13th cyclist corps – The Harrower Collection

13th CYCLIST CORPS - 34th BATTALION A.I.F.

Private: 3341 Walter John LONGFORD.

Born: 1890. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Birth Cert:2641/1890.

Married: 1911. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Marriage Cert:4354/1911.

Wife: Betsy "Bessie" Longford. nee: Stevenson. (1893-1968)

Died: 1936. North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Father: Thomas William Longford. (25/04/1861-09/03/1930)

Mother: Sophia Longford. nee: Curran. (1866-1917)

INFORMATIONWalter John Lonford enlisted with the 13th Cyclist Corps on the 19th of March 1917 at the Show Ground in Sydney and was transferred to the 8th Reinforcements 34th Battalion on the 27th of June before leaving Sydney on board HMAT A16 "Port Melbourne" 16th July 1917 and disembarked in Liverpool, England on the 16th of September. Walter was sent to the Military Hospital at Seaforth suffering from Meningitis before he continued training with the 9th Training Battalion at Durrington Army Camp.

Walter had been rejected for service prior to his enlistment in the AIF due to Poor Vision and he was marched to the 2nd Command Company at Wymouth on the 17th of January 1918 to be returned to Australia for discharge suffering from DEFECTIVE VISION and left England on board HMAT "Osterley on the 31st of January and returned to Australia on the 15th of April 1918. Walter was directed to report to the No:4 Australian General Hospital at Randwick on the 2nd of May and was discharged Medically Unfit on the 21st of May 1918.

Walters British War Medal:75432 to PTE 3341 W J LONGFORD 34BN AIF was auctioned in February 2007 and acquired by the Harrower Collection and was his only entitlement.

Family InformationWalter was a married 26 year old Labourer from Millers Point via Sydney, N.S.W. upon his enlistment with the AIF.

Thomas and Bessie Longford were married in 1889 at Sydney, N.S.W. Marriage Cert:1202/1889 and had 5 Children. Walter John Longford born 1890 in Sydney, N.S.W. Birth Cert:2641/1890 and married Betsy Stevenson in 1911 in Sydney, N.S.W. Marriage Cert;4354/1911. Thomas L Longford born 1892 in Sydney, N.S.W. Birth Cert:2796/1892. Ivy M Longford Born 1897 in Sydney, N.S.W. Birth Cert:18397/1897. Roy J Longford Born 1900 in Sydney, N.S.W. Birth Cert:9732/1900. Alfred E S Longford Died in 1900 at Newtown, N.S.W. Death Cert:9876/1900. (No Birth Record was recorded for Alfred?)

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