S9939
WHITE, Reginald Tasman
| Service Numbers: | 3, R3 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 September 1914, Morphettville, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Regimental Sergeant Major |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Quorn, South Australia, 21 May 1895 |
| Home Town: | Torrensville, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Unley High School |
| Occupation: | Salesman |
| Died: | Natural causes, Wynarka, South Australia, 16 October 1989, aged 94 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Glenelg Moseley Street Uniting Church "Heroes of Two World Wars", Glenelg and District WW1 & WW2 Honour Board, New South Wales Garden of Remembrance (Rookwood Necropolis) |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3, Morphettville, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Morphettville, South Australia | |
| 21 Oct 1914: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3, 3rd Infantry Brigade Headquarters, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Saldanha embarkation_ship_number: A12 public_note: '' | |
| 21 Oct 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3, 3rd Infantry Brigade Headquarters, HMAT Saldanha, Adelaide | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 3, 3rd Infantry Brigade Headquarters, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 6 Jul 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Sergeant, 3rd Infantry Brigade Headquarters | |
| 12 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, R3, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ballarat embarkation_ship_number: A70 public_note: '' | |
| 12 Aug 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, R3, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ballarat, Melbourne | |
| 10 Nov 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Sergeant, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
| 14 Sep 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Regimental Sergeant Major, R3, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Warrant Officer, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
| 20 Jan 1919: | Promoted AIF WW1, Regimental Sergeant Major, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement 10th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières |
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Reginald Tasman White enlisted on the 3rd September 1914 and served on the Gallipoli Peninsula until the 13th September 1915 when illness resulted in his transfer to Egypt and eventually being invalided to Australia in November 1915. (refer to Service No. 3)
On the 12th August 1916, Reginald, with the rank of Sergeant, and his unit, the 3rd Infantry Brigade, Headquaters embarked from Adelaide, South Australia on board HMAT A70 "Ballarat" disembarking at Plymouth, England on the 20th September 1916.
The unit marched into No.1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, England on the 13th October 1916. While based at No.4 Command Depot, Wareham in March 1917 Reginald was found guilty of being absent without leave from noon on the 25th March to 8am on the 26th March and neglecting to obey orders re train travelling. He was severely reprimanded and forfeited 2 days pay.
He proceeded to France in July 1917 and was taken on strength, 3rd Infantry Brigade, Headquaters on the 4th August, and on the 10th November he transferred to the 10th Battalion.
On the 14th December he was admitted to the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance suffering Sepsis of the Left Knee and was then transferred to the 10th Stationary Hospital, St Omer, France. On the 8th January 1918 he was transferred to the 7th Convalescent Hospital, Boulogne, France where he remained until he rejoined the 10th Battalion in the field on the 5th February.
On the 10th August 1918 Reginald and his platoon were fighting in a wood near Lihons, a village on the road from Amiens to Nesle on the Somme, France. The platoon was held up by two machine guns, Reginald ordered his Lewis Guns to give covering fire while he worked round the flank with two men and bombed the gun, killing eight of the enemy and capturing the two guns. During consolidations he was buried by a shell and badly shaken but carried on with great cheerfulness, setting a fine example to his platoon. Reginald was awarded the Military Medal for his gallant efforts on the 14th May 1919.
He was granted leave on the 31st August 1918 which he took in England and returned to his Battalion in France on the 19th September. While on leave, on the 14th September, he was promoted to Company Sergeant Major (Warrant Officer Class II) and on the 1st November he received a further promotion to Tempory Regimental Sergeant Major (Warrant Officer Class I). He was then detached to the School of Instruction on the 6th November. Armistice was declared on the 11th November and Reginald rejoined his Battalion on the 18th November.
Reginald was granted leave on the 31st December which he took in Paris, rejoining his Battalion on the 13th January 1919. He left France for England on the 3rd April disembarking at Southhampton on the 4th April and remained in England until he departed from Liverpool on board HT "Nestor" on the 20th May to return to Australia, arriving in Adelaide on the 29th June.
Reginald was discharged from the AIF on the 29th August 1919. He was awarded the Military Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Twelve months after peace was declared Reginald married Ethel Mary Virgin on the 11th November 1919. They remained living in South Australia welcoming their first child, Brian at Henley Beach South in 1922.
By 1946 Reginald was living in Concord West, New South Wales and remained there until at least 1966. He passed away on the 16th October 1989.
Biography
Reginald Tasman White was born on the 21st May 1895 in Quorn, South Australia to parents Thomas Geddes White and Gertrude Emily (nee Clark) White. Thomas was a Methodist Minister whose ministerial career took him and his family from Quorn to Clare, Kadina, Gawler, Unley, Torrensville and Glenelg.
There were seven children in the family including Eustace and Lexford who also served in WW1 with Reginald. In 1910 the family were living in Unley where Reginald attended Unley High School.
Reginald was employed as a Salesman and was serving as a Senior Cadet with the 78th Infantry when he enlisted at Morphettville, South Australia on the 3rd September 1914. He was amongst the first group of men to enlist and was part of the 3rd Infantry Brigade, Headquaters. At the time of enlistment he was aged 19 years 4 months and was described as 5'6" tall with dark complexion and hair and blue eyes.
The unit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia on board HMAT A12 "Saldanha" on the 21st October 1914. Reginald was promoted from Private to Corporal on the 26th February 1915 and on the 6th July, while serving in the Postal Corps on the Gallipoli Peninsula he was promoted to Lance Sergeant. On the 20th August he was promoted to Sergeant and transferred to Clerical Staff but less than a month later he developed a fever and was transferred to Alexandria. He was diagnosed with Enteric Fever and admitted to the 13th General Hospital on the 19th September. On the 2nd November he was sent to convalesce at the Australian Enteric Convalescent Camp in Port Said.
Reginald was invalided back to Australia from Suez on board HT "Wandilla" on the 13th November 1915. He recovered from his illness and embarked from Adelaide on the 12th August 1916 to continue his military service (refer to Service No. R3)
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