Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

"Death Follows Long Illness.  MR. S. H. BOLITHO

Mr. Samuel Henry Bolitho, who succumbed to a long and painful ill- ness at the local hospital in the early hours of Monday morning at the age of 64 years, was an old, wellknown and highly respected citizen. Born at Ballarat, Mr. Bolitho came to Port Augusta as a young man and joined the Commonwealth Railways. During his long sojourn in the town he was actively associated with a number of civic, social and sporting bodies, serving on the Town Council and holding a number of executive offices with distinction. The funeral was conducted at the local cemetery on Thursday morning, Rev. Canon E. Robinson officiating at the graveside.

A widow, two sons, Lindsay (Rawlinna), and Jeff (Japan) one daughter (Mrs. R. Leader, Port Augusta), and three grandchilden, survive. A more detailed account of the ser- vices rendered to the town in various capacities by Mr. Bolitho, will appear in a subsequent issue." - from the Port Augusta Transcontinental 13 Sep 1946 (nla.gov.au)

Samuel BOLITHO was born in Bendigo, Victoria on the 10/7/1882 and he was one of several children born to William and Ellen (Nee SHARD).

Samuel was 33 years old when he enlisted into the Army at Port Augusta on the 15/3/1916. Three of Samuel’s brothers also served in World War One – these were Len, Arthur and Frank, who died in 1917.
Samuel was initially allocated to the 7th Machine Gun Company and then to the 6th Reinforcements for the 8th Machine Gun Company. The unit departed Australia on the troopship ‘Port Lincoln’ on the 20/10/1916 where they arrived in Sierra Leone in Africa and were then shipped to the UK on the troopship ‘Ulysses’. The unit arrived in the UK on 28/12/1916.
Samuel undertook more training and was sent to France on the 26/4/1917. Samuel was on active service with several machine gun units, the main one being the 8th Machine Gun Company. In 1917 Australia agreed to provide trained railway men for active service and Samuel was transferred to the 17th and finally the 16th Light Railway Company. Light railway operations were extremely hazardous as they operated right to the front lines moving men, ammunition, equipment and the wounded. Trains could not be left unmanned no matter how heavy the shelling and the sound of the locomotive masked that of the gas shells. Railway marshalling yards were prime targets for artillery and aerial bombing.
Samuel received a severe injury to his left arm in France on 25/4/1918 and he was invalided from France to the UK. Annie was informed of his injury and that he was in a hospital in the UK in May 1918. Samuel was returned to Australia on 19/12/1918 and he arrived in Melbourne on the 3/2/1919. He was discharged in Adelaide on 6/3/1919 and he then returned to Port Augusta to Annie and his two sons. Samuel served in the Army for 2 years and 357 days of which 2 years and 107 days were overseas on active service. For his service, Samuel was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.