Harry Michael Dean

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Sun, 14/01/2018 - 13:56

First Name:

Harry

Middle Name:

Michael

Last Name:

Dean

Date of Birth:

Saturday, September 20, 1890

Mother's Name:

Mary Dean nee Bates

Father's Name:

Arthur Dean

Date Enlisted:

Wednesday, May 17, 1916

Rank at Enlistment:

Sergeant

Rank at Discharge:

Sergeant

Unit:

Tunnelling Company

Company:

4th

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Tuesday, April 25, 1961

Place of Death:

Port Kembla, N.S.W.

Details:

Harry Michael Dean (Service No 3411), was born in Bundaberg, Qld.

At enlistment he was 25 years old, single and worked as a mining engineer.

Harry embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A69 Warialda as a Sergeant with the 4th Tunnelling Company on 22nd May 1916. He disembarked in England on 18th July 1916 and joined his unit in France on 29th August 1916. On 9th April 1917, Harry was wounded in action at Hill 60, Ypres, Belgium, during a German raid. He was evacuated to hospital dangerously ill with gun shot wounds to his back and both legs. Harry's left leg was amputated and it was some time before he was strong enough to be sent to hospital in England.

He was repatriated to Australia in January 1918 and discharged medically unfit, with a pension, on 22nd March 1918.

Harry worked as a metalurgical chemist (metallurgist) in Port Kembla, N.S.W. after the war. On 9th July 1918, Harry married Helen Cairncross and they raised 2 children.

Harry died in Port Kembla, N.S.W., and is buried in Wollongong Memorial Gardens, Unanderra, N.S.W.

Many years later, one of Harry's letters home (dated 15th June 1917) written to a cousin while Harry was still in England recovering from his injuries, was found in a Bible at the Lifeline Book Fair, in Wollongong, N.S.W.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, DEAN H M