*GASSED MESSINES* 37 BN AUSTRALIAN WW1 & WW2 MEDALS 1895 WO2 REUBEN POOLEY AIF
$160.00
SOLD
Offered is a British War and Victory Medals (1914 ? 18), both impressed named 1895 PTE. R.C. POOLEY. 37- BN. A.I.F.; Defence and Australian Service Medal (1939 ? 45), both impressed named VX 105303 R.C. POOLEY Swing mounted as worn. Comes with mass of copies of WW1 & WW2 service records, extract Battalion War Diary 6/6/1917 and original WW2 medal receipt.
Warrant Officer Reuben Clifford Pooley,?was born on the 3/11/1899 at Korumburra, Victoria. A labourer by trade he enlisted into the A.I.F with the 2/37th?Reinforcements on the 21/2/1916. He had been previously rejected due to an under developed chest size. He had served in the cadets (compulsory service) and 3 months with the Citizen Forces 45th?Infantry Battalion.
The 37th?Battalion was formed, (10th Brigade, 3rrd Division), in February 1916 at Seymour in Victoria.
He departed Australian 16/8/1916, landing at Plymouth 2/10/1916. After training in England, he landed in France 22/11/1916 just in time for the harsh winter of 1916 -17, serving with B Company.
Gassed at Messines Ridge?night 6 -7/6/1917.
As the battalion moved into the assembly trenches early 7/6/1917 for the attack on Messines Ridge, they came under heavy gas shelling forcing them to wear respirators. The Battalion lost 35 men including Pte Pooley just getting into the start position for the attack.
He was evacuated 7/6/1917 through the chain to England 31/7/1917. As a result of his injuries he was medically down graded and evacuated to Australia 26/9/1917, landing in Melbourne 21/11/1917 for discharge 25/12/1917.
WW2: He was serving with the Citizen Forces with the rank of WO 2 stationed at the no 2 I.T.B (service number 82469) when he joined the C.M F as a 43-year-old on the 4/1/1940. At the time his civilian employment was ?motor mechanic?. He served in various posting in Victoria involving transport. At one stage he was admitted to hospital 23/9/41 with pulmonary tuberculosis (no doubt not helped by being gassed) 13/8/1942, he managed to join the 2nd A.I.F. (service number VX105303) embarking on the 25/8/42 but was returned on the 11/12/42 when he was posted as an instructor in Victoria. He had further medical treatment due to T.B and was also admitted to hospital with a haemorrhage (T.B?) he was eventually medically discharged 10/11/43.
He died in Heidelberg, Victoria 1952.
