Tag Archives: Wellington recruits

Jacob Isak PALMGREN

Per his military service record (Depot), Jacob Isak Palmgren was born at Stockholm, Sweden. He stated he was a naturalised British subject. He gave his age as 33 years and 10 months, his marital status as single, and his occupation as engine driver. His description on his certificate of medical examination was height 5 feet 6 ½ inches tall, weight 154 lbs., with a dark complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair. His religious denomination was Lutherian.   He listed his next of kin as friend, Mr. W. Richard, Wongarbon, N.S.W.

“J. T. Palmyren” was reported in The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate on 29^th October 1915 as being one of the ‘Wongarbon boys’ with the Coo-ees.[1]

It appears he was one of the thirteen men who stepped forward and gave his name, ‘either to march under Captain Nicholas, or to come after harvest’, when the Coo-ees recruited in Wongarbon on 14^th October 1915.[2]

He completed his medical examination on the 16^th October 1915 at Wellington (while the Coo-ees were staying in this town).  He was attested by Captain Nicholas while the Coo-ees were at Stuart Town on the 19^th October 1915. He claimed that he had no previous military service.

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

On 7^th December 1915 he was charged with being absent without leave from the 3^rd to the 7^th of December 1915. He was fined 1 Pound.

The Wellington Times reported on 13^th January 1916 that the ‘Wongarbon folk’ gave a farewell on New Year’s Eve to ‘the local lads who had joined the Coo-ees’, and were back in Wongarbon on final leave, and that the ‘guests of the evening were Sergeants T. Dowd and H. Davenport, and Privates W. McDonald, E. May, and J. Palmgren’.[3]  They were each presented with a wristlet watch.

Private Palmgren was charged with being absent without leave from the 1^st to the 3^rd February 1916, being absent from special all night piquet on 5^th  February 1916, and being absent without leave from the 10^th to the 13^th February 1916.  He was fined another pound.

On 15^th February 1916 Private Palmgren went before a Medical Board at Liverpool Camp due to bad haemorrhoids. On 22^nd February 1916 Private Palmgren was discharged medically unfit.

On 30^th December 1916 Jacob Isak Palmgren re-enlisted at Dubbo. He completed his medical examination, and was attested, at Dubbo on 30^th December 1916.  He was at Sydney Showground Camp in 3^rd Depot Battalion from 2^nd January to the 4^th January 1917, then was placed in the 9^th reinforcements for the 45^th Battalion on 4^th January 1917.

On his embarkation roll his address at time of enrolment was Wongarbon, N.S.W.  His next of kin was listed as his friend, William Richard, Wongarbon, Western Line, N.S.W.  His religion was recorded on this document as Unitarian.

Private Palmgren (regimental no. 3432) departed Sydney on the HMAT Anchises A68 just over three weeks from re-enlisting, on 24^th January 1917. He arrived at Devonport in England on 27^th March 1917.

He marched into the 12^th Training Battalion at Codford the same day.

Two days later, on 29^th March 1917 Private Palmgren was admitted to the 1^st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford sick. He was transferred to Parkhouse on 23^rd April 1917.  He was discharged from hospital on 9^th May 1917.

On 2^nd November 1917 Private Palmgren departed Southampton, England, for France, as reinforcement for the 45^th Battalion.  He arrived in Havre, France, the next day, and marched in to the Australian Infantry Base Depot.

On 8^th November 1917 he marched out to join the 36^th Battalion.

On 17^th November 1917 he was taken on strength of the 36^th Battalion from the 9^th reinforcements for the 45^th Battalion, when the 36^th Battalion was resting at Vieux-Berquin, France.

On12^th February 1918 Private Palmgren was admitted to hospital sick. He rejoined the 36^th Battalion on 14^th February 1918.

On 30^th April 1918 Private Palmgren was transferred to the 34^th Battalion while it was at Franvillers.   He also was admitted to the Casualty Clearing Station sick with Influenza on the same day.

On 2^nd May 1918 he was admitted to the 3^rd Stationary Hospital at Rouen with Influenza. He was transferred to No. 2 Convalescent Depot at Rouen  on 6^th May 1918. He was moved to the No. 1 Convalescent Depot at Rouelles the next day.  He was discharged to the Australian Infantry  Base Depot on  Havre on 17^th May 1918.

On 12^th June 1918 he marched back out to the Front , and rejoined his unit on 18^th June 1918.

On 11^th July 1918 Private Palmgren was charged with being absent without leave from 9.30 pm on 6^th July 1918 to 9.30 pm on 8^th July 1918. He was awarded 14 days Field Punishment No. 2 and forfeiture of 17 days days pay.

On 20^th July 1918 he was admitted to the 5rh Casualty Clearing Station sick with Pyrexia. He rejoined his unit on 29^th July 1918.

On 23^rd August 1918 Private Palmgren was slightly wounded in action when the 34^th Battalion was in the line near Vaire-sous-Corbie, France.  He remained on duty with the Battalion.

On 31^st August 1918 he was wounded a second time when the 34^th Battalion was attacking along the Somme River between Bray and Curlu, France. He was admitted to the 53^rd Casualty Clearing Station. The next day we was evacuated, and admitted to the 2^nd General Hospital in Havre on 1st September 1918, with a gunshot wound to his nose. On 7^th September 1918 he was transferred to No. 1 Australian Convalescent Depot at Havre.

On 12^th September 1918 Private Palmgren was discharged to the Australian Infantry Base Depot, where he was charged with when being on active service (1) drunkenness, and (2) absent from 9.30 pm to 9.45 pm on 9^th September 1918. He was awarded forfeiture of 14 days pay.

He was admitted to the 39^th General Hospital in Havre two days later, on 14^th September 1918.  He remained in hospital until 5^th November 1918, when he was discharge to the Australian Infantry Base Depot at Havre.

On 16^th November 1918 Private Palmgren was charged with being absent with drunkenness and being absent without leave from 0930 to 2130 on 8^th November 1918. He was also charged with being in town without a pass.  He was awarded 14 days field punishment no. 2, and forfeited 15 days pay.

Private Palmgren marched out to rejoin his unit on 2^nd December 1918.

On 18^th January 1919 Private Palmgren was chargd with being absent without leave from 0900 to 1930 on 5^th January 1919, and drunkenness.  He was awarded 7 days field punishment no. 2, and forfeited 9 days pay.

Private Palmgren departed France on 21^st April 1919, and marched in to Codford, England on 22^nd April 1919.

He was granted leave from 20^th June 1919 to report to Sutton Veny on 31^st July 1919.  His leave was extended to 22^nd August 1919.

Private Palmgren commenced his return to Australia from England aboard the H.T.  Euripides on 8^th September 1919.  He disembarked in Sydney on 24^th October 1919.

He was discharged termination period of enlistment on 1^st December 1919.

[1] ‘Our Soldiers’, The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate,  29 October 1915, p. 4. Retrieved December 18, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article77601711

[2] ‘The Route March’, The Farmer and Settler, 19 October 1915, p. 3. Retrieved December 26, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116648940

[3] ‘Wongarbon’,  (1916, January 13). Wellington Times, 13 January 1916, p. 5. Retrieved December 18, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article143393008