Henry John Robert Saint
From Our Contribution
 1891 photo | |
 1913 photo of Henry & Gertrude with John, Dorothy and Philip | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth |
Nov ? 1871 "Nov ? 1871" contains a sequence that could not be interpreted against an available match matrix for date components. |
| Place of Birth | Speedhurst, Tunbridge Wells, England |
| Death | 8 Nov 1941, aged 70 |
| Place of Death | Cheltenham, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Age at Enlistment | 40 years, 10 months |
| Description |
5'6" tall ; 140lbs 63.503 kg ; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; dark hair |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Henry street, East Cannington, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Wife , Mrs Gertrude M Saint |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 981 |
| Date of Enlistment | 10 Sep 1914 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit/Formation | 12th Battalion |
| Date of Embarkation | 2 Nov 1914 ‒ 5 Dec 1914 |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A7 Medic Fremantle to Alexandria |
| Fate | WIA Gallipoli |
| Monument | none at present |
| Medals |
Queens South Africa Medal; Cape Colony clasp King's South Africa Medal; 1901 and 1902 clasps 1914-15 Star British War Medal |
Pre War
Henry was in Cape Town at the out-break of Boer War in South Africa and volunteered for the local forces, joining the South African Mounted Irregular Forces, serving as a Lieutenant stationed in Cape Town. According to the medal roll, he was attached to Headquarters Staff. He later received the Queen’s South Africa clasp Cape Colony and King’s South Africa Medal with both clasps South Africa 1901 and 1902.
Henry returned to Southampton, England on the 6 July 1902 on board the “Dunvegan Castle.” He married Gertrude Mary Robertson on 1 Nov 1904 at St Luke’s Church, St Marylebone, London UK. In the 1911 Census Henry was residing with his wife and children John Lionel Francis, Dorothy Elizabeth and Philip Henry, at “Rondebush” 1 Fletcher Road South, Tankerton, Whitstable. The house was named after a suburb of Cape Town.
Henry and his family sailed from Liverpool on 11 Sep 1913, on board S.S. Medic of the White Star Line, via Tenerife, and Cape Town. On the manifest Henry was described as an electrician. They disembarked in Albany, on 17 Oct 1913 and travelled by train overnight to Perth where they took up residence in Henry Street, East Cannington. The property was a weatherboard bungalow.
War Service
Enlisted at a time when the 12th Battalion (joint SA and WA) was being raised, he trained with them, and travelled to Egypt. It appears that he was with them when they travelled aboard SS Devanha to Gallipoli via Lemnos Island, arriving at Mudros Harbour on 4 Mar 1915. Off Anzac Cove the men transferred to Destroyers and then boats towed by steam pinnaces, landing at 4:00am on the shores of Gallipoli as part of the covering force.
Henry's records include an entry dated 8 Aug 1915 noting that he had a shell wound to his left leg and was treated aboard HMT Tunisian. Other entries place him in Mustapha, a base camp in Egypt during early May, so the injury was sustained in the early days of the landing during April. At Mustapha, Egypt he was AWOL from 4:00pm 5 May 1915 until 11:00am on 8 May 1915. His penalty was the loss of 4 days pay.
He returned to Gallipoli on HMT Cawdor Castle on 10 Aug 1915, and rejoined the 12th Battalion on 15 Aug 1915.
On 4 Sep 1915 Henry was ill with diarrhoea, and after being seen by the 1st Australian Field Ambulance, he was evacuated from Gallipoli to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station at Mudros on 7 Sep 1915. Diagnosed with measles, he was transferred on 17 Sep 1915 to the 24th Convalescent Depot. Released to the base depot on 7 Oct 1915, and diagnosed with 'debility', he was initially evacuated to Gibraltar on 7 Oct 1915 from Alexandria aboard HMT Caledonia arriving 15 Oct 1915 before being passed on to England aboard HMHS Franconia on 8 Nov 1915. On arrival in England he was admitted to the 4th Southern General Hospital in Plymouth.
Held in the Monte Video camp at Weymouth from 1 Jun until 28 Jun 1916. During that time on 8 Jan 1916 he was charged with "failing to obey a lawful order" For this he was awarded 48 hours detention. He was also debited for the loss of kit. Next, from 28 Jun 1918, he was transferred to No. 1 Command Depot Perham Downs, near Salisbury. Here he was AWOL from midnight 13 Jul 1916 until 8:30pm on 19 Jul 1916, and for this he forfeited 8 day's pay. On 21 Nov 1916 Henry was transferred to No. 4 Command Depot
On 29 May 1917 after moving from one Command Depot to another between 1 Jun 1916 and 18 May 1917, Henry proceeded overseas to France on 29 May 1917 via Southampton. After a period in the 1st Division's Base Depot at Le Havre, Henry joined the 12th Battalion on 18 Jun 1917 near Ribemont after an absence of 21 months. A month later, on 20 Jul 1917 he was transferred to the 1st Anzac Corps School and proceeded to Tidworth in England. On 19 Sep 1917 he was admitted to the Military Hospital in Swanage with scabies, and on 28 Sep 1917 transferred to the1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital. Here he was granted furlough from 15 - 29 Oct 1917, with instructions to report to Weymouth. Having requested a discharge in the UK, he was returned to London on 13 Dec 1917 to prepare for same.
Discharged on 14 Dec 1917 in London, being permanently unfit for further duty with Nephritis. Henry and his family were awarded pensions from 15 Dec 1917 and on 20 Jun 1918 they were increased to: Henry 30/- per fortnight, his wife Gertrude Mary a pension of 15/-p.f., and their children John Lionel Francis 10/- p.f.; Dorothy Elizabeth 7/6d p.f.; and Phillip Henry 5/- p.f.
An unusual aspect to Henry's story is that his family followed him, and were the obvious reason for his AWOL offences. Gertrude and the family took passage from Fremantle in early November, on the Orient Liner “Osterly" which stopped at Colombo, and arrived at Tilbury just prior to Christmas 1915. The family stayed with Henry's sisters in Kensington, and when Gertrude discovered that Henry was in Egypt, she placed the two oldest children and then, with Philip sailed on 12 Feb 1915 aboard the SS Orontes for Port Said in Egypt. Gertrude remained in Egypt until early 1916, but following Henry's transfer to England she and Philip sailed for England aboard SS Nyanza, docking in London on 10 Mar 1916.
Post War
Following the death of an Aunt, henry inherited an estate in Groombridge, Kent which he sold in 1919. On 8 Jul 1920 the family sailed for Wellington, New Zealand aboard SS Ruaprha and lived in Christchurch until 1921 when they moved to Armidale in New South Wales. From June 1923 until September 1924 Gertrude and Philip returned to England. This was the first of many individual and/or family returns to England.
Notes
For more details of Henry's life story contact the City of Gosnells Heritage Coordinator on (08) 9391 6011.
Henry is not listed on the Gosnells Roll of Honour, nor on the Canning, Victoria Park, Wattle Grove, Welshpool, or Kalamunda Rolls.
Henry appears to have fudged his age to ensure enlistment at a time when 40 was the maximum age for enlistment.