Military History

Embarked Melbourne per HMAT ‘Ceramic’ A40 for Egypt 22.12.1914.
Roll Rank Lieut.
Roll Unit 4th Division, 16th Battalion, ‘B’ Company.
Lieut. Southern disembarked in Alexandria 3.2.1915. Southern and the 16th Bn. trained at Heliopolis. The 16th Bn. joined with the New Zealand troops to become the Australian and New Zealand Div. (ANZAC). Southern was transferred to ‘B’ Coy as 2nd in Command. He joined MEF at Alexandria and embarked for the Dardanelles per Troop Ship A28. He disembarked at the Gallipoli Peninsula 25.4.1915 and was promoted to rank of Captain with ‘C’ Coy, on death of Major F. B. Carter (KIA). Southern elected to lead ‘B’ company, following the wounding of Captain Margolin, and there being only one other officer to lead the men. The 16th Bn. fought at Bloody Angle on May 2nd and the morning of May 3rd. 330 men and 8 Officers were killed that night. Southern was initially reported wounded 2.5.1915. He was then reported missing in action 3.5.1915. The Court of Enquiry 23.5.1915 determined from witness statements that Southern was KIA in night action on 2nd / 3rd May 1915. Witnesses stated that he was fatally shot in throat or chest, when moving over a ridge. His body was not recovered and no burial site was located. Southern is commemorated at the Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Cannakkale Province, Turkey.
Final Rank Captain ‘B’ Coy 16th Infantry Bn.
Medical Condition Deceased, KIA.
Awards and Medals 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Notes His brother Arthur Richard Southern also of the 16th Bn. , was killed in action 2.5.1915 at ‘Bloody Angle’.
Photos HMAT 'Ceramic'. Photographer Josiah Barnes, photograph source AWM PB0284A
             Cptn. Henry Arthur Southern, photographer unknown photograph source Western Mail 21.5.1915 p3s
             Landing at Gallipoli on the morning of 25.4.1915. Photographer A. Joyner, photograph source AWM P00035.001
             Bloody Angle, Gallipoli , right hand corner in valley 1919. Photograph produced by James, W.H., Swanston W.H., photograph source AWM G01766
             Lone Pine War Memorial. Photograph donor R.W. Murphy, Imperial War Graves. Photograph source AWM H18637

Information Source
AWM PB0284A. HMAT 'Ceramic'. Photographer Josiah Barnes, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM P00035.001. Landing at Gallipoli on the morning of 25.4.1915. Photographer A. Joyner, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM G01766. Bloody Angle, Gallipoli , right hand corner in valley 1919. Photograph produced by James, W.H., Swanston W.H., photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM H18637. Lone Pine War Memorial. Photograph donor R.W. Murphy, Imperial War Graves. Photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Roll of Honour- Harold Alfred Southern
AWM Silas War Diary, http://www.Anzacsite.gov.au/1landing/s_diary1915may.html )
Guildford War Memorial
NAA: B2455, Southern Harold Alfred
St Matthew’s Honour Roll
St Matthew’s Fallen
Western Mail
Wise H. and Coy. Western Australian Post Office Directories. SLWA


15 Market Street, Guildford, WA.

Associated Images