SULLINGS, Herbert Angus
| Service Numbers: | 4052, 4052A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 13 April 1915, Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Trooper |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Tingha, New South Wales, Australia, 7 May 1887 |
| Home Town: | Newcastle, Hunter Region, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Newcastle Hill State School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Locomotive Engine Driver |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Palestine, 31 October 1917, aged 30 years |
| Cemetery: |
Beersheba War Cemetery, Israel and Palestine (including Gaza) Grave Reference B55, |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Hamilton Loco Employees Great War Honour Roll, Hamilton St. Peter's Anglican Church Honor Roll, Hamilton War Memorial, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Newcastle East Hamilton Municipal District Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 13 Apr 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4052, Liverpool, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Jun 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4052, 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Clan MacEwen embarkation_ship_number: A65 public_note: '' | |
| 28 Jun 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 4052, 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance, HMAT Clan MacEwen, Sydney | |
| 6 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 4052, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, Battle of Romani, Wounded at Romani with what were described as flesh wounds to his upper extremities, though this is later detailed as (aerial) bomb fragments in his hand. He was admitted to the 1st Australian Stationary Hospital at Ismailia and then the 3rd Australian General Hospital at Cairo. | |
| 31 Oct 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Trooper, 4052A, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, Battle of Beersheba, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4052A awm_unit: 2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment awm_rank: Trooper awm_died_date: 1917-10-31 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Oakes
Herbert Angus SULLINGS, (Service Number 4052A) was born on 7th May 1887 at Tingha near Inverell. He became a permanent employee of the Railways as a fuelman at Murrurundi Locomotive Depot on 17th January 1910, though his employment card notes that he had been employed casually previously. By June 1911 he had progressed to cleaner as a step on the career path to driver, and the next year on 30th April to fireman. Still in the same role he relocated to Hamilton on 30th September 1914, but only two months later was dismissed for ‘not paying debts’ and his birth certificate was returned. After he had paid all the money due, and proved that fact to the Railway authorities, he was allowed to resume work as a fireman at Hamilton. In fact, all this drama occurred on a single day – 7th November 1914.
He enlisted at Liverpool on 26th April 1915, claiming to be a locomotive driver, and giving his mother Mrs Katherine Christina Sullings living in Hamilton as his next of kin.
He was allotted to the 23rd Reinforcements to the 6th Light Horse Regiment. He embarked HMAT ‘Clan McEwen’ at Sydney on 28th June 1915 and joined his unit on Gallipoli on 26th August 1915. He returned to Egypt at the end of the campaign. He was transferred in January 1916 to the 2nd Light Horse Regiment as part of the Army Medical Corps. In May he was noted as being with the 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance, and by July back with the regiment. He was wounded at Romani on 6th August 1916, with what were described as flesh wounds to his upper extremities. This is later detailed as (aerial) bomb fragments in his hand. He was admitted to the 1st Australian Stationary Hospital at Ismailia and then the 3rd Australian General Hospital at Cairo. He was Absent Without Leave for a few hours while still a patient!
On 22nd September he was transferred to HMAT ‘Kanowna’ for passage to Australia and four months ‘change’. He arrived in Melbourne on 22nd October.
Sullings left Sydney for a second time aboard HMAT ‘Karmala’ on 3rd February 1917 and reached Suez on 4th March . He was taken on strength of the 2nd Light Horse in late April. Within a few days he was hospitalised with tonsillitis and it was early June before he had recovered to be taken on strength again. In the middle of that month he was again briefly hospitalised, now with Gonorrhoea.
He was killed in action at Beersheba on 31st October 1917. He was buried (at what was then described as Western Corner Gum Grove) by Chaplain J Boardman. This place is now known as Beersheba War Cemetery. The attack by the Australian Light Horse on 31st October is generally accepted as being the last successful cavalry charge in history.
A pension of £2 per fortnight was awarded to Herbert Sullings’ mother from 13th January 1918.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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