Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland

Died on this date – 4th February.... Andrew Gerald Balding was born in 1878 in Brisbane, Queensland. He married Lillian K. B. Maclean in 1904 at Gladesville, Sydney, NSW.

Andrew Gerald Balding enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 13th December, 1916 as a 38 year old, married, Commercial Traveller from Sydney, NSW.

Private Balding embarked from Sydney on RMS Osterley on 10th February, 1917 with the 62nd Battalion & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 11th April, 1917 where he would receive further training before being sent to the Front.
Private Balding was marched in to No. 3 Camp at Parkhouse from Australia on 11th April, 1917. He was promoted to Temporary Sergeant on 26th May, 1917 & promoted to Sergeant on 18th July, 1917 at Headquarters, Tidworth, Wiltshire.

Sergeant Balding was transferred to 1st Battalion on marching out to 61st Draft Battalion at Fovant, Wiltshire on 19th September, 1917. He was transferred to Machine Gun Corps on 29th October, 1917.

Sergeant Balding was marched out to Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire on 12th November, 1917. He was marched in to Hurdcott, Wiltshire on 9th December, 1917.

Sergeant Balding was admitted to the Military Hospital at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire on 23rd December, 1917 with an inflammation of middle ear – Otitis Media.
Sergeant Andrew Gerald Balding died at 12.50 p.m. on 4th February, 1918 at the Military Hospital, Sutton Veny. A post mortem examination was held on 5th February, 1918 with a diagnosis of acute purulent meningitis, secondary to Middle ear Disease. His Casualty Form – Active Service states cause of death as Inflammation of Middle ear & Inflammation of membrane of brain.

The Red Cross Wounded & Missing File for Sergeant Andrew Gerald Balding has a letter from Assistant Matron: “Sgt A. G. Balding died after an operation on his ear for mastoid. He was ill for some time & at length became unconscious & died quite peacefully. He was in a little War by himself but many men who knew him used to go & see him. It was a merciful release for him when he died, for I am afraid had he lived it might have affected his brain. He is buried in Sutton Veny Churchyard with military honours.”
Sergeant Andrew Gerald Balding was buried in St. John the Evangelist Churchyard at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, England where 140 other WW1 Australian Soldiers & 2 Australian Nurses are buried.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/sutton-veny-a---b.html