Joseph William Ernest Binks

Joseph (March 30, 1920 - Probably England)

 

Joseph (known as 'Ernie') was born on January 22, 1894 in Holborn, London.

He emigrated to Adelaide, South Australia sometime before 1915 and possibly at the same time as his sister, Easter (arriving on 26 August 1911).

After the outbreak of World War One and the involvement of the Australian Imperial Force, Joseph enlisted in Keswick, South Australia.

Joseph W. E. Binks military service

Much of the following  information is transcribed from digital images of the original service records obtained from the National Archives of Australia. By copyright permission for all documents of commonwealth origin, the collection is now available directly from the following link.

Click image to view collection

Source reference for images: National Archives of Australia: B2455, Binks JWE

 

Chronological list of events

Text shown in italics are my own comments

Historic background to events are shown in blue text

 

Date

Event

Location

1st April 1915 27th Battalion AIF (South Australia) [7th Infantry Brigade] formed in South Australia

Australia

19th May 1915 Enlisted and had medical examination (at Keswick, S.A.)
31st May 1915

Official Attestation (Keswick, S.A.) Regimental No. 2118

25th June 1915 Transferred to 4th reinforcements / 27th Infantry
6th August 1915

With sister Easter (Esther) - Click image to enlarge

21st September 1915 Embarked for Mudros on HMAT (His Majesty’s Australian Ship) ‘Star Of England’

At Sea

29th December 1915 “Taken On Strength” Mudros  (Greek port on the Mediterranean island of Lemnos that was used by the Allies as a major base for Gallipoli)

Gallipoli Operations lasted from 25 April 1915 to 07 January 1916. However, the last Australian troops were evacuated by 20th December 1915.

Mudros

10th January 1916 Disembarked from Mudros to Alexandria

At Sea

13th March 1916 Proceeded to join British Expeditionary Force – (Probably for training)

Alexandria, Egypt

21st March 1916 Disembarked for Marseilles

At Sea

7th April 1916 Australian soldiers took up positions on the Western Front at Armentieres, France

France

23 July - 3 September 1916 Battle of the Somme at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm, France
18th November 1916 Somme campaign ended. Australian troops manned trenches throughout a severe winter on the Western Front, France.
10th December 1916 ‘Sick – to hospital’ Pleurisy (Travelled via Rouen, St. Cecile Plage, to 26th General Hospital, Etaples*, France)

* During the First World War the town became a vast Allied military camp and then a giant 'hospital city'.  Many medical facilities were established by the Australians, New Zealanders and British.  Wounded soldiers were consequently often sent to Etaples to recover or en route for Britain. (courtesy of www.firstworldwar.com )

17th December 1916 Embarked on ‘H.S. (hospital ship) Newhaven’ from Calais to England

Admitted to Edmonton Military Hospital (Pleurisy - severe) – same day

England

19th January 1917

Sister, Esther Stephenson writes to Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office, Victoria Barracks asking for news of her brother after seeing his name in the casualty list (‘seriously sick’) in newspaper of the 15th January.

Her address is: 96 Edward Street, Norwood, Adelaide, S.A.

Esther's letter - Click image to enlarge

20th January 1917 Disobeyed (routine order) R.O. 1609 – “Para Bounds” (?) (see 9th June 1917)
16th March 1917 Transferred to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield (Pleurisy) (Middlesex)
4th April 1917

Discharged from hospital. 

Granted furlough (leave of absence) and to report to No 2 (Australian) Command Depot, Weymouth on 19th April 1917

18th April 1917

Ernie with left: (probably) Alice Freeman - future wife of brother, Charles Henry Binks, and right: sister, May. Photographed in England and dated 18th April 1917) - Click image to enlarge

19th April 1917 Transferred to No 2 (Australian) Command Depot, Weymouth from Admin. Headquarters, London -
(6pm) 4th May – (5pm) 6th May 1917

Staying Leave – West ham

(Offence committed by overstaying leave)

7th May – 9th May 1917

Punishment: 3 days F. P. No 2 awarded (Field Punishment No.2*) and forfeiture of 6 days pay - One pound & 10 shillings. (20 shillings = £1) 

* Field Punishments:  These were punishments carried out in the field, i.e. out of barracks. They were regarded as rather brutal by most soldiers. They were administered by Provost staff unless the unit was on the move, when the unit would carry it out. There were two field punishments: 

Field Punishment No. 1.-The offender may, unless the court-martial or C.O. otherwise directs 

(a) Be kept in irons. 

(b) Be attached by straps, irons or ropes for not more than 2 hours in 1 day to a fixed object. Must not be attached for more than 3 out of 4 consecutive days or for more than 21 days in all. 

(c) Be made to labour as if he were undergoing imprisonment with hard labour. 

Field Punishment No. 2. Same as No. 1, except he may not be treated as above in (b). 

When the unit was on the move an offender sentenced to Field Punishment No. 1 was exempt from the operation of (b), but all offenders sentenced to field punishment were to march with their units, carry their arms and accoutrements, perform all their military duties as well as extra fatigue duties, and be treated as defaulters. Field punishment for a period not exceeding 3 months could also be awarded by a court-martial for any offence committed on active service. (courtesy of:  www.1914-1918.net )

24th May 1917 Transferred from No 2 (Australian) Command Depot, Weymouth to Perham Downs Draft Depot (Wiltshire)
9th June 1917

Awarded 28 days ‘Field Punishment No.2’ for neglecting to obey R.O. (routine order) 1609’ on 20/1/17

(the offence was probably noted on 2nd June* (at Perham Downs) which explains the long gap between offence and punishment)

* Date mentioned in service record.

28th June 1917 Left Southampton for France

France

29th June 1917 Admitted from England to 2nd Aust. Divisional Base Depot, Havre, France
16th July 1917 Proceeded to join unit
18th July 1917 ‘Re-Joined (unit) from Hospital’

Belgium

31st July 1917

Appointed Lance-Corporal 

3rd Battle of Ypres begins on this date

20th September 1917

‘Wounded in action’ 

(Battle of Menin Road, Ypres – 20th- 25th Sept. 1917)

22nd September 1917

“date of origin of disability” (according to 11th Nov. 1917 Dartford 3rd Australian Aux. Hospital medical report) 

Transported by 6th Australian Field Ambulances to No.10 Casualty Clearing Station – Le Mans

23rd September 1917 Admitted to 3rd Canadian General Hospital, Boulogne, France

France

24th September 1917

Embarked on ‘H.S. (hospital ship) St. Andrew’ for England from Boulogne 

Admitted to Bevan Military Hospital, Sandgate, Kent (gunshot wound to left arm) – stayed 16 days

England

 

10th October 1917

Discharged from Bevan Military Hospital 

Admitted (transferred) to Shorncliffe Military Hospital, Kent – then transferred to: 

3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, Kent (stayed 34 days)

13th October 1917

Esther Stephenson writes to Base Records Office advising new address as:

34 North Terrace, Kent Town, Adelaide, S.A

11th November 1917

Medical assessment: 

“Wound involves ulmer nerve. Main muscles involved are extensions of hand. Massage department states condition to require at least 4 months electrical treatment. Has had massage for 3 weeks, his improvement is very slight.” 

Recommended transfer to Australia (medical report)

12th November 1917

Discharged from 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, Kent 

Transferred to No 2 (Australian) Command Depot, Weymouth

16th November 1917 (Weymouth): Gen. Ryan: “Permanently unfit (for) general service. Unfit. Home service for 6 months.”
21st December 1917 Returned to Australia for discharge (Gun shot wound in left arm) (Headed for, and may have boarded ship on 21st, but actually embarked on 22nd)
22nd December 1917 Embarked for Australia from Devonport on S.S. Persic

At Sea

28th January 1918 (medical report): “Marked wasting (of) arm and hand”
12th February 1918 Disembarkation in Australia

Australia

13th February 1918 Admitted to ‘No. 7 A. G. Hospital, Keswick’ Australia
22nd April 1918 Discharged from ‘No. 7 A. G. Hospital, Keswick’ Australia

Medical condition:

“Some wasting of muscle of left arm. Strength returning rapidly. Fair amount of power of movement…¼ Incapacity 6 months.”

1st May 1918

Granted pension from 7th May 1918. (Two pounds & five shillings per fortnight.) 

Address: 34 North Terrace, Kent Town, S.A.

6th May 1918 Discharged from Army (‘medically unfit – not due to misconduct’)

'Ernie' received the British War Medal, 1914-15 Star Medal and the Victory Medal.

Sometime between June 20, 1918 and September 27th 1920, he returned to England where he married Emily Harvey Edwards (born Islington Bet. 1895 - 1896)  at the Register Office, Islington, London. Emily was the daughter of a builder's assistant, George Edwards.

At the time of his marriage Ernie's occupation was given as a 'Motor Driver'. Ernie & Emily's first child, Ernest Dudley Binks, was born on October 2, 1921 at the Angel, Islington.

The family returned to Australia for good (probably in January 1922) where Ernie worked as a bus driver for the South Australian Railways.

Three more children were born in Australia; Esther Mary Ada Binks (June 27, 1923), Grace Rhonda Binks (April 25, 1925) and Betty Clara Binks (March 31, 1933).

Joseph died on August 12, 1973 in Adelaide, Australia.

Emily Harvey Edwards

 

Photo Album

(Click on the thumbnails to view the pictures)

Joseph 'Ernie' Binks in his youth

 

Unidentified military group photograph, but associated with Joseph. Possibly taken in Alexandria, Egypt

 

'Ernie', right, with unknown army pal - date and location unknown

Joseph with sister, Easter and her son, Ernest C. F. Stephenson (June 20, 1918)

 

Joseph with his sister Easter's son, Ernest C. F. Stephenson (1918)

Joseph's son, Ernest Dudley

Joseph with daughter, Esther Mary Ada (July 1924)

See also Easter Mary Binks