| Regimental number | 2873 |
| Place of birth | Stockport, England |
| Age on arrival in Australia | 19 |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Railway employee |
| Address | Station Street, Mortdale, New South Wales |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 22 |
| Height | 5' 6.5" |
| Weight | 144 lbs |
| Next of kin | Brother, J Mayer, Station Street, Mortdale , New South Wales |
| Previous military service | Nil |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 3rd Battalion, 9th Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/20/2 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A8 Argyllshire on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 55th Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Fleurbaix, France (Battle of Fromelles) |
| Age at death | 23 |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 23 |
| Place of burial | Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery (Plot IV, Row B, Grave No 5), France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 161 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: William Henry and Elilzabeth Alice MAYER. Native of Stockport, England |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Taken on strength of 3rd Bn, Tel el Kebir, 21 January 1916. Transferred to 55th Bn, 13 February 1916; taken on strength of 55th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 13 February 1916. Found guilty, 18 April 1916, of hesitating to obey an order: awarded 3 days' Field Punishment No 2. Found guilty, 11 May 1916, of conduct to prejudice of good order and military discipline: awarded 6 days' Field Punishment No 2. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916. Killed in action, 20 July 1916. Note, Red Cross File No 1750207: 'No trace Germany[.] Cert. by Capt. Mills 10.10.19.' Statement, 3037 Pte J. DOUGLAS, C Company, 55th Bn, 9 November 1916: 'He belonged to the M.G.S. and was killed at Fleurbaix on July 20 in the German trench. His body had to be left there. We held the trench for the night, and he was killed sometime during the night.' Second statement, 4799 Pte D. DUIGNON, 55th Bn (patient, 1st Southern General Hospital, Dudley Road Section, Birmingham, England), 24 November 1916: I know that Mayer was killed - he was shot through the head - I saw his dead body.' Third statement, 3911 Sergeant T. ROBERTS, 55th Bn (patient, No 4 Australian General Hospital, Randwick), 5 December 1917: 'He was in a Lewis Gun Section at Fromelles and was holding the trench, (sic) we had taken from Fritz. At daybreak on the 20th July 1916 a sniper shot him in the head killing him instantly.' Fourth statement, Lt C.T. AGASSIZ, Machine Gun Officer, 55th Bn, 8 January 1917: 'Pte Mayer was killed when firing a Machine Gun over my shoulder. It was in the German third line at midnight on 19th July. He was killed instantaneously, and could not have suffered any pain. I have not heard that any of the bodies were buried ... I handed in his pay book and identity disc at Battn. Headquarters.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal Originally listed as 'No Known Grave' and commemorated at V.C. Corner (Panel No 13), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles; subsequently (2010) identified, and interred in the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery, France. |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, MAYER Henry
Red Cross File No 1750207 |
Postal Address:
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Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
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Campbell, ACT 2600
