SKINNER, Hickson Henry
| Service Number: | 19664 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 31 August 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Bombardier |
| Last Unit: | 8th Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Alberton, South Australia, 22 January 1897 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | St. Peter's College Adelaide |
| Occupation: | Draper's assistant |
| Died: | Enemy Shelling, Armentierres, France, 11 May 1917, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery (Plot VI, Row A, Grave No. 24), Armentieres, France , Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, Lille, Nord Pas de Calais, France |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Hackney St Peter's College Honour Board, Unley Arch of Remembrance, Unley St. Augustine's Church Roll of Honour, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 31 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1 | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 May 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Gunner, 19664, 8th Field Artillery Brigade , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: '' | |
| 20 May 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Gunner, 19664, 8th Field Artillery Brigade , HMAT Medic, Sydney | |
| 11 May 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Bombardier, 19664, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 19664 awm_unit: 8th Australian Field Artillery Brigade awm_rank: Bombardier awm_died_date: 1917-05-11 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Virtual Australia
Contributed by W James LEAHEY
Hickson Henry Skinner of Millswood was born at Alberton, South Australia in January 1897.
Hickson had attended Miss Dorothy Davidson's school in Princes Street, Alberton before moving to Port Adelaide Primary in 1903 and then to St. Peter's College where he spent the last two years of his schooling in 1912-1913. (6)
After leaving school Hickson worked as a draper's assistant and salesman until he enlisted in Adelaide on 31 August 1915. He was initially allotted to A Company 2nd Depot Battalion and on 25 November was allocated to the Artillery Corps and on 17 January 1916 his rank officially changed from Private to Gunner when he was posted as a reinforcement for the 8th Field Artillery Brigade.
He was taken on the strength of the 29th Battery, 8th Field Artillery Brigade, Maribyrnong, Victoria on 1 April and towards the end of the month was charged and found guilty of being absent without leave for which he was given the stiff penalty of a five shilling fine, five days forfeiture of pay and eight days CB.
On 20 May 1916, 19664 Gunner Hickson Henry Skinner 29th Battery, 8th Field Artillery Brigade sailed from Melbourne aboard HMAT Medic and disembarked at Plymouth, England on 18 July. When it was formed in Australia in March 1916 the 8th Field Artillery Brigade was one of four Field Artillery brigades allocated to support the 3rd Division. Gunner Hickson was promoted to Bombardier on 24 November 1916 while at 16 Camp Larkhill on the edge of Salisbury Plain, England and embarked for France with his unit in late December.
On 7 March 1917 while attending a telephonist course at 2 Anzac Corps School at Morbeque, France, Bombardier Skinner was charged and found guilty of being absent from his billet on 4 March and for this received a reprimand from the School’s commanding officer.
On the 11th of May 1917 he and a mate were out on one of their battery lines near Armentières, France when the Germans began shelling. Fearing for their lives, Hickson and his companion sheltered beneath a railway bridge, not realising that this was in fact the enemy's target. Ultimately, a shell landed right where Hickson stood, killing him instantly and seriously wounding the other soldier. (7)
Twenty year old 19664 Bombardier Hickson Henry Skinner, 29th Battery, 8th Field Artillery Brigade was killed in action at Armentières, France on 11 May 1917 and buried that same day by Reverend George Percival Cuttriss 3rd Australian Pioneer Battalion. (8)
One of his comrades in the 29th Battery, Arnold Channon, wrote to his father that evening telling how he had just heard the news. In the letter which Mr Channon later passed on to Mabel Skinner, Arnold Channon says that Hickson `was respected and welcome wherever he went - in fact I don't think there was a more popular fellow than he in the whole Battery'. (9)
An obituary published in the Adelaide Chronicle on 2 June 1917 described Hickson as being “of a loveable disposition, and a general favourite with his associates”. (10)
6. Source: Relatives, -Dr W James Leahey, Jamie Skinner and Dion Skinner
7. Ibid
8. NAA: B 2455, Skinner Hickson Henry / 4420570– Viewed 24 May 2006
9. Source: Relatives, -Dr W James Leahey, Jamie Skinner and Dion Skinner
10. Adelaide Chronicle – 2 June 1917, p 40
Biography contributed by Virtual Australia
Contributed by Robert S Kearney from his book Fallen Saints
Hickson Henry Skinner of Millswood was born at Alberton, South Australia on 22 January 1897.
Hickson attended Miss Dorothy Davidson's school in Princes Street, Alberton before moving to Port Adelaide Primary in 1903 and then to St. Peter's College where he spent the last two years of his schooling in 1912-1913; after leaving school, he worked as a draper's assistant and salesman.[1]
He enlisted in Adelaide on 31 August 1915, was in transit with A Company 2nd Depot Battalion until 25 November when he was posted to the Artillery Corps.
In January 1916, he was allotted to the 8th Field Artillery Brigade as a reinforcement and after joining the 29th Battery at Maribyrnong, Victoria on 1 April 1916 sailed from Melbourne aboard HMAT Medic on 20 May.
Formed in Australia in March 1916, the 8th Field Artillery Brigade was one of four field artillery brigades allocated to support the 3rd Division.
Gunner Skinner was promoted to Bombardier on 24 November 1916 while at 16 Camp Larkhill on the edge of Salisbury Plain, England and embarked for France with his unit in late December.
On 7 March 1917 while attending a telephonist course at II ANZAC Corps School, Morbeque, France, Bombardier Skinner was charged and found guilty of being absent from his billet on 4 March and for this received a reprimand from the School’s commanding officer. This infraction needs to be understood in the context of the Australian legendary high spiritedness and contempt for the detail of military discipline; Hickson was a fine man and a good soldier.
When killed in action at Armentières, France on 11 May 1917 Bombardier Skinner, 29th Battery, 8th Field Artillery Brigade was 20 years of age.
He and a mate had been out checking the telephone lines when the Germans began shelling. Fearing for their lives, the two men sheltered beneath a railway bridge, not realising that this was in fact the enemy's target. Ultimately, a shell landed right where Hickson stood, killing him instantly and seriously wounding the other soldier. [2]
Arnold Channon, a friend of Hickson’s also in the 29th Battery, wrote to his father that evening telling how he had just heard the news. Arnold’s father later wrote to Mabel Skinner to inform her son had described Hickson as ‘was respected and welcome wherever he went - in fact I don't think there was a more popular fellow than he in the whole Battery.’ [3]
In his obituary published on 2 June 1917, Hickson was described as being ‘of a loveable disposition, and a general favourite with his associates.’[4]
[1] Leahey, Dr W James, (great-nephew) letter
[2] ibid
[3] ibid
[4] Adelaide Chronicle – 2 June 1917, p. 40
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