Samuel Vivian Mortimer

Samuel Vivian Mortimer

Personal Information
Date of Birth	26 Jan 1890
Place of Birth	Gingin, Western Australia
Death	30 Apr 1979, aged 89
Place of Death	Perth, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	25 years, 8 months
Description	5'7" (1.70m) tall ; 140 lbs 63.503 kg ; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; fair hair
Occupation	Labourer
Religion	Church of England
Address	Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr William Thomas Mortimer
Military Information
Reg Number	2735
Date of Enlistment	9 Aug 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	27th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement transferred to 10th Battalion / 3rd Brigade, 1st Division
Date of Embarkation	27 Oct 1915 ‒ unknown "unknown" contains an extrinsic dash or other characters that are invalid for a date interpretation.
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A24 Benalla in Port Suez
Date of Return	20 Dec 1917 ‒ 12 Feb 1918
Ship Returned On	HMAT A54 Runic
Fate	Wounded in Action 1 Oct 1917 at Ypres Returned to Australia
Monument	none currently
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries - 1912 - 1913 Albany road, Bedfordale, wood cutter

War Service

Born in Western Australia, he enlisted in South Australia, while his NOK continued to live in Armadale.

Travelled to Egypt as a reinforcement for the 27th Battalion, but after completing his training in Egypt with the 7th Training Battalion, he was sent to join the 10th Battalion at Serapeum on 28 Feb 1916.

Arrived in Marseilles, France from Egypt (left Alexandria on 27 Mar 1916) on 3 Apr 1916 aboard HMT Saxonia. Reported ill on 23 Nov 1916, he was seen first by the 2nd Australian Field Ambulance, before being transferred to the New Zealand Stationary Hospital on 27 Nov and then hospitalised in the 2nd Australian General Hospital at Wimereux on 2 Dec 1916 with laryngitis, and later sent to England on the HS Jan Breydel, with it taking until 15 Mar 1917 before he returned to France, and 10 Apr 1917 before he rejoined his battalion.

On 1 Oct 1917 while relieving the 48th Battalion in the reserve trenches near Westhoek Ridge in Belgium, Sam was one of the casualties of a heavy German artillery bombardment. (Five killed and 24 wounded.) A high explosive shell fragment had hit his right arm, leading to it being amputated just above the elbow 11 hours after the injury, as all bones between the wrist and elbow were shattered.

He was seen first by the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance, before entering the 3rd Canadian General Hospital in Boulogne on 3 Oct 1917 where the limb was amputated. Embarked on the HS Stad Antwerpen on 7 Oct 1917 he was transported to England where he entered the 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham from 8 Oct 1917 till 2 Nov 1917.

He was transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Harefield from 2 - 7 Nov 1917. On recovery he was released to the No 2 Command Depot at Weymouth from where he returned to Melbourne, Australia. Disembarked in Melbourne he travelled overland to Adelaide.

Spent from 14 Feb to 5 Aug 1918 in the 7th Australian General Hospital at Keswick, South Australia prior to his discharge.

Discharged 4th Military District, Keswick Barracks, Adelaide on 14 Aug 1918.

Post War

Served during WW2 with service no W69004 as a Lieutenant with the 13th Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps until 30 Jun 1945. Electoral Roll entries - 1934 - 1943 farmer at "Bindoon", Mooliabeenie with Gladys Caroline Elizabeth (sister?); 1949 - 1954 no occupation, alone at 315 Wellington street, Perth; 1958 at 41a Railway parade, Mt Lawley; 1963 at 248-252 Hay street, Perth; 1968 167 Beaufort street, North Perth; 1972 - 1977 at 553 Murray street Perth.

In 1954 Gladys is at 12 Ninth avenue, Maylands, working as a shop assistant. No later entry for her anywhere in Australia.

Notes

National Archives Index gives his Registered No as 2738, but all documents show 2735.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial