Verdun Willis Gordon HAMBLEN

HAMBLEN, Verdun Willis Gordon

Service Number: 2621
Enlisted: 4 January 1916, Enlisted in the AIF.
Last Rank: Second Corporal
Last Unit: 48th Infantry Battalion
Born: Campbelltown, South Australia, date not yet discovered
Home Town: Campbelltown, Campbelltown, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Gardener
Memorials: Campbelltown WW1 Memorial, St Peters Heroes of the Great War Honour Roll
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World War 1 Service

4 Jan 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2621, 47th Infantry Battalion
4 Jan 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Enlisted in the AIF.
25 Mar 1916: Involvement Private, 2621, 32nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: ''
25 Mar 1916: Embarked Private, 2621, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Shropshire, Adelaide
8 Aug 1916: Wounded Gunshot wound on the buttocks.
27 Mar 1918: Wounded Gunshot wound on the right shoulder.
27 Oct 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Second Corporal, 2621, 48th Infantry Battalion, Discharged from the AIF at Adelaide - Termination of period of enlistment.
27 Oct 1919: Involvement AIF WW1, Second Corporal, 48th Infantry Battalion
Date unknown: Wounded 2621, 47th Infantry Battalion

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Biography

This biography is about Willis Verdun Gordon HAMBLEN. It is assumed that HAMBLIN and HAMBLEN are the same person because they both come from Campbelltown, Adelaide, SA, are the same age, same profession, share the same service number and they both have a mother with the same first name, Emily. It may be possible that one was a friend of the real one and used their information to fill out the registration form.

Willis Verdun Gordon Hamblen was originally a gardener from Campbelltown, S.A. He enlisted in the AIF on the 4th of January, 1916. At this time, he was a man at 21 years of age, 5 feet and 6 inches tall and single. For the time being he was placed in the 32nd Infantry Battalion for active service and was put into the 47th Battalion three months later.

Willis Verdun Gordon disembarked at Marseilles on the 9th of June. Two months later, on the 8th of August, 1916, he received a gunshot wound to the buttocks. He was then transferred to the 13th Gen. Hospital. He was transferred to England four days later. On the 1st of December, he was again moved to another hospital. Although technically hospitalised, for three days from the 18th to the 21st, he was recorded to have ben AWL (away without leave). For some ridiculous reason, he was given an award 5 days later.

It wasn’t mentioned that he was discharged but he continued to be admitted to hospital due to illness. After around four months and being transferred again for two more times, he was discharged from hospitalisation on the 16th of April. It was recorded that he was hospitalised for a total period of 105 days. He needed to be hospitalised again on the 19th of May. He was finally discharged on the 4th of June 1917 after 17 days.

He proceeded to France on the 26th of September.

On the 27th of March, 1918, he received a gunshot wound to the right shoulder. He was then discharged from hospital on the 9th of May and continued his duties in France.

He was allowed a leave to the UK on the 30th of July. While he was on leave, it was recorded that Willis Verdun Gordon married Florence Elizabeth on the 3rd of August, 1918. He returned from leave on the 17th of August and honoured his agreement of his service by going back to France.

On the 4th of December, he was admitted to hospital due to having a cyst on his face.

He proceeded to France again for escort duty on the 1st of March. Four days later, or on the 5th of March, he disembarked at Folkestone from France to report at the AIF Headquarters.

Willis Verdun Gordon left England for return to Australia on the “Indarra” on the 12th of July, 1919. On the 8th of September, he disembarked at Adelaide. In the end he survived the war and was discharged in Adelaide on the 27th of October, 1919. He started off as a private and was a 2nd corporal by the end of the war. The date of his promotions were not found.

Although not a perfect example showing the ANZAC spirit (due to be being hospitalised for a quarter of the war), from the point where he was discharged, it can be seen that he tried extremely hard until the end of the war to redeem himself.

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