SYMON, Oscar Sturt
| Service Numbers: | Officer, Instructor |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 June 1915, Keswick - K Group Base Infantry |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Stationary Hospital (AIF) |
| Born: | Upper Sturt, South Australia, Australia, 28 March 1891 |
| Home Town: | Upper Sturt, Adelaide Hills, South Australia |
| Schooling: | St Peter's College, Adelaide, Oxford University |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Natural Causes, Upper Sturt, South Australia, Australia, 31 December 1950, aged 59 years |
| Cemetery: |
Upper Sturt Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | District of Upper Sturt Methodist Church Honour Board, District of Upper Sturt Methodist Church Honour Roll, Hackney St Peter's College Honour Board, Roseworthy Agricultural College Roll of Honour, SA Caledonian Society Soldiers Memorial WW1 Honour Board, Upper Sturt and District Roll of Honour WW1 WW2 |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, Officer, Keswick - K Group Base Infantry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, Officer's School | |
| 16 Dec 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Struck off Strength accordingly | |
| 7 Feb 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Miltiades, Adelaide | |
| 14 Mar 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 2nd Division Cyclist Company , Canal Zone | |
| 19 Mar 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Officer, 29th Infantry Battalion, Proceeded to join BEF - Alexandria to Marseille | |
| 4 May 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 2nd Division Cyclist Company , France | |
| 5 May 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Officer, 1st ANZAC Cyclist Battalion | |
| 16 Sep 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 1st Division Cyclist Company | |
| 23 Mar 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Officer, Australian Corps Lewis Gun School | |
| 2 Apr 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Seconded - Australian Corps School | |
| 11 May 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Instructor, Lewis Gun School Instructor | |
| 10 Sep 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 2nd Stationary Hospital (AIF), Influenza | |
| 20 Sep 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 3rd London General Hospital - Influenza | |
| 20 Sep 1918: | Embarked AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Officer, HS St David - England | |
| 25 Jan 1919: | Embarked AIF WW1, Lieutenant, SS Ceramic ex England |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Heathfield High School
Oscar Sturt Symon was born on the 28th of March in 1891 to Mary Eleanor and Josiah Henry Symon. He was raised as one of six siblings in the town of Upper Sturt, South Australia and as a child participated in St Peter’s Cadets for just over two years. Oscar had the occupation as a farmer until June of 1915 at the age of 24, when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force.
On the 19th of March in 1916, Oscar joined the Australian Cycling Corps in Alexandria, Egypt and was a part of the 27th Battalion until he disembarked at Waville, France on the 30th of March that year. The Australian Cycling Corps was formed in Egypt in 1916 as a part of the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.). They fought on the Western Front in France and Belgium throughout World War One.
On the 4th of May 1916, Oscar was transferred to the 2nd Division Cycle Corps until eight days later when he was Taken on Strength of the 1st Anzac Cyclist Battalion in France. On the 27th of May, later that month, Oscar became a Lieutenant.
In mid-October 1917, Lieutenant Symon went on leave until the start of November that year, when he left for England. In 1918, Oscar Symon was seconded for duty to the Australian Corps Lewis Gun School where he detached on the 3rd of March. On the 10th of September in 1918, Oscar contracted influenza in Wandsworth, England and was admitted to hospital. This caused him to be delivered back to Australia in late January 1919. When arriving back in Australia, Lieutenant Symon’s position in the A.I.F was terminated on the 4th of May, due to the fact he was medically unfit to be serving in the war. On his military papers, it was recommended that Oscar was to be granted an honour rank temporarily based on his previous work in the war, although it is unclear if he was granted this.
After leaving the military, Oscar lived out the rest of his life in South Australia. After the time he served in the A.I.F, Oscar married Melva Iris McBride on the 29th of October 1921 in St Peter’s College Chapel in Hackney, which was soon followed by Melva giving birth to Robert Josiah Symon in late 1922. Oscar Sturt Symon passed away on the 31st of December 1950 at the age of 59 in South Australia and was buried in the Upper Sturt Methodist Cemetery, South Australia.
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