The AIF Project

Ernest Charles WHITE

Regimental number3152
Place of birthStratford, London, England
SchoolHospital School, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationSeaman
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation34
Height5' 6"
Weight158 lbs
Next of kinFather, C. White, Row 41, 3 North Howard Street, Great Yarmouth, England
Previous military serviceServed for 10 years in the Royal Navy; saw service in the Boxer Rebellion and the Boer War.
Enlistment date18 July 1915
Place of enlistmentLiverpool, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name2nd Battalion, 10th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/19/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A69 Warilda on 8 October 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll54th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Age at death from cemetery records35
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 11), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
160
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Charles Henry and Ellen Jane WHITE
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Joined 2nd Bn and reverted to the rank of Private, Tel el Kebir, 5 February 1916.

Transferred to 54th Bn, 14 February 1916; joined 54th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 16 February 1916.

Transferred to Brigade Police, 23 February 1916.

Admitted to No 2 Australian Stationary Hospital, Tel el Kebir, 26 February 1916 (venereal disease); transferred to No 4 Hospital Train, 27 February 1916; to No 1 Australian Dermatological Hospital, Cairo, 27 February 1916, 27 February 1916; discharged, 18 March 1916; total number of days for treatment for venereal disease: 22.

Marched into Zeitoun Garrison Camp from Giza, 28 March 1916.

Embarked Alexandria with 54th Bn to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Posted missing, 19-20 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 4 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19-20 July 1916'.

Note, Red Cross File No 2920501: 'No trace Germany. Cert. by Capt. Mills. 10.10.16.'

Statement, 2221 Corpaol A.A. VALENTIN, B Company, 54th Bn (patient, Horton County of London War Hospital, Epsom, England), 24 August 1916: 'On 19th July 1916 near Fleurbaix at about 6 p.m. he saw Pte White hit, apparently badly as he saw blood streaming. It was in No Man's Land, between the trenches.'

Second statement, 3005 Corporal V.F. BACK, 53rd Bn (patient, 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, England), 23 August 1916: 'I saw him dead at Fleurbaix in German trenches - was right up against him for some time.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, WHITE Ernest Charles
Red Cross file 2920501

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