ESPOSITO, Mervyn Harold
| Service Number: | 781 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 7th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Eaglehawk, Victoria, Australia, 1894 |
| Home Town: | Eaglehawk, Greater Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | State School, Eaglehawk, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Tailor |
| Died: | Enteric Fever, Egypt, 8 August 1915 |
| Cemetery: |
Cairo War Memorial Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Bendigo Great War Roll of Honor, Eaglehawk Presbyterian Sunday School Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 781, 7th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 781, 7th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 781, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Melbourne | |
| 18 May 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 781, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli |
Help us honour Mervyn Harold Esposito's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
Mervyn Harold ESPOSITO was born in Eaglehawk, Victoria in 1894
His parents were Francis James ESPOSITO & Mary Elizabeth RAWILLER
Biography contributed by Larna Malone
Mervyn Harold Esposito was born in Eaglehawk, the son of Francis (Frank) James & Mary Elizabeth Esposito of Simpson’s-road, Eaglehawk. He was a Tailor, employed by Mr. W. G. Ashman, of High street, Eaglehawk. Aged 19 years & 11 months he was currently serving in the 67th Infantry. He was amongst the early volunteers for the Expeditionary Force, enlisting on 18.8.14. The following day he left Bendigo for the Broadmeadows Camp. He was allotted Service no. 781 and appointed to ‘G’ Company, 7th Battalion. At the end of August he became Orderly to Captain H. H. Hunter, ‘G’ Company.
Prior to Embarkation he was Presented with a silver-backed hairbrush and comb, a fountain pen, and a silver-mounted wallet from the Employes of Ashman Bros, tailoring establishment; Presented with a Gillett Safety razor by members of the Presbyterian Church and Sunday School; and was Presented with a memento by the Borough of Eaglehawk (pocket wallet, wristlet watch, or shaving outfit).
The 7th Battalion left Broadmeadows Camp on 18 October, 1914, and embarked for service overseas on board HMAT ‘Hororata’. Arriving in Egypt the battalion moved into camp at Mena, at the foot of the pyramids. (6/12/14)
In January, 1915, the Australian force was re-organized. In the 7th Battalion ‘G’ and ‘H’ Companies joined to form the new ‘D’ Company. This meant that all the men from Northern Victoria were together in one Company.
The 7th Battalion was part of the force which landed at Anzac Cove on 25th April, 1915. Mervyn Harold Esposito did not go ashore with the battalion. He was among a group of 33 men left on board HMT Galeka. This number included the sick & the Chaplain. He rejoined the 7th Battalion on 18/5/15.
On 1st July he was sent to hospital in Cairo suffering from Influenza. The diagnosis was later changed to Enteric fever. He Died of Disease on 8/8/15 and was Buried in the New Protestant Cemetery, Old Cairo (later known as Cairo War Memorial Cemetery), Grave no. D 14
“The First Lot. 7th Battalion. The first men of the Bendigo district to volunteer for service in the First World War.”: Larna Malone
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