SAMSON, Eric James

Eric James Samson was the son of Henry Augustus Samson and his wife, Helen/Ellen Mary or Mary Helen/Ellen nee Savage.  Henry was a doctor, graduating from Melbourne University in 1880.  In 1883 he was appointed health officer for the Shire of Omeo.  Eric was born at Beechworth in 1889 where Henry was by then medical superintendent of the Hospital for the Insane, which post he retained until his death in 1905. In 1908 the family moved to 72 Gipps Street, East Melbourne, and this was the address Eric gave when he enlisted on 7 aMarch 1916, and that of his next of kin, his mother.  He agreed that three fifths of his pay would go to his sister, Phyllis Sarah, of the same address.  His occupation then was as a clerk.  he was appointed to the 24th Howitzer Brigade, 2nd Reinforcements at Maribyrnong.

He embarked on 4 May 1916 aboard HMAT Port Lincoln as a gunner.  He was sent to the Artillery Training School at Tel-el-Kebir and then embarked for overseas from Alexandria on 1 August 1916.  He spent time in training camps in England before proceeding overseas to France where he was transferred to the 14th Field Artillery Brigade on 31 March 1917.  He was wounded in action on 27 July 1917 with a gunshot wound to his right thigh (slight) and taken to England for treatment.  He was absent without leave for one week earning him a forfeit of 15 days' pay.  This was not the first time for such an offence but this time he came back with VD.  He rejoined his unit in France on 5 February 1918.  From the middle of May to the middle of July he was sick and in hospital but back with his unit on 15 July 1918.  Again he was wounded in action on 8 August 1918.  This time it was gunshot wound to the head.  He was invalided to England during which he managed another period of AWL and 15 days' pay forfeited.  He returned to Australia on 9 December 1918 and was discharged 1 January 1919 medically unfit.

After the war he returned to his work as a clerk.  In 1921 he was still in East Melbourne, with his mother, at 138 Powlett Street, but after his marriage to Ruby Mary he moved away and was living at Ascot Vale at the time of his death on 24 January 1941 at the Alfred Hospital.  He had one daughter.