DUGGAN, Henry James

Henry James Duggan was a tram conductor by trade, married to Sarah and living in Commercial Rd, South Yarra, when he enlisted on 1 December, 1915. He was then a month off 26 years old. He was sent to Castlemaine for training and then to Broadmeadows, where he was made an Acting Corporal with the 15th Reinforcements, 5th Battalion, with his enlistment number 4791. However, on 4 April, he was declared a deserter and struck off from the 15/5th. From here, he went to the 58th Battalion, with a change of enlistment number to 2313. In the Australian War Memorial records, Embarkation Roll, he is registered as belonging in the 58th Battalion, 4th Reinforcements from April-September, 1916;  subsequent documents record him as part of the 59th, suggesting he was re-assigned on the voyage over. 

Henry Duggan embarked from Melbourne on HMAT 'Orsova', leaving on 1 August and arriving in Plymouth on 14 October, 1916. From here he was sent to France, where he joined his unit and was taken on strength with the 59th Battalion on 5 January, 1917.    

By October, 1917,  he was suffering from severe exhaustion. He was admitted to hospital on 16 October and not discharged until 27 November. He was sent back to the front, but on 18 January, 1918, he was granted leave in London. Rather than returning to the front, however, he went absent without leave from 30 January until 8 February. He was fined 36 days pay and returned to France, rejoining his unit in 15 February.

Following the major German counter-attack on the Western Front in late March, 1918, the 59th battalion was part of a counter-attack at Villers-Bretonneux. On 26 April, 1918, Henry Duggan was  wounded in action and died in the field. He was first buried at Chalk Pits British Cemetery, 11 1/2 miles south-west of Corbie, then reburied at Villers Bretonneux Cemetery. 

The Red Cross files (Australian War Memorial) contain two eye-witness accounts of Duggan's death.

Sergeant Barnett, 59th Battalion, B Company, 3351: 'I was close to him when wounded by a shell. We were advancing on night attack at Villers-Brettoneux about 10.45 pm. He was taken to a dressing station. I did not see him afterwards. He was married, from Victoria, about 24, 5'5", medium build, fair.'

S.A. Bodswell, 59th Battalion, B Company Sig., 3137: Duggan was hit on the night of 24th, about 10 o'clock, behind Villers-Brettoneux, just before we hopped over, being badly wounded about the body by a shell. Was in the same lot when he and 4 or 5 others were knocked, but did not see his wounds. He was bandaged by Sgt. Hughes. We carried on and he was left there. Cannot say anything of him later. He was in B Company.'