FROOMES, Harold William

Harold William Froomes was born in 1884,  the eldest child of Arthur William Froomes and his wife, Rosalie Harriet, nee Parsons. He was followed by six further children: Beryl May (1885-1886) ); Olive Maude (b.1887);Arthur Wray (b.1889): Eric (b.1890) Marie Constance (b.1892); Richard Marshall (b.1896) who was also to serve in the AIF in World War 1. Harold Froomes was a bank clerk, aged 30 years and 10 months when he enlisted on 16 March, 1915. After training, he was placed with the 21st Battalion and sailed for Egypt on board HMAT Ulysses A38, disembarking at Alexandria on 11 February, 1916. Here, he was sent for further training at the School of Instruction as a sapper and placed with the 21st Battalion, 2nd Division Brigade. From Egypt, the 21st Battalion went straight to France, disembarking at Marseilles on 21 March, 1916. Here, he worked in maintaining communications between his battalion and the various other groups.

Harold Froomes'  previous experience must have been noted. He was a bank clerk by training and the Army authorities first transferred him back to his old job, this time as a paymaster with the Australian Army Pay Corps on 9 June, 1917, then promoted him to Sergeant, specifically Pay Sergeant with the 22nd Battalion on 20 June. He remained attached to the 22nd Battalion for the duration of the war.

On 6 May, 1919, with the war now over for six months, Harold Froomes marched in for the return to Australia. On 8 May, he board HMAT Devanha, leaving from Devonport, England and was discharged from the AIF  at Victoria Barracks in St. Kilda Rd. Melbourne on 22 August, 1919. He moved back to his father's home at 54 Orrong Rd., Elsternwick, and resumed his job as a clerk, a position he stayed in all his life.

Harold Froomes married Alexie Violet Tyson at Bendigo in 1926. They had one child, as son Kevin William in 1927. In 1954, Harold Froomes, clerk, was living at 94 Addison St., Elwood. He died suddeny, aged 72, on June 28, 1956.