Military History

To Signal School 44th Bn 11th Bde. 3.1.1916.
Embarked Fremantle per ‘Suevic’ A29 for England 6.6.1916.
Roll Rank Private.
Roll Unit. 44th Infantry Battalion, AIF.
Minchin disembarked at Plymouth 21.7.1916. He proceeded overseas to France 25.11.1916 with 44th Bn.
He was promoted to L/Cpl. with the 44th Bn. The 44th fought at the Messines in June 1917 and were then deployed to Ypres, to Broodseinde Ridge in  June- October 1917, until  they were relieved 21.10 191.7 Of the 992 men of the 44th Bn. who fought at Ypres, 834 were killed or became casualties.(AWM 44th Bn). Minchin was wounded in action 4.10 1917 in France, with a GSW to his right leg. H he was admittd to the 3rd casualty Clearing Station then the 3rd Concaelscent epot 23.10.1917. He rejoined his unit and was wounded in action a second time at Villers-Bretonneux 23.5.1918. He received severe shrapnel wounds to the right side of his face and was admitted to the 5th Casualty Clearing Station.  Minchin was invalided to England per HS 'Carisbrook Castle' and was admitted to Horton Hospital. He was then transferred to 3rd General War Hospital at Epsom, Surrey 31.5.1918. Two months later he was transferred to the Queens Hospital at Sidcup 31.7.1918. Minchin was assessed as unfit for service and listed for early return to Australia -invalided with a GSW to his face.
Embarked for Australia per ‘Takada’ 24.12.1918.
Returned/Disembarked Fremantle 1.2.1919.
Discharged 20.7.1919.
Final Rank L/Cpl., 44th Infantry Bn. AIF.
Medical Condition Invalided with GSW to face.
Awards and Medals British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Notes Sidney married Ruby nee Marriott at Claremont in 1919 (West Australian 7.9.1919 Family Notices p1)
Photos  HMAT 'Suevic'. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM A03216
              Messines Ridge 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E01290
              Broodseinde Ridge. Australian Troops in Front Line Trenches October 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E00948
              Stretcher bearers of the 8th Field Ambulance, near Villers-Bretonneux, France. June 1918.Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E02863

Information Source
AWM A0321. HMAT 'Suevic'. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM E01290. Messines Ridge 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM E00948 .Broodseinde Ridge. Australian Troops in Front Line Trenches October 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of theAustralian War Memorial
AWM E02863. Stretcher bearers of the 8th Field Ambulance, near Villers-Bretonneux, France. June 1918.Photographer unknown, photograph sourcd from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Embarkation Roll Sidney Minchin
Guildford Primary School Honour Roll
NAA: B2455, Minchin Sidney


‘Spring Park’, Dangerin, WA.

Associated Images