Walter Raymond Farnham
From Our Contribution
Personal Information | |
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Date of Birth | 24 Sep 1897 |
Place of Birth | Fremantle, Western Australia |
Death | 9 Oct 1922 |
Place of Death | Edward Millen Home, Victoria Park, Western Australia |
Age at Enlistment | 21 years, 6 months |
Description | 5'6½" (1.69m) tall; weight 142 lbs (64.4 kg); fair complexion, blue eyes, brown hair |
Occupation | clerk |
Religion | Church of England |
Address | Station Master's House, Kelmscott, Western Australia |
Next of Kin | Father Mr Joshua Farnham |
Military Information | |
Reg Number | 4436 |
Date of Enlistment | 1 Oct 1915 |
Rank | Private |
Unit/Formation | 11th Battalion, transferred to 51st Battalion / 13th Brigade, 4th Division |
Date of Embarkation | 9 Oct 1915 - unknown at Alexandria |
Ship Embarked On | HMAT A7 Medic As a Stowaway |
Date of Return | 10 Jul 1916 - 6 Aug 1916 |
Ship Returned On | HMAT A46 Clan McGillivray |
Fate | Returned to Australia |
Monument | Kelmscott War Memorial (North panel) |
Medals |
1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal |
Pre War
On 2 Oct 1912 Walter was accepted as a cadet in the Western Australian Railways. On 9 Feb 1914 he was suspended and then dismissed for unsatisfactory conduct and submitting a bogus letter re military leave.
War Service
Walter stowed away on the HMAT Medic, and was enlisted at Ghezirah, Cairo, Egypt on 1 Oct 1915. He appears to have served at Gallipoli with the 11th Battalion before returning to Egypt where he was transferred to the 51st Battalion on its formation. During his time at Gallipoli, he was hospitalised on Lemnos (2nd Stationery Hospital) for three weeks with Rheumatic Fever.
On his return to Egypt, he suffered an accidental bullet wound to his arm, and was hospitalised again in July, five days after joining the 51st Battalion with heart issues (myocarditis). Found to be unfit for duty, he was promptly returned to Australia, leaving Suez, Egypt via the HMAT A46 Clan McGillivray on 10 Jul 1916, and arriving in Melbourne on 6th August.
He was discharged by 5th Military District on 28 Aug 1916.
Post War
Awarded a pension which was increased on 21 Jun 1917 to 30/- fortnightly. At the time he was again residing with his parents at the Kelmscott Railway Stationmaster's house.
Married in 1921 to Janet Cowan. Janet appears to remarry in 1935 to James H McCulloch.
DEATHS - FARNHAM - On October 9, 1922, at his residence, 437 Albany-road, Victoria Park, Walter Raymond, dearly beloved husband of Janet Farnham, aged 25 years. A patient sufferer at rest.[1] A later entry speaks of the staff at the Edward Millen Home where obviously Walter was being cared for.
References
- ↑ "Family Notices". The West Australian. XXXVIII, (6,362). Western Australia. 12 October 1922. p. 1. Retrieved 22 June 2017 – via National Library of Australia.