DEARLOVE, Cato Russell Haughton
| Service Number: | 2323 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 January 1916, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 5th Pioneer Battalion |
| Born: | Black Springs, South Australia, 10 July 1888 |
| Home Town: | Cockburn, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Mitcham Public School, Sturt Street State School, University of Adelaide |
| Occupation: | School Teacher |
| Died: | Died of Wounds, France, 29 September 1917, aged 29 years |
| Cemetery: |
St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen PIII B 3A |
| Memorials: | Adelaide High School Great War Honour Board, Adelaide National War Memorial, Adelaide South Australian Education Department Roll of Honour, Adelaide Sturt Street Public School Great War Roll of Honour, Adelaide University of Adelaide WW1 Honour Roll, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Broken Hill War Memorial, Kingswood 'Mitcham Remembers' Memorial Walk, Mitcham Primary School, Unley Arch of Remembrance, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2323, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Aug 1916: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 2323, 5th Pioneer Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Itria embarkation_ship_number: A53 public_note: '' |
|
| 14 Aug 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2323, 5th Pioneer Battalion, HMAT Itria, Adelaide | |
| 29 Sep 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2323, 5th Pioneer Battalion, Polygon Wood, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2323 awm_unit: 5 Pioneer Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1917-09-29 |
Biography
Early Life
Cato Russel Haughton Dearlove (sometimes recorded as Cato Russell Haughton Dearlove) was born on the 10th July 1888 at Black Springs, SA, the son of Alfred Dearlove and Maria Louisa Beal.
Alfred Dearlove was a Provisional Teacher with the South Australian Education Department from 1880 to 1910. He taught at Black Springs near the Clare Valley (1880-1890), Nackara, 47 kilometres east of Peterborough (1891-1900), Baroota, 29 kilometres north-east of the city of Port Pirie (1901-1903), Merrindie, possibly at Merrindie Station near Tarlee on Eyre Peninsula (1903-1906), Belalie Nth, near Jamestown in the Mid North (1906-1907) and Pinda, near Mt Remarkable (1908-1910).
Cato was one of nine children, six of whom grew to adulthood. His siblings were Alfred John (b 1872), Susan Maria (b & d1874), Edith Louisa (b 1875, she married Thomas Dunn), Charles Noble (b 1876), Ernest (b & d 1879), William Ernest (b 1881), Hedley Montague (registered as Edley Montague but known as Hedley b 1883) and Florence Violet Pearl (b 1886, d 1900).
Schooling
Cato commenced his schooling in the country and was taught by his father. He then moved to Adelaide and was at the Sturt Street School in April 1905 when he was awarded a junior scholarship by the board of governors of the Public Library for one year’s tuition in any of the junior classes at the School Design.
He completed four subjects (English History, Geography, Arithmetic and Algebra) in the Junior Examinations in December 1905, one subject in December 1906 and a further two subjects (Latin and Drawing) in December 1908. His Latin coach in 1908 was GG Newman.
In June 1907 Cato passed the School of Arts examination in Intermediate Perspective.
Early Career
Cato was a Pupil Teacher at Mitcham from 1907 to 1909.
Cato played football for the OBI Football Team in the 1908 season and cricket for the Goodwood ANA (Australian Natives’ Association) team during the 1908/09 cricket season.
In May 1909 Cato was involved in a geography school trip which took about 50 students to Brownhill Creek.
Cato passed the Senior Examination in Latin in December 1909. He was given a gift of “handsomely bound volumes of Shakespeare and Tennyson when he completed his pupil-teachership at the Mitcham School.
In January 1910, Cato was appointed an Acting Assistant by the Education Department at the Unley School. He was described as industrious, methodical, capable and intelligent.
Cato played cricket for the Adelaide ANA in the 1909/10 and 1910/11 seasons, scoring 55 and 16 not out in one match in the 1909/10 season.
University
Cato became a student at the University Training College (UTC) in 1911. He was enrolled as an Arts student. He passed the Education Department examination in Second Grade Plane Geometry in September 1911 and in November 1911 he gained a Division II pass in Education from the University of Adelaide.
University Sport
Cricket
Cato played B Grade cricket for the Adelaide University Cricket Club in the 1911/12 season. He played at least two matches, one in December 1911 and another in January 1912.
Career and Family Life
Having completed his studies at the University of Adelaide, Cato was appointed Headmaster of the Cockburn School (on the South Australian border near Broken Hill). Cato played football, cricket and tennis for Cockburn and was an active member and Captain of the Cockburn Rifle Club. He was present at the Mingary School Picnic in September 1912.
In February 1913 Cato became vice-president of the Cockburn Institute committee.
World War I
Cato was presented a sovereign case from the scholars of the school as a token of respect in February 1915 and he continued to teach at the Cockburn School in 1915.
On the 2nd September 1915, Cato’s father, Alfred Dearlove, passed away at his home at Monmouth Road, Westbourne Park, aged 75 years.
Cato was present at the Cockburn Institute to farewell Pte AW Sheerlock on the 13th October 1915 and again on 3rd November 1915 to farewell Pte Douglas Moore.
On Tuesday 28th December 1915, Cato married Nurse Janet Lottie Maritza Hoare at St Mary’s Church, Milang, SA.
On the 22nd January 1916, Cato enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. He was 27 years and four months old, 5’ 7½“ tall and 128 lbs with a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. His Service Number was 2323. He stated on his attestation papers that he had been in the volunteer cadets for 12 months and had attended a six week school teachers’ instruction camp.
Cato undertook training at the Mitcham Camp then completed Non Commissioned Officers School in April and May 1916. He was appointed a provisional Sergeant and embarked onboard the ‘Itria’ at Outer Harbour on the 14th August 1916 arriving at Plymouth, England on the 30th October 1916.
Cato was in hospital shortly after he arrived in the UK. This may have related to the hernia he suffered as a result of a fall onboard the ship. His stay in hospital was a brief one.
He undertook training at Parkhouse and at Perham Downs (both on the Salisbury Plains) and was appointed an action Sergeant and was based at Larkhill, Wiltshire. In March 1917 Cato qualified as an Instructor in Bomb Throwing.
On the 3rd May 1917 he reverted to the ranks and proceeded overseas to France (leaving Folkestone, UK and arriving at Estaples, France). On the 7th July 1917 he was appointed a Lance Corporal.
In late September 1917 Cato was wounded in action. He had received multiple gunshot wounds to the right leg (which was amputated) and in both arms. Cato was taken to the 11th Stationary Hospital, Rouen.
Death
On the 29th September 1917 at the 11th Stationary Hospital, Rouen Cato Russel Haughton Dearlove died of wounds received in action.
Cato was buried at Saint Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France (P III, B 3A). A memorial service was held at St Mary’s Church, Milang where he had married less than two years earlier. He left a widow (Janet) and an estate valued at £270.
For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared by Beth Filmer for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (with assistance from Rob O'Shannassy & Janne Filmer) please see the document attached or the Adelaide University site AdelaideConnect at
https://connect.adelaide.edu.au/nodes/view/25769
Submitted 4 June 2025 by Eleanor Filmer
AUFC & AUCC - Anzac Day 2015
Extract from the Adelaide University Football Club and Adelaide University Cricket Club document honouring "The Fallen" Anzac Day 2015.
Cato played with the Adelaide University Cricket Club in season 1911/1912. At that time he was a teacher at Unley High School and studying for an arts degree. After completing his study he became Principal of Cockburn School near Broken Hill.
Cato enlisted on 22nd January 1916 and after spending time at a training depot where he qualified as a bomb throwing instructor he joined the 5th Pioneer Battalion in France on 8th May 1917. He was severely wounded in the Battle of Polygon Wood on 26th September 1917. After having both legs amputated he finally succumbed to his wounds on 29th September 1917.
Submitted 15 May 2016 by Eleanor Filmer
Biography
"THE LATE PRIVATE DEARLOVE
Private Cato Dearlove, who died of wounds on September 29 in France, was born at Black Springs 29 years ago. He received his earlier education in the country, under the tuition of his father who was a State, school teacher. Later he came to the city and entered the Education Department, for some time teaching at the at the Mitcham and Unley public schools. He then entered the University, going out as head teacher to the Cockburn school. He was an athlete, taking an interest in cricket, football and tennis, and was captain of the Cockburn Rifle Club, holding the club's championship for three years and gaining his marksman's certificate. He enlisted in December 1913, and went through the N.C.O's school, qualifying as a sergeant. He sailed from Australia, in August, 1916. He spent several months on the instructional staff on Salisbury Plain, but forfeited his stripes to go to France, where he joined his original battalion, and where, after about five months' active service, he received the wounds that proved fatal. His untimely death was widely regretted by a large number of friends." - from the Adelaide Advertiser 27 Oct 1917 (nla.gov.au)
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