Harold Roy Devlin UHR
Per his initial WWI military service record (regimental no. 5471), Harold Uhr was born at Woollahra, Sydney. He gave his age as 18 years and 10 months, his marital status as single, and his occupation as labourer. His description on his medical was height 5 feet 9 inches tall, weight 140 lbs., with a dark complexion, grey eyes, and brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England. He claimed that he had no previous military service.
His “joined on” date on both his Australian Imperial Force Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad, and embarkation roll, was 7th November 1915, when the Coo-ees were recruiting at Lawson. He was reported as having being a Coo-ee in later newspaper articles in both the Sunday Times and The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate.[1] He appears to have been re-attested for some reason, as his service record records that he was attested, and undertook his medical examination, at Liverpool on 30th March 1916.
After the Coo-ee March he went to Liverpool Camp as reinforcement for the 13th Battalion.
On his embarkation roll his address at time of enrolment was Waratah Street, Lawson, N.S.W., and his next of kin is listed as his mother, Mrs K. M. [Kate] Uhr, Co/ Post Office, Wentworthville, N.S.W.
On 9th April 1916 Private Uhr departed Sydney on the HMAT Nestor A71 (along with Coo-ees Lewis Leoville and Daniel Lynch), with the 17th Reinforcement for the 13th Battalion.
Soon after arriving in Egypt, on 28th May 1916 Private Uhr was admitted to the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital at Tel El Kebir, sick with Influenza. On 29th May 1916 he was transferred to the 2nd Australian General Hospital at Abassisa, Egypt.
On 10th July 1916 Private Uhr boarded the H.T. Clan McGillivray at Suez for return to Australia, suffering Rheumatism and Bronchitis. He was discharged Medically Unfit on 26th September 1916.
On 11th December 1916 he reenlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Sydney under his full name Harold Roy Devlin Uhr, and he was allocated as reinforcement for the 17th Battalion (regimental no. 51639). However, the following month he was discharged Medically Unfit on 13th of January 1917.
On 27th July 1917 Harold Roy Devlin Uhr reenlisted for a third time in the Australian Imperial Force at Sydney (regimental no. 7115), and he was allocated to the 21st Reinforcement for the 17th Battalion.
He departed Sydney on the HMAT Euripides A14 on 31st October 1917, with the rank of Acting Corporal. During the voyage he was admitted to the ship’s hospital at sea on 14th November 1917, and was discharged the next day.
Acting Corporal Uhr arrived at Devonport, England on 25th December 1917. He was sent to the 5th Training Battalion at Fovant, England, where he reverted to the rank of Private two days later on 27th December 1917.
He was re-appointed Acting Corporal at Fovant on 25th February 1918., then reverted to the rank of Private on 31st March 1918.
Private Uhr departed England on 1st April 1918, bound for France. On 16th April 1918 he marched into the 17th Battalion, when it was in the front lines in the vicinity of Gentelles, France.
On 6th August 1918 the 17th Battalion was at Blangy Tronville, France when Private Uhr was evacuated to the 47th Casualty Clearing Station sick with Trench Fever. On 7th August 1918 Private Uhr was placed on board the 20th Ambulance Train and taken to the 10th General Hospital at Rouen, France, where he was admitted on 8th August 1918.
On 17th August 1918 he was invalided by Hospital Ship to England. He was admitted to the Bristol War Hospital on 18th August 1918.
On 26th August 1918 Private Uhr was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford, England. On 30th August 1918 he was granted leave, to report to the Number 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott, England on 13th September 1918.
On 13th October 1918 Private Uhr was admitted sick to the Number 2 Group Hospital at Hurdcott, England. He was discharged on 19th October 1918.
On 8th January 1919 Private Uhr departed England aboard the Orsova for return to Australia.
He was discharged Medically Unfit on 16th April 1919.
[1] ‘The Coo-ees, en route for Berlin, anniversary of their start’, Sunday Times, 8 October 1916 , p. 9, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article121335018 ; ‘Of the Boys’, The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate’, 8 February 1919 , p. 11, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article86116771
1915 Coo-ee March 