Branch of Service

Army

Conflict

World War I (1914-1918)

Date of Enlistment

21/07/1915

Date of Discharge

07/04/1920

Place of Enlistment

Melbourne, Victoria

Gender

Male

Place of Birth

Williamstown, Victoria

Address (at enlistment)

Williamstown, Victoria (previosly Acton ACT)

Occupation

Clerk

Next of Kin

Christopher Chandler (father), Williamstown, Victoria

Service Number

1056

Final Rank

Sergeant

Final Unit

5 Machine Gun Battalion AIF

Harold Chandler came from Williamstown in Victoria where he was born in 1894. In March 1915 he arrived in Canberra to take up an appointment as the temporary clerk to Jim Brackenreg, the Federal Territory's stock inspector. He stayed until July that year when he left to join the Australian Naval Reinforcements - he had spent five years in the Naval Reserve at Williamstown. Instead he enlisted in Melbourne on 21 July 1915 and embarked for Egypt as a Private with the 30th Battalion in November. In March 1916 he transferred to the newly-created 8th Machine Gun Company which arrived in France in June 1916. The following month his unit, along with the 8th Brigade and the rest of the 5th Division took part in the Battle of Fromelles on 19-20 July. Chandler was shot in the right leg, left arm and shoulder and sent to hospital in Cambridge, England for treatment. Whilst there he was transferred to the 16th Brigade (which was later disbanded), promoted and made the Brigade Orderly Room Sergeant. He was later Mentioned in Despatches for his work in this role. In September 1917 he was transferred back to the 8th Machine Gun Company which was later redesignated as the 5th Machine Gun Battalion. He married Winifred Howard at Grantham, England on 14 February 1919 and he and his wife returned to Australia in January 1920. He was discharged on 7 April 1920 in Melbourne and became a farmer before retiring to Mount Waverley, Victoria where he died on 14 January 1984.

Description - height 5 feet 5¼ inches, weight 171 pounds, chest 36-39½ inches, fresh complexion, light brown eyes, dark brown hair, Church of England, scars on his right knee, lower back and the back of his thigh and a mole on his shoulder, no civil convictions.

NAA G1915/1405 - Temporary Stock Inspector HH Chandler
NAA RecordSearch - Series B2455 (First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920)
Our Queanbeyan 'Boys' No.4, Howard & Shearsby, Yass (postcard)