Henry Robert SHERRINGHAM

Henry Robert SHERRINGHAM Update Details

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SHERRINGHAM, Henry Robert

Service Number:	1509
Enlisted:	6 February 1902, Enlisted in Sydney, NSW.
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	3rd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse
Born:	Cumnock, New South Wales, Australia, 16 September 1882
Home Town:	Cumnock, Cabonne, New South Wales
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Labourer
Died:	Broncho Pneumonia, Fort Franklin Hospital, Portsea, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia, 12 August 1902, aged 19 years
Cemetery:	Sorrento Civil Cemetery, Victoria
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Cumnock Memorial Gates

Boer War Service

1 Oct 1899:	Involvement Trooper, 1509
1 Oct 1899:	Involvement Private, 1509, 3rd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse
6 Feb 1902:	Enlisted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 1509, 3rd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, Enlisted in Sydney, NSW.
1 Apr 1902:	Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 1509, 3rd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, Embarked at Sydney on "Manhatton". Disembarked at Durban on 30 April 1902. Then entrained for Newcastle. Destination: Kitchener's Kop.
12 Jul 1902:	Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 1509, 3rd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, R.T.A. from Durban on "Drayton Grange" after peace accords.
12 Aug 1902:	Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 1509, 3rd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, D.O.D. Fort Franklin Hospital.

Help us honour Henry Robert Sherringham's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Maurice Kissane

Henry Robert Sherringham was nineteen when he enlisted. However, he claimed to be three years older to avoid the need for getting his father's consent. His father was not only opposed his enlistment, but tried to get Henry released. His father's efforts were to no avail. That became a post war issue. Henry however joined up with his mates. He went to war without his father's consent.

He was a good horseman as evidenced by him passing the Commonwealth Horse Battalion's strict riding test.

He saw a month's active service in the Transvaal prior to peace accords being signed. This service qualified him for the QSA medal. His Australian Commonwealth Battalion then ordered home on the overcrowded and ill fated "Drayton Grange" Transport.

The unhygienic conditions aboard that overcrowded ship plus stress of weather, caused illness and death.

Henry was one of those who died while being quarantined at Fort Franklin Barracks Hospital in Portsea. The new Commonwealth then established a Royal Commission to investigate the "Drayton Grange" Troopship Affair. The last Boer War Troopship to return.

Concurrently, his local MLA, Dr Andrew Ross MD, raised Henry's case in NSW Parliament. His father had petitioned the local NSW MLA to seek compensation from both the Imperial and Commonwealth Military Authorities. It was reported in the Molong Argus on 5 Sep 1902, that his local Molong MLA had demanded compensation via the Colonial Secretary. This was to compensate his father.

The partition, argued in the NSW Parliament, was based upon two material facts. First was the fact that the Military Authorities did not release Henry, after his father had repeatedly refused to give his consent. The second, uniquely argued by his local treating Doctor who doubled as his local MLA was quite simple. Henry had never had a sick day in his life. Hence, Military Authorities were liable for the fact that Henry died from war service related disease. It is not known if the 1902 speech and partition in the NSW Parliment resulted in an admission of liability or war-related compensation, in Henry's case.

However, issues that his MLA raised in NSW Parliament back in 1902 are still relevant today. The issue here is access to the military compensation system for war service related illness and death. This is about liability.

Hence, Henry's death from war service related illness back in 1902 remains a case study about liability in the military compensation system today.

Lest We Forget.

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War Memorial
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