Skip to content Skip to footer
Town Hall, 333 Bay Street, Port Melbourne
Town Hall, 333 Bay Street, Port Melbourne

Drewett, Richard Clarence (523)

Place of Birth: Port Melbourne, VIC

Age: 23 years 11 months

Enlistment Details: Tuesday, 13 July 1915 – Melbourne, VIC

Service Number: 523            view online service record

Address:
79 Merton Street
Albert Park, VIC

Next of Kin:
Mrs L Drewett (mother)
79 Merton Street
Albert Park, VIC

Embarkation Details:
Date: Wednesday, 10 November 1915
Ship: HMAT Ascanius A11
Port: Melbourne, VIC
Unit: 29th Infantry Battalion

Fate:
KIA: Wednesday, 26 or Thursday, 27 September 1917
Place: France


Sister: Victoria Emilie Drewett

Lance Corporal, 29 Infantry, killed in action 26 September, 1917, Belgium, aged 26, commemorated Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood, Belgium.

Mother: Mrs Sarah Marie DREWETT, born Port Melbourne, educated Albert Park SS, family at 79 Merton Street. He enlisted with his mother shown in Elsternwick, but a report in the Record place her formerly in Merton Street. Drewett was unique amongst the servicemen from the district that paid the supreme sacrifice in that he had a sister, rather than a brother, that enlisted. Staff Nurse Victoria Emilie DREWETT volunteered in November, 1915 and served with 1 Australian General Hospital in England and France until discharged in November, 1919. She was Mentioned in Despatches and inducted as an Associate of the Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class – she placed her mother at 79 Merton Street.

Additional research by Brian Membrey

4 Comments

  • Filip and Annick Van Canneyt-Lauwaert
    Posted April 29, 2018 5.20 am 0Likes

    The Polygon Wood of Peace (in Dutch:Vredesbos) is more than a wood that acts as a reminder to the gruesome events that took place in WW1.
    Each of the 523 full standard trees in the wood is a personal memorial to a known, fallen soldier who has found his final resting ground at one of the two cemeteries in Polygon Wood.
    Along with the 5 memorial trees, the peace monument epitomises (unidentified) fallen of the
    nations involved.
    We plant a tree for Lance Corporal Richard Clarence Drewett, 26th september 2017.
    Filip and Annick Van Canneyt – Lauwaert
    Belgium, Flanders

    • David Thompson
      Posted April 29, 2018 11.50 am 0Likes

      That sounds like a very fitting monument to peace and thank you for planting a tree for one of our Port Melbourne fallen.

      • Annick
        Posted June 25, 2018 7.02 pm 0Likes

        Dear David Thompson,
        we are looking for a picture of Richard Clarence Drewett or a picture of the 29the Infantry Battalion.
        Can you help us?
        Greetings, Filip & Annick

        • David Thompson
          Posted June 30, 2018 10.47 am 0Likes

          Unfortunately I haven’t been able to locate a photo of Richard Clarence Drewett. Hopefully someone out there has one and gets in touch.

Leave a comment

PMHPS acknowledges the generous support of the City of Port Phillip.

 

The content of this site (images and text) must not be reproduced in any form without the prior consent of PMHPS or the copyright holder.

Acknowledgement of Traditional Custodians

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we meet and work, the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and pay respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.