Harold Herbert (Blue) DRAPER

DRAPER, Harold Herbert

Service Numbers: 2784, Q204159
Enlisted: 27 May 1916, Maryborough, Queensland
Last Rank: Lieutenant
Last Unit: 5th (QLD) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC)
Born: Brisbane, Queensland, 6 October 1897
Home Town: Paddington, Brisbane, Queensland
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Stockman
Died: Natural causes, Beaudesert, Queensland, 3 December 1964, aged 67 years
Cemetery: Gleneagle RC Cemetery, Qld
Memorials: Theebine Rifle Club & District HR
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World War 1 Service

27 May 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2784, Maryborough, Queensland
27 Oct 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2784, 49th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Marathon embarkation_ship_number: A74 public_note: ''
27 Oct 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2784, 49th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Marathon, Brisbane
5 Feb 1917: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 25th Infantry Battalion
4 Oct 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2784, 25th Infantry Battalion, Broodseinde Ridge, GSW (chest)
9 Aug 1918: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2784, 25th Infantry Battalion, The Battle of Amiens, GSW (right forearm)
8 Apr 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 2784, 25th Infantry Battalion

World War 2 Service

13 Aug 1942: Enlisted Q204159, Beaudesert, Queensland
13 Aug 1942: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Lieutenant, Q204159, 5th (QLD) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC)
14 Aug 1942: Involvement Lieutenant, Q204159, Volunteer Defence Corps (SA), Homeland Defence - Militia and non deployed forces, Page missing from Enlistment Register
21 Oct 1945: Discharged Lieutenant, 5th (QLD) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC)
21 Oct 1945: Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Lieutenant, Q204159, 5th (QLD) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC)

Help us honour Harold Herbert Draper's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Paul Trevor

'LETTERS FROM THE FRONT.

The following are extracts from letters from Pte. Wray Edmunds (/explore/people/170516), received by his brother, Mr. F. P. J. Edmunds, of Tiaro:— I can't say too much, but we are near one of the biggest towns in France. We were under shellfire here for 40 days, and expect to be in very shortly. I am no skite, but I reckon that the Aussies are as good as any fighting men they have, and Fritz will tell you so. They have to get the Aussies to where there is tough fighting. You may have heard of a Lewis gun. Harold Draper, and I are both on the gun, it can fire 47 bullets in three seconds. The French people get a rough time when Fritz makes a big push like he did down here, but we were not here at that time, so we were lucky.

The Queensland people are very good to us. We got a little parcel today from the Comforts Fund; it contained a tin of milk, chewing gum, a pair of mitts, some envelopes, and several other things. I received a parcel from Molly Gard when I was up in the front line, and a cake from "Blighty," and I can tell you they were handy in the line, and when we got out I received a parcel from home and one from Ted Hopper, and they contained some lovely socks. I thought they were beautiful, and I want you to thank them all very much.' from Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser 16 Jul 1918 (nla.gov.au)

'PERSONAL.

Mr. and Mrs, J. H. Draper, of Paddington, have been advised by the Defence Department that their youngest son, Private H. H. Draper, has been wounded a second time.' from The Daily Mail 3 Sep 1918 (nla.gov.au)

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