HARDAKER, Victor Hilton
| Service Numbers: | 1684, 5027 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 February 1916, Bathurst, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 28th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Lower Southgate, New South Wales, Australia, 6 March 1896 |
| Home Town: | Macksville, Nambucca Shire, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Eungai Public School |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Wounds related illness, Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia, 19 August 1918, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Eungai Creek, Cemetery, New South Wales |
| Memorials: | Grafton Lower Southgate Public School WW1 Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Feb 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1684, 53rd Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Bathurst, New South Wales | |
| 18 Jul 1916: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 5027, 28th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Bee embarkation_ship_number: A48 public_note: '' |
|
| 18 Jul 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5027, 28th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Bee, Fremantle | |
| 2 Feb 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1 |
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Victor Hilton was born in Lower Southgate Grafton NSW on the 6th March 1896, second son of Percy Charles and Fanny Clare Hardaker (nee Hare), both teachers. The family, including Victors 3 brothers and 2 sisters, moved to Eungai in 1904 where his father was headmaster of Eungai school. The family lived on a farm and life was pretty basic.
In 1916, aged 20, Victor decided to leave the farm in search of adventure, and joined the Australian Imperial Force in Maclean, near where he was born on the 2nd Feb 1916, much to the disdain of his parents. He was the only one of the four boys to enlist. Victor was originally signed to the 53rd Battallion AIF before being transferred to the28th Infantry Battallion. He left Freemantle on the HMAT Seang Bee on 18th July 1916, arrivng at Plymouth on 10th September and proceeded to France aboard the 'Hennrietta' on the 11th Nov 1916.
Upon reaching France the 28th was sent to fight near the town of Bullecourt along the infamous 'Hindenburg line'. On the 3rd of May, 1917, Victor was seriously injured when he was shot in the head and received shrapnel wound to his hip and right hand losing four fingers. He was evacuated back to England, and from there back to Australia, where, ironically, he was discharged on the 2nd Febuary, 1918. He was returned to Kempsey and admitted to Karoola Private hospital, where his condition deteriorated and he died on the 19th August 1918, aged just 23. He was buried in the local Eungai cemetery, where, the story goes, the local community raised the money to give him an elaborate headstone. His mother never really accepted his loss.
In 2009 it was discovered by the local RSL sub-branch, that Victors service had 'fallen through the cracks' and was not recorded in official records. It took two years of research and filling in paperwork for Victor's service to be recognised. On the 18th Nov 2011, Pte Victor Hilton Hardaker was officially recognised as a 'war dead' in a re-dedication service held by his graveside, which now bears the official Brass plaque from the Dept of War Graves and was lovingly restored by members of the Macksville RSL Sub-branch.
Service Medals: 14/15 Star, Victory Medal, British War Medal
Click images to start slideshow.