RHODES, Joseph
| Service Number: | 6381 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Field Ambulance |
| Born: | Leeds, England, 1886 |
| Home Town: | Sunbury, Hume, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Asylum attendant |
| Died: | 10 June 1953, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6381, 6th Field Ambulance | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Dec 1915: | Involvement Private, 6381, 2nd Field Ambulance, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Demosthenes embarkation_ship_number: A64 public_note: '' | |
| 29 Dec 1915: | Embarked Private, 6381, 2nd Field Ambulance, HMAT Demosthenes, Melbourne | |
| 3 Oct 1918: | Honoured Military Medal |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Ross Martin
Joseph RHODES was born in Leeds, UK in 1886 and was working at the Sunbury Mental Asylum when he enlisted in the AIF on 9/7/1915. He was assigned to the Field Ambulance and trained at Bendigo from 14/8/15 to 1/12/15 then at Broadmeadows from 2/12/15 to 28/12/15. He embarked for overseas on 29/12/1915 aboard the HMAT Demosthenes as part of the reenforcements for the 2nd Field Ambulance.
In Egypt on 5/3/1916 he was assigned to the 6th Fld Amb and on 29/4/1916 to the 7th Field Amb for service in France.
He rejoined the 6th Field Amb on 13/8/1916 and was serving with them when he was wounded on 24/9/1917. This was not a severe wound as he was back with his unit on 5/10/1917.
He was again wounded in action on 3/10/1918 and was shipped to the UK to recover.
For his good work during this fighting Joseph was awarded the Military Medal. His citation reads:
"On the 3rd October 1918 near Esthees, north of St Quentin this soldier proceeded to a wounded companion through 150 yards of heavy shell fire, dressed the wound and helped him to shelter. Later in the day he was alone at a Motor Loading Post , devoid of cover, and although wounded himself, he remained with a severely wounded man under heavy shell fire for over an hour, and tended him till he could be got away"
Joseph remained in the UK for the remainder of the war, and left for Australia on 28/3/1919. He arrived in Melbourne on 8/5/1919 and was discharged from the army on 30/6/1919.
He resumed work at the Sunbury Mental Hospital and in 1923 was living in Aitken Street Sunbury.
He remained with the Mental Authority and in 1939 was working at the Kew Asylum.
Joseph died on 10th June 1953.