Daniel Adkins Lewis

Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown
Place of Birth	Borstal, Warwickshire, England
Death	29 May 1951 aged 69
Place of Death	Bassendean, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	34 years, 11 months
Description	5'8" (1.73m) tall; weight 147 lbs (66.7 kg); fresh complexion, brown eyes, dark brown hair
Occupation	farm hand
Religion	Church of England
Address	'Eden Park', Kelmscott, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife Mrs Ada Lewis
Military Information
Reg Number	275B
Date of Enlistment	26 Apr 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	51st Battalion, 6th Reinforcement, B Company / 13th Brigade, 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	13 Oct 1916 - 2 Dec 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A23 Suffolk
Date of Return	10 Dec 1918 - 2 Jan 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Somali
Fate	Wounded in Action 2 Apr 1917 at Noreuil Wounded in Action 12 Oct 917 at Passchendaele Wounded in Action 11 Aug 1918 at Etinehem Returned to Australia
Monument	Kelmscott
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

A week after entering camp, Daniel was allocated to the 6th reinforcement draft for the 51st Battalion. Following 5 months training he embarked for England, where after a month's further training he embarked on HMT Princess Victoria in Folkestone.

On arrival in France, joined 51st Battalion at Bazentin south of Pozieres on 22 Jan 1917. On 1 Apr 1917 Daniel's battalion moved from Vaux-Vracourt into position to attack Noreuil at 5.15am on the 2nd. During the attack Daniel is wounded badly with a GSW to his neck (severe). Treated by 4th Australian Field Ambulance, and 13th Stationary Hospital in Boulogne, he embarked on HMHS Princesse Elizabeth at Boulogne for England and is admitted to a military hospital in Brighton. Daniel rejoins the 51st Battalion on 14 Aug 1917 when it is in Belgium near Kemmel, north of Ploegsteert.

On 11 Oct 1917 they relieved the 49th Battalion in the line near Ypres, and during the day an area near Battalion HQ was very heavily shelled. Daniel received multiple shrapnel wounds to his knees, and again travelled to England on the HMHS Princesse Elizabeth to be admitted to Tankerton VAD just north of Canterbury.

Following convalescence at Longbridge Deverill, he returned to France on 19 Jun 1918, rejoining the 51st Battalion on 21 Jun 1918 at Daours just outside Amiens where it was rebuilding its strength and training.

On 11 Aug 1918 the battalion moved to the northern bank of the Somme near Chippilly and B Company was loaned to the 50th Battalion which was charged with capturing Etinehem. During this engagement Daniel was wounded a third time, this time receiving GSWs to his left elbow, left thigh, and shoulder, classed as severe. Initially treated by the 10th Australian Field Ambulance, and then the 55th Casualty Clearing Station, he arrived at the 11 Stationary Hospital in Rouen on 13 Aug 1918, before being sent to the 2nd Southern General Hospital in Bristol, and the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford for treatment and then on to Weymouth to recover his strength.

Casualty List 292 reports D.A. Lewis of Kelmscott WIA severely

Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1916 - 1917 with Ada at Eden Park, Kelmscott, a labourer; 1921 - 1931 Wallace street, Belmont, labourer; 1936 Walyurin, farm hand (south of Kulin); 1937 Boyerine (north of Katanning), labourer; 1949 Umbra street Wagin, pensioner. Ada died 24 Jan 1950 in Wagin.