PERKINS, Herbert George
| Service Number: | 2222 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 May 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, 5 November 1881 |
| Home Town: | Launceston, Launceston, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Bullet wound through lung, On board the Hospital Ship Essequibo, alongside the Quay at Southampton, England, United Kingdom, 13 June 1918, aged 36 years |
| Cemetery: |
Netley Military Cemetery, Hampshire, England Netley Military Cemetery (Portion Church of England, Grave No. 1954), Hound, Hampshire, Netley Military Cemetery, Netley, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Launceston Cenotaph |
World War 1 Service
| 3 May 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2222, 13th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Jun 1915: | Involvement Private, 2222, 13th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: '' | |
| 14 Jun 1915: | Embarked Private, 2222, 13th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wandilla, Sydney | |
| 3 Mar 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1) | |
| 8 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2222, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), Battle for Pozières , GSW to abdomen | |
| 20 Dec 1917: | Honoured Military Medal, Battle of Messines, At Messines, 7-11/6/1917, during operations Pte Perkins did excellent work as a stretcher bearer carrying wounded men back from front line under heavy artillery and MG fire showing utter disregard to personal safety. Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 219 | |
| 16 May 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2222, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), SW to chest (penetrating). DoW on board the Hospital Ship Essequibo, alongside the Quay at Southampton, England | |
| 13 Jun 1918: | Involvement Private, 2222, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2222 awm_unit: 45 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-06-13 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 13th June.... Private Herbert George Perkins was born at Launceston, Tasmania in 1881. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 3rd May, 1915 as a 34 year old, single, Labourer from Launceston, Tasmania.
Private Herbert George Perkins embarked from Sydney, NSW on HMAT Wandilla (A62) on 14th June, 1915 with the 13th Infantry Battalion 6th Reinforcements. He joined his Unit at Gallipoli on 2 August, 1915.
Private Perkins was sent to Hospital at Mudros on 20th October, 1915 & rejoined his Battalion at Gallipoli on 21st November, 1915. He disembarked at Alexandria on 1st January, 1916.
Private Perkins was transferred from 13th Battalion to 45th Battalion on 3rd March, 1916. He was then transferred to (H.Q.) Stretcher Bearer at Serapeum on 24th April, 1916. On 2nd June, 1916 he embarked from Alexandria for France.
Private Herbert George Perkins was wounded in action on 7-8th August, 1916. He was admitted to Field Ambulance with gunshot wounds to abdomen then transferred to Hospital at Rouen, France before being invalided to England on Hospital Ship on 14th August, 1916.
Private Perkins was admitted to 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham on 15th August, 1916 & was discharged on 26th September, 1916. He was posted to No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs, Wiltshire on 27th September, 1916 then granted furlo the next day & returned from furlo on 16th October, 1916.
Private Perkins proceeded back to France on 14th December, 1916 & rejoined 45th Battalion on 20th December, 1916. He was sent to Field Ambulance in France on 4th May, 1917 with Scabies & rejoined his Unit on 14th May, 1917.
Private Herbert George Perkins was recommended for the Military Medal on 14th June, 1917 – “At MESSINES during operations from the 7.6.17 to 11.6.17 Pte Perkins did very excellent work as a stretcher bearer carrying wounded men back from front line to regimental aid post under very heavy artillery and machine gun fire showing utter disregard to personal safety.” He was awarded the Military Medal on 23rd June, 1917
Private Perkins was granted leave to UK from 21st February, 1918 & rejoined from leave on 12th March, 1918.
Private Perkins was wounded in action (second occasion) in France on 16th May, 1918 & was admitted to Field Ambulance on 17th May, 1918 with shrapnel wounds to chest (penetrating). He was admitted to 2nd Canadian General Hospital on 27th May, 1918 then invalided to England on 11th June, 1918 on Hospital Ship Essequibo.
Private Herbert George Perkins died at 9.40 am on 13th June, 1918 at sea on board the Hospital Ship Essequibo, alongside the Quay at Southampton, England from wounds received in action - bullet wound through left lung, Pleural effusion with secondary haemorrhage and heart failure. He was admitted dead to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, Hampshire England.
He was buried in Netley Military Cemetery, Hampshire, England where 49 other WW1 Australian Soldiers are buried.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/k---w.html
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