Ernest Wright Holroyd

Ernest Wright Holroyd

Courtesy Pickering Brook Heritage Group
Personal Information
Date of Birth	4 Oct 1893
Place of Birth	Greetland near Halifax, Yorkshire, England
Death	8 Jun 1980, 86 years old "8 Jun 1980, 86 years old" contains more than three components required for a date interpretation.
Place of Death	Pickering Brook, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	21 years, 3 months
Description	5'6" (1.m) tall ; 126lbs 57.153 kg ; fresh complexion ; blue eyes ; light brown hair
Occupation	Sleeper hewer
Religion	Methodist
Address	Greetland House, Gosnells, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr James Edward Holyroyd
Military Information
Reg Number	1819
Date of Enlistment	19 Jan 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	16th Battalion, 4th Reinforcement
Date of Embarkation	19 Apr 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A8 Argyllshire
Date of Return	31 Oct 1915 ‒ 26 Nov 1915 (Melbourne)
Fate	Returned to Australia (Medical)
Monument	Gosnells Primary School Honour Roll
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

In 1901 the Holroyd family were living in Greetland, Yorkshire. When he was 6 years old, his twin brother drowned. When 17 years old, Ernest arrived in Fremantle aboard the SS Belgic on 23 Nov 1912, with his brother George (13) and sister Annie (20). They lived in Gosnells with relatives, before Ernest started work in Donnybrook.

War Service

On entering camp, Ernest was allocated to the 4th reinforcement draft for the 16th Battalion. On 4 Jun 1915 he was taken on strength by the 16th Battalion on the Gallipoli Peninsular. However, by 15 Aug 1915 he was in need of medical attention and reported to the 16th Casualty Clearing Station with diarrhoea. The next day he was transferred to Mudros aboard HMT Scotian which was acting as a Hospital Ship, and then on to Alexandria.

On 25 Aug 1915 he had arrived back in Egypt and was admitted to the 1st Australian General Hospital before being transferred the same day to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital. On 6 Sep 1915 he was transferred to the 1st Auxiliary Convalescent Depot in Helouan and on 8 Oct 195 to the Convalescent Camp at Suez. Ernest was sent back to Australia for 12 months after a medical board.

On 6 Mar 1916 Ernest was discharged as Permanently Unfit for duty due to a strained back, debility and deafness.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries : 1924 - 1968 Pickering Brook road, Pickering Brook, labourer. Ernest worked for the State Electricity Commission from 1920 - 1921 and while doing so lost his left index finger.Ernest and George purchased land in Pickering Brook under the "Returned Soldier Settlement Scheme" in 1924. Their house is now heritage listed on the Kalamunda heritage Inventory. The brothers never married and lived at the house with colleagues from the Boya Quarry who had nowhere else to live.