Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From How We Served

4579 Private Stephen James Staunton of Torrensville, South Australia had given his previous occupation on enlisting for War Service on the 14th of September 1915 as having been a barman. Allocated to reinforcements for the 10th Battalion 1st AIF, Stephen embarked for Egypt and further training, arriving on the 11th of March 1916.

Stephen was temporarily attached to the ANZAC Provost Corps, and aside from bouts of sickness which caused hospitalisation due to gastritis, Stephen’s service with the Provost Corps was continuous until he was struck off strength to embark for England where he arrived on the 3rd of January 1917. Stephen would be retained in England at training camps until he was shipped over to France, arriving at the ‘Bull Ring’ Etaples on the 20th of March.

Following more training Stephen joined his Battalion in the trenches of Northern France on the 10th of April and would remain on duty until being evacuated sick on the 18th of September 1917, and by the 9th of October, Stephen was being again hospitalised due to gastritis. After his recovery, Stephen spent prolonged periods of time in England whilst convalescing and after this he was again attached to training camps until he was embarked to be returned to France, arriving on the 10th of August 1918.

Stephen remained in the trenches until he was evacuated again on the 26th of November due to illness caused by contracting influenza but was able to re-joined his Unit in the field on the 24th of December. With the War now over, Stephen was returned to England to await his turn to be repatriated back to Australia. On the 12th of May 1919, Stephen was embarked for his return voyage, and after having arrived back in Adelaide he received his official discharge from the 1st AIF on the 29th of August.

Stephen was re-entered into civilian life with his untimely death occurring on the 6th of July 1936 at the age of 46, following which he was formally laid to rest within West Terrace Cemetery, South Australia

The Register (Adelaide, SA: 1901 - 1929) Wednesday 26 July 1916

MESSAGE FROM THE SEA.
The following message received by Mrs. T. Bowman came from Pte. Errol Bowman, who is now at the front. It was thrown overboard from the transport and enclosed in a bottle on February 9:—"Please will the one who finds this bottle kindly forward on this slip of paper to Mrs. Tom Bowman, Bagot street, Wallaroo? We are now somewhere in the Australian Bight, where exactly I cannot tell. We are having a pretty good trip up to date. Any amount have been seasick, but we are both well. When I say 'we,' I mean Stephen Staunton and myself. We are now three days at sea, and hope to be in Fremantle on Friday night.—Errol Stephen Bowman." The message was posted from Western Australia, with the following note:— "Fanny Cove" June 8, 1916—"The enclosed was found by me on May 29, on the east coast, of Western Australia, about 80 mile west from Esperance Bay —Miss Blanche May Harris, care of M. R. J. Moir, Fanny Cove, via Esperance Bay."