Number 851 HAMBLEN, Verdun Willis Gordon - 1915
State Records of South Australia

His mother was Emily Cox and father Elisha Hamblen, a carpenter.

Verdun married Florence Elizabeth Hyland on 3 August, 1918 at Parish Church, Lambeth, England. They were both 23 at the time residing at 47 Trizon Road, Kensington Oval.

Date of enlistment in the A.I.F. was 4 January, 1916. At this time, he was a man of 21 years of age, 5 feet and 6 inches tall and single. His occupation is listed as gardener. Initially he was placed in the 32nd Infantry Battalion for active service and was transferred to the 47th Battalion three months later. He began his service as a Private and by the end of the war he was a Second Corporal.

He left Australia on 25 March, 1916, disembarking at Marseilles on 9 June in the same year. Two months later on 8 August, he received a gunshot wound to the buttocks. This likely occurred at the Battle of Pozieres which was a part of the Battle of the Somme. Treatment for this injury was at the 13th General Hospital in Boulogne, France from where he was transferred to England four days after being injured. On December 1 he was transferred to another hospital and although technically hospitalised for three days from 18 to 21 December, he was recorded to have been AWOL. For some reason that is unclear, at this time he was given an award five days later.

Hamblen was eventually discharged from hospitalisation on 16 April, 1917 with it being recorded that he had spent a total period of 105 days in hospital. Once again he was hospitalised on 19 May and eventually discharged on 4 June 1917.

He returned to France on the 26th September 1917 and was taken on strength into the 47th Battalion on the 7th October 1917. On the 27 March, 1918 in the first battle of Dernancourt he received a gunshot wound to the right shoulder. After treatment he was then discharged from hospital on the 9 May and continued his duties in France.

He was allowed leave to the UK on the 30 July. Whilst on leave, it was then that he married Florence Elizabeth Hyland on 3 August, 1918. He returned from leave on the 17 August and honoured the agreement of his service by going back to France. A cyst on his face required further hospitalisation on the 4 December 1918.

Verdun Hamblen departed England on 12 July, 1919 on board the “Indarra” for return to Australia, disembarking in Adelaide on 8 September, 1919. He was discharged from AIF on 27 October, 1919 with the rank of Corporal.4 Verdun’s last unit was the 48th Infantry Battalion and he left the war with a rank of Second Corporal.

Electoral roll 1939 records his address as 14 Second Ave, Finchley Park (Magill).

Verdun Willis Gordon Hamblen died 16 January, 1980 and was cremated at at Enfield Memorial Park.

World War 1 Service

4 Jan 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Enlisted in the AIF. 
25 Mar 1916: Involvement Private, SN 2621, 32nd Infantry Battalion 
25 Mar 1916: Embarked Private, SN 2621, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Shropshire, Adelaide 
8 Aug 1916: Wounded Gunshot wound on the buttocks. 
27 Mar 1918: Wounded Gunshot wound on the right shoulder. 
27 Oct 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Second Corporal , SN 2621, 48th Infantry Battalion, Discharged from the AIF at Adelaide - Termination of period of enlistment.

References

1. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com.au/
2. Rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au. (2018). Willis Verdun Gordon HAMBLEN . [online] Available at: https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/people/136846 [Accessed 29 Oct. 2018].
3. Rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au. (2018). Willis Verdun Gordon HAMBLEN . [online] Available at: https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/people/136846 [Accessed 29 Oct. 2018].
4. Aca.sa.gov.au. (2018). Adelaide Cemeteries Authority . [online] Available at: http://www.aca.sa.gov.au [Accessed 29 Oct. 2018].