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Town Hall, 333 Bay Street, Port Melbourne
Town Hall, 333 Bay Street, Port Melbourne

Prest, Henry Thomas (1403)

Place of Birth: Port Melbourne, VIC

Age: 19 years 6 months

Enlistment Details: Monday, 26 October 1914 – Melbourne, VIC

Service Number: 1403            view online service record

Address:
155 Nott Street
Port Melbourne, VIC

Next of Kin:
Robert Henry Prest (father)
155 Nott Street
Port Melbourne, VIC

Embarkation Details:
Date: Tuesday, 2 February 1915
Ship: HMAT Clan McGillivray A46
Port: Melbourne, VIC
Unit: 5th Infantry Battalion – 2nd Reinforcements

Fate:
RTA: Monday, 8 May 1916
Discharged: Friday, 28 July 1916


The Standard newspaper reported on four cousins serving at the front.

William Thomas Henry Prest, son of W Prest of Fishermen’s Bend,
Thomas Alfred Prest, son of John Prest of Fishermen’s Bend,
Henry Thomas Prest, son of Henry Prest of 155 Nott Street, and
William Thomas Libbis, son of Mr & Mrs Libbis of Coburg.

All four are the grandsons of William Prest, ex-engine driver, of Graham Street.

1915 ‘Well Represented at Front.’, Port Melbourne Standard (Vic. : 1914 – 1920), 15 May, p. 2, viewed 29 April, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91165872

Henry was wounded at Gallipoli sometime between 25 April and 4 May 1915 and was evacuated to Malta before being transferred to the military hospital at Lewisham in September that year. He was released from hospital in November but by May 1916 he was on his way back to Australia invalided out of service due to deafness.

While in Malta he wrote to his parents including a poem he had written about the charge at Gaba Tepe which was then published in the local newspaper on 6 November 1915.

1915 ‘CHARGE OF GABA TEPE.’, Port Melbourne Standard (Vic. : 1914 – 1920), 6 November, p. 1, viewed 12 October, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91168159

1916 ‘Private H. T. Prest.’, Port Melbourne Standard (Vic. : 1914 – 1920), 1 July, p. 2. , viewed 31 May 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91166014

1917 ‘NOTT-STREET BAZAAR.’, Port Melbourne Standard (Vic. : 1914 – 1920), 23 June, p. 4. , viewed 19 Dec 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88366305

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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.