Regimental number | 4605 |
Place of birth | Neerim South, Victoria |
School | State School, Victoria |
Religion | Church of England |
Occupation | Labourer |
Address | Neerim South, Gippsland, Victoria |
Marital status | Single |
Age at embarkation | 26 |
Height | 5' 10.75" |
Weight | 186 lbs |
Next of kin | Mother, Mrs E Sawyer, Neerim South, Gippsland, Victoria |
Previous military service | Nil |
Enlistment date | |
Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
Rank on enlistment | Private |
Unit name | 7th Battalion, 14th Reinforcement |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/24/4 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 59th Battalion |
Fate | Killed in Action |
Place of death or wounding | Fleurbaix, France |
Age at death | 27 |
Age at death from cemetery records | 27 |
Place of burial | No known grave |
Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 17), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles, France |
Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 168 |
Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Isaac and Emma SAWYER, Neerim South, Victoria |
Family/military connections | Cousins: 4192 Pte Wilfred Thomas EMERY, 7th Bn, killed in action, 18 August 1916; 1733 Pte Hugh Robert STEPHENS, 59th Bn, returned to Australia, 19 June 1919; 1763 Sergeant Walter Edwin STEPHENS, 59th Bn, killed in action, 29 November 1917. |
Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Transferred to and taken on strength, 57th Bn, Ferry Post, 1 April 1916. Trasferred to 59th Bn, 3 April 1916. Sick to hospital, Hog's Back, 10 May 1916; rejoined unit same day (no further details recorded). Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916. Posted missing, 19 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 29 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'. Handwritten note on Form B103: 'Presume Buried In No Man's Land approx 5J90 43 to 5K02.5.1 Sheet Hazebrouck 5A'. Statement, Red Cross File No 2420308, 3131 Pte J. HENRY, A Company, 59th Bn 11 April 1917: He was "knocked" a few minutes after we went over the top at Fleurbaix on 19th. July. I saw him lying on the ground doubled up. He was rolling around as if shot in the stomach. I had to carry on and did not see him again.' Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal |
Sources | NAA: B2455, SAWYER Abraham Prosser
Red Cross File No 2420308 |