Regimental number | 426 |
Place of birth | Rosewater, South Australia |
School | Marist Brothers Roman Catholic School, South Australia |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Occupation | Farm hand |
Address | McGregor Terrace, Rosewater, South Australia |
Marital status | Single |
Age at embarkation | 18 |
Next of kin | Mother, Mrs M Shiels, McGregor Terrace, Rosewater, South Australia |
Previous military service | Participated in Compulsory Military Training. |
Enlistment date | |
Rank on enlistment | Bugler |
Unit name | 32nd Battalion, B Company |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/49/1 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong on |
The 32nd Bn (Headquarters, Signallers, A, B, C, and D Companies) embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on two ships, HMAT A2 'Geelong', on 18 November 1915, and HMAT A13 'Katuna', on 24 November 1915. The Embarkation Roll does not distinguish between these ships, and it is therefore not possible from the Embarkation Roll to ascertain on which ship an individual embarked. | |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from |
The 32nd Bn (Headquarters, Signallers, A, B, C, and D Companies) embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on two ships, HMAT A2 'Geelong', on 18 November 1915, and HMAT A13 'Katuna', on 24 November 1915. The Embarkation Roll does not distinguish between these ships, and it is therefore not possible from the Embarkation Roll to ascertain on which ship an individual embarked. | |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 5th Machine Gun Battalion |
Other details from Roll of Honour Circular | Served with the 32nd Battalion for two years before transferring to the 5th Machine Gun Battalion. He was gassed at Villers-Bretonneux, France and died at Rouen on 29 April 1918. |
Fate | Died of wounds |
Place of death or wounding | Rouen, France |
Age at death | 20 |
Age at death from cemetery records | 20 |
Place of burial | St. Sever Cemetery Extension (Block P, Plot XI, Row J, Grave No. 6B), Rouen, France |
Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 177 |
Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Charles and Margaret SHIELS, McGregor Terrace, Rosewater, South Australia. Commemorated in Cheltenham Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia. |
Medals |
Military Medal Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 95 Date: |
Family/military connections | Brother: 614 Pte Richard SHIELS, 32nd Bn, returned to Australia, 8 May 1919. |
Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Medals: Military Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |