ship_number: A43 public_note: '' | |
| 3 Jun 1916: | Embarked Driver, 10853, 3rd Divisional Train, HMAT Persic, Melbourne | |
| 3 Jun 1916: | Involvement Driver, 10853, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '21' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Persic embarkation_ship_number: A34 public_note: '' | |
| 3 Jun 1916: | Embarked Driver, 10853, HMAT Persic, Melbourne | |
| 16 Mar 1917: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, Supply Depot Companies / Platoons, Discharged to Royal Flying Corps with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant | |
| 17 Mar 1917: | Involvement Royal Flying Corps |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Lieutenant Herbert Edison Futcher died of wounds in the No. 8 Canadian Stationary Hospital, France, on the 21 October 1918. From information in his Roll of Honour form he was involved in an aircraft crash on the 18 October 1918, and died of burns to his face, head, arms and hands in the hospital three days later. Futcher was only 18 years and 3 months old when he enlisted in July 1915. He was with the Australian Army Service Corps in France prior to joining the Royal Flying Corps. Futcher served mainly in the Aircraft Depot’s in France, pilots who ferried all types of combat aircraft around over the battlefront. He was promoted to Lieutenant in April 1918. He is the only Australian from the Great War buried in the Perreuse Chateau Franco-British National Cemetery. The following memorial notice appeared in the Melbourne Argus of October 1918. His brother, Horace Gordon Futcher served with the 2nd Pioneer Battalion AIF.
“Futcher- Died of injuries on Trafalgar Day (Oct. 21) at 8th Canadian Stationary Hospital, France, Lieut. Herbert Edison Futcher, Royal Air Force, much-loved brother of Thomas F. B. and May Futcher, and darling uncle of little Essie, Tommy, and Herbert, aged 20 years and 5 months.
So dearly loved.
His mother longed for the day of his return.
Our hero.
Our knight of the air.
One of Australia's noblest and best.
He sleeps in a hero's grave.”
Another notice was placed in a Melbourne newspaper many years later, “In loving memory of Flight-Lieutenant Herbert E Futcher of the Royal Air Force who was killed in France October 21 1918 also his brother Horace Gordon Futcher late of the 2nd Pioneers AIF who died of war injuries August 29th 1938.”