Raymond Harold Hanretty

Raymond Harold Hanretty

Western Mail 27 Sep 1918 page 19
photo Linton Reynolds 2015
Personal Information
Date of Birth	not known 1894
Place of Birth	Rockingham, Western Australia
Death	31 May 1918
Place of Death	Villers-Bretonneux area
Age at Enlistment	21 years, 6 months
Description	5'6½" (1.69m) tall ; 136 lbs 61.689 kg ; dark complexion ; brown eyes ; dark brown hair
Occupation	Farm labourer
Religion	Church of England
Address	Mardella, via Mundijong, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Brother , Mr Francis John Hanretty
Military Information
Reg Number	131
Date of Enlistment	28 Dec 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	44th Battalion, A Company / 11th Brigade, 3rd Division
Date of Embarkation	6 Jun 1916 ‒ 21 Jul 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A29 Suevic
Fate	Wounded in Action 2 Jun 1917 Messines area Killed in Action 31 May 1918 Villers-Bretonneux area
Monument	Serpentine Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

In 1901 the family were living in Mundijong.

War Service

Following his enlistment on 28 Dec 1915, and a month's general training Raymond was allocated to 'A' Company of the newly formed 44th Battalion (Joint WA/SA unit), and he proceeded with them to England, departing Fremantle on HMAT A29 Suevic, and disembarking on 21 Jul 1916. The 44th Battalion proceeded overseas to France through Southampton on 25 Nov 1916, entering Le Havre harbour at 6:30 am on 26 Nov 1916.

On 23 Mar 1917 Raymond was charged with "Failing to appear at the place of parade appointed by his Commanding Officer on 22 Mar 1917. Found guilty and awarded 5 days Field Punishment No. 1, and he forfeited 26 shillings ($2.60)

Raymond was Wounded in Action on 4 Jun 1917. On that day the battalion had provided men for two raiding parties on the enemy's trenches with the objective of gaining intelligence and if possible a prisoner or two. Both parties were led by an officer and 20 men. It was recorded that 4 prisoners were captured who provided much useful information, and heavy casualties were inflicted on the enemy. The cost to the Australians was 22 killed and 8 wounded, with Raymond one of those wounded. (Casualty rate of 30 of the 42 who participated was not commented on.)

Attended to by the 12th Field Ambulance for a gunshot wound to his right shoulder and eye, he was able to rejoin his unit on 14 Jun 1917.

Casualty List - Wounded R.H. Hanretty

Raymond was next hospitalised from 24 Oct 1917 until 9 Dec 1917, with the 10th Stationary Hospital in St Omer before being discharged to the 3rd Division's Base Depot in Rouelles. He rejoined the 44th Battalion on 21 Dec 1917 in the Bois-Grenier sector of the line.

He was Killed in Action on 31 May 1918. The 44th Battalion's War Diary entry for 31 May 1918 reads...

Weather as yesterday (warm and clear, sky cloudless; wind N & NE). Nothing to report.

Fortunately Neville Browning's Book "The Westralian Battalion" contains additional detail of the circumstances of Raymond's death

"On May 30th, the German artillery shelled the support lines incessantly in an attempt to silence a battery in the vicinity which necessitated two platoons from 'D' Company to move to the adjacent railway cutting. Enemy activity was active again on May 31st and two men were killed in the barrage: they were Corporal W.J. Wilson and Private R.H. Hanretty."

Originally buried in the Petit Blangy British Cemetery, he was later removed to the Villers-Bretonneux Cemetery.

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  Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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  photo Linton Reynolds 2015

Notes

Buried in Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery Plot X, Row a, Grave No. 9

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial