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on the Western Australian Goldfields

Military > Malcolm Soldiers


WW1 Soldier  -  Enlisted or Born in Mount Malcolm

Basley John Henry : Place of Birth, Malcolm WA ; Place of Enlistment, Blackboy Hill WA ;
Next of Kin; Mother - Dore Elizabeth Ann
McKinnon Alex Edward : Place of Birth, Mount Malcolm WA ; Place of Enlistment, Perth WA ;
Next of Kin; Father - McKinnon John

Researched by Dave Spain:-

1627 PTE John Henry Basley was born at Malcolm, Western Australia, in about March 1898.  His Mother was Elizabeth Ann Delbridge and his Father was James Basley and they resided in Leonora.  Shortly after his enlistment he listed his mother’s residence as Subiaco, Western Australia.  He was 5 ft 4 inches (157 cm) tall and weighted 126 lbs (57 kgs).  He had a fair complexion with blue eyes and fair hair.  He was single, and his religion was Church of England.  He was a labourer.

PTE JH Basley enlisted at Blackboy Hill on the 22nd January 1916.  He was allocated to the 46th Training Depot for a basic training course from the 22nd January 1916 to the 5th March 1916 and on completion of his course was transferred to the 22nd Training Depot.  On the 17th March 1916, he was posted to the 2nd Reinforcements of the 51stInfantry Battalion and the Battalion embarked for England on the HMAT A60 (Aeneas).   During the voyage to England, PTE JH Basley contracted severe Gastroenteritis and he was admitted to the 3rd Australian General Hospital at Abbassia, Egypt, on the 31st May 1916.  He remained in hospital until the 14th July 1916 and then was granted Convalescent Leave at Mont Ayah, Egypt, until he again embarked for England from Alexandria on the RMS Megantic on the 6thAugust 1916.  On arrival in England on the 22nd August 1916, he was admitted to the Military Hospital at Fargo with an ingrown toe nail.  On the 27th October 1916, he was transferred to the 44th Infantry Battalion and further training was undertaken at the 13th Training Battalion, located in Codford, from the 6th September 1916 to the 26th November 1916. 

On completion of his training he was posted to France.  He embarked on the SS Princess Henriette to reinforce the 51stInfantry Battalion and on arrival he was with the Australian General Base Depot.  On the 2nd December 1917 it was discovered he was underage.  It appears he had enlisted at the age of 16.  He remained at the AGBD until 17th January 1918.  On the 26th January 1918 he was transferred to the Australian Corps School. He remained with this Unit until the 17th January 1919.  During his time with the ACS he contracted influenza and was repatriated to England on the 18thJanuary 1919.  On the 18th February 1919 he was with the 1st Command Depot via the 1st Australian General Hospital.  On the 31st March 1919 he embarked on the HMAS Khyber as an invalid with influenza.  He disembarked at Fremantle on the 3rd May 1919 and after a stay at Perth Hospital was discharged on the 5th July 1919. 

He claimed his medals on the 7th October 1924.  At that time, he lived at 119 Aberdeen St Perth WA


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