STEVENS Harry

Additional information on the memorial: Australian Imperial Forces.

Harry Stevens enlisted as a Private in the 24th Battalion Australian Infantry Australian Imperial Force on 17th October 1916 at Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.  On his attestation paper he gave his place of birth as Northfield, Longbridge, Worcestershire, England, his age as 24 years 3 months, and his occupation as a farm labourer.  His next of kin was his father, Charles Stevens.  Harry was 5 feet 11½ inches tall with a dark complexion, hazel brown eyes and dark hair.  Harry left Melbourne on 23rd or 28th November 1916, disembarking at Plymouth, England on 29th January 1917.  He was posted to France, departing from Folkestone on 9th May 1917.  On 29th September 1917 he was wounded in action, receiving a gunshot wound to his right hip.  He was admitted to the 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, Belgium on the 22nd September where he subsequently died of his wounds the following day, 23rd September 1917.

Australian Service Records accessed via: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/
Reference: Barcode 1922473 Series Accession No B2455 Location: Canberra

The following information has been researched and transcribed by Jeff Taylor:
Death of Cofton Soldier
Miss Stevens, of Parsonage Farm, Cofton, has recently received the sad news of the death of her youngest brother, (6384) Private Henry Stevens (€Harry€) from severe wounds. He was admitted to the Casualty Clearing Station on the 21 September 1917, suffering with shrapnel wounds in the right hip, and passed away on the 23 September following. He was buried the next day in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium, the service being conducted by the Church of England Chaplain. Private Stevens went to Australia in 1913, joining the forces there in 1916, arriving in England in January 1917 where he completed his Military training, proceeding overseas on the 8 May 1917.