POTTS, Henry James
| Service Number: | 10278 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 August 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Australian General Hospital |
| Born: | Macclesfield, Cheshire, England, 1875 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Telegrapher |
| Died: | Natural causes, Sydney - New South Wales, Australia, 4 December 1944 |
| Cemetery: |
Woronora General Cemetery, New South Wales Family Rose Garden 64 Position 0008 |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 10278 | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 10278, Army Medical Corps (AIF), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 30 Jan 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 10278, 3rd Australian General Hospital | |
| 30 Jan 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 10278, 3rd Australian General Hospital |
A Family Story
Henry James Potts was born in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England in August 1875 to Henry James Potts Snr and his wife Harriett Ann née Whitter. He was baptised at St Peter's Church Macclesfield, Cheshire on 3 October the same year.
Henry had 6 sisters: Sarah b.1873, Alice b.1877, Laura b.1880, Ethel b.1882, Mary b.1884 and Harriet b.1888.
When Henry was 6 his family emigrated to Australia arriving into Sydney on the ship the Ninevah. They settled in the St. George area where Henry's father took a job in the dairy industry.
Henry had brown hair and blue eyes.
In 1899 Henry married Annie Maude née Wallings in Dubbo. Annie was 1 of 10 children. She was orphaned at the age of 8 when her father (a mounted policeman stationed in Dubbo) was shot and killed by the bushranger Thomas Law alias "Midnight" in 1878. Annie and her siblings were raised by their mother Mary.
Henry and Annie had 3 children: Thelma b.1900, Harry b.1902 and Walter b.1906.
In 1914 war broke out in Europe and on 19 August 1915 (at age 40) Henry joined the Australian Imperial Forces enlisting with the Army Medical Corps 3rd Australian General Hospital. Henry served in England and France and at the completion of his service he was awarded the 1914-1915 Star Medal, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Henry passed away at the Prince of Wales Military Hospital in Randwick, Sydney on 4 December 1944 at age 69. He was survived by his father, his wife and his 2 sons. He was cremated at Woronora Crematorium and his ashes interred in the Family Rose Garden. The next year his wife Annie would join him and in 1988 his son Walter would also be placed in the family plot. Henry's daughter Thelma had passed away young and lay nearby within the grave of her parents-in-law.
Story provided by Henry's great-granddaughter.
Submitted 12 October 2025 by Aleta Potts
Click images to start slideshow.