Anzac cemetery harefield

[hudsonswhistle]

Just wanted to share these pictures with some of you,they were taken at the Anzac cemetery in Harefield.

Harefield hospital was established in the First World War for the treatment of injured Australians and New Zealanders.

known as No.1 Auxiliary Hospital, Australian Imperial Forces (AIF),it was the only purely Australian hospital in England.

There are 111 graves of AIF personnel and one nursing sister.

Although only operative for just under four years,it closed its doors finally on the 14th February 1919.

Approximately 50,000 Australian troops passed through the hospital during this period.

Today, the hospital's state-of-the-art ANZAC Centre remembers the vital contribution made by those troops.

Each year, Harefield Village holds ANZAC days in remembrance of servicemen who died at the Hospital during the First World War.

[hudsonswhistle]

[hudsonswhistle]

[hudsonswhistle]

[The Incomer]

Excellent 'photos.I was there myself a few weeks ago taking photos for an Australian colleague.As a matter of interest,apart from half a dozen WW11 graves in the civilian section,there are also two VC holders.Lt.General Goodlake,who won his in the Crimea in 1854 and died in 1890,plus Sgt. R.E.Ryder of the Manchester Regt. who won his at Thiepval in September 1916.He died in 1978.

Les

[hudsonswhistle]

Excellent 'photos.I was there myself a few weeks ago taking photos for an Australian colleague.As a matter of interest,apart from half a dozen WW11 graves in the civilian section,there are also two VC holders.Lt.General Goodlake,who won his in the Crimea in 1854 and died in 1890,plus Sgt. R.E.Ryder of the Manchester Regt. who won his at Thiepval in September 1916.He died in 1978.

Les

Thanks Les ill look them up next time im there

[ceebee]

hudsonswhistle

Thanks for posting the photos and information. You may have come across another thread on Harefield here

One of your photos shows the headstone of 2397 Private T Kilby, whose date of death is 12th November 1956. This sparked my curiosity, so I accessed Private Kilby’s on-line service record at the National Archives of Australia. The answer lies in a letter from Thomas Kilby’s late wife, Gertrude Matilda Kilby, sent to the Secretary of the Army in Canberra on 14 April 1967. Here is an extract from that letter:

I, Gertrude Matilda Kilby, am the widow of 1 Anzac: Private Thomas Kilby 2397 VX2397 late 6oth Battln AIF disabled.

My husband after many years of periodical suffering died in Edgeware Hospital Middx on November 12, 1956, and his cremated ashes and Headstone are in the War Graves Memorial Cemetery Harefield, nr Uxbridge, Middx, England.

After operations and nursing in St Mary’s Hospital London Wardsworth Southall nr London, we returned to Melbourne and he was advised to live in a cooler climate for skin and blood trouble, so afterwards we returned to Middlesex County of England. We knew Harefield well in First World War, often visiting the lovely old church there and preferred to attend the Anzac Service there at St Mary’s Church followed by the after service at the war graves and friendly tea gathering at the Vicarage.

[Andrew P]

Hudsonwhistle

Many thanks for showing us the photos of Harefield.

I'm writing the history of Fremantle people in WW1 and so was very interested to see the photo of Signalman Thomas Daniel Touchell of the Royal Australian Navy. He lived in Marmion St East Fremantle and was only 19 when he died.

His father Thomas Touchell served in the 59th Australian Railway Operating Company during WW1 but unfortunately he left for Australia in December 1918 and was not in England when his son died.

Attached is a photo from the Australian War Memorial of Signalman Thomas Touchell of the Royal Australian Navy.

Regards

Andrew

[frev]

Hi Hudsonwhistle

Thank you for sharing the photos - the more overview shots I get to see - the more of an idea I get of a place I'll possibly never get to visit!

My Grandad's brother is buried there - after years of war he succumbed to the influenza virus a month after the armistice. Thankfully my Grandad & another brother were able to attend the funeral.

Such a nice place to come to rest.

Cheers, Frev.

[squirrel]

Been there several times and wondered why it is called ANZAC Cemetery.

The entrance says Australian Military Cemetery, the hospital was for Australians and there are none but Australians buried there.

An interesting place to visit though.

[hudsonswhistle]

Thanks guys, some of the replies are amazing, its so nice to see pictures of the chaps, and to have the late burial explained, if anyone overseas or here in the uk wishes for me to take a picture of a particular grave i would be more than happy to do so.

[salientguide]

Thanks hudsonwhistle great photos I was brought up in Northolt not far away and spent many hours fishing the GUC at Harefield but never went up into the village itself, or to the church, my loss!

Interesting to see the headstones, although uniform, are not of standard I / CWGC pattern. Anyone know why this is?

Regards SG

[squirrel]

The Australians started with their headstones before the IWGC and made them to their own pattern.

[spidge]

Apparently the Nurses and Medical staff chose the design!

[spidge]

Great photos, thanks for posting them.

I am cataloguing the AFC and those Australians who were in the RFC, RAF, RNAS as well as all RAAF WW2, so if there are any others I will eagerly take you up on your offer of photos.

Cheers

Geoff

[hudsonswhistle]

Next time im up there ill take pictures of all the graves,save them on disk,and should anyone want a specific name ill have them here for you all, ill keep you posted Geoff.

[Dunn]

Hi,

I've been doing some research on my great uncle and stumbled across some photos you've taken of Harefield cemetery. My Uncle was Clement Bradford and I was interested in the photo that was placed at the base of the tomb stone. Do you still have these photos as I would like to get a photo so I could zoom in for more detail?

Regards

Stephen

[David_Underdown]

You'll find a link to another thread which has, towards the end, a close up of that picture (and an account of Bradford's service) in post number 7 above.

[Dunn]

You'll find a link to another thread which has, towards the end, a close up of that picture (and an account of Bradford's service) in post number 7 above.

Thanks David,

I can add some more to the story, that was posted.

When I was growing up my grandmother would always tell me about her brother that went off to the great war. She would show me photos of him and I can remember taking the MM and bar which she had framed with the citation to school for show and tell back in the 70s. It was those stories that got me thinking again and it wasn't until recently that I decided to do some more research on his military history.

Clement was the youngest of 3 brothers.

His older brother John Bradford no 899 was the first to join on 31st August 1914 with the SA 10th Battalion

The next brother was Sidney no 727 who joined on 4th September with the 12th Battalion.

When they got to Egypt, his war record shows that he was moved to the 10th Battalion in February with his brother John.

Gallipoli

I haven't been able to tell if they were the first ashore on the 25th April (if someone could help?) but it shows on their casualty forms that they were both injured in early May (2/5/14) for John and late May for Sidney. Whilst at Gallipoli Sidney was a runner. John was sent back to Australia in 1915 due to being medically unfit because of his wounds.

Clement was sent with the 10th Battalion / 9th reinforcement in 1915 but did not get to Gallipoli.

50th Battalion

Both Sidney and Clement were moved into the 50th battalion in 1916 as part of the doubling of the AIF.

Sidney went on to also win a MM in August 1917. His medals are on display at the Keswick Army Barracks Museum in Adelaide.

My Father lived with Uncle Sidney in the 50s and he recalls the story when Clement was on leave in England in 1918 and Sidney caught up with him to congratulate him on his awards and have a few drinks. He said he was in good spirits and well and was devasted to hear of his death soon afterwards.

I hope this adds a little more interest to the story.

I'm also doing some research on my Grandfather who served in the Boer War and the first World War so I've got a bit more research to complete. Thanks again for the link, it would be interesting to see where and from whom the photo came.

Regards

Stephen

[ceebee]

Stephen

Thanks for posting the additional information about Clement and his brothers. I now know he did not get to Gallipoli, a point which my research was unable to confirm.

The photo could have been cut from a larger document and enlarged. It looks like it is sealed in a plastic sleeve, similar to those that are passed through a heated rolling machine. Could it have been taken from a unit history perhaps? There are two listed on the AWM website which might have photos:

50th Battalion, A.I.F.: Brief history from date of inception (26/2/16) to close of hostilities (1918), 50th Battalion A.I.F. Club, Annual Reunion Programme 1935, (Adelaide: 50th Battalion A.I.F. Club, 1935).

R. Freeman, Hurcombe's hungry half hundred: A memorial history of the 50th Battalion AIF 1916-1919, (Norwood: Peacock Publications, 1991).

Regards

Chris

[Dunn]

Hi Chris

I had the same thoughts, I did notice when I zoomed in that he was wearing his Lance Corporals stripe, so the photo must of been taken in Europe. I contacted Roger Freeman and he said there are many photos in his book and there is a good chance it may of come from there? I'll buy a copy of the book from Roger when I'm next in Adelaide.

I noticed with alot of the studio photos before they went overseas that they wore the rimmed cap, but in later photos eg after their return or unit photos such as Clems they wore the slouch hat. Do you know much about that?

catch up soon

Stephen

[frev]

Hi Stephen

The photo on Clement's tombstone is the same one that Roger Freeman has used in his book (p.201, 2nd Edition).

Although the one shown here actually looks clearer than the one in my book!

Cheers, Frev

[Dunn]

Hi Frev,

thanks for letting me know.

I'll be catching up with family when I'm up in Adelaide in June, so I want to follow up a few more photographs. If I get some clearer shots I'll post them on the site so members can put a bit more of a face to the tombstone.

Regards

Stephen