HAMILTON, Henry Claude

When Henry enlisted in Queensland in September 1916, he gave his birthplace as Inverell NSW and his next of kin as his sister Mrs. Galvin of Bannockburn, Inverell. He was the son of Frederick and Sarah Hamilton who lived in the Inverell district during the 1870s and 1880s.

Henry was a forty four year old single man working as a Cook when he enlisted. He joined the 52nd Battalion, 8th Reinforcement and sailed from Australia on HMAT A64 Demosthenes in December 1916.

After arriving in England in March further training was undertaken until he was sent to France in June. By September 1917 he was ill and returned to the England for treatment at 1st Eastern General Hospital at Cambridge. Eventually the decision was made to return Henry to Australia where he was medically discharged in May 1918 due to chronic rheumatism.

Henry was among Australia’s Indigenous men who served during World War 1. His younger brother Joseph enlisted under the surname Buddsworth in 1915 and was killed in action at Pozieres in Spetember 1916.