Virtual
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Australia

Son of John and Priscilla CAMERON, of Waverley Street, Largs Bay, South Australia. Native of Mount Barker, South Australia.

Harold was the son of John CAMERON & Priscilla HANNAFORD and was born on the 5th of June 1882 in Bugle Ranges, SA.

His parents were married on the 5th of February 1879 by Rev. S Howard, in Jamestown, SA.

His father was the son of Peter CAMERON & Mary MCGILLIVRAY and was on the 19th of August 1853 in Norwood, SA.

His mother was the daughter of William Philipps HANNAFORD & Harriet Hannaford TOMS and was born in 1854 in Mt Barker, SA.

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Harold was the second child born into the family of 3 children; 2 boys, 1 girl and he was known as “Bush”.

His father was a machinist.

His parents had moved to Orroroo after they married but had returned to Bugle Ranges by 1882

In August 1884 his father purchased an allotment at 6 Mill Street, Mt Barker.

In 1890 Harold and his sister Florence Myrtle attended the Bugle Ranges School and then the Mt Barker Public School.

Harold was only 8 years old when his father died of Gastritis on the 12th of July 1890 in Mt Barker and they buried him in the Mt Barker Cemetery.

In June 1891 his mother sold their home to her brother Mr. George William Hannaford.

His brother Angus died on the 23rd of November 1902 from acute Enteritis in Mt Barker.

After leaving school Harold became a labourer and his mother ran a boarding house and was a storekeeper.

At the age of 33, Harold enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 1st of May 1916 in Adelaide and was allotted the service number 2381 and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Exhibition Camp (Jubilee Oval).

He was then transferred to the Base Infantry Depot at Mitcham Camp on the 16th of June and on the 16th of August he was posted to the 50th Battalion, 5th Reinforcements.

Harold embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A73 Commonwealth on the 21st of September 1916 with 149 fellow soldiers of his Reinforcement, disembarking in Plymouth on the 14th of November.

Whilst Harold was on his way to England his mother moved from Mt Barker in October 1916 and purchased a home at 15 Waverley Street, Largs Bay.

Following further training in England, Harold proceeded to France on the 12th of December 1916.

He served on the Western Front and was wounded twice, with the 2nd occasion taking his life.

At 1am on the 26th of September 1917 Harold and his Battalion moved from Westhoek Ridge and were in formation on the tape at 4:30am ready for the attack at Zonnebeke.

At 5:30am they advanced under a barrage of fire from their Batteries and had obtained their objective by 6:50am.

Unfortunately during this attack Harold suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his right leg and was evacuated to the 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Siding and then transferred by Ambulance Train to the 8th General Hospital in Rouen the following day.

Harold’s leg was X-rayed and a large fragment of the shell casing was inside his thigh.

He underwent an operation on the 30th of September to remove the foreign body and drain the wound.

On the night of the 1st of October his condition suddenly became worse and he developed signs of rapidly spreading Gas Gangrene of his thigh.

He was operated on again at 4am on the morning of the 2nd of October 1917 and his leg was amputated as high as possible.

He was buried in the Boisguillaume Communal Cemetery Extension; Row B, Grave No. 26A.

On Sunday evening, the 16th of December 1917 a Memorial Service was held in the Mt Barker Presbyterian Church for Harold and 2 other fallen soldiers.

Military 

At the age of 33, Harold enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 1st of May 1916 in Adelaide and was allotted the service number 2381 and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Exhibition Camp (Jubilee Oval).

He listed his mother, of Mt Barker, as his next of kin.

He was then transferred to the Base Infantry Depot at Mitcham Camp on the 16th of June and on the 16th of August he was posted to the 50th Battalion, 5th Reinforcements.

Harold embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A73 Commonwealth on the 21st of September 1916 with 149 fellow soldiers of his Reinforcement, disembarking in Plymouth on the 14th of November.

Following further training in England, he proceeded to France on the 12th of December 1916.

On the 19th of December he joined his Battalion and was allotted to B Company, who were located at their billets in St Vaast.

The 50th Battalion became known as 'Hurcombe's Hungry Half Hundred', after its first Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Hurcombe. 

They spent Christmas Day in St Vaast and continued training here for the rest of December, including New Years Day, when they held a Battalion Sports Day & Football match.

Two days later they marched 8 miles from St Vaast for Cardonette and the following day they marched to Buire.

Two days later they left for a 7 mile march to Fricourt and on the 8th they were in the front line at Bezantin in Hay Reserve Forage Trench. 

They were still in this area in February and were located at Perth Camp for 2 weeks rest and training before entering the front line again on the 16th of February.

It was here on the 19th of February that Harold suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his left thigh and was admitted into the 12th Australian Field Ambulance at Bernafray and then transferred to the 45th Casualty Clearing Station at Edgehill (Somme).

On the 22nd he was transferred and admitted into the 13th Stationary Hospital in Boulogne.

Three days later he was evacuated to England on board HS Cambria and admitted into the Edmonton Military Hospital.

He finally recovered after nearly 3 months in hospital and was discharged and granted leave on the 8th of May.

Harold then proceeded to France on the 3rd of June and rejoined his Battalion on the 24th of June who was in their billets and training at Outtersteene, France.

On the 1st of July they moved to De Suele Camp, west of Ploegsteert Wood and were camped in tents in Divisional Reserve for the 4th Australian Infantry Brigade, who was holding the front line.

They then moved into support on the 13th at Lawrence Farm, and then to the front line near Ploegsteert Wood until they were relieved by the 2nd Battalion Otago Regiment (NZ) on the 19th.

They moved back to De Suele Camp and then onto billets near Steenwerck on the 22nd where they went into rest and then training.

On the 8th of August they moved to the Kemmel area as reserve for the 12th Brigade. While here they were used on working parties and then moved 2 miles onto Kemmel Hill Camp on the 15th.

Four days later they relieved the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, north & south of the Douve River for 2 days before marching to Aldershot Camp, near Neuve Eglise and then to Ploegsteert Wood on the 22nd to take over the front line from the 1st Battalion.

After ten days in the front line trenches they were relieved by the 1st Battalion on the 1st of September and moved back to Neuve Eglise. They were moved by bus later in the day and relocated to Le Brearde, near Costre.

A few days later they were moved to Lugy for rest and then further training before moving by bus to Steenvoorde East on the 20th of September and the following day they were bussed to their new billets, about 2 miles west of Ypres.

At 4:30am on the 23rd they marched for Ypres and then left Ypres at 6:30pm for Westhoek Ridge to relieve the 52nd Battalion. They remained here and predominantly prepared for the attack on Zonnebeke.

At 1am on the 26th of September they moved from Westhoek Ridge and were in formation on the tape at 4:30am ready for the attack.

At 5:30am they advanced under a barrage of fire from their Batteries and had obtained their objective by 6:50am.

Unfortunately during this attack Harold suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his right leg and was evacuated to the 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Siding and then transferred by Ambulance Train to the 8th General Hospital in Rouen the following day.

Harold’s leg was X-rayed and a large fragment of the shell casing was inside his thigh.

He underwent an operation on the 30th of September to remove the foreign body and drain the wound.

On the night of the 1st of October his condition suddenly became worse and he developed signs of rapidly spreading Gas Gangrene of his thigh.

He was operated on again at 4am on the morning of the 2nd of October 1917 and his leg was amputated as high as possible.

He was buried in the Boisguillaume Communal Cemetery Extension; Row B, Grave No. 26A.