POOLEY, Joseph Walker
| Service Number: | 7294 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 September 1916, Allocated to 24th Reinforcements of the 7th Infantry Battalion at Royal Park Melbourne 28 Sep 1916 to 25 Jan 1917 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 23rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia, 23 September 1898 |
| Home Town: | Hawthorn, Boroondara, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Manningtree Road School, Hawthorn, Victoriachool, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Painter |
| Died: | Gunshot wounds to Tongue & Haemorrhage & Broncho Pneumonia, No. 1 Reading War Hospital, Reading, Berkshire, England, 14 September 1918, aged 19 years |
| Cemetery: |
High Wycombe Cemetery, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Sep 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 7294, 7th Infantry Battalion, Allocated to 24th Reinforcements of the 7th Infantry Battalion at Royal Park Melbourne 28 Sep 1916 to 25 Jan 1917 | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Feb 1917: | Involvement Private, 7294, 7th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ballarat embarkation_ship_number: A70 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Feb 1917: | Embarked Private, 7294, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ballarat, Melbourne | |
| 26 Apr 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 2nd Training Battalion, Posted to 2nd Training Battalion Durrington UK till 20th August 1917 Basic Training | |
| 1 Sep 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 23rd Infantry Battalion, Transferred to 23rd Battalion from 1st Australian Division Base France. Member claimed by letter at own request | |
| 4 Oct 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 7294, 23rd Infantry Battalion, Broodseinde Ridge | |
| 8 Apr 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 7294, 23rd Infantry Battalion, German Spring Offensive 1918, Trench Fever evacuated to Colchester UK for treatment and convalescence | |
| 1 Sep 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 7294, 23rd Infantry Battalion, Mont St Quentin / Peronne, Wounded severe Gunshot wounds to face and forearm evacuated to Redding War Hospital UK for treatment | |
| 14 Sep 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 7294, 23rd Infantry Battalion, Member died of wounds 14 September 1918 Struck off strength Buried High Wycombe UK 19 September 1918 with full military honours | |
| 14 Sep 1918: | Involvement Private, 7294, 23rd Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 7294 awm_unit: 23 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-09-14 |
Private Joesph Walker Pooley
Private Pooley enlisted at Royal Park Melbourne attesting that he was 18 years of age, in fact he was only 17.
The authorities suspecting he was under age held Joesph at 1st Depot Battalion Royal Park until his 18th Birthday,
Once his parents original permission to enlist was valid ( being 18) the Authorities embarked Joesph for service overseas.
Once in England Private Pooley was allocated to the 2nd Training Battalion, once training completed, Joesph was held at the 1st Divisional Base Depot France until he was 19 years of age.
His parents had written to the authorities to ensure he was not deployed on Active Service abroad until he reached the age of 19 (23 September 1917).
Submitted 14 May 2022 by Pam Hamilton
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Joseph Walker Pooley was born at Hawthorn, Victoria on 23rd September, 1898 to parents Joseph and Julia Pooley (nee Cartwright).
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 18th September, 1916 as an 18 year old, single, Painter from 28 Barton Street, Hawthorn, Victoria.
Private Joseph Walker Pooley, Service number 7294, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Ballarat (A70) on 19th February, 1917 with the 7th Infantry Battalion, 24th Reinforcements & disembarked at Devonport, England on 25th April, 1917.
HMAT Ballarat (A70) was torpedoed on 25th April, 1917 while in the English Channel by submarine (UB 32 – Commander - Max Viebeg.) There were around 1,752 people on board at the time. Efforts made to tow the ship to shallow water failed and she sank off The Lizard the following morning. No lives were lost.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
On 26th April, 1917 Private Pooley was marched in to 2nd Training Battalion at Durrington, Wiltshire.
He proceeded overseas to France via Southampton on 20th August, 1917 from Durrington. Private Pooley was marched in to 1st A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Havre on 21st August, 1917. He was marched out to join 23rd Battalion on 29th August, 1917 & was taken on strength of 23rd Battalion in the field on 1st September, 1917.
Private Pooley reported sick & was admitted to 11th Casualty Clearing Station on 28th March, 1918 – P.U.O. (Pyrexia (fever) of Unknown origin). Private Pooley was transferred to No. 26 Ambulance Train on 29th March, 1918 & admitted to 10th Canadian Stationary Hospital at Calais, France the same day – cause N.Y.D. (not yet determined). He embarked from Calais on Hospital Ship Jan Breydel on 2nd April, 1918.
On 2nd April, 1918 Private Pooley was admitted to General Military Hospital at Colchester, Essex with Trench Fever. He was transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford, Kent on 8th April, 1918. Private Pooley was discharged to No. 3 Command Depot, Hurdcott, Wiltshire on 12th April, 1918.
He was marched in to No. 3 Command Depot, Hurdcott, Wiltshire from Hospital on 12th April, 1918. The Hospital Admissions form reads: In bed 14 days out of bed 8 days complains of pains in head & legs, insomnia, inability to walk more than 1 mile, and complains of eyes or ears, no ___cardia heart & chest clear.” Private Pooley was medically classified on 22nd April, 1918 as B1A1 (Fit for light duty only – four weeks). He was medically classified as B1A2 (fit for overseas training camp in three to four weeks) on 1st May, 1918 & B1A4 (fit for overseas training camp when passed dentally fit) on 17th May, 1918.
Private Pooley was marched out to Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire on 25th May, 1918.
He proceeded overseas to France via Folkestone from Overseas Training Brigade, Sandhill Camp, on 19th June, 1918.
On 21st June, 1918 Private Pooley was marched in to A.I.B.D. (Australian Infantry Base Depot) at Havre, France. He was marched out to 23rd Battalion on 23rd June, 1918 & rejoined his Unit in France from Sick on 24th June, 1918.
Private Joseph Walker Pooley was wounded in action in France on 1st September, 1918. He was admitted to 9th Australian Field Ambulance with gunshot wounds to arm & cheek. Private Pooley was transferred to 61st Casualty Clearing Station then transferred to Ambulance Train. Pte Private Pooley was admitted to 10th General Hospital at Rouen, France on 2nd September, 1918. He was invalided to England on Hospital Ship on 3rd September, 1918.
On 4th September, 1918 Private Pooley was admitted to War Hospital at Reading, Berkshire, England with gunshot wounds to forearm & face (severe). The Hospital Admissions from reads “Wounded 1. IX.18 – 3 operations for haemorrhage from pharynx in France. Taken out of train at Reading owing to further haemorrhage. 7.IX.18. operation …..10.IX.18 No further haemorrhage. Death from Pneumonia 14.IX.18.”
Private Joseph Walker Pooley died at 9.35 pm on 14th September, 1918 at No. 1 Reading War Hospital, Reading, Berkshire, England from wounds received in action – Gunshot wounds to Tongue & Haemorrhage & Broncho Pneumonia. Private Pooley’s uncle – Mr Cartwright of Winyard, Wycome Road, West Highwycombe was present at the death.
He was buried in High Wycombe Cemetery, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/high-wycombe.html
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