Military History

Embarked Fremantle per HMAT ‘Suffolk’ A23 Port Macquarie’A39 for England 13.10.1916.
Roll Rank Private.
Roll Unit 4th Infantry Bde, 16th Infantry Bn. 21st Reinf.
Grant disembarked at Plymouth. He marched in to the 4th Training Bn. at Codford. UK. After a period of intensive training, he proceeded to France from Folkestone per HT ‘Princess Victoria’ 8.2.1917. He marched out to the Details base at Etaples 9.2.1917 and joined his Bn in the field 11.2.1917. In France, the 16th Bn. spent much of 1917 advancing towards the Hindenburg Line. (AWM 16th Bn. ) Grant fought at the Battle of Bullecourt, he was captured by the German Army at Reincourt.11.4.1917. He was interned at Soltau Z 3605 in Germany as a POW. Grant was wounded in action and spent 10 months in hospital, with a damaged arm/elbow. Grant’s wife was advised her husband was missing (Reported West Australian  24.4.1917). She was then advised that her husband was a POW and wounded (West Australian Newspaper  11.6.1917). Grant was repatriated to England 30.12.1918, he marched in to Sutton Veny 3.2.1919 and marched out to Weymouth 14.2.1919 for return to Australia.
Embarked Liverpool for Australia per HT ‘Czar’ 23.3.1919. He was transferred to HS ‘Dongola’ at Alexandria 10.4.1919.
Returned/Disembarked Fremantle 7.5.1919.
Discharged 13.10.1919.
Final Rank Private, 16th Infantry Bn. AIF.
Medical Condition Invalided-ex POW and wounded arm
Awards and Medals British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Notes Grant  married his wife in Dumfries, Scotland1908. They both travelled to Western Australia soon after and lived at Perth, Goomalling and Maylands. Grant enlisted in 1916 and made provision for his wife.  He returned wounded to Australia , to find his wife had left him. He divorced his wife and was granted -Decree Nisi (Reported West Australian Newspaper 3.7.1919)
Photos SS 'Suffolk' in Suez Canal 1916. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM P00998.027
              Bullecourt, France 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM H12360
              POW Camp Saltua. Photographer Anna Niewerth, photograph source WW1 Prisoner of War Postcards

Information Source
AWM P00998.027. SS 'Suffolk' in Suez Canal 1916. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM  H12360. Bullecourt, France 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Embarkation Roll- Duncan Grant
AWM 16th Bn.
NAA: B2455, Grant D
West Australian Newspaper
Wise, H. and Co. Western Australian Post Office Directories. SLWA
WW1 Prisoner of War Postcards-POW Camp at Saltau. Photographer Anna  Niewerth,  photograph source WW1 POW postcards  website https://www.worldwar1postcards.com/ww1-prisoners-of-war-postcards.php

Turton Street, Guildford. WA.

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