My Military Ancestors

Arthur Ernest ALLAN Maternal Great Grandfather World War 2 Name ALLAN, ARTHUR ERNEST Service Royal Australian Air Force Service Number 165047 Date of Birth 13 May 1908 Place of Birth CARLTON, VIC Date of Enlistment 1 Aug 1944 Locality on Enlistment KOGARAH Place of Enlistment SYDNEY, NSW Next of Kin ALLAN, VERA Date of Discharge 12 Feb 1946 Rank Leading Aircraftman (Flight Mechanic) Posting at Discharge 5 Operational Training Unit WW2 Honours and Gallantry None for display Prisoner of War No Applied for Royal Australian Air Force - Interview 12Dec1946 at Bradfield Park, Sydney. Accepted 29 Nov 1946, Enlisted as a Carpenter General in Group 11 with the rank and pay of Aircraftman Class 1. Formerly mustered as a Flight Mechanic. Ex R.A.A.F No. 165047 Medical Records on 1 Aug 1944 - Age: 36yrs 2 months; Height 5 feet 4 inches; Weight 144 pounds; Chest measurement 32 1/2/35 inches; Vision 6/6 right eye 6/6 Left eye; Medium complexion; Hazel Eyes; Brown hair; Religious Denomination: Church of England; Not Vaccinated; Not circumcised; Scar right hand palm, Conduct Sheet:9/1/1946 - In that he at 1640 hours 9 Jan 1946 neglected to obey station site during order to sit was gambling in Airman`s Sleeping quarters. Conduct Sheet: 124/1945 -In that he absented himself without leave from 2360 hrs 11th April 1945, and remained absent until 1530 hrs 12h April 1945. Total absent: 15hrs 30mins. Arthur`s occupation was as a Metal Machinist before the war.	Philip Allan LANG Maternal Great Grandfather World War 1 Philip Allan Lang was the first of the brothers to enlist, doing so on March 17^th, 1915 in Ballina, New South Wales. He was 25 years of age at the time, living in Woodburn and working as a grocer~s assistant. He was possibly working in the general store at Woodburn that had been earlier started by his father Alexander and his uncle John Lang. Corporal at the A.I.F Headquarters (Australian Imperial Force). Regimental number: 9 Date of enlistment: 17th March 1915 Return to Australia: 28th August 1919 Number 9 Rank Private Unit 7 Infantry Brigade Headquarters (June 1915 ) Ship Name HMAT Aeneas Ship number A60 Date of embarkation 29 June 1915 Place of embarkation Brisbane Phillip Allan Lang was awarded the following honours: Mention in Despatches Recommendation for P A Lang to be awarded a Mention in Despatches Service Number 9 Rank Corporal Unit 7th Brigade Headquarters Date of Award 9 March 1918 Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal Medical Examination done 17th March 1915. Fit for active service. Place: Ballina Name: Philip Allan LANG Age: 25yrs Height: 5 feet 8inches Weight: 9 stone 11 pounds Chest Measurement: 34 inches Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown Complexion: Dark Religious Denomination: Presbyterian Birthplace: Riley, Woodburn NSW Certificate of Commanding Officer: appointed Philip to Headquarters 7th Infantry Brigade on 7th Jun 1915 at Greenhill Camp Alderley, Brisbane. Philip serviced in the Military Police, Victoria Barracks from 17 Mar 1915 to 15 May 1915. Headquarters 7th Infantry Brigade: 16 May 1915. Leave from France: 12 Nov 1917 to 26 Nov 1917 Specially mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's despatch of 7 Nov 1918 in France. Promoted to Corporal 19 Feb 1916 Joined B.E.P disembarked Marseilles 14 Mar 1916 19 Oct 1918 Went to England on leave Return to Australia "Kanowra" 28 Aug 1919 from London. Dated:1st Nov 1918. To: Mr Alexander, Lang, Ballina, New South Wales. Dear Sir, I have much please in forwarding hereunder copy of extract from Fourth Supplement, No. 30706, to the "London Gazette," dated 28th May 1918, relating to the conspicuous services rendered by the undermentioned member of the Australian Imperial Force. Mentioned in Despatches. The following is a continuation of Sir D. Haig's despatch of the 7th Apr, 1918, submitting names deserving of special mention: - No. 9 Corporal P.A. LANG. " The above has been promulgated in "Commonwealth of Australia Gazette," No. 165, dated 24th October, 1918, Yours Faithfully, Captain xxxxx.
John BENFIELD (BANFORD) Maternal 5^th Great Grandfather Enlisted in the Kings army as John Banford, he then changed his name to Benfield. John enlisted in the army 22nd May 1815, recruited from the Gloucestershire area. He joined the Battalion 39th Regiment of Foot at Winchester on 24th May 1815. The 39th Regiment received orders on 10th July 1825 for embarkment via Chatham to NSW colony to perform the duty of guarding the convicts. The companies went out to Australia in 18 detachments. They did not all go at once. The first left on 6 Dec 1825 and the last not until Apr 1827. John Benfield went out with a detachment on 7th Apr 1826 and arrived in Sydney, NSW colony on 7th Apr 1826. John was stationed (detached) to Parramatta on 3rd Nov 1826 (WO12/5263) . Society of Australian Genealogists Soldiers and Mariners (1787-1830) database : (PRO Reel/Source: 3772) John BANFORD Rank: Private Regiment: 39th Regiment of Foot Pay List/Muster Roll: 1830 Pay List Notes: At Norfolk Island Date Discharged Army : 30th June 1832 Rank on Discharge: Private The 39th Regiment was sent to India in 1832, so this is most likely why John BENFIELD was discharged from the British Army.	John SMITH Paternal 3^rd Great Grandfather Kings Army, Scotland 1859 - Stationed at Military Barracks, Aberdeen, Scotland. Private 72nd Highlanders. Served in the Kings Army in India (or East Indies) Stationed at Seoni, India 1871 1873 - Pipe Major 93rd to the Duke of Edinburgh. Highlanders The 72nd Highlanders (Formerly 78th Highlanders) was a British Army Highland Infantry Regiment of the Line raised in the late 18th Century in Scotland for service against the French. In 1881 the regiment was linked with the 78th (Highlanders) Regiment to form the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Seaforth Highlanders. The 72nd Highlanders were in India between 1858 to1866.
Arthur Robertson LANG Maternal Great Grand Uncle World War 1 Enlisted in World War 1 on 6/9/1916 Service Number 2920 Rank Private Unit 52 Infantry Battalion - 2 to 9 Reinforcements (April 1916 - January 1917) Ship Name HMAT Marathon Ship number A74 Date of embarkation 27 October 1916 Place of embarkation Brisbane Arthur`s brothers, Alexander and Donald were also aboard the same ship `Marathon` in 1916. Arthur`s unit was stationed in the front close by his brother Alexander`s Unit, the 49^th Battalion. Both Battalions were heavily involved in the battle of Messines in Belgium between June 7^th and 12^th, 1917. Arthur and Alexander had been together only minutes before a shell exploded in a trench wounding Alexander, who died several days later from these shrapnel wounds. Following Alexander`s death in June, on August 23 rd, 1917, Arthur received gunshot wounds to the right leg and left buttock. He was treated at the 4^th Army Field Ambulance before being transferred to the 2^nd. Army Casualty Clearing Station. On August 27th, he was embarked on H.S. Stadt Antwerpen for England. From there, he was admitted to the 2/1^st. Southern General Hospital, Dudley Road, Birmingham. This was part of the same hospital complex where his brother Hector was later admitted in June, 1918. This wound was to be the end of the war for Arthur. When he had recovered sufficiently, he was transferred from the 2/1^st General Hospital to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield, Middlesex on October 6^th, 1917. Once sufficiently recovered, Arthur was returned to Australia on the Euripides, discharged from the Army on June 6^th, 1918. (Source: Alan Isles)	Alexander James LANG Maternal Great Grand Uncle World War 1 Enlisted in Army on 1/9/1916 Alexander James Lang Service Number 2934 Rank Private Unit 49 Infantry Battalion - 2 to 10 Reinforcements (April 1916 - August 1917) Service Army Ship Name HMAT Marathon Ship number A74 Date of embarkation 27 October 1916 Place of embarkation Brisbane Conflict 1914-1918 Date of Death 11 June 1917 Cause of Death Died of wounds Cemetery or Memorial Details FRANCE 285 Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension Place Of Enlistment Ballina, NSW Native place Woodburn NSW War Grave Register Notes LANG, Pte. Alexander James, 2934. 49th Bn. Australian Inf. Died of wounds 11th June, 1917. Age 30. Son of Alexander and Jessie Lang, of Tamar St., Ballina, New South Wales. Native of Woodburn, New South Wales. III. C. 67. Source AWM145 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army Wounded at Messines Ridge, Belgium Alexander James Lang's name is located at panel 148 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial
Alan Lex LANG Maternal Grand Uncle World War 2 Nominal Roll SERVICE RECORD Name LANG, ALAN LEX Service Australian Army Service Number N195334 Date of Birth 16 May 1922 Place of Birth BALLINA, NSW Date of Enlistment 1 Nov 1941 Locality on Enlistment BATHURST, NSW Place of Enlistment BATHURST, NSW Next of Kin LANG, GLADYS Date of discharge 21 Aug 1942 Rank Private Posting at Discharge 103 AUSTRALIAN GENERAL HOSPITAL WW2 Honours and Gallantry None for Display Prisoner of War NO	Donald Harold LANG Maternal Great Grand Uncle World War One Enlisted in WW1 on 28/9/1916. Service Number 2935 Rank Private Unit 49 Infantry Battalion - 2 to 10 Reinforcements (April 1916 - August 1917) Ship Name HMAT Marathon Ship number A74 Date of embarkation 27 October 1916 Place of embarkation Brisbane Donald was returned to Australia on H.M.A.T Argyllshire on September 22^nd, 1919 arriving in Australia on November 11^th, 1919.
Hector Otton LANG Maternal Great Grand Uncle World War 1 Enlisted in Army WW1 on 18 Apr 1915 Service Number 4304 Rank Private Unit 5 Field Ambulance - 1 to 11 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916) Ship Name HMAT Runic Ship number A54 Date of embarkation 9 August 1915 Place of embarkation Sydney Recommendation for Herbert Otton Lang to be awarded a Military Medal Date of Award 18 May 1917 Hector landed in Alexandria, Egypt on January 1^st, 1916 where he was assigned to the 5^th Field Ambulance. On February 24^th, 1916, Hector was re-assigned to the 15^th Australian Field Ambulance which was a part of the A.I.F. Fifth Division. Hector`s unit was engaged in the Battle of Bullecort. Hector`s gallantry was reported to his commanding officer who, in turn, reported this to the chain of command in his daily report. Some months later, his parents, Alexander and Jessie, received a congratulatory letter (dated September 22^nd, 1918) stating that Hector`s gallantry had been reported to and acknowledged by General Birdwood. Hector`s military record shows that on June 19^th, 1918, he was gassed in a German attack. He was admitted to hospital the next day and, six days later, invalided to England. Hector was embarked for Australia on HMAT Demosthenes on April 28^th., 1919. Hector disembarked in Australia on March 2^nd, 1919 and was discharged from the service on April 28^th, 1919. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Prior to his enlistment in World War 1, Hector had been a school teacher and he resumed his profession on his return to Australia. (Source: Alan Isles)	Ronald Bruce LANG Maternal Grand Uncle World War 2 Name LANG, RONALD BRUCE Service Australian Army Service Number NX85989 Date of Birth 20 Oct 1920 Place of Birth BALLINA, NSW Date of Enlistment 27 Jan 1942 Locality on Enlistment KOGARAH, NSW Place of Enlistment PADDINGTON, NSW Next of Kin LANG, HAROLD Date of Discharge 14 Dec 1942 Rank Private Posting at Discharge 3 Battalion WW2 Honours and Gallantry None for display Prisoner of War No
Theodore Leopold Norton WHITEHALL Maternal 2^nd Great Grand Uncle World War 1 Embarkation Roll Service Number 18335 Rank Sapper Unit 1 to 5 Divisional Signal Companies and Signallers General Reinforcements, Special Draft (Egypt), also November 1917, February, April, August 1918 and Special Reinforcements. 1 to 4 Signal Troops - March 1917 to February 1918 Reinforcements. 1 Signal Squadron Engineers - December 1917 to February 1918 Reinforcements. 1 Field Squadron Engineers - December 1917 and January 1918 Reinforcements. Ship Name HMAT Port Sydney Ship number A15 Date of embarkation 9 May 1917 Place of embarkation Sydney Date of Joining 22 Aug 1916 Return to Australia 4 Mar 1919	Other distant cousins with a Military history include: John ADAMS (WW2 Air Force) David Edwin APPS (WW1 AIF) Florence Jean AXAM (WW2 Army) Francis Joseph Charles AXAM (WW2 Army) Francis William AXAM (Boer War - A Sqdrn NSW Mntd Rifles) Harold Neville AXAM (WW2 Army) Russell Dudley AXAM (WW2 Air Force) Lindsay Druce BARTON (WW1 AIF) Aubrey John BECKE (WW2 Air Force) Aubrey Semblat BECKE (WW2 Army) Cecil Aubrey BECKE (WW1 AIF) Raymond Ernest BECKE (WW2 Air Force) Colin Elly BEGG (WW1 AIF) Colin Erle BEGG (WW1 AIF) Lancelot D’Arcy BEGG (WW1 Army Veterinary Corps) Alexander BENSLEY (WW2 Army) Harold Edwin BENSLEY (WW2 Army) Harold James BENSLEY (WW2 Army) Alexander James BETTERRIDGE (WW2 Army) – Killed in Action during the fall of Singapore in 1942. Raymond Zaccheus BICE (WW2 Army) Alan McRae BLOW (WW2 Air Force) Colin Earle BLOW (WW2 Air Force) Douglas St Clair BLOW (WW2 Army) Ernest Alfred BLOW (Boer War) Ernest William BLOW (WW2 Army) Harold Thomas BLOW (WW2 Army) Ivan BLOW (WW2 Army) John Clifford BLOW (WW2 Army) John Sydney BLOW (WW2 Air Force) Rex BLOW (WW2 Army) Thomas Alexander BLOW (WW2 Army) Vern BLOW (WW2 Navy) Charles John BOYD (WW2 Army) Clyde Roland BOYD (WW2 Army) Jack BOYD (WW2 Army) – Killed in Action. Prisoner of War – Singapore John Dyason BOYD (WW2 Army) Lance BOYD (WW2 Army) Marshall Samuel BOYD (WW2 Army) Robert Joseph BOYD (WW2 Army) Edward Rex BURNETT (WW2 Army) Keith BYRNES (WW2 Air Force) James William Keith CAMERON (WW2 Air Force) – Killed in Action – France Wesley Gordon CARRETT (WW2 Army) Keith Edward CAVANAGH (WW2 Army) Percival Robert John COLLINS (WW1 AIF) – Killed in Action – Palestine Francis Charles COOK (WW1 AIF) George Graham COULTHART (WW2 Army) John Graham COULTHART (WW2 Air Force) Alan Frank CROSS (WW2 Army) Solomon DEEBLE (Cornish Militia 32^nd Footsoldiers – England) John Albert DIXON (WW2 Army) Vivian Walter ELLIOTT (WW1 AIF) – Killed in Action – Gallipoli Wilfred Henry Leon ELLIOTT (WW2 Army) William ELLIOTT (WW1 AIF) – Died of Wounds – Palestine Norman James EVERSON (WW2 Army) Verdun Albert EVERSON (WW2 Air Force) Arthur Melville EVISON (WW2 Army) William Redvers EVISON (WW2 Army) Reginald Claude FAULKNER (WW2 Air Force & Army) Arthur Alderson FAWCETT (WW1 AIF) Cyril Richard FAWCETT (WW1 Navy; WW2 Army) Edmund Glenridding FAWCETT (WW1 AIF) Ray Glenridding FAWCETT (WW1 AIF) Stuart Glenridding FAWCETT (WW1 AIF) Thomas Benton FAWCETT (WW1 AIF) William Merton FAWCETT (WW2 Air Force) Milton Edward GEARY (WW2 Army) Gerard Alexander GRAHAM (WW2 Army) – Died 1945. Prisoner of War. James William GRIMWADE (WW2 Air Force) – Killed in Action over Germany. John Henry GURNEY (WW1 AIF) – Killed in Action Villers-Bretonneux, France Clifford HARGREAVES (WW1 British Army) Wesley Cresswell HARRY (WW2 Army) Robert Norman HAYTER (WW2 Army) Charles Herbert HOLDSTOCK (WW1 British Army) Frank Victor HOLDSTOCK (WW2 British Army) – Killed in Action – France Frederick William HOLDSTOCK (WW1 British Navy) – Killed in Action aboard HMS Opal. Leonard Victor HOLDSTOCK (WW2 British Army) Harry HOWARD (WW1 AIF) Roy HUGGINS (WW1 AIF) Gerrard Alfred IRVINE (WW2 Army) Victor James IRVINE (WW2 Army) Leo Keith JOHNSTON (WW1 Army) – Killed in Action – Syria Edwin JORY (WW1 British Army) Percival Henry JORY (WW2 British Army) John Donald KENNEDY (WW2 Army) John Ophir KENNEDY (WW2 Army) Arthur Stanley LANE (WW2 Air Force) Ernest Vincent Roy LEE (WW1 AIF) Samuel Gordon LEE (WW1 AIF) Alfred Lyal LEVER (WW2 Army) Dudley Clive LEVER ( Vietnam War Army) Lindsay William LEVER (WW2 Army) John Hector LUXFORD (WW1 New Zealand Expeditionary Force) Allan Evison McDONALD (WW2 Army) Gordon Raymond McDONALD (WW2 Army) John Leslie McDONALD (WW2 Army) Kevin John McDONELL (WW2 Army) Archibald Cameron McGILL (WW2 Army) Charles Norman McGREGOR (WW2 Army) John McGREGOR (WW2 Army) Lachlan McGREGOR (WW2 Army) Clarence McINNES (WW2 Army) Douglas Cameron McINNES (WW2 Army) Gordon Kenneth McKay McINNES (WW2 Army) Hector George McINNES (WW1 AIF) Robert Vessy McINNES (WW1 AIF) Volney George McINNES (WW1 AIF) – Killed in Action – Gallipoli William Alexander McINNES (WW1 AIF) Sidney M MOORE (WW2 Army) Frederick MOTBEY (WW2 Army) Aubrey Louis NICOD (WW2 Army) Edward Jospeh O’GRADY (WW1 AIF) – Killed in Action – Mouquet Farm, France Alan Keith OTTON (WW2 Air Force & Army) Dudley Bruce OTTON (WW2 Air Force & Army) Dudley Keith OTTON (WW1 AIF) Edward Douglas OTTON (WW2 Army) Edward Thomas OTTON (WW1 AIF) Francis Robert OTTON (WW2 Army) Frederick Harden OTTON (WW1 AIF) Henry Graeme OTTON (WW2 Army) Henry Hughes OTTON (WW2 Air Force) Robert Augustus OTTON (WW2 Army) Thomas Henry OTTON (WW2 Army) Walter John OTTON (WW2 Army) Theodore Victor OVENDEN (WW2 British Army) Thorwald Hedebaldt Carl PETERSEN (WW1 AIF) Aubrey Matthew PORTER (WW2 Army) John Thomas PORTER (WW2 Air Force) Leslie Charles PORTER (WW2 Army) John Vivian POWER (WW1 AIF; WW2 Army) Clarence Randolph PRIDDLE (WW2 Army) George Charles Aubrey PRIDDLE (WW2 Army) Alfred James PURSEY (WW1 AIF) – Died of Wounds in London Gordon James PURSEY (WW2 Air Force) – Died in Action over France Neville Bai PURSEY (WW2 Air Force) Samuel Wade RAYNER (Sudan 1885 Army) John REED (WW2 Army) Lionel Raymond ROUGHLEY (WW2 Army) Phillip James SMITH (WW1 AIF) – Killed in action – Mamel, France Lloyd Robert STRONG (WW2 Army) Verdun J TAPPER (WW2 Navy) Walter D TAPPER (WW2 Army) Eric Austin TATE (WW1 AIF) – Killed in Action – Belgium Darcy THOMAS (WW2 Army) Charles John TIMMS (WW2 Air Force) Roy TIMMS (WW2 Army) William Frank TODD (WW2 Navy) Arthur Hammond UNDERWOOD (WW2 Army) John Talbot WATERHOUSE (WW2 Air Force) Rex Fossbrook WATERHOUSE (WW2 Air Force) Stretton Gustavus John WATERHOUSE (WW2 Army) – Killed in Action – New Guinea Septimus Cox WHITEHALL (WW2 Army) – Accidental Death in Malaya Leslie William WHITTING (WW2 Army) Wilfred Claude WHITTINGTON (WW2 Army) – Killed in Action – Bougainville, New Guinea Leslie Cortis WILLIAMS (WW2 Army) Archibald Harold McLean WILLMAN (WW2 Army)

Some Links to Military websites:

http://www.australianwargraves.org/ (Australian War Graves)

http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/ (World War 2 Nominal Roll)

http://www.koreanroll.gov.au/ (Korean War Nominal Roll)

http://www.awm.gov.au/ (Australian War Memorial)

http://www.cwgc.org/ (Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

Sources:

Dorothy Exon

Alan & Eunice Isles

HOMEHome

Loading

Newer »

Less

More

Trim

Untrim