HARFORD, Gerald Simon
| Service Number: | 3855 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 July 1917 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 32nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Gumbowie, South Australia , 28 October 1890 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Accident, Red Hill, South Australia, 4 September 1924, aged 33 years |
| Cemetery: |
West Terrace Cemetery (General) Catholic Western Row P Site 41. He is now commemorated in the Garden of Remembrance, WALL: 34, ROW: K |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Peterborough St Anacletus Catholic Church Honour Board WW1, Prospect Roll of Honour G-Z WWI Board |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Jul 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 3855, 32nd Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Oct 1917: | Involvement Private, 3855, 6th Pioneer Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 30 Oct 1917: | Embarked Private, 3855, 8th Pioneer Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Melbourne | |
| 30 Oct 1917: | Involvement Private, 3855, 8th Pioneer Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 30 Oct 1917: | Embarked Private, 3855, 6th Pioneer Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Melbourne | |
| 15 Jun 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, 3855, 32nd Infantry Battalion | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 3855, 48th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Gerald Simon Harford's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Paul Lemar
Gerald Simon HARFORD was born at Gumbowie SA on 28.10.1890 to George Francis and Catherine Philomena HARFORD.
Gerald Harford originally joined the AIF on 23.09.1915 and was allocated to the 10/5 Pioneers. It seems that he had some medical problems and went AWOL twice in the early part of his service and as a result he was discharged 26.08.1916 with a comment on his personnel file stating: ‘unlikely to become an efficient soldier’.
He has rejoined the AIF on 16.07.1917 at the age of 26 years of age and been posted to the 32nd Bn. He has travelled to France with the battalion and ben reallocated to the 48th Bn. It appears he has been wounded at the battle of Amiens suffering grenade wounds and as a result, has been captured and become a POW. He was listed as missing on 03.05.1918 and confirmed as captured by the Germans on 27.05.1918.
He returned to England on 09.12.1918 and then to Australia. He was discharged from the army on 15.06.1919.
His file states he was fit and did not receive an army pension of any type.
He is honoured on the Peterborough St Anacietus Catholic Church WW1 Honour Board and also the Prospect Roll of Honour G-Z WW1 Board.
HARFORD died at Red Hill SA as a result of a horse accident on 04.09.1924 at the age of 34. on and was buried at West Terrace Cemetery.
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