Description

For sale is a 1939 – 45 Star, Defence Medal and War Medal (1939 – 45), Australian Service Medal 1939 – 45 all impressed named NX57024 H. TRIST. Court mounted for display & come with copies of service records and research by Lt. Colonel Neil Smith.

Harry Thomas Trist was born on 11/3/1913 in Goulburn, New South Wales.

Pre WW2 he was working as a ward cleaner in Prince Henry Hospital, Sydney. He enlisted into the 2nd AIF on 10/7/1940 and was assigned to the 2/3rd Casualty Clearing Station as a Nursing Specialist 3rd Class.

He left Australia with the unit on 26/12/1940 bound for the Middle East, landing on 3/2/1941. The unit was part of the 9th Division at the time and stationed at Hill 60 in Palestine. In March 1941 they were reallocated, this time to the 6th Infantry Division and went with them to Greece on 7/3/1941.

They operated at Larissa and then at Ellasson before being forced back in late April to the beaches at Navplion from where they were evacuated. As with many other units they were forced to leaved most of their equipment behind.

Following a short stay on Crete they moved back to Kilo 89 in Palestine on 17/4/1941. The unit provided support in the campaign against the Vich French in Syria from 7/7/1941.

He became a patient for his own unit with appendicitis in January 1942. However, he developed enteritis in which he recovered from. He developed pharyngitis (an inflammation of the throat) late April early May 1942.

He died suddenly on 19/5/1942 with his death recorded as ‘natural causes’.

He is buried in the Beirut War Cemetery.