FAMILY LIFE

Henry Theodore Bruce was born on the 22^nd April, 1890 in Murwillumbah, son of Edward Henry Bruce & Mary Elizabeth (Whitbread) Bruce. He had 9 siblings- 4 brothers & 5 sisters.  His father is listed on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district and is buried in Murwillumbah Old Cemetery as are 2 of his sisters.

ATTESTATION

Henry went to the enlistment office in Murwillumbah on 25^th August 1914 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was born in Murwillumbah, was, 24 years and 4 months old and a single man. He gave his occupation as cattle inspector. His next of kin was his mother, Mary Elizabeth, of Murwillumbah and he was presently serving with the 4^th Light Horse and had been with them for the last 4 years

He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia

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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER

On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following

“The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him

OATH

He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Henry Theodore Bruce, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law

SO, HELP ME, GOD.” 

MEDICAL EXAMINATION

His medical showed he was 5ft 11 ¾ inches tall (1.81m), weighed 10 stone 9 lbs (68kgs), with a fair complexion, light blue eyes & brown hair.  His eyesight was good. Henry was Church of England and had a scar on his inner side right

CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER

I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -

Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.

He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description

CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER

This is completed during the recruits training. This was done at Enoggera on 25^th August 1914. The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him to 2^nd Light Horse Regiment with service No 453

TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA

As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. At this early time in the war, there was no special camps for Light Horsemen.

The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together

Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the men received their vaccinations for smallpox, rabies & plague, then a recruit had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave

Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.

This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line.

Australians were given a range of inoculations while in camp. The most important jab was to protect against smallpox and typhoid – indeed, having this was an essential precondition of enlisting.

The recruits were issued with their uniform- service dress jacket was made of Australian wool and its loose fit gave the wearer more allowance for movement. The four large pockets were very useful. A unique feature designed for comfort was the pleated back, which provided a double thickness of cloth down the back that the pack rubbed against. Breeches were corduroy worn with wool wrap puttees. The famous khaki felt slouch hat or early service cap is probably the most distinctive part of the uniform. turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge. A soldier’s equipment also included a dixie (mess tin), water bottle, mug, .303 Lee-Enfield rifle and bayonet.

SOLDIER’S KIT

Australia's World War I soldiers went to war weighed down by almost 30 kilograms of clothes, weapons, tools and kit.

·      Breeches: made from khaki woollen cord fabric, with side pockets and button flies. Soldiers were issued with two pairs of breeches, plus a pair of dungarees. The breeches ended above the ankles and the gap was filled with puttees.

·      Braces: worn with breeches.

·      Puttees: The men wound these strips of woollen cloth, almost three metres long, upwards from the ankle to just below the knee. Soldiers disliked the puttees, probably with good reason: the tight binding restricted circulation and might even have contributed to the high incidence of trench foot. Mounted troops wore leather leggings.

·      Shirt: Soldiers were given two grey, collarless, flannel shirt, plus a military shirt.

·      Ankle boots: brown and lace-up.

·      Socks: Made from wool or cotton. Soldiers were issued with three pairs.

·      Greatcoat: the khaki woollen coat (which weighed about 3kg) often doubled as a soldier's bedding and was his chief protection against the cold and wet. The coat came into its own when snow hit Gallipoli in November 1915 and also on the Western Front.

·      Jersey

·      Singlets: Soldiers were issued with 2 woollen singlets.

·      Cotton "drawers" (underpants): Soldiers were issued with two pairs.

·      Abdominal belts: a sort of cummerbund that was issued to keep soldiers warm and supposedly ward off disease.

·      Backpacks and webbing: The main backpack was a rectangular sack measuring about 15 inches x 13 inches, closed at the top by a folding cover secured by two straps. The webbing included a web belt, cartridge pouches, small haversack, bayonet frog, an entrenching tool holder (plus another holder for its handle), and a water-bottle holder.

·      Identity disc: Soldiers were initially issued with one medal "dog tag" on a cord, but later in the war they were given two tags, made of compressed fibre.

·      Soldiers were also issued with a "housewife" - a sewing kit containing such items as needles, thimble, thread, wool and button so they could carry out running repairs.

·      Also in their kit were a short-magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, a rifle sling, a bayonet and scabbard, and an "entrenching tool" (they were "diggers" after all). This came in two parts, with the helve (handle) separate from the spade part.

·      Soldiers were issued with eating equipment (knife, fork, spoon, an enamel mug, water bottle (with two-point capacity), and a mess tin with carrier.

·      They also had a clasp knife (with marlin spike, tin-opener and lanyard), razor, shaving kit, soap, comb, two towels, field dressing (carried in the tunic's inside pocket), and a hold-all, in which they could pack their private possessions.

·      No item was probably looked after more carefully than their service pay book: privates were paid six shillings a week.

LIGHT HORSEMEN TRAINING

For the Light Horsemen, horsemanship was essential. Many recruits already came from rural backgrounds and were experienced riders, but the army still needed to train them to work together as mounted troops. They practised:

·      mounted drill and manoeuvres

·      riding in formation

·      caring for horses in military conditions

·      rapid mounting and dismounting

·      scouting and reconnaissance work

·      fighting on foot after leaving the horses behind with designated horse-holders

The Australian Light Horse was technically mounted infantry rather than cavalry. The men rode horses for mobility but usually fought dismounted with rifles. The men only had one month of training due to the urgent need for reinforcements

VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM BRISBANE TO EGYPT

On the 24^th September 1915, the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Star of England.  Alongside his comrades, Henry marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.

The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. On the voyage, due to overcrowding, training was limited to mainly to lectures and a little physical training.

SAILING WITH HORSES

When Henry stepped aboard the Star of England he was not only beginning his own long journey to war but also taking responsibility for a living companion — his horse. Unlike the infantrymen who embarked with little more than their rifles and kit, the Light Horsemen spent much of the voyage tending to the animals that would carry them through future battles.

Below decks, the Star of England had been fitted with rows of stalls. Each morning at first light, Henry and his comrades made their way down into the cramped, airless hold to feed, water, and clean up after their horses. The heat, smell, and flies could be overpowering, but the routine was strict and unrelenting: feed measured out carefully, water rationed, and the heavy work of mucking out stalls done daily to keep the animals healthy. When weather allowed, the horses were brought on deck to stretch their legs, led slowly around the ship, or lifted in slings to keep their muscles supple.

The rest of the day was divided between horse duty, parades, and training. On deck, the men drilled with their rifles, practised bayonet work, and kept up their physical fitness. The ship was crowded, hammocks and bunks jammed together, and meals were plain—bully beef, hard biscuits, and tea—but the men kept themselves occupied with cards, writing letters, or impromptu concerts. Seasickness was common, especially in the early days, and many struggled with the reek of horseflesh combined with the rolling sea.

There were lighter moments, too. The men organised boxing matches and games, and the bond between soldier and horse grew stronger each day. Alexander, like many of his regiment, came from country life and was used to handling horses; brushing down his mount or leading it carefully around the deck gave him a small sense of normality amid the voyage’s monotony.

The journey was not without loss. Some horses sickened and died despite the best efforts of their handlers and veterinary officers. Their bodies were solemnly hoisted up from the holds and buried at sea, a sight that reminded the men of the fragility of both beast and soldier in the campaign ahead.

CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY

The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

SIGHTS AT SEA

On the way to Egypt the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.

SECURITY

By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes.

APPROACHING EGYPT

After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the sandy training grounds of Egypt, preparing for what lay ahead. The convoy reached Egypt in early December

MENA TRAINING CAMP

Once in Egypt, Henry and the regiment established camp at Mena, near the pyramids of Giza. Conditions were hot, sandy, and basic, but the men trained hard to prepare for active service. The aim was to take raw recruits — many with riding experience but no military discipline — and turn them into a cohesive, well-drilled regiment capable of modern warfare

Training was rigorous and structured, typically running from early morning until mid-afternoon:

·      Early morning parade (usually at 5:30 or 6:00 a.m.)

·      Mounted and dismounted drill

·      Rifle practice, both on the range and with mock trench scenarios

·      Bayonet training

·      Physical drills and route marches

·      Field engineering: digging trenches, constructing wire entanglements

·      Scouting and signalling

·      Horse care (equitation, grooming, watering, feeding)

A major focus for Light Horse regiments like Stanley’s was developing:

·      High levels of horsemanship

·      Control under fire

·      Coordinated movement across open terrain

They also practised dismounting under fire, since Light Horse troops often fought on foot, using their horses only for rapid movement.

The climate was dry, hot in the day and cold at night — a shock to many men used to coastal Australian conditions.  The camp was dusty, with fine sand getting into everything — food, clothes, rifles. Flies and insects were everywhere. Water was rationed and sanitation was poor in the early months, leading to dysentery and other illnesses. Horses had to be watered and fed in difficult conditions, and suffered in the heat.

Most soldiers lived in bell tents, six to eight men per tent. There were few comforts — rough bedding, shared latrines, and meals of bully

Despite this, there was also some freedom and morale-boosting opportunities.  Cairo was only a short tram ride away, and soldiers often visited on leave to see the markets, pyramids, and the famed nightlife. There were YMCA tents offering books, games, and writing materials. The men shared a strong sense of camaraderie, having all come from similar rural or regional backgrounds

GALLIPOLI

Although they had enlisted as mounted troops, events soon overtook them. When the Gallipoli campaign began in April 1915 there was little room on the peninsula for horses, so the Light Horse regiments were ordered to serve as infantry. The men reluctantly left their horses behind in Egypt and prepared for a very different kind of warfare.

On 9 May 1915 Henry proceeded from Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force at Gallipoli. The troopships carrying reinforcements usually took several days to reach the peninsula, so he likely landed at Gallipoli around 12 or 13 May 1915. The contrast from Egypt could not have been greater. Instead of open desert camps and mounted exercises, Henry found himself climbing steep gullies under shellfire and sniper fire. The 2nd Light Horse Regiment was heavily involved in the grim fighting around Quinn’s Post and the tangled trench systems above Anzac Cove. Conditions were dreadful — flies, heat, lack of water and constant danger wore the men down physically and mentally.

HOSPITALISATION JUNE 1915

By June Henry’s health had evidently suffered. On 19 June 1915 he was evacuated aboard the hospital ship Grampian (the entry appears to read “Grantully Castle” but was commonly one of the hospital transports operating from Gallipoli) and disembarked at Alexandria. Sick and wounded men evacuated from Gallipoli were commonly sent first through Alexandria before transfer to hospitals around Cairo and Heliopolis.

On 7 July 1915 Henry was admitted to the 1st Australian General Hospital at Heliopolis. The great hospital complex there treated thousands of Gallipoli casualties suffering from wounds, dysentery, enteric illnesses and exhaustion. Heliopolis, originally a luxury suburb outside Cairo, had been transformed into a sprawling military hospital centre. Henry would have spent weeks recovering among streams of wounded Australians arriving daily from the peninsula.

ZEITOUN CAMP AUGUST 1915

Once fit enough for duty he was sent to the 2nd Light Horse details camp at Zeitoun, another major Australian camp area near Cairo. On 21 August he returned to duty and prepared to rejoin the regiment at Gallipoli. Reinforcement camps such as Zeitoun were busy places where recovered men re-equipped, undertook refresher training and waited for transport north to the front.

GALLIPOLI EVACUATION DECEMBER 1915

Henry eventually rejoined the 2nd Light Horse Regiment on Gallipoli during the latter part of the campaign. By then the Allied position had become increasingly hopeless. Winter brought bitter cold, flooding trenches and mounting sickness. Finally, in December 1915, the evacuation of Gallipoli was carried out. On 26 December Henry disembarked at Alexandria from the transport Ionian after leaving the peninsula with the regiment. The evacuation, remarkably successful and almost without casualties, ended eight exhausting months of fighting.

HOSPITALISED JANUARY 1916

After Gallipoli the Light Horse regrouped in Egypt. On 14 January 1916 Henry moved with the regiment to the front at Wardan, one of the camps established to defend Egypt against possible Turkish attacks across the Sinai Desert. However, only a day later, on 15 January, he was admitted to the 1st Auxiliary Hospital at Heliopolis, suggesting another bout of illness, something extremely common after the hardships of Gallipoli.

REJOINED UNIT- SINAI & PALESTINE JANUARY 1916

Henry recovered reasonably quickly and was discharged from hospital on 27 January 1916. Two days later, on 29 January, he proceeded to rejoin his unit at Ghezireh, near Cairo, where Australian mounted units were reorganising and rebuilding after the Gallipoli campaign. On 1 March he was officially taken on strength once more with the regiment, returning fully to duty as the Light Horse prepared for a completely new phase of the war — the long desert campaigns across Sinai and into Palestine

TAKEN ON STRENGTH 1^ST LIGHT HORSE MARCH 1916

On 1 March 1916 Henry was taken on strength with the 1st Light Horse Regiment at Heliopolis. Transfers between regiments were common during this period as units absorbed reinforcements, redistributed experienced men and rebuilt their strength after the terrible casualties and sickness of Gallipoli. Heliopolis and the surrounding camps near Cairo were alive with military activity. Men drilled endlessly in desert conditions, cared for horses newly returned to mounted service, and learned the tactics required for mobile warfare across the Sinai sands.

The Light Horse had now regained its horses and once again became a true mounted force. Henry would have spent long days riding patrols, practising reconnaissance work and improving the regiment’s efficiency in desert operations. The Australian mounted troops were rapidly developing into highly skilled desert soldiers, capable of travelling vast distances under extreme conditions.

REJOINED 2^ND LIGHT APRIL 1916

On 29 April 1916 Henry transferred back to the 2nd Light Horse Regiment at Heliopolis. Returning to his original regiment would have reunited him with many men he had known since enlistment in Brisbane in 1914 and through the hardships of Gallipoli. By this stage the 2nd Light Horse Regiment formed part of the ANZAC Mounted Division, charged with protecting Egypt from Turkish incursions across the Sinai Peninsula.

APPOINTED TRANSPORT SERGEANT JULY 1916

As the months passed, Henry’s reliability and experience clearly became recognised by his superiors. On 24 July 1916 he was appointed Transport Sergeant in place of Sergeant A. Furness, who had become sick. This was an important responsibility within a mounted regiment. The Transport Sergeant supervised the movement of supplies, rations, ammunition, horse fodder and equipment — the lifeblood of any force operating in the desert. In Sinai warfare, supply arrangements were often the difference between success and disaster. Water in particular was critical, and every movement had to be carefully organised around wells and supply dumps.

Henry’s appointment showed that he was regarded as dependable and capable under difficult conditions. The transport sections worked constantly in heat, dust and flies, moving supplies across rough desert tracks while ensuring the regiment remained operational far from established bases.

APPOINTED SQUADRON QUARTERMASTER SEPTEMBER 1916

Only two months later, on 24 September 1916, Henry received another significant promotion when he was appointed Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant, replacing SQMS Graham, who had received a commission. This appointment occurred around the time of the fighting at Romani in the Sinai Desert, one of the first major victories won by the Australian mounted troops against the Turkish advance toward the Suez Canal.

As Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant, Henry occupied one of the key senior non-commissioned positions within the squadron. He became responsible for stores, rations, equipment, clothing, ammunition and the smooth administrative functioning of the squadron. Such work demanded organisation, leadership and calmness under pressure. While the fighting men rode into action, the quartermaster staff ensured they had food, water, ammunition and functioning equipment waiting for them afterward.

THE BATTLE ROMANI AUGUST 1916

The Battle of Romani, fought in August 1916, had proven the value of the Light Horse in desert warfare. The mounted troops endured exhausting patrols and rapid movements through deep sand and intense heat while helping drive the Turkish forces back across Sinai. In the months after Romani, the Australian Light Horse began the long advance eastward across the desert toward Palestine, constructing railways, pipelines and supply depots as they went. Henry, in his transport and quartermaster roles, would have been deeply involved in the immense logistical effort that allowed the mounted divisions to survive and fight in one of the harshest environments of the war.

LATE 1917 EARLY 198

By late 1917 and into 1918 Henry had already spent several hard years serving in the desert campaigns with the Light Horse. The constant strain of mounted warfare in Sinai and Palestine — heat, dust, poor water, long patrols and recurring sickness — gradually wore many men down physically, even if they escaped battle wounds.

TAKEN ON STRENGTH Ist LIGHT HORSE TRAINING REGIMENT, MOASCAR

SEPTEMBER 1917

On 15 September 1917 Henry was taken on strength with the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment at Moascar. These training regiments in Egypt were responsible for preparing reinforcements and keeping mounted units supplied with trained men and horses. Moascar, near Ismailia on the Suez Canal, had become a huge military camp complex supporting the mounted forces operating in Palestine.

Only days earlier, on 13 September, he had gone to the cadre of the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment at Marakeb, suggesting he had been temporarily attached there for instructional or organisational duties before formally joining the training regiment. His experience from Gallipoli, Sinai and Palestine would have made him valuable in training younger reinforcements arriving from Australia.

1^st LIGHT HORSE TRAINING REST CAMP PORT SAID OCTOBER 1917

On 27 October 1917 Henry proceeded to the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment Rest Camp at Port Said. Rest camps were intended to give exhausted soldiers a period away from front-line duty. Port Said, at the northern entrance to the Suez Canal, was a bustling wartime port filled with troops, ships and hospitals. Men there often underwent medical observation while recovering from illness or fatigue.

HOSPITALISED APRIL 1918 PYREXIA

The records then show Henry becoming unwell during 1918. On 27 April 1918 he was admitted sick to the 14th Australian General Hospital suffering from pyrexia. “Pyrexia” was a general medical term meaning fever. In military records it was often used when a soldier had a significant fever but doctors had not yet identified the precise illness. In the Middle East this could be caused by a range of conditions including malaria, influenza, sandfly fever, dysentery or infections brought on by exhaustion and poor living conditions.

The symptoms usually included high temperature, weakness, headaches, body pain, dehydration and extreme fatigue. Treatment at the time focused mainly on rest, isolation if infection was suspected, fluids, careful nursing and attempts to reduce the fever. Doctors might administer quinine if malaria was suspected, along with basic medicines available during the war. Recovery could take weeks, especially in weakened soldiers who had endured years of active service.

DIAGNOSED DISORDERED ACTION OF THE HEART JUNE 1918

Henry was admitted at Pyrexia on 27 April 1918 and on 6 May was transferred to a Rest Camp. This indicates the fever had eased sufficiently for him to leave hospital, though he was still not considered fit for full duty. On 11 May he rejoined from the 14th Australian General Hospital.

Unfortunately, his health troubles were not over. On 9 June 1918 a Medical Board examined Henry and diagnosed him with D.A.H. and anaemia, classifying him as “Class A.” D.A.H. stood for “Disordered Action of the Heart,” a condition very commonly diagnosed during the First World War. Today it is often associated with exhaustion, stress, overstrain and what would now partly fall under cardiac fatigue or even psychological trauma. Symptoms included breathlessness, chest pain, rapid heartbeat, dizziness and weakness, especially after exertion. For mounted troops operating in desert heat, such conditions were common after prolonged active service.

Anaemia further weakened him, leaving him pale, fatigued and lacking stamina. Despite being placed in “Class A” initially, meaning fit for some form of service, his condition continued to deteriorate.

On 10 June 1918 he was noted as suffering “Debility post Pyrexia Class ‘D’.” “Debility” simply meant physical weakness and exhaustion following illness. Class “D” generally indicated that he was temporarily unfit for active service and required further recovery.

HAEMATURIA JULY 1918

On 22 June Henry was taken on strength at the Rest Camp, but by 29 July 1918 he again became sick and was admitted to the 14th Australian General Hospital suffering from haematuria — the presence of blood in the urine. This could result from kidney problems, infections, severe dehydration or complications from earlier illness. Desert service conditions often contributed to urinary and kidney disorders because men frequently endured dehydration for long periods.

CLASSIFIED CLASS B2 SEPTEMBER 1918

On 22 September he was once more transferred to a Rest Camp, but his health clearly remained poor. Finally, on 19 September 1918 a Medical Board classified him as “B2” due to debility. This classification meant Henry was no longer considered fit for front-line combat duties, though he might still perform lighter or limited work.

GOING HOME OCTOBER 1918

After four years of war service, repeated illness and physical exhaustion had taken a heavy toll. His record then notes that he embarked aboard the Devon at Suez for return to Australia on 1914 leave — effectively being sent home because he was no longer medically fit for further active service abroad. Like many original 1914 Light Horsemen, Henry had survived years of campaigning, but the war had gradually worn down his health through hardship rather than a single dramatic wound. Henry went home on the 13^th October 1918 on the Devon

CLOTHING AND NECESSITIES GIVEN TO SOLDIERS FOR SOLDIERS PROCEEDING TO AUSTRALIA FOR DEMOBILISATION

Badges Hat                    Badges Collar (2)                    Bags kit universal

Bags kit sea                   Braces (pair)                            Brush, shaving

Brush, tooth                  Breeches M.S (Military service)

Cap comforter (warm cap)                                           Comb, hair

Disc identity with cord                                                  Drawers (2 pairs)

Great Coat                     Hat, Khaki fur                          Hat, white

Holdall                           Housewife (compact sewing kit)

Jackets Cardigan           Jackets S.D (service dress)

Leggings 1 pair             Laces, leather 1 pair

Puggarees, small (a traditional Indian head wrap, worn in warm conditions

Puttees, 1 pair (cloth bandages worn by soldiers, to provide support and protection for the lower leg)

Razor                              Shirts, flannel (2)                   Socks, 3 pairs

Singlets (2)

Strap chin                      Soap piece                               Suit, working

Towels, hand (2)

Titles “Australia” (4)-
Australian soldiers and non-commissioned officers wore an “Australia” title at the base of their shoulder straps. Each serving soldier also wore unit titles above this which indicated the units to which they belonged

FOR HIS SERVICE

Henry was discharged on 23^rd November 1918. For his service Henry was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal

AFTER THE WAR

Henry married Jessie Lily McLaren in Murwillumbah in 1919. According to NSW BDM they had a son, Morton, in 1921 and a daughter, Elva, in 1923, both born in Murwillumbah. Henry died on 10^th September 1973, age 83, at Grafton.

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