Harold Joseph CANDY

Harold Joseph CANDY Update Details

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CANDY, Harold Joseph

Service Number:	3050
Enlisted:	1 August 1915, Adelaide South Australia Australia
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	27th Infantry Battalion
Born:	Adelaide South Australia, 19 May 1892
Home Town:	Adelaide, South Australia
Schooling:	Unknown
Occupation:	Storeman
Died:	Suicide, Adelaide, South Australia, 13 August 1921, aged 29 years
Cemetery:	West Terrace Cemetery (General) Adelaide, South Australia
Memorials:

World War 1 Service

1 Aug 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Adelaide South Australia Australia
12 Jan 1916:	Embarked AIF WW1, HMAT Medic (A7)
23 Jul 1916:	Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3050, 27th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières
8 Jul 1919:	Discharged AIF WW1
Date unknown:	Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 3050, 27th Infantry Battalion, embarkation_roll: roll_number: 15 embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note:
Date unknown:	Embarked AIF WW1, Corporal, 3050, 27th Infantry Battalion

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Biography contributed by Maddison Iasiello

Surname: CANDY; Given Names: Harold Joseph; Date of Birth: 19 May 1892; Date of Enlistment: 1 August 1915; Trade or Calling: Storeman; Birth Location: Adelaide; Address prior to enlistment: 185 Wakefield St Adelaide; Photograph sent by: Mrs Candy
Source: State Records SA

Harold had previously tried to enlist but was rejected because he was underweight. Following enlistment and initial training with the 7th Reinforcements for the 27th Battalion, he embarked on the HMAT Medic on 12 January 1916

After arriving in France via the Middle East, he was assigned to a training battalion at Etaples to complete his initial emloyment training and while there was charged for being absent from place of parade and awarded 7 days CB (Confined to Barracks). Most of the AIF managed to notch up similar minor infringements at some stage.

Following completion of Etaples and the "Bull Ring" training system for which it was famous, Harold was taken on strength (ToS) by 27th Battalion from the 7th Reinforcements on 23 April 1916. But this time the Second Division was moving into the Armentieres sector in northern France, otherwise known as the "Nursery". Then in July 1916, the 2nd Division moved to the Somme, via a short stint in the Messines sector where numbers of casualties were sustained. Harold made it throught this phase unscathed.

The 27th and 28th Battalions were the first to arrive in the Somme sector, but it was to be the First Division that was first comiitted to the battle in late July at Pozieres. The culminating point of this first phase took place on the 4th August when the Second Divison mounted an attack on the Windmill. Harold Candy was wounded at Pozieres on the 4th August 1916, presumably as part of the successful attack which ultimately captured the Windmill and secured the right flank of the British line. He wounds were not severe and he rejoined the Battalion just a week later having been evacuated to Hospital. By that stage the 27th was in action at Mouquet Farm.

Harold remained with the Battlion for the next two years serving in Belgium and at Flers in late 1916 and the following year at Bullecourt and then Third Ypres. His service was interspersed with two periods of leave in the UK, and a number of hospitalisations due to illness.

Then on the 7th June 1918, Harold was wounded again; this time a gunshot wound to the wrist graded as 'severe' resulted in his evacuation and he was admitted to Exeter Military Hospital on the 16th June 1918.

He rejoined the Battalion on the 12th October. Unbeknown to Harold and the remainder of the Battalion, their war was virtually over with the cessation of hostilities occurring one month later before they had been committed to action again.

He was promoted to Lance Corporal in January 1919 while awaiting demobilisation.

Admitted to hospital suffering sub acute rheumatism, Harold was disharged for Return to Australia 31 March 1919 on the HMAT Wandilla, disembarking in Adelaide on the 15 May 1919.

Tragically, Harold was to become an uncounted casualty of the war. He took his own life, the day before he was to be married, on the 13th August 1921.

British War Medal 9429

Victory Medal 9365

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