BINNS, Joseph Henry
| Service Number: | 4443 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 October 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | Falmouth, Tasmania, Australia, 19 May 1895 |
| Home Town: | Pyengana, Break O'Day, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, 2 April 1976, aged 80 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Oct 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4443, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Feb 1916: | Embarked Private, 4443, 12th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Warilda, Melbourne | |
| 8 Feb 1916: | Involvement Private, 4443, 12th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Warilda embarkation_ship_number: A69 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Apr 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 52nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 23 Jun 1917: | Honoured Military Medal | |
| 22 Sep 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 52nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 7 Apr 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 52nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 23 Oct 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Sergeant, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
Help us honour Joseph Henry Binns's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Joseph Binns was the son of Joshua James and Hannah Binns of Pyengana, Tasmania, a beautiful farming village in north eastern Tasmania. His brother, Leonard Joshua Binns also enlisted in 1916.
Joseph transferred to the 52nd Battalion before they were sent to the Western Front. He survived the fighting at Pozieres unscathed. During early 1917 he was decorated for bravery, no recommendation survives, and he was promoted to Corporal not long after. He was promoted to Sergeant during April 1918, just prior to being shot through the elbow and evacuated to England for treatment. While he was there the 52nd Battalion was disbanded in France due to heavy casualties and a lack of reinforcements from Australia.
When Joseph returned to France during July 1918, he was posted to the 42nd Battalion and a few months later to the 51st Battalion. The unit was sent back to England during early 1919. On the 9 July 1919, Joseph married a Francis Annie Kay in Oldham, Lancaster. He was soon after given indefinite leave whilst waiting for a ‘family ship’ to return to Australia.
Joseph Binns had a long war and eventually returned home to a hero’s welcome in Pyengana during early 1920 with a Military Medal and new British wife.
He raised a family and served again during WW2 with the 12th Training Battalion.