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
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
That sounds like a very fitting monument to peace and thank you for planting a tree for one of our Port Melbourne fallen.
Annick
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
Unfortunately I haven’t been able to locate a photo of Richard Clarence Drewett. Hopefully someone out there has one and gets in touch.