Trooper Henry Rupert Salmon
Service #: 1106
Summary
PERSONAL LIFE
Henry Rupert Salmon was born in Kempsey on 24 March 1887, son of Frederick William & Agnes Jane (Ball) Salmon. According to NSWBDM he was one of nine children. Many of the family are buried in Murwillumbah & Tweed cemeteries. He was known as Harry
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
On the second page of the Attestation Paper, he made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Henry Rupert Salmon, 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 4 ½ inches tall (1.63m), weighed 126 lbs (58kgs), with a fresh complexion, hazel eyes & white hair.
His eyesight was good. Harry was Church of England.
CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER
This officer certifies that the attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He accordingly approves, and appointed him to 12th Regiment, Australian Light Horse with service No 1106
TRAINING LIVERPOOL LIGHT HORSE DEPOT
After his enlistment at the Liverpool Light Horse Depot in July 1915, Harry began his military training amid the dust and bustle of one of New South Wales’ busiest camps. The Light Horse Depot was a lively place — rows of tents and stables stretched across the paddocks, with constant movement as new recruits learned the routines of mounted service.
Harry would have spent his first weeks learning the fundamentals of soldiering: drill, physical fitness, and discipline, before moving on to the skills that defined the mounted man. He was taught to ride with a military saddle, to control his horse at all paces, and to manoeuvre in close formation. Daily sessions included mounting and dismounting at speed, guiding the horse with knee and rein, and practising extended trots and canters across open ground. The instructors — many veterans of earlier campaigns — were firm but fair, ensuring each man could care for his mount as well as himself.
Horsemanship was only one part of the training. Henry learned the use of the Lee-Enfield rifle both on foot and in the saddle, as well as the sword or bayonet for close work. He was trained to move quickly from mounted to dismounted action — the Light Horse fought on foot, using their horses mainly for mobility. Camp life also included route marches, stable duties, grooming and feeding routines, cleaning tack and gear, and long days of drill under the Australian sun.
By late September 1915, after roughly ten weeks of this hard routine, Henry would have been a confident and capable Light Horseman — fit, disciplined, and bonded with his horse. The recruits were issued with their uniform: a khaki woollen jacket, heavy cord breeches, and the famous slouch hat – 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. He and his comrades were then ordered to prepare for embarkation aboard HMAT Themistocles, which would take them overseas to Egypt and, ultimately, the war in the Middle East.
VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM SYDNEY TO EGYPT
On the 5th October 1915 the recruits left Sydney, sailing upon the HMAT Themistocles. Alongside his comrades, Harry 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.
Sleeping & Living Arrangements
Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.
Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.
Health & Sanitation
Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.
The Voyage Experience
Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. To keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.
The troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection
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.
SAILING WITH HORSES
When Harry stepped aboard the Themistocles, 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 ship had been fitted with rows of stalls. Each morning at first light, Alexander 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. Harry, 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.
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.
ARRIVAL AND THE 1916 “TRANSFER”
When Harry arrived in Egypt, in late November 1915, the AIF was in the middle of a major reorganisation following the evacuation from Gallipoli. Many men who had been allotted to the Light Horse on enlistment found their paperwork shuffled as new formations were created and old ones restructured. That is why his record shows a formal transfer to the 12th Light Horse on 22 February 1916, even though he was already with that regiment in practice. It was an administrative re-allocation, finalising which reinforcements officially belonged to which unit once the Gallipoli veterans returned to Egypt.
DESERT TRAINING EARLY 1916
Through early 1916, the 12th Light Horse was based around Serapeum and Heliopolis, training, and re-equipping for service in the Sinai. Harry would have been part of the long months of desert training — learning to ride in loose sand, manage water supplies, and endure the heat and flies of the Egyptian plains. The men practised outpost duties, reconnaissance work, and signalling, preparing for the desert campaign that soon followed.
SINAI AND PALESTINE SERVICE MID 1916
By mid-1916 the regiment had moved east to the Suez Canal Zone and then across the Sinai Desert as part of the advance on the Turkish positions. The 12th Light Horse served in support roles during the Battle of Romani in August 1916 and later in patrol and escort work along the advancing railway line that followed the troops across the desert. Harry remained with the regiment through this period of steady movement, long patrols, and garrison duty rather than heavy fighting.
RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION AT RAFA JUNE 1917
On 16 June 1917, Henry was detached from the 12th Light Horse to attend the First Course of Railway Construction at Rafa. This was a specialist attachment — by that stage, the Australian Mounted Division was supporting the British advance into southern Palestine, and maintaining the military railway was crucial for supplies, ammunition, and water. The course trained selected men in the practical work of laying and maintaining light-gauge track, repairing lines under desert conditions, and coordinating with the Egyptian Labour Corps.
He remained at Rafa until 5 July 1917, when he rejoined his regiment. By then the Light Horse was preparing for the renewed drive northwards toward Gaza and Beersheba.
AUSTRALIAN MOUNTED DIVISION TRANSPORT PARK AUGUST 1917
By mid-1917, Harry had settled into the steady rhythm of Light Horse life in the desert, his duties shifting between mounted patrols, convoy escorts, and support work along the Sinai–Palestine front. On 2 August he was detached to the Australian Mounted Division Transport Park, a vital section responsible for the movement of supplies, forage, and equipment to the front. For two weeks he worked among long lines of wagons and pack animals, helping to keep the division supplied across the barren country. He rejoined his regiment on 17 August
PORT SAID REST CAMP AUGUST 1917
Only two days later, Harry and a draft of his comrades were ordered to Port Said for rest and refit, marching in for a brief respite after many months of rough desert campaigning. The rest camps offered clean clothes, sea baths, and a few quiet days away from the flies and dust. On 29 August he returned to the 12th Light Horse, refreshed and ready for further service.
RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION SCHEME AUGUST 1917
At the end of the month Harry was again detached, this time to the Railway Construction Section. The railway lines were the lifeline of the campaign, carrying water, rations, and ammunition forward as the troops advanced into Palestine. His work there would have involved assisting the engineers and labour parties as they extended or maintained the track under difficult desert conditions.
TAKEN ON STRENGTH SUPERNUMERARY LIST SEPTEMBER 1917
On 4 September he was officially taken on strength from the supernumerary list, indicating his duties were now recognised as part of the regiment’s active establishment — a small administrative note that marked his continuing, dependable service on the long road north.
PALESTINE LATE 1917
Through the closing months of 1917, Harry continued to serve steadily with the 12th Light Horse as the campaign pushed into southern Palestine.
RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION WORKS SEPTEMBER 1917
On 7 September he marched out to join the railway construction works at Deir el Belah, where Australian and British troops were extending the light rail line to support the advance toward Gaza and Beersheba. The work was heavy and often done under the threat of Turkish shelling, but it was vital to keeping the mounted divisions supplied.
HOSPITALISED- NO DETAILS- SEPTEMBER 1917
A week later, on 15 September, Harry was taken sick and sent to hospital from his detachment with the Light Railway unit. The cause is not recorded, but illness was common in the desert — heat exhaustion, stomach troubles, and skin infections plagued even the hardiest men. He recovered and rejoined the regiment on 3 October, and again formally with his unit on 10 October.
REST CAMP PORT SAID OCTOBER 1917
Two days later he was sent once more to Port Said for rest, part of the routine rotation giving the mounted men brief relief from the desert conditions. After ten days at the rest camp, he rejoined the regiment on 22 October and remained with them through the final stages of the Palestine campaign.
COURSE KELAB SCHOOL FEBRUARY 1918
In early 1918, Harry’s good conduct and experience saw him marched out to a school at Kelab on 20 February, probably for further instruction or a short specialist course — the army frequently sent capable men for training in leadership or technical duties. He returned to his regiment afterwards and stayed with them through the long months that followed the Armistice in November 1918.
HOPITALISED NOVEMBER 1918
Shortly after peace was declared, on 23 November, he was again admitted to hospital sick, though once more the details were not noted. He rejoined the 12th Light Horse on 27 November and remained with the unit during the post-war occupation period in Egypt.
LEAVE IN UK JUNE 1919
In 1919 Harry was granted leave to the United Kingdom, embarking from Port Said on 10 June aboard the Ellenga for a well-earned 10 per cent leave entitlement. He spent several months abroad before being listed for return to Australia.
GOING HOME
On 3rd September 1919 he sailed home aboard the Barambah, closing a long and varied period of overseas service that had carried him across Egypt, Sinai, and Palestine in the ranks of the Australian Light Horse. He disembarked 26 October 1919
HOME LIFE
Harry married Lena Deal in Murwillumbah in 1922. He died on 7th November 1959 and is memorialised at Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens and Crematorium
Holland Park, Plot Columbarium 12, Section 11
For his service Harry was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens and Crematorium Holland Park, Plot Columbarium 12, Section 11
Buried Location
We do not know the burial location of this individual
