Hi All,
Sydney William DENNIS Regimental number 1252 Place of birth London, England School Surrey College, Brixton Hill, London, England Age on arrival in Australia 25 Religion Church of England
Occupation Master butcher Address Dwellingup, Western Australia Marital status Single
Age at embarkation 30 Height 5' 8.25" Weight 141 lbs Next of kin Mother, Mrs E Dennis, c/o Mrs Brown, Guildersfield Road, Streatham, London, England Previous military service Nil Enlistment date 21 July 1915 Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll 15 July 1915 Place of enlistment Perth, Western Australia Rank on enlistment Private Unit name 32nd Battalion, D Company AWM Embarkation Roll number 23/49/1 Embarkation details Unit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong on 18 November 1915 The 32nd Bn (Headquarters, Signallers, A, B, C, and D Companies) embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on two ships, HMAT A2 'Geelong', on 18 November 1915, and HMAT A13 'Katuna', on 24 November 1915. The Embarkation Roll does not distinguish between these ships, and it is therefore not possible from the Embarkation Roll to ascertain on which ship an individual embarked. Those who enlisted in Western Australia embarked at Fremantle (date not recorded). Rank from Nominal Roll Lance Corporal Unit from Nominal Roll 32nd Battalion
Other details from Roll of Honour Circular 'Killed by shell while leading bombing party in an attack, 19/7/16. May I just add his life was one of [the] straightest & best and he gave it willingly.' (details from sister, Mrs Dorothy Brown, London)
Fate Killed in Action 19 July 1916 Place of burial No known grave Commemoration details V.C. Corner (Panel No 4), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France Panel number, Roll of Honour,Australian War Memorial 120 Other details War service: Egypt, Western FrontDisembarked Suez, ex 'Geelong', 18 December 1915.Appointed Lance Corporal, Ferry Post, 26 May 1916.Embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, 23 June 1916.Killed in action, 19 July 1916.
Translation of German report, 25 October 1919, 'Iden: Disc handed over by Intell: Off: with 6th Army H.Q. through Central Office for Deceased Estates, 12/10/16[.] Australian Soldier S. W. Dennis, Iden: Disc 1252, 32nd Btn. fell in the neighbourhood of Fromelles on 19/7/16'.
On 20 February 1920, one of Lance Corporal Dennis' sisters, Mrs Dorothy Brown, wrote to Base Records and requested particulars about Lance Corporal Dennis' burial site. The Officer in Charge of Base Records replied on 16 April 1920 and noted, 'I regret to state no burial particulars have yet been received here regarding your brother, the late No.1252 Lance-Corporal S. W. Dennis, 32nd Battalion.'
Red Cross File No 910508: 'The above man appeared on German list dated 4-11-16.'
'Disc received from Germany AND (sic) forwarded to N/K. 11.5.17.'
Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous details Sister's subsequent address: Ethel B. Dennis, 23 Richmond Road, Easter, Devon; then 362 Wimborne Road, Winton, Bournemouth, Hants, England
Sources NAA: B2455, DENNIS Sydney William
Red Cross file 910508
http://www.aif.adfa.edu.au:8080/search?type=search&name=Sydney+DENNIS®Num=LEST WE FORGET
