Service Details:

24 June	1915                      Enlisted
29 June	1915                      Embarked from Fremantle
August	1915                      Embarked Egypt
12 October	1915                      Gallipoli
21 March	1916                      France
6/7 June	1916                      Trench Raid
29 July	1916                      Wounded, Pozieres (Sausage Valley)
18 December	1916                      Rejoined Battalion
Febuary	1917                      Warlencourt
March	1917                      Attack on Malt Trench
May	1917                      Battle of Bullecourt (Hindenburg Line)
June	1917                      Bapaume
August	1917                      Cassel
18 September	1917                      Ypres
October	1917                      Broodseine & Passchendale
20 October	1917                      2nd Div. Bombing School
31 December	1918                      Rejoined Battalion
30 December	1918                      Promoted Corporal
4 March	1919                      Promoted L/Sergeant
25 March	1919                      Returned to Australia
25 June	1919                      Discharged

 

 

Biographical Details:

Henry Joseph Denton was born in Adelaide, South Australia, to Cincinatus Denton and Margaret Smith, in 1885. He had three older brothers and two sisters. In 1899 his family moved to WA where Henry worked as a labourer.  Henry may have been the Henry Denton who in 1907 drove the first car to reach Alice Springs .

Henry enlisted in June 1915 in the 3rd Reinforcement for the 28th Battalion. He embarked from Fremantle on the Anchises in September, 1915 and joined the 28th in Gallipoli in October.
Soon after arriving in France Henry went Absent Without Leave for five days. He received 21 days Field Punishment No. 2 (F.P. No.2). This was the first of several AWL charges he faced during the remainder of his time in Europe.
Henry took part in the raid as a bomber with the right bombing party. While on special leave in London he failed to parade at Victoria Station for the return to France. He was consequently charged and given 168 hours of F.P. No. 2.
On 29th July Henry was wounded in action a Pozieres. He was eventually transferred to England with a Gun Shot Wound (GSW) to the left foot. He rejoined the 28th Battalion in December.
In January 1917 Henry was given 7 days C.C. and forfeited 2 days pay for being AWL for 2 days.
In March 1917 Henry was charged for being absent from parade for 2 days. He was given another 72 hours F.P. No. 2.
Again in April he was AWL for 2 days and received 28 days F.P. No. 1 and forfeited 30 days pay.
Henry’s AWLs were never more than two days.  On one occasion he had been discovered in huts. Although no excuses were ever recorded, perhaps he had been tempted by the ready availability of alcohol at the nearby estaminets.
In May 1917 Henry was sent to the Division Bombing School and two months later he was promoted Corporal.
In May 1918 Henry was detached for duty with the 2nd Division Bombing School where he stayed until January 1919 and then rejoined the 28th. In March Henry was promoted L/Sgt before being returned to Australia.
Nothing is known of Henry Denton’s post war life. Henry moved to Victoria at some stage. He worked in Melbourne where he died on 24th May 1954. His name was added to the Necropolis List on 12th July, 1954.