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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.

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