SHARROCK, Henry William
| Service Number: | 3662 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 November 1916, Sydney, NSW |
| Last Rank: | Gunner |
| Last Unit: | 5th Australian Field Artillery Battery |
| Born: | Gulgong, New South Wales, Australia, 28 August 1897 |
| Home Town: | Home Rule, Mid-Western Regional, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 21 July 1918, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
Le Peuplier Military Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Gulgong District Soliders Memorial, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Nov 1916: | Enlisted Sydney, NSW | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Jan 1917: | Involvement Private, 3662, 1st Pioneer Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: '' | |
| 24 Jan 1917: | Embarked Private, 3662, 1st Pioneer Battalion, HMAT Anchises, Sydney | |
| 21 Mar 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Gunner, 3662, 5th Australian Field Artillery Battery, Admitted to the Casualty Clearing Station in Belgium for gas wounds. Transferred to No. 3 Convalescent Hospital in Havre on 22nd April 1918. Transferred to Convalescent Depot five days later. Discharged on 27th June 1918. | |
| 21 Jul 1918: | Involvement Gunner, 3662, 5th Australian Field Artillery Battery, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3662 awm_unit: 5th Australian Field Artillery Battery awm_rank: Gunner awm_died_date: 1918-07-21 |
Marriage
While on a social visit to Yorkshire with a friend he met Elsie Spence and in early 1918 they were married. And even though Henry wouldn’t see the end of the war - dying on July 21, 1918 – his new wife was pregnant with Henry ‘Harry’ William Sharrock, who was born just six days after the signing of the Armistice.
Submitted 30 April 2020 by Christine Riding
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Henry William SHARROCK (Service Number 3662) was born on 27th August 1897 in Mudgee. He began working with the Railways on 13th May 1914 as a junior porter in the Traffic Branch. He changed position on 17th July 1916 to a junior clerk. Not long after, on 3rd November 1916, he was released from duty with the Railways to join the Expeditionary Forces. He enlisted on 9th November. He was 20-years-old at the time.
He embarked at Sydney on HMAT A68 ‘Anchises’ on 24th January 1917. He disembarked at Devonport England on 27th March. By 13th November 1917, he was still in England. On this day was taken on strength of the Artillery Details.
He committed an offence on 10th January 1918, whilst in Heytesbury. He was found to have overstayed his leave. He suffered no punishment as his case was dismissed. However, it was not long before he was in trouble again. On 5th February 1918 he was found to be late to a parade. This resulted in him being confined to the barracks for two days. Very shortly after, he was once again in trouble. He overstayed leave on 24th February 1918. This offence found him serving seven days confined to barracks, as well as one days’ pay forfeited.
On 7th March 1918, he proceeded overseas to France from Southampton. He marched out to his Battalion on 13th March. He had barely been in the field in Belgium for a week before he was wounded. He was admitted to the Casualty Clearing Station in Belgium on 21st March 1918 for gas wounds. He spent the rest of March and beginning of April moving around French and Belgian hospitals.
On 22nd April 1918, he was transferred to the No. 3 Convalescent Depot in Le Treport in France. He was admitted for his previously acquired gas wounds. Five days later, he was transferred to a Convalescent Depot in Havre. He remained there for two months, before he was discharged on 27th June. He re-joined his Battalion in France after his time in hospital on 9th July 1918.
He was killed in action on 21st July 1918. He was buried in Le Peuplier Military Cemetery in France.
Following his death, his wife was sent his war medals – the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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