Ernest William Serls
From Our Contribution
Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire p.142 | |
courtesy Neville Browning | |
photo Linton Reynolds | |
Personal Information | |
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Date of Birth | unknown |
Place of Birth | Fremantle, Western Australia |
Death | 4 Oct 1917 |
Place of Death | Hill 40 near ZXonnebeke, Belgium |
Age at Enlistment | 26 years, 9 months |
Description | 5'6½" (1.69m) tall; weight 140 lbs (63.5 kg); fresh complexion, brown eyes, black hair |
Occupation | firewood contractor |
Religion | Congregational |
Address | 'Hillside', Armadale, Western Australia |
Next of Kin | Father Mr M. Joseph Serls |
Military Information | |
Reg Number | 2410 |
Date of Enlistment | 5 Apr 1916 |
Rank | Corporal |
Unit/Formation | 44th Battalion, 4th Reinforcement to 13th Platoon, D Company / 11th Brigade 4th Division |
Date of Embarkation | 13 Oct 1916 - 12 Dec 1916 |
Ship Embarked On | HMAT A39 Port Macquarie |
Fate | Killed in Action 4 Oct 1917 on Hill 40 |
Monument |
Armadale War Memorial (Bedfordale panel) Bedfordale Roll of Honour Armadale Congregational Church Honour Board Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour |
Medals |
British War Medal Victory Medal |
Pre War
Electoral Roll entry - 1916 labourer living in Armadale.
War Service
Fit for Service ......E.W. Serls, Armadale.[1]
Following arrival in England Ernie was posted to 11th Training Battalion before proceeding on the SS Invicta to France through Folkestone on 4 Feb 1917.
Joined the 44th Battalion on 6 Feb 1917 while they were in the line near Armentiès in cold and frosty weather. Promoted Corporal on 11 Sep 1917. In the early morning of 4 Oct 1917, the 44th Battalion was involved in an attack on the German lines east of Ypres. Although they obtained their objective and suffered reasonably light casualties, Ernie Serls was one of them.
Red Cross file statement by WEG Dods 876;
"I knew Serls, he had just been promoted Corporal. He was killed at Hill 40 by a shell, I attended his funeral there which was conducted by a padre. He was found lying dead next to Mc Cann...."
Mentioned in The Drill of the Foot-Hills 1917 Feb-Mar edition, but on detail.
Notes
Buried in TYNE COT CEMETERY, BELGIUM - Plot XLI; Row B, Grave 20 . located 9 Kms north-east of Ieper (Ypres) town centre, on the Tynecotstraat, a road leading from the Zonnebeekseweg.
References
- ↑ "CALL TO ARMS". The Daily News. XXXV, (12,841). Western Australia. 5 April 1916. p. 6 (THIRD EDITION). Retrieved 25 July 2017 – via National Library of Australia.