About This Unit
4th Division Base Depot
Location | Date |
Etaples, France | March 1916 |
Harfleur, France (near Le Havre) | June 1917 |
Disbanded, Wetsren Front, France | 15 December 1917 |
Men arriving in France, whether reinforcements or "casuals" - men returning from hospital - proceeded to Base Depots and thence to their units. All drafts - although they had already been passed in England as fully trained - were subjected to further tests laid down by GHQ, comprising, in 1916, at least ten days additional training. A strict medical check was also carried out. Originally at Etaples, the Australian base depots moved to Harfleur, near Le Havre in June 1917, to save shipping time.