Please Note: Those service personnel without a Service Number means we have not been able to establish we have found the right person. If you can help us with more information, please contact us via our enquiry form and we will happily add the relevant information.

 

Upton, Michael, 1562

 

Service No:	1562
Occupation:	Labourer
Address:	Not given
Date of Enlistment:	March 29, 1915
Age at Enlistment:	22 years 1 month
Marital Status:	Single
Physical Description:	5ft 4ins, 9st 4lbs, black hair, grey eyes and dark complexion.
Next of Kin:	James Upton, ‘Valley View’, Yering.
Rank on Enlistment:	Lance Coporal
Unit Name:	1R 23Btn
Embarkation Details:	May 10, 1915 embarked from Melbourne on the Euripides.

 

Places and dates of service:

1915 September 30: Gallipoli 2nd landing.
1916 March 1 to November 10: France, Transferred to 6 Brigade Machine Gun Company.
1916 November 10: wounded in action France.

Service injuries: 
1916 November 10: wounded in action France. Gun shot wound right leg. Transferred to England where leg was amputated below knee. Condition severe.

Returned to Australia:	April 10, 1917 on the Benalla and Kanowna to Melbourne.
Discharge Date:	March 23, 1918
Rank at Discharge:	Lance Corporal
Honours/Medals:	1914-1915 Star; British War Medal; Victory Medal
Memorials:	Coldstream and Yering Memorial; Shire of Lillydale Honour Roll

 

Family Story:

Michael ‘Mick’ Upton was born at Lilydale in c1893 to James Upton and Elizabeth Agnes Upton, nee Woulfe. (1865-1942).
He was one of 12 children. Michael was a Catholic. In 1908 he won a prize for his school drawing book, at the Lilydale Agricultural, Horticulural and Pastoral Society show [Healesville Guardian, March 13, 1908 p3]

In 1912 he was a farm hand and football player and scored in the Coldstream v. Lilydale match. [www.coldstreamfootballclub.fox sporting pulse; Behind the headstones]

Vale, George, 5257

 

Service No:	5257
Occupation:	Miner; qualified baker
Address:	Not given
Date of Enlistment:	December 3, 1914
Age at Enlistment:	36 years 2 months
Marital Status:	Single
Physical Description:	5ft 5¾ ins, 10st 7lbs, brown scanty hair, blue eyes and florid complexion.
Next of Kin:	Friend – Mrs George Brown, Anderson St, Lilydale.
Rank on Enlistment:	Private
Unit Name:	13AASC Field Bakery; 8 Field Ambulance; 30Btn
Embarkation Details:	December 22, 1914 embarked at Melbourne on the Berrima.

 

Places and dates of service:

1915 May 21: Proceeding to join ME forces, Gallipoli.
1915 November 2: Tel-el-Kebir.
1916 October 6: Transferred to 8 Australian Field Ambulance and attached to 30Btn, France Multiple transfers in France.
1917 September 15: Appointed Driver.
1919 January 2: Special 1914 leave granted – 75 days in England.
1919 January 24: Furlough in Australia granted.

Service injuries: 
1916 August 13: Shell shock, France.

Returned to Australia:	March 10, 1919 to Melbourne on the Delta.
Discharge Date:	May 9, 1919
Rank at Discharge:	Driver
Honours/Medals:	1914-1915 Star; Victory Medal; British War Medal.
Memorials:	NIL

 

Family Story:

George Vale was born at Penzance, England, in October 1878 [Parents NK]. He was Presbyterian.
The 1939 obituary of Mrs Dorcas Peden refers to her daughter, Mrs George Brown of Lilydale [Lilydale Express September 14, 1939 p2; Behind the Headstones] A 1914 court case called for the Defence Department to testify on the enlistment of George Vale. His service records include details: November 23, 1914, Harriet Rowe complainant v Francis George Rowe defendant – arrears of maintenance, May 7, 1915.

Verdon, J.W.,

Verdon, William Henry Joseph, 25835

 

Service No:	25835
Occupation:	Rock drill driver
Address:	Lilydale
Date of Enlistment:	January 8, 1917
Age at Enlistment:	21 years 2 months
Marital Status:	Single
Physical Description:	5ft 7¾ins, 136 lbs, brown hair, blue grey eyes, fresh complexion.
Next of Kin:	Father – William Henry Verdon, Cave Hill Rd, Lilydale
Rank on Enlistment:	Private/Gunner
Unit Name:	7R 4FA Brigade; 13FAB
Embarkation Details:	August 1, 1916 embarked at Melbourne on the Orsova.

 

Places and dates of service:

1917 August 21 – 1919 May 22: France.

Service injuries: NIL

Returned to Australia:	July 21, 1919 to Melbourne on the Durham.
Discharge Date:	October 25, 1919
Rank at Discharge:	British War Medal; Victory Medal
Honours/Medals:	Lilydale State School Honour Roll; St John’s Church Lilydale Roll of Honour; Independent Order of Rechabites Lilydale Tent Roll of Honour; Shire of Lilydale Honour Roll.
Memorials:

 

Family Story:

William Henry Joseph Verdon was born at Lilydale in 1895 to William Henry Verdon sen. and Eliza Verdon nee Beavis [www.familytreecircles].
He was Anglican. He was still living at Lilydale in 1924 [Electoral Rolls.], and was an early member of the Lilydale RSL.

Vernon, Howard Edward, 7094

 

Service No:	7094
Occupation:	Traveller
Address:	Lilydale
Date of Enlistment:	September 4, 1916
Age at Enlistment:	29 years
Marital Status:	Married
Physical Description:	5ft 5¼ins, 135 lbs, brown hair, blue eyes, fresh complexion
Next of Kin:	Wife – Mrs Lillian Vernon, Hardy St, Lilydale
Rank on Enlistment:	Private
Unit Name:	23R 5Btn
Embarkation Details:	November 23, 1916 embarked at Melbourne on the Hororata.

 

Places and dates of service:

1916 AWL twice in England.
1918 July 1: Gaoled by civil powers, 128 days pay forfeited.
1918 October 10: Sentenced to two periods of six months gaol by civil powers, concurrent. Total 323 days pay forfeited; for theft of horse, then of bicycle while on bail.
1918 December 2: Winchester Prison. [Courts Martial proceedings filed Attorney General’s department & numbered 21012]

Service injuries: 
Shell shock claim submitted for August 1918, [but records don’t show him leaving England before he was gaoled] 1919 June 6: Medical report – disability NIL.

Returned to Australia:	June 21, 1919 on the Leicestershire.
Discharge Date:	July 6, 1919
Rank at Discharge:	Private
Honours/Medals:	All medals automatically forfeited.
Memorials:	NIL

 

Family Story:

Howard Edward Vernon was born at Flemington on August 27, to John Crute Vernon, musician, and Emma Vernon nee Gregory. He was Anglican.
He married Lillian Isabelle Chandler at 48 Steinfold St Ballarat East on January 29, 1914. Her parents were Thomas Chandler, butcher, and Florence ‘Eddie’ Chandler, later of Lilydale.

On arrival in England and while AWL, Howard bigamously married Lena Needham Kimber, 29, of 5 Kempslade St, Deptford, at St Luke’s Church, Deptford on March 11, 1918. He was gaoled for civil offences, during which some sentence was revoked and a Capt. Holloway writes: “I have released W103 for this war as he is being taken from prison direct to boat.”

On October 16, 1919, Lena writing from Fordingbridge, Hants, seeks compensation for herself and child. She claims Howard Vernon also robbed her mother and they are destitute. Wife Lillian is asked for confirmation of their marriage and she provides the Department with a certificate. In December 1919 Lena is told the Defence Department can do nothing as Howard has been discharged.

By 1925 Howard is living at Lilydale with Lillian and her young sister, Vera 15. He was a painter. On March 7, 1925 Howard was charged with the murder of Vera’s 17 year old friend, William Wallace Bent, who he shot while he was sitting with Vera, leaving him to die by the railway line at Lilydale. He was later charged with manslaughter and served 12 years. [Full details and evidence: Barrier Miner March 13, 1925 p1; Adelaide Advertiser March 27, 1925 p17; Argus April 17,1925 p11. See also various editions of the Lilydale Express from March to April 1925 ]

Howard wrote from 2 Princess St [can’t decipher, p9] on July 29, 1937 claiming he had lost his discharge papers [Seville Roll of Honour lists an E. Vernon]