Clarence William Hammond

Clarence William Hammond

Personal Information
Date of Birth	c1897
Place of Birth	North Fremantle, Western Australia
Death	29 Oct 1982, aged 85
Place of Death	Highgate, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	18 years, 2 months
Description	5'7½" (1.71m) tall ; 130 lbs 58.967 kg ; dark complexion ; blue eyes ; dark hair
Occupation	Farm hand
Religion	Church of England
Address	Konnongorring, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Jesse Hammond
Military Information
Reg Number	3441
Date of Enlistment	3 May 1917
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	44th Battalion, 8th Reinforcement
Date of Embarkation	29 Jun 1917 ‒ 25 Aug 1917
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A30 Borda Fremantle to Plymouth
Date of Return	29 Jul 1919 ‒ 27 Sep 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Main
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Kelmscott Congregational Church Honour Board
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

Clarence enlisted in Northam. Entering Blackboy Hill camp he was initially earmarked for the 21st reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion, but was transferred on 29 Jun 1917 to the 8th draft for the 44th Battalion, and he subsequently sailed with them to England. During the trip he was a guest of HMAT A30 Borda's hospital from 11 - 15 Aug 1917

On arrival in England Clarence was sent to the 11th Training Battalion at Larkhill to prepare for the Western Front. On 5 Nov 1917 he was transferred to the 10th Training Battalion at Sutton Mandeville, and on 18 Dec 1917 he proceeded overseas to France through Southampton.

On Christmas Eve 1917, he and 78 other reinforcements were welcomed into the 44th Battalion who at that time were in the lines in the Bois Grenier sector. Clarence was posted to "C" Company.

Clarence remained with the 44th Battalion until he was granted English leave from 23 Nov 1918 until 7 Dec 1918, after which he rejoined them in the Heucourt-Croquoison area west of Amiens. On 7 Jan 1919 he was detached to a 3rd Division HQ unit until 19 May 1919, when be embarked for England and began his return to Australia where he was discharged by the 5th Military District on 28 Oct 1919.

Post War

In 1922 Clarence married Vera Craig (b.1899) in the Northam district. Vera died in Hilton on 9 Oct 1988. Children were Maurice Douglas (1923-1965); Gordon Sinclair (1928-1978); Neville (1939-1978); and Lomond Marjorie ( -2015).

Electoral Roll entries - none before 1936, when Clarence is a salesman living with Vera at 289 Suburban road, South Perth; in 1949 he is an orderly. in 1954 they have moved to nearby 31 Todd avenue where they remain until 1980 or later.

During WW2, with a Birth date of 15 Aug 1900, he served in the 2nd AIF WX5323. Enlisted on 27 Jul 1940 and discharged 6 Oct 1944, it appears that he was in a reinforcement platoon for the 2/11th Battalion at the time of his discharge.

Notes

Appears that he enlisted very soon after the family left the district for the farm. Father Jesse Elijah Hammond was a building contractor who was in Kelmscott from 1911 to at least 1916.

Included on Kelmscott Congregational Church Honour Board.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial