The AIF Project

Stanley Sydney SAWERS

Regimental number4589
Place of birthSouth Melbourne, Victoria
SchoolPakenham East State School, Victoria
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationLabourer
Address6 Wilkinson Street, West Brunswick, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation23
Height5' 6"
Weight133 lbs
Next of kinFather, Mr H T Sawers, Pakenham South, Victoria
Previous military serviceMember, Emerald Rifle Club.
Enlistment date1 November 1915
Place of enlistmentMelbourne, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name5th Battalion, 14th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/22/3
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on 28 January 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll60th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Place of death or woundingFleurbaix, France
Age at death23
Age at death from cemetery records23
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 22), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
170
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Henry and Emma SAWERS, 195 Munro Street, Coburg, Victoria. Native of South Victoria
Family/military connectionsTwo cousins both killed in action at France, one other cousin received Military Medal.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked Melbourne, 28 January 1916; disembarked Suez, 28 February 1916.

Proceeded to join 57th Bn, 26 March 1916; taken on strength, Ferry Post, 1 April 1916.

Transferred to 60th Bn, 3 April 1916, and taken on strength same day, Ferry Post.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Reported Missing, 19 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 4 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'.

Note, Red Cross File No 2420305: 'No trace Germany[.] Cert. by Capt. Mills 10-10-19.'

Statement, 4598 Pte L. SUMMERS, 60th Bn (patient, 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, England), 15 December 1916: 'Witness states that on July 19th about 7 p.m. he saw Sawers being hanging over parapet dead. Witness had been wounded and was being carried down the trench. Saw Sawers and stopped, seized his hand and squeezed it, there was no response, it was icy cold. Witness is certain he was dead. Knew him very well, he was witness's mate.'

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, SAWERS Stanley Sydney
Red Cross File No 2420305
Red Cross File No 2420402

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