The Bowes Museum Arthur Henry Porter (Harry)

Person Details

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Name:

Arthur Henry (Harry) Porter

Casualty No.:

Initials:

A H

Service No.:

3968

Date of Birth:

1891

Place of Birth:

Age at Death:

Ranks:

Private

Unit:

55th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force

Teesdale Township:

Place Enlisted:

Home Address:

High Moor House, Ingleton, before emigrating to Australia

Civilian Employment:

Cause of Death:

Date of Death:

Place of Death:

Battles & Campaigns:

Locally Commemorated:

UK Commemorated:

Overseas Commemorated:

Most likely at Murray Bridge Soldiers' Memorial Hospital Role of Honour, Australia

Buried:

Decoration and Medals:

British War Medal, Victory Medal

Service :

Army

Service Records:

Death Notice/Obituary:

Family Details:

Detailed information about the Porter Family and their relatives in Teesdale and service records - courtesy of Philip A Wilde - is available from the Bowes Museum Archive.

Cousin of Ernest Harold and Joseph Henry James Porter who also served in the War (see separated entries on the database).

Arthur also had several other relatives in Teesdale who also served in the war (see separate entries on the database): William Porter (of Cotherstone, father to Ernest and Joseph); Adam Bainbridge and John Joseph Bainbridge (of Forest and Frith); Frederick Porter and John Henry Porter (of Kinninvie Marwood); John William Porter (of Barnard Castle); Arthur Edwin Raine and William Stanley Raine (of Middleton in Teesdale); Herbert Dennis Raine, Edward Richard Raine and George McKenzie Raine (from Low Selset - Lunedale); and Edgar Heslop (from Marwood).

Notes:

Survived.

Harry emigrated on the SS Ontario to to Sydney on 7 June 1912. When the War broke out, he was an early volunteer to return to Europe and enlist. In common with around 33% of Australians in the first year of the War, his initial application was rejected, on the grounds of 'bad teeth', although his 5' 1/2" height would also have disqualified him. As the War progressed, enlistment criteria were relaxed and his re-application was accepted on 10 November 1915.

Harry embarked for France in January 1916 and was probably involved in a major operation at Fromelles in July 1916 where his Battalion suffered heavy casualties. In the Spring of 1917, the 55th was deployed in an advance after the Germans had withdrawn to the Hindenberg Line. On 2nd April, whilst in action, Harry suffered wounds to his forehead and throat from shrapnel and gunshot wounds to his eye and was repatriated to the UK and hospitalised for two months at the King James' in Waterloo, London. In September 1917, he returned to Teesdale to attend his Aunt's funeral. He was deemed unfit to resume active service and was discharged after returning to Australia in October 1917, where he settled and married.

An A H Porter appears on the Role of Honour at Murray Bridge Soldiers' Memorial Hospital.

Images:

Sources:

First Name: Private Individual ; Last Name: Private Individual ; Initials: Private Individual ; Service: Private Individual ; Ranks: Private Individual ; Service Number: Private Individual ; Unit: Private Individual ; Date of Birth Year: Private Individual ; Home Address: Private Individual ; Overseas Commemorated: Private Individual ; Family Details: Private Individual ; Notes: Private Individual ; Campaign Medals: Private Individual ; Teesdale Townships: Teesdale Poor Law Union 1914;