Soldier profiles

Name : HORSBURGH, HAROLD HENRY
Service Number : VX42422
Date of Birth : 15/10/1908
Place of Birth : LIMA EAST, VIC
Known as : HAROLD
Occupation on Enlistment : FARMER
Date of Enlistment : 28/06/1940
Locality on Enlistment : LIMA, VIC
Place of Enlistment : CAULFIELD, VIC
Next of Kin : HORSBURGH, GEORGE
Rank (at time of discharge / death) : DRIVER
Service : ARMY
Final Posting : 2/2 PIONEER BATTALION
Position / Platoon / Company (as 2/2 Pioneer) (date / details) :
Unit Transfers / Promotions (date / details) :
Theatres of War : SYRIA, NEW GUINEA, BORNEO
Actions :
Wounded (date / details) :
Discharged : 01/03/1946
Date Died : ??/03/1990
Age at Death : 81
Community Roll of Honour : N/A
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : BENALLA CEMETERY, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA. LAWN J74.
K.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
D.O.W. (date / details) : N/A
M.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
P.O.W. (location/s) : NO
Died P.O.W. (date / details) : N/A
P.O.W. Camps (details) : N/A
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : N/A
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : NO
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6132611 [DIGITISED]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Headstone, Past article (size 209kB), Past article (size 597kB)

Background : Served in Syria. Returned with baggage party ships after diversion to South Australia following fall of Java. The battalion was initially disbanded following the capture in Java of the men who were on the S.S. Orcades. Brother of VX42362 Alfred Charles Horsburgh (2/2 Pioneer). Husband of Louisa Gertrude (1897-1990).

Service & personal summary At enlistment : single. No previous military experience. At discharge : height 5 feet 7 inches, brown eyes, fair complexion, brown hair. Marital status : single. Marks / scars : small scar 0.5 inch long forehead left middle line. Full time war service : A.I.F. 28/06/1940 to 01/03/1946 which included 2073 days active service (994 days within Australia & 796 days overseas). Operational service : Middle East area (embarked from Australia 08/04/1941, disembarked in Australia 23/05/1942), New Guinea area (embarked from Australia 25/07/1943, disembarked in Australia 10/02/1944) & Borneo area (embarked from Australia 16/05/1945, disembarked in Australia 15/11/1945). War badge no. 184921. Discharge certificate no. 296455.

Service record
28/06/1940 Taken on strength Recruit Reception Depot Caulfield, Victoria.
02/07/1940 Transferred to 4 Training Battalion Albury, New South Wales.
20/08/1940 Transferred to 10 Training Battalion Bendigo, Victoria.
20/08/1940 Transferred from 4 Training Battalion Albury, New South Wales to 10 Training Battalion Benalla, Victoria.
21/09/1940 Transferred to 2/14 Training Battalion Benalla, Victoria.
21/09/1940 Transferred from 2/10 Training Battalion Benalla, Victoria to 2/14 Training Battalion Benalla, Victoria.
24/09/1940 Transferred to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria.
24/09/1940 Posted to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria from 2/14 Training Battalion Benalla, Victoria.
17/12/1940 Admitted 7 Australian General Hospital Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria with lacerated leg.
18/12/1940 Court of enquiry 18/12/1940 into injury. Finding : car used with owners consent : accident caused by skid : speed not excessive : injuries sustained while on duty.
20/12/1940 Discharged to unit.
07/04/1941 Embarked Sydney, New South Wales on H.M.S. Queen Mary (H.M.T. N.N.).
03/05/1941 Disembarked Middle East.
18/06/1941 Evacuated to 1 Australian General Hospital with dysentery and transferred to X list.
24/06/1941 Evacuated from 1 Australian General Hospital to 1 Australian Convalescent Depot.
07/07/1941 Discharged 1 Australian Convalescent Depot and transferred to Pioneer Training Battalion.
07/07/1941 Marched into Pioneer Training Battalion.
24/07/1941 Marched out to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion Middle East.
25/07/1941 Taken on strength from Pioneer Training Battalion.
11/09/1941 Evacuated to 7 Australian General Hospital Middle East with diarrhea and transferred to X list.
25/09/1941 Discharged 7 Australian General Hospital with myalgia and transferred to Pioneer Training Battalion.
25/09/1941 Marched in ex 7 Australian General Hospital.
19/10/1941 Marched out to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion.
22/10/1941 Taken on strength from Pioneer Training Battalion.
21/12/1941 Evacuated 2/1 Field Ambulance Main Dressing Station with Pyrexia of Unknown Origin (P.U.O.) and transferred to X list.
22/12/1941 Evacuated from 2/1 Field Ambulance Main Dressing Station to 2/1 Australian Casualty Clearing Station.
29/12/1941 Evacuated from 2/1 Australian Casualty Clearing Station to 7 Australian General Hospital with Pyrexia of Unknown Origin (P.U.O.).
15/01/1942 Evacuated from 7 Australian General Hospital to 1 Australian Convalescent Depot.
02/02/1942 Discharged 1 Australian Convalescent Depot and transferred to Pioneer Training Battalion.
02/02/1942 Marched in ex 1 Australian Convalescent Depot.
02/04/1942 Embarked Middle East on S.S. Felix Roussel.
23/05/1942 Disembarked South Australia Lines of Communication area.
28/01/1943 Marched into Victoria Lines of Communication area ex 5 Military District (Western Australia).
26/03/1943 Entrained for 1 Military District (Queensland) from 3 Military District (Victoria).
01/07/1943 Granted proficiency pay.
25/07/1943 Embarked Townsville, Queensland on H.M.T. Duntroon.
28/07/1943 Disembarked Port Moresby, New Guinea.
05/11/1943 Evacuated to III Casualty Clearing Station, New Guinea with clinical dysentery and transferred to X list.
12/11/1943 Discharged III Casualty Clearing Station to 7 Division Rest Camp.
19/11/1943 Discharged 7 Division Rest Camp to unit.
20/11/1943 Taken on strength 2/2 Pioneer Battalion from Australian 7 Division Rest Camp.
08/02/1944 Embarked Port Moresby, New Guinea on H.M.A.S. Kanimbla.
10/02/1944 Disembarked Townsville, Queensland.
14/04/1944 Evacuated to 115 Australian General Hospital, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria with malaria and transferred to X list.
10/05/1944 Evacuated from 115 Australian General Hospital, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria with infantry finger, malaria (benign tertian) to 107 Australian Convalescent Depot, Victoria.
03/08/1944 Discharged 107 Australian Convalescent Depot, Victoria to General Details Depot Victoria Lines of Communication area.
31/08/1944 Taken on strength 2/2 Pioneer Battalion, Queensland from General Details Depot Victoria Lines of Communication area.
17/01/1945 Evacuated to 116 Australian General Hospital with not yet determined urinary and transferred to X list.
27/01/1945 Discharged 116 Australian General Hospital with oxaluria to 16 Australian Personnel Staging Camp.
27/01/1945 Taken on strength 2/2 Pioneer Battalion from 16 Australian Personnel Staging Camp.
17/02/1945 Transferred from 2/2 Pioneer Battalion, Queensland to 2/28 Australian Transport Platoon, Queensland.
17/02/1945 Transfer in from 2/2 Pioneer Battalion.
16/05/1945 Embarked Cairns, Queensland on C. H. Matson.
26/05/1945 Disembarked Morotai.
29/07/1945 Evacuated to 2/5 Australian General Hospital (rheumatism right wrist and back) and transferred to X list.
03/08/1945 Discharged 2/5 Australian General Hospital to unit (2/28 Australian Transport Platoon, Morotai).
03/08/1945 Rejoined from 2/5 Australian General Hospital.
18/08/1945 Transferred to 2/27 Australian Transport Platoon, Morotai.
18/08/1945 Transferred in from 2/28 Australian Transport Platoon.
21/08/1945 Evacuated to 2/5 Australian General Hospital with fissure in ano and transferred to X list.
11/09/1945 Discharged 2/5 Australian General Hospital to unit.
11/09/1945 Rejoined 2/27 Australian Transport Platoon from 2/5 Australian General Hospital.
02/10/1945 Transferred to 33 Works Company.
02/10/1945 Transferred in from 2/27 Australian Transport Platoon.
12/10/1945 Evacuated to 2/9 Australian General Hospital with headaches and abdominal pain for investigation and transferred to X list.
22/10/1945 Discharged 2/9 Australian General Hospital with no appreciable disease.
22/10/1945 Rejoined 33 Australian Works Company from 2/9 Australian General Hospital.
23/10/1945 Transferred to General Details Depot, Victoria for discharge (LONGSER) via 1 Australian Base Sub Area Details Depot.
25/10/1945 Embarked Morotai on H.M.T. Duntroon for mainland and marched out to General Details Depot, Victoria for discharge (LONGSER).
07/11/1945 Disembarked Sydney, New South Wales.
01/02/1946 Marched into Leave and Transit Depot, Camp Pell, Victoria for disposal.
28/02/1946 Marched into Australian Military Forces Discharge Depot, Victoria ex Leave and Transit Depot, Victoria.
01/03/1946 Discharged.