FINDLAY, Stuart Barham (ANA)

Stuart Barham Findlay was already a war veteran when he joined enlisted to fight in World War 1. In 1900, he had been in Paget's Horse, in 1901/02 in the Imperial Light Horse and in 1906, in the Transvaal Rifles, all in South Africa. When he joined up on 30 July, 1915, he was one month off his forty-first birthday. He had married Mena Creugh in 1915, when his address was 364 Albert St., East Melbourne. In July, 1915, when he knew he was going away to war, he lived with Mena at 21 George Street, Fitzroy, but probably on his enlistment, she moved to 385 Victoria Street, East Melbourne, where she remained during 1915-1916.

Stuart Findlay embarked for the war with the 10-12 Reinforcements to the 6th Battalion AIF, on 23 November, 1915, on board HMAT Ceramic A40. He was then ranked Acting Corporal. Neither his arrival in England nor his journey to France appear on his record. The next entry into his record is on 14 July, 1916, when he was admitted to No 30 General Hospital in Calais with septic feet. At this date, the 6th Battalion was on the Somme, about to fight at Pozieres. He returned to his battalion on 28 August, probably to Ypres in Flanders,but on 11 November, 1916, when he was again admitted to hospital, they were on the Somme in the bitter winter of 1916-17.

Findlay was sent back to England from Rouen on the HT Aberdonian from Rouen and admitted to Reading Military Hospital on 13 November, 1916, this time with strained abdominal muscles. On 4 December, he was also ill, this time with myalgia. Once in good health again, he was sent to Administrative Headquarters in London, where he remained for nearly six months, before being sent to the No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs. From here he was attached for duty with the permanent cadre as Lance Corporal with the Overseas Training Battalion at Longbridge, Deverill, and then as Training erSgeant on  7 November, 1917.

On 1 March, 1918, he went back to the 6th Battalion in France. It was the time of the Spring Offensive launched by the Germans, their last big push to victory. Stuart Findlay was now deep in the Western Front around Amiens and on 15 April, he was wounded in action. The damage was severe: gunshot wounds to the face and neeck, a farctured clavicle and damage to the chest wall. He was admitted to the St. John's Ambulance Brigade Hospital, then invlaided to the England on 22 April. He was in hsopital for over two months, then on 25 June, went on furlough in England.

Stuart Findlay returned to Australia on 21 July, 1918, on board the HT Boonah, disembarking in Melbourne on 20 September. In 1919, he was living with Mena at 21 Egremont Street, North Fitzroy, with his occupation. soldier. In 1924, they were at 40 Gore Street, Fitzroy and he was 'commercial', but by 1936-7, they were both at Heatherton Rd., Noble Park and He was identified as a public servant. He died in July,1940, at Caulfield and was buried at Springvale Cemetery on 25 July, 1940.