Hempsted, Herbert Birch
SURNAME
Hempsted
NAME
Herbert Birch
PLACE BIRTH
Brisbane
OCCUPATION
Solicitor in Mossman
PLACE-ENLISTMENT
Mossman (medical signed by V S Collins)
DATE ENLISTMENT
14-12-14
NEXT OF KIN
Ethel Eldred Eyre Hempsted (wife). Phyllis Mary Eyre Hempsted (daughter), Mossman
LINK TO DOUGLAS SHIRE
Working as a solicitor in Mossman
REGIMENT 1
2nd Infantry Bat. Tropical Unit
REGIMENT 2
3rd Batt N&ME Force
RANK
Lieut commissioned 1 Aug 1899
CAMPAIGN 1
New Guinea
DATE DISCHARGED
Appt terminated 25 May1916. Re-enlisted.
OTHER INFORMATION
Lieutenant formerly attached to H Coy and C Coy 9th Australian Infantry, also D Coy, Wide Bay Regiment. Certificates in Military Engineering, map reading,sketching, Charters Towers School of Instruction. Star and Victory medals (not eligible), BWM.
STORY OUTLINE
Herbert Birch Hempsted was commissioned as a Lieutenant in August 1899, attached to the 9th Australian Infantry, probably in the Queensland Volunteer Force. He studied at the Charters Towers School of Instruction. At the time, Charters Towers was the second largest town in Queensland. In 1911 he was a solicitor in Mossman and represented Mossman Central Mill against the labourers during the Sugar Strike. He enlisted aged 39 years in December 1914, leaving his wife and daughter in Mossman. Herbert joined the Naval and Military Expeditionary Force, a voluntary unit, and arrived in Rabaul, New Guinea in Feb 1915, just after the Germans had been defeated there. He returned from Rabaul to Aust on furlough as Honorary Captain on SS Morinda and his appointment was terminated. Funeral 14 Aug 1943 in Brisbane (reference Courier Mail 13 Aug 1943).
SERVICE NO
(not supplied)
