Ernest Henry Chisholm

Ernest Henry Chisholm

Personal Information
Date of Birth	7 Nov 1889
Place of Birth	Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Death	15 Apr 1966
Place of Death	Armadale, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	25 years, 3 months
Description	5'4½" (1.64m) tall ; 140 lbs 63.503 kg ; fresh complexion ; brown eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Sawyer
Religion	Methodist
Address	No 1 Mill, Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs Charlotte Chisholm
Military Information
Reg Number	4997
Date of Enlistment	20 Mar 1916
Rank	Lance Corporal
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, 13th Reinforcement, allocated to C Company / 7th Brigade, 2nd Division
Date of Embarkation	18 Jul 1916 ‒ 9 Sep 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A48 Seang Bee
Date of Return	17 Jun 1918 ‒ 8 Aug 1918
Ship Returned On	HMT Matatua
Fate	Wounded in Action 3 May 1917 2nd Bullecourt Wounded in Action 20 Sep 1917 Menin Road Returned to Australia
Monument	Jarrahdale Honour Roll ANZAC Memorial Park (Byford)
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries - 1912 - 1916 at No 6 Mill, Jarrahdale, a mill hand.

War Service

Within a fortnight of entering Blackboy Hill camp, Ernest was allocated to the 13th reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion. He travelled with them to England, and on arrival was posted to the 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone

On 2 Nov 1916 Ernest proceeded overseas aboard HMT Victoria or SS Princess Henriette from Folkestone in England. Both ships are recorded in his individual records as carrying him to France, on the same day. Five days later was taken on strength of the 28th Battalion who at that time were coming out of the line near Montaubane, France.

In December he spent a week in care of the 6th Australian Field Ambulance, but otherwise remained out of trouble until 3 May 1917 when he was Wounded in Action. The actions involving the battalion during the day were primarily a series of bombing fights with the Germans, so the wound received may have been fragmentation from a hand grenade rather than from a shell. Treated by the 5th Australian Field Ambulance, and 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station he was put aboard a Hospital Train for the 14th General Hospital in Boulogne. On 6 May 1917 he was transferred to No.1 Convalescent Depot and on 21 Jul 1917 sent to a rest camp. The wound was not severe enough to cause evacuation to England. Ernest was back with his battalion on 25 Jun 1917.

Appointed Lance Corporal on 3 Aug 1917, Ernest was wounded again on 20 Sep 1917. On this occasion, the 28th Battalion suffered fairly heavy casualties in the Battle called Menin Road, with 66 killed, 190 wounded and 36 unaccounted for. Ernest suffered a shell wound to his left arm and head leading to him being sent home. Treated initially by the 6th Australian Field Ambulance and the 10th Casualty Clearing Station on 20 Sep 1917, he was then treated by the St Johns Ambulance in Étaples for a week before being placed aboard the HS Stad Antwerpen for England on 28 Sep 1917. On arrival he was admitted to the Saffron Walden VAD Hospital in Colchester, Essex. He remained there until he was transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Harefield on 23 Feb 1918.

Granted furlough from 9 Mar to 23 Mar 1918, he was then set to No.2 Command Depot Weymouth and sent home as unfit to participate any further. Discharged 5th Military District 15 Nov 1918.

Post War

In 1920 Ernest married Lena Orton at Jarrahdale. Electoral Roll entries - 1922 - 1931 with Lena at Jarrahdale, mill hand; 1936 - 1943 Lena gives address as Armadale, while Ernest is c/- Curtis & Co., Bedfordale. In 1949 Ernest's address changes to William street, Armadale. From letter in his file we know that In Oct 1944 & in 1960 he was living in William street, Armadale.

During WW2 Ernest enlisted at Armadale in the VDC as a Private on 28 Jul 1942 with Reg No. W85041. He served in the 12th (Jarrah) Battalion VDC, with his discharge date unknown.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Memorial