KIA

Henry was born in Werribee, VIC in 1893 to Samuel Swanton and Helena Jane Beamish⁽²⁾. Henry had two brothers⁽⁵⁾, George and John, both killed in action. A cousin, William Dukelow⁽⁶⁾ who is also remembered in the Avenue.

Henry⁽³⁾ was a carpenter when he enlisted in the AIF on the 4^th of January 1916, aged about 22½. He embarked aboard the HMAT A68 Anchises in March and disembarked at Suez, Egypt in April.

In June 1916 Henry embarked from Alexandria, Egypt, disembarking at Marseilles, France a week later and joined his unit in August. In November he was killed in action.

On the above date [2.11.16], our battalion was in the reserve trench in front of Fleurs. We were having tea, when a shell exploded, killing Swanton and four others… They were all killed instantly…we buried their bodies in a shell hole behind the trench….We joined our battalion at Fromelles, about September…

Source: Red Cross Wounded & Missing

He is listed on the Shire of Bacchus Marsh Roll of Honour⁽⁴⁾, the Werribee RSL Honor Board and the St. Thomas` Church of England Honor Board, Werribee. William is also remembered at the Werribee War Memorial and the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France.

Notes

1. Name should be Swanton.
2. Werribee Shire Banner 30 May 1940
3. Known as Stumpy to his mates - he was a bit under 5' 3"
4. His name is Swanson on this Roll and he is not listed as having made the supreme sacrifice.
5. Wyndham History
6. Werribee Shire Banner, 15 July 1915, p.2.