Harold Francis LOMMAN

LOMMAN, Harold Francis

Service Number: 784
Enlisted: 15 February 1916, at Burra
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 43rd Infantry Battalion
Born: Burra, South Australia, May 1894
Home Town: Burra (SA), Goyder, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Labourer
Memorials: Burra District WW1 Honor Roll
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World War 1 Service

15 Feb 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 784, 43rd Infantry Battalion, at Burra
9 Jun 1916: Involvement Private, 784, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: ''
9 Jun 1916: Embarked Private, 784, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Adelaide
13 Feb 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 784, 43rd Infantry Battalion, GSW arm
25 May 1918: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 784, 43rd Infantry Battalion, German Spring Offensive 1918, GSW face

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Biography contributed by St Ignatius' College

Life Before WW1
Harold Francis Lomman was the son of Thomas Lomman and Margaret Jane Lomman, and was born in May of 1894 in Burra, South Australia. He was a single man. Harold was of the age of 21 and 9 months when he enlisted for service in WW1. Harold also followed the Methodist religion, and had an occupation as a labourer, before joining the Australian Imperial Force. He had a fair complexion with blue eyes and was a tall man standing at just over 6 feet tall (184 centimetres). He weighed 157 pounds (71 kilograms). 
 
Life During WW1
Harold Francis Lomman began in the Private 2nd Depot Battalion and began here on the 9th of March 1916. Seven days later, Harold was transferred into the 43rd Battalion where he began in the war. He was transferred from Southampton to France before falling sick on the 22nd of December 1916, whilst in Wimereux, France before he fought. He was then transferred to the Australian General Hospital in Wimereux, France. Harold remained sick until the 14th of January of 1917 where he re-joined his unit from the hospital, and this is when battles began.
 
During this period, the 43rd Battalion was in battle in Armentieres France. At this time the 41st and 43rdBattalions were rotated to battle to relieve each other of fatigue. These battles lasted until the 29th of January.  On the 13th of February, Harold was transmitted into hospital due to a gunshot wound (to the right arm). He spent a few weeks in hospital in England and then several more months in training camps. He rejoined the 43rd Battalion in France in December 1917.

On the 2nd of February 1918, Harold once again had fallen sick. He left his unit and was transferred to the hospital for a week until the 9th of February. After re-joining his unit and their battles, Harold fought for three months.On 25th May 1918 he was wounded again. The details of the wound are unclear, with some records suggesting GSW face and other suggesting mustard gas burns. It may have been a combination of these. Harold spent several weeks recovering again in England and did not return to action before the end of the war.

Harold was transferred back to Australia on the 18th of January 1919 which ended his wartime service.
 
Life After WW1
Harold Francis Lomman officially disembarked from the war on the 9th of March 1919. His total service period went for a duration of three years and 79 days. Within this period, Harold only spent two years and 274 days serving aboard. 

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