WINDSOR, Sidney
| Service Number: | 1929 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Cobar Canbelego Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Dec 1915: | Involvement Private, 1929, 1st Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Dec 1915: | Embarked Private, 1929, 1st Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Aeneas, Sydney |
Sidney Windsor's Military Medal
Sidney Windsor enlisted in September 1915 at the age of 28 years. He was born in Cobar and living in nearby Canbelego when he enlisted. He was semi-literate, signing his name with a cross. Taken into the 1st Light Horse, he was later transferred to the 10th Field Artillery Brigade. He was a Driver, in charge of the limber for the Quick Firing 18-pounder Field Gun. In August 1918, during the Battle of Amiens, all of the other members of his team were killed or wounded. Sidney single-handedly, under heavy shell-fire, drove the limber up to the gun and withdrew it, saving it from capture or destruction. For this action, he was awarded the Military Medal.
Sid returned to Australia after the war. He remained in the Far West of NSW for the rest of his life, never marrying, but a popular man, widely respected for his droving skills. Sid drowned in the flooded Paroo River on Christmas Eve 1942 and is buried in Wanaaring. His funeral is said to have been very large, a testimony to his popularity. He has a memorial plaque in Cobar cemetery, placed on the grave of his nephew, Geoffrey Hermes, a WWII veteran. The plaque, placed by his sister, reads "In memory of my dear brother."
Sid was an Aboriginal man.
Submitted 7 January 2017 by Kay Stingemore
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