Joseph Jacob John HERRINGE

Joseph Herringe and his mother Mrs Bridget Herringe (Photograph courtesy of Marie Cribbin)

Per his military service record (regimental no. 5700), Joseph Jacob John Herringe was born at Cowra, N.S.W.[1]  He gave his age as 21 years and 7 months, his marital status as single, and his occupation as fitter.  He stated he has been apprenticed as a gasfitter for 3 years to A. Wright at Cowra. He claimed that he had 2 years previous military service with the 41^st Infantry at Cowra.

His description on his Certificate of Medical Examination form was height 5 feet 10 inches tall, weight 147 lbs., with a ruddy complexion, brown eyes, and brown hair. His religious denomination was Roman Catholic.

He completed his medical examination on 11^th November 1915 at Ashfield, and was attested by Lieutenant Frank Middenway at Ashfield on 11^th November 1915. His date of joining was recorded as 11^th November 1915, the day the Coo-ees marched from Parramatta to Ashfield.

It appears that Joseph Herringe may have first presented to join the Co-ees at Katoomba, as a ‘J. Herringe’ was listed in The Blue Mountain Echo on 12^th November 1915 as ‘one of the lads who answered the call, and marched out [of Katoomba] with the “Coo-ees” on their triumphant march to the sea’.[2]  (Several of the Coo-ees listed in this article did not undertake their attestation and medical examination until further along the march, or until they reached Liverpool Camp).

After completing the Coo-ee March he went to Liverpool Camp as reinforcement for the 13^th Battalion.

Private Herringe, along with Private Colin Wren, ‘of the Coo-ees’, were ‘among the lads in khaki’ reported to be in Cowra on leave in the Cowra Free Press on 27^th November 1915.[3]

They were both reported being on leave again ‘spending the festive season with their relatives and friends’ in the Cowra Free Press on 30^th December 1915.[4]

On his embarkation roll Private Herringe’s address at time of enrolment was Grenfell Road, Cowra, N.S.W. His next of kin was recorded as his mother, Mrs B. [Bridget] M. Herringe, at the same address.[5]

On 3^rd May 1916 Private Herringe departed Sydney on the HMAT A46 Clan McGillivray, along with fellow Coo-ees Private Saunders and Private Keating, as part of the 18^th reinforcements for the 13^th Battalion.

HMAT Clan MacGillivray A46

He arrived in Egypt in June 1916.

On 6^th August 1916 Private Herringe departed Egypt bound for England aboard the Transport Megantic.

He was sent to the 4^th Training Battalion at Rollerstone, England.

On 23^rd September 1916 Private Herringe departed England bound for France.

He marched into the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples, France on 24^th September 1916.

He was taken on strength of the 13^th Battalion on the 4^th of October 1916 whilst it was training and reorganising in the vicinity of Reninghelst, Belgium.

On 18^th October 1916 the 13^th Battalion was relieving the 15^th Battalion in the front line in the vicinity of Zonnebeke, Belgium, when Private Herringe was wounded by mustard gas poisoning.  He was moved back to the 11^th Australian Field Ambulance, then to the 3^rd Australian Field Ambulance.

On 20^th October 1917 Private Herringe was sent to the 2^nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station. On 22^nd October 1917 he was admitted to the 16^th General Hospital at Le Treport, France.

On 5^th November 1917 Private Herringe was placed aboard the Hospital Ship Panama for evacuation to England. On 6^th November 1917 he was admitted to the 1^st Southern General Hospital at Birmingham, England, with status ‘gassed severe’.

He was discharged on 15^th November 1917, and marched into the No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, England.

On 12^th February 1918 Private Herringe was transferred to the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, England.

On 23^rd February 1918 Private Herringe was charged with being absent without leave from midnight on 21^st February 1918 until 8.30 a.m. on 23^rd February 1918. He was awarded 4 days field punishment no. 2, and fined 5 days pay.

On 4^th March 1918 Private Herringe departed Southampton, England bound for France.  He marched into the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot at Le Harve on 5^th March 1918.

He re-joined the 13^th Battalion on 9^th March 1918 whilst it was training in the vicinity of Neuve Eglise, France.

On 28^th April 1918 Private Herringe was sent to the 14^th Australian Field Ambulance then moved to the 20^th Casualty Clearance Station with a condition not yet diagnosed. He was discharged and returned to the 13^th Battalion on 30^th April 1918 when it was at Glisy, France.

On 25^th May 1918 the 13^th Battalion was conducting training at Allonville, France, when Private Herringe was sent to the 4^th Australian Field Ambulance suffering pyrexia.  He was moved back to the 61^st Casualty Clearing Station. On 26^th May 1918 he was placed aboard the 20^th Ambulance Train and evacuated to the 56^th General Hospital at Etaples, France, where he was admitted on 27^th May 1918.

On 1^st June 1918 Private Herringe was placed aboard the Hospital Ship Princess Elizabeth for evacuation to England with severe trench fever. He was admitted to the Reading War Hospital in England later that day.

Private Herringe was discharged from hospital on 5^th July 1918, and given leave until 19^th July 1918.  He marched in to the No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny, England, on 19^th July 1918.

On the 10^th of August 1918 Private Herringe was transferred to the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, England.

On 19^th August 1918 Private Herringe was transferred to the 12^th Training Brigade at Codford, England.

On 19^th November 1918 Private Herringe was admitted to the 1^st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford, England, suffering warts.  He was discharged on 6^th December 1918 and returned to the 12^th Training Battalion.

On 15^th January 1919 private Herringe marched into the Concentration Depot at Codford to await his return to Australia.

Private Herringe departed Liverpool, England on 19^th February 1919 for return to Australia aboard the H.T. Orca.

He arrived in Australia on 9^th April 1919.

A letter in his file dated 1^st February 1921, addressed to the O.C., Base Records, reported that he was ‘still on Hospital strength’.

H was discharged medically unfit on 14^th May 1921.

[1] NAA B2455, HERRINGE J J J 5700

[2] ‘March O’er the Mountains’, (1915, November 12). The Blue Mountain Echo (NSW : 1909 – 1928), pp. 2-3. Retrieved September 21, 2015, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article108042142

[3] ‘Soldiers on Leave’, (1915, November 27). Cowra Free Press (NSW : 1911 – 1921), p. 2. Retrieved October 3, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article99695725

[4] ‘On Leave’, (1915, December 30). Cowra Free Press (NSW : 1911 – 1921), p. 2. Retrieved October 8, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article99696209

[5]  First World War Embarkation Roll Joseph Jacob John Herringe, https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1830996