Henry Willis McNair

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Wed, 06/05/2015 - 11:08

First Name:

Henry

Middle Name:

Willis

Last Name:

McNair

Mother's Name:

Martha (nee Morton)

Father's Name:

Samuel McNair

Date Enlisted:

Thursday, March 2, 1916

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Private

Unit:

56th Battalion

Company:

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Wednesday, September 26, 1917

Place of Death:

Polygon Wood

Cause of Death:

Died of wounds

Details:

Private Henry McNair (Service no. 1943) was born in Temora, N.S.W. circa 1895. At the time of enlistment he was a single 21 year old working as a butcher.

Henry embarked on HMAT A37 Barambah on 23rd June, 1916 with 56th Battalion 3rd Reinforcements. He saw service on the Western Front as a signaller and on 25th September, 1917 while engaged in the Polygon Wood battle he was hit by a shell and wounded.

He was evacuated to Clapham Junction Dressing Station severely wounded in the leg. At about 1am on 26th September, 1917 he died of his wounds.

Henry has no known grave and is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium. His brother Samuel was killed at Gallipoli.

Sources:

NAA:B2455, MCNAIR H W