BLACKETT, Percy James
| Service Numbers: | 8744, 3003 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 August 1915, Enlisted in Sydney |
| Last Rank: | Sapper |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Australian Light Railway Operating Company |
| Born: | Orange, New South Wales, Australia , 6 February 1886 |
| Home Town: | Goulburn, Goulburn Mulwaree, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway examiner |
| Died: | Natural Causes, Oatley, New South Wales, Australia , 17 August 1967, aged 81 years |
| Cemetery: |
Woronora Memorial Park, Sutherland, New South Wales Flor Ct AIF W Of Mem Q, 0075 |
| Memorials: | Goulburn District Railway Employees Great War Honour Roll, Goulburn Rocky Hill War Memorial Tower |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Driver, 8744, 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column, Enlisted in Sydney | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Nov 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Driver, 8744, 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Macquarie embarkation_ship_number: A39 public_note: '' | |
| 10 Mar 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Gunner, 22nd Field Artillery (Howitzer) Brigade, Posted to 106th Howitzer Battery, Moascar, France | |
| 13 May 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Gunner, 6th Field Artillery Brigade , France | |
| 9 Nov 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Gunner, 8744, 6th Field Artillery Brigade , Embarked aboard Hospital Ship at Boulogne France, for England, due to injured left foot. | |
| 13 Feb 1917: | Embarked AIF WW1, Gunner, 8744, 6th Field Artillery Brigade , Embarked in England aboard Hospital Ship "Bonalla" to return to Australia for 2 months change, due to fractured metatarsal in left foot. | |
| 8 May 1917: | Discharged AIF WW1, Gunner, 8744, 6th Field Artillery Brigade , Discharged medically unfit in 2nd Military District Sydney, due to fractured metatarsal in left foot. | |
| 8 May 1917: | Discharged AIF WW1, Gunner, 8744, 6th Field Artillery Brigade , Discharged medically unfit due to metatarsal fracture of left foot | |
| 30 Apr 1918: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Sapper, 3003, 3rd Australian Light Railway Operating Company | |
| 17 Jul 1918: | Involvement Private, 3003, Railway Unit (AIF), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
| 28 Sep 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sapper, 3003, 3rd Australian Light Railway Operating Company | |
| 1 Jul 1919: | Embarked AIF WW1, Sapper, 3003, 3rd Australian Light Railway Operating Company, Embarked in England for return to Australia | |
| 2 Sep 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Sapper, 3003, 3rd Australian Light Railway Operating Company, Discharged in 2nd Military District, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Karan CAMPBELL-DAVIS
Percival ("Percy") James Colville Campbell BLACKETT was born in Orange, New South Wales, Australia on 6th February 1886, the eldest of four boys to parents Charles and Mary Ann (née FOX) BLACKETT.
Employed as a carriage examiner with the NSW Government Railways in Goulburn at the time, Percy enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in Goulburn on 17th August 1915. Upon completing his recruit training, Percy was assigned as a Driver, service number 8744, with the 2nd Division Ammunition Column and embarked for active service overseas on HMAT Port Macquarie, on 16th November 1915. Following his arrival in France, he was attached as a Gunner with the 106th Battery of the 22nd Howitzer Brigade, on 10th March 1916. Only 2 months later, he was again transferred, to the 6th Field Artillery Brigade.
On 9th November 1916, Percy was evacuated to hospital in England, after fracturing the metatarsal in his left foot. He subsequently embarked on 13th February 1917 for return to Australia for 2 months change, but was then discharged as being medically unfit, on 8th May 1917.
On 30th April 1918, Percy re-enlisted in Sydney with the April 1918 reinforcements for the Australian Railway Companies. He was assigned as a Sapper with the service number 3003, and embarked on 17th July 1918 for England. Following his arrival in England, he was allocated to the 3rd Australian Light Railway Operating Company on 28th September 1918, with whom he served until his return to Australia, when he was discharged in the 2nd Military District Sydney, on 2nd September 1919.
Percy married Hilda Beatrice PEISLEY at Petersham NSW, on 24th August 1924. They had two children, Lloyd and Valerie, the latter serving in the Australian Women's Army Service in WW2. Percy died at Oatley NSW, on 17th August 1967, and is interred in the Woronora Memorial Park, Sutherland Shire, New South Wales.
Compiled by Karan CAMPBELL-DAVIS from historical records kept by the National Archives of Australia, and other personal family history research.
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