The AIF Project

Percy Colston CAINES

Regimental number4748
Place of birthMelbourne, Victoria
SchoolState School, Northcote, Victoria
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationShip's fireman
AddressJasper Road, Brighton North, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation21
Height5' 8"
Weight140 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs M O J Caines, Jasper Road, Brighton North, Victoria
Previous military serviceServed in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve, Citizen Military Forces; joined in 1911 at the age of 14.
Enlistment date8 November 1915
Place of enlistmentMelbourne, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name8th Battalion, 15th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/25/5
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A18 Wiltshire on 7 March 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll59th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Place of death or woundingFleurbaix, France
Age at death22
Age at death from cemetery records22
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 16), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
167
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: John and Jane CAINES, 1 Rutland Street, Clifton Hill, Victoria. Native of Melbourne
Family/military connectionsCousins: 1427 Pte Arthur SOUTH, 6th Bn, killed in action, 7 August 1915; 3932 Pte Frank Joseph John SOUTH, 59th Bn, killed in action, 19 July 1916.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Transferred to 59th Bn, 19 April 1916; taken on strength, 59th Bn, Duntroon Plateau, 20 April 1916.

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

Reported missing in action, 19 July 1916.

Fate subsequently changed to 'killed in action', 19 July 1916.

File (p. 4) bears notation: 'Presumed buried in No Man's Land approx at 5J90-43 to 5K 0.2.5.1 Sheet Hazebrouck 5A'.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous detailsMother's address subsequently (1924) Upper Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe, Victoria; Sister: Nurse Beatrice CAINES, Hospital for Insane, Kew, Melbourne (1916)
SourcesNAA: B2455, CAINES Percy Colston
Red Cross file

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