Percy Goodall
From Our Contribution
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| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | c1874 |
| Place of Birth | Cape Town, South Africa |
| Death | 18 May 1965, aged 91 |
| Place of Death | Hollywood Repat Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia |
| Age at Enlistment | 40 years, 6 months |
| Description |
5'8¼" (1.73m) tall ; 138lbs 62.596 kg ; fair complexion ; grey and blue eyes ; fair hair ; tattoos to both forearms |
| Occupation | Plasterer |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Lacey street, East Cannington, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Wife , Mrs Ellen Goodall |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 945 |
| Date of Enlistment | 28 Jun 1915 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit/Formation | 32nd Battalion, D Company |
| Date of Embarkation | 18 Nov 1915 ‒ 18 Dec 1915 |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A2 Geelong |
| Date of Return | 13 Feb 1917 ‒ 12 Apr 1917 |
| Ship Returned On | HMAT A38 Ulysses |
| Fate |
Wounded in action 20 Jul 1916 Fromelles Returned to Australia |
| Monument | Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll |
| Medals |
1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal |
Pre War
Percy was born in South Africa to Thomas Goodall and his wife Ada. The family had returned to England prior to 1901 when Percy married Ellen Matilda Bolingbroke. They had two daughters. Lilly Elizabeth (b. 1904) and Violet Maud (b. 1905). At that time Percy was working as a plasterer. Electoral Roll entry: 1910 Lacey street, East Cannington, letter carrier.
War Service
Entered camp on 28 Jun 1915 and initially allocated to the 3rd reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion, but on 16 Aug 1915 Percy was reallocated to the newly formed 32nd Battalion's 'C' Company as a Bugler. In late September 1915 the Western Australian Companies 'C' and 'D' travelled to Mitcham in South Australia. Australian training completed, the battalion boarded HMAT A2 Geelong on 18 November in Port Adelaide for Port Tewfik (Suez) in Egypt where they arrived at 5:00am on 14 Dec 1915. However, disembarkation did not occur until 7:30am on the 18th when they entrained for Moascar Camp. As part of the 8th Brigade, they entrained in Moascar for Alexandria at 8:00pm on 16 Jun 1916 and arrived there at 3:00am on the 17th. Two hours later they embarked aboard the HMT Transylvania in Alexandria for Marseilles, and arrived there on 23 Jun 1916, disembarking at 9:00am before entraining at 2:00pm for Hazebrouck (northern France) in cattle railway wagons. They arrived at Steenbecque station at 10:00pm on 25 Jun 1916 and marched to a camp at Morbecque.
On 20 Jun 1916 the 32nd Battalion, as part of the 5th Australian Division was involved in what became known as the Battle for Fromelles in which the Australians suffered very heavy casualties. The 32nd Battalion's casualties alone numbered 71 Killed, 375 Wounded, and 219 men missing in action. Percy was one of many injured, in his case, with "Shell Shock".
Seen initially by the [[[8th Field Ambulance]] on 21 Jul 1916, he was sent back to the 1st Canadian Casualty Clearing Station who placed him aboard Ambulance Train No.18 the next day (22 Jul 1916). In Wimereux Percy was admitted to Lady Hadfield's Anglo-American (5th British Red Cross) Hospital on 22 Jul 1916 before being sent to Boulogne to board HS Jan Breydel for England.
In England Percy was admitted to the Ontario Military Hospital at Orpington in Kent for treatment on 28 Jul 1916. Released to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital on 10 Oct 1916, he was discharged on 23 Oct 1916 to No. 2 Command Depot in Weymouth to prepare for return to Australia. On 13 Feb 1917 Percy embarked on HMAT A38 Ulysses for Fremantle which was reached on 12 Apr 1917. Percy was discharged by the 5th Military District on 4 Jul 1917.
Post War
Percy and his wife travelled to England in 1931 and stayed at 119 Pickford Lane, Bexley Heath, Kent and returned on the “S.S. Bendigo” from London on 8 Jul 1932, arriving in Fremantle on 9 Aug 1932.
Electoral Roll entries: 1921 - 1931 Lacey street, East Cannington, letter carrier; 1936 - 1963 at 51 Henry street, East Cannington, plasterer
Notes
For further information on this soldier, or for more information about the history and heritage of the City of Gosnells, please contact the Heritage Coordinator on 9391 6011