HARDING, Angus Gregory
| Service Number: | SX1787 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 March 1940, Wayville, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Wilmington, South Australia, Australia, 15 October 1913 |
| Home Town: | Wilmington, Mount Remarkable, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Wilmington Public School, South Australia, |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died of wounds, New Guinea, 25 January 1944, aged 30 years |
| Cemetery: |
Lae War Cemetery (CWGC) Grave Reference Location ~ Plot E. Row C. Grave 12. Personal Inscription ~ "EVER REMEMBERED" |
| Memorials: | Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Terka Roll of Honour WW2 |
World War 2 Service
| 1 Mar 1940: | Involvement Private, SX1787, 2nd/10th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar 1940: | Enlisted SX1787, Wayville, South Australia | |
| 1 Mar 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, SX1787, 2nd/10th Infantry Battalion | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by N. Campbell
Angus Gregory HARDING was born at Wilmington, South Australia, on 15th of October 1913, the son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Harding of Terka. It is believed he completed his schooling at Wilmington.
He stated he was a Labourer before enlistment.
He enlisted on 1 March 1940 at Wayville. He was allocated Service Number SX1787
On enlistment desc as having fair hair and blue eyes
Angus was posted to the 2nd/10th Infantry Battalion.
Angas’ recorded was amended and he was listed as the husband of Myrtle Harding, of Liverpool in New South Wales
Angus didn’t take to military discipline all that well! In May 1940 he was charged with being Absent Without Leave (AWL) for 12 days in Fremantle.
On the 31st of May 1940 Angus embarked for overseas on the SS Stratheden.
In England Angus again strayed! On 14th August 1940 he again was charged with being absent between 2200 21-7-40 until apprehended in London on 14th August! He was sentenced to 49 days detention and fined 4 days pay. He entered detention and his sentence was remitted on 24-9-1940.
Angus returned to his battalion but on 2-12-1940 again appeared before a Courts Martial. He was AWL 0840 27-10-1940 to 2000 on 17-11-1940. He was sentenced to 90 days detention and fined 22 days pay.
On 19th March 1941 he was released from detention and embarked to Glasgow to be with the Battalion.
Surprisingly Angus didn’t learn. On 17-4-1941 he was located again AWL and was located and detained just before midnight on the 19th of April 1941. He was sentenced to 14 days field punishment and loss of 14 days pay.
On the 6th May 1941 Angus disembarked in the Suez and was transferred to the 18th Infantry Training Battalion to catch up on the training his colleagues had completed.
From 21-5-41 to 27-7-41 he was hospitalised in Palestine. On release he returned to the 18th Training Battalion.
Guess what? At 6.15am on 31-8-1941 until 2200 on 1-9-1941 Angus was again AWL!! He was sentenced to 90 days detention and forfeiture of 112 days pay! The Commandant remitted the sentence by 30 days and reduced the fine to 82 days pay!
On 11th February 1942 he was released and moved to Bombay on 21-2-42.He was being shipped back to Australia. On the 10th of March 42 aboard the vessel “NiEVASSA” Angus was charged with conduct prejudicial to the order of good conduct. He was sentenced to 28 days detention and a fine of 28 days pay.
Six days later, Back in Australia he again went AWL on 16-3-42 and wasn’t located and detained until the 30th of May 1942! He was returned to his unit.
On the 25th of July 1942 Angus was again charged with conduct prejudicial to the order of good conduct. He was fined a pound by the CO.
On the 30th September 1941 Angus appeared before a Field General Court Martial held at the HQ of MILNE FORCE. He was charged with being AWL from 16th April 1942 until 2000 on the 29th May 1942, and again was AWL from 0600 1st June 1942 to 2000 on the 26th June 1942! He was sentenced to 7 months imprisonment and had forfeited a total of 259 days of pay!!
His detention was served in both Brisbane and Adelaide, during his detention he was admitted to Hospital with malaria. He was released in April 1943 and returned to his Battalion.
On the 8th June 1943 and was admitted to hospital with a cut lip and in an alcoholic coma! He was discharged the next day.
On 11-6-1943 he transferred to Townsville from Brisbane. And on the 25th of June 1943 he was fined for having lost his Army paybook!
By 16th September 1943 they disembarked at Pt Moresby and Angus was admitted to hospital with tonsilitis. On 29th October 1943 Angus finally rejoined his battalion.
On 25 January 1944, the 2/10th Battalion was fighting in New Guinea, operating in the Ramu Valley–Finisterre Range area as part of the Australian Army’s continuing advance toward Madang.
By late January 1944, the 2/10th Battalion was conducting patrols, clearing remaining Japanese positions
The Australian Army was pushing the Japanese northward after victories at Shaggy Ridge (Early January 1944) continuing on from Ramu Valley operations (late 1943).
On the 24th January 1944 Angus was fighting with the 2/10th in an area called “Cams Hill” when he was wounded with a “penetrating wound” to the right side of his abdomen and gun shot wounds to his neck, knee and left arm.
On the 25th of January 1944 Angus Gregory HARDING died of his wounds. He was 30 years of age.
At this time his brother, Pte. E. G. Harding had served with the AIF for two years, and a second brother was serving with the RAAF.
Angus was buried in the Lae War Cemetery in PNG in plot E C 12. His epitaph, selected by his wife, reads
"EVER REMEMBERED".
LEST WE FORGET
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