VAWDON, Harold Frederick

Harold Frederick Vawdon was 23 when he enlisted. He was a Commercial Traveller; so perhaps was his father, who wrote several times enquiring after him from various addresses, one a hotel in Ballarat (in fact, Electoral Rolls confirm this occupation). He enlisted on 13 March, 1916, and on 18 March was placed in the Army Medical Corps at Ascot Vale, then to the Isolation Unit at Royal Park, Melbourne. A letter to this effect noted that he had been 'specially selected by me for the Army Medical Corps' by Colonel George Corsedon (?), but no further information is included. He remained at Royal Park for less than a month (15/8/1916-9/9/1916). On 6 September, he was made Lance Corporal and transferred to the 23rd Battalion. He embarked for the battlefront on 2 October, 1916, on the 'Nestor', disembarking at Plymouth  and transfering to the S.S. Arundell for France. On 8 February, 1917, he was attached to the 22nd Battalion and sent to the Front. On  3 May, he was shot, a severe wound to the right hand and arm. He was sent back to England, first to hospital at Oxford, then to Dartford, before being returned to Australia on 27 October, 1917, and discharged from further service the following February, having had a further time at the Australian General Hospital in St. Kilda Rd., Melbourne. On 9/2/ 1918, he was given a pension of 30/- per fortnight. He returned to live with his mother and father at 96 Park St, St. Kilda, but almost immediately notice of his engagement to Lilla Lorimer, which was announced in The Argus. On 11 October, 1919, the birth of a daughter was announced with mother and baby 'Both splendid'. They were still living at his parents' home at 90 Park St. St Kilda. He died in 1982, having lived in Sycamore Street, Caulfield South, since 1924.