The AIF Project

Ernest George HARGREAVES

Regimental number3542
Place of birthChilwell, Victoria
ReligionMethodist
OccupationLabourer
AddressFriend, William Marcus Barker, Leopold PO via Geelong, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation28
Height5' 2.5"
Weight129 lbs
Next of kinBrother, B Hargreaves, 134 Upper Autumn Street, Geelong West, Victoria
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date12 August 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll5 August 1915
Place of enlistmentGeelong, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name22nd Battalion, 8th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/39/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A19 Afric on 5 January 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll58th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration details V.C. Corner (Panel No 14), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
165
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Taken on strength, 57th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 23 February 1916.

Transferred to 58th Bn, and taken on strength, Ferry Post, 15 March 1916.

Admitted to 4th Field Ambulance, 30 March 1916; transferred same day to No 1 Australian Stationary Hospital, Ismailia (sore feet); to 8th Field Ambulance, 31 March 1916; discharged to unit, 1 April 1916.

Admitted to 8th Field Ambulance, 27 April 1916 (not yet diagnosed); discharged to unit, 5 May 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Reported Missing in Action, 19 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 1 September 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916.'

Statement, Red Cross File No 1270314, 2829 Corporal J.J. PARNELL, 58th Bn, 15 January 1917: 'I was alongside Hargreaves when we went over the top on that date. That was the last I saw of him. A man called Kiddle [aka 2491 Pte M.W. KEDDELL] who has just gone up again to join the Bn, told me that he heard Hargreaves afterwards shouting for help in No mans (sic) land. Kiddle could not tell whether Hargreaves was shouting for help for himself or for another man, but as he himself was wounded he could not go to Hargreaves (sic) assistance. It was at this time that Maj. Hutchinson who had command of the first wave, decided to order a rush back to our trenches and was himself killed in the retreat.'

Second statement, 2491 Pte M.W. KEDDELL, B Company, 58th Bn (patient, Woodcote Park Hospital, England), 28 September 1916: 'In the Fleurbaix advance, Hargreves was lying wounded a few yards from informant (also wounded). Informant called out to Hargreaves, who replied. Later he heard him ask someone to bandage his wounds.'

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, HARGREAVES Ernest George
Red Cross file 1270314

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