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Harold Gorman Hansen - Information

The Hansens were a farming family from Cobbitty. Harold’s parents, Lars Christian and Sophia, married in Cobbitty Paddock on the 2nd of July 1884. Lars and Sophia were blessed with many children, including Harold, born on the 30th of June 1895 in Cobbitty. Harold grew up in the Camden area and served 15 months with the 43rd Infantry. He then moved to Drummoyne, while his family remained on the family property of Danefield. In Drummoyne, Harold supported himself as an iron maker. The lives of the Hansens would soon be turned upside down. Conflict in Europe, resulted in Australia declaring war on Germany on the 5th of August. A few weeks later, volunteers were called upon to go to France and support the mother country. Harold and his older brother, Victor, decided that they should enlist in the AIF. They signed up within a few days of each other, Harold joined up in Sydney on the 29th of August 1914, at the age of 19. He was assigned as a Private to the 3rd Battalion, and was sent overseas from Sydney onboard the HMAT Euripides on the 20th of October 1914.

Harold and his unit were deployed in Egypt. They endured more training, as plans were developed for an attack on Turkish forces. On the 5th of April 1915, Harold and his unit set off for an assault on the Gallipoli Peninsula. They were stationed to the Greek Island of Lemnos. Here, on the 7th of April, Harold was promoted to Lance Corporal. The 3rd Battalion then took part in the initial landing waves on the 25th of April. By nightfall, they were barely off the beach and had to dig in. Shortly after arriving he received a gun shot wound. On the 1st of May, he was admitted to No. 5 Independent General Hospital, and at the end of the month, was transported back to Egypt. He was admitted to hospital in Alexandria. At the end of November, Harold was suffering with pyrexia, and was admitted to hospital in Ghizireh. He was back on light duties a couple of days later. By the end of June 1916, he was detached to the Base Depot Stores in Cairo.

Once his health recovered, he was shipped to England, and was marched into Salisbury Camp for training in September. He then departed Folkestone for France in April 1917, joining the 3rd Battalion. A couple of weeks later, he attended the 1st Division Gas School for a week. Later in the year, the 3rd Battalion then participated in the Third Battle of Ypres. During these operations, Harold was promoted Corporal on the 27th of September. He was then wounded in action on the 4th of October at Broodseinde, when an artillery shell exploded injuring his face. His lip was badly lacerated, which was treated at the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station. By the 12th, he returned to his unit. Unluckily, shortly after he returned, he was taken to the 14th General Hospital in Wimereux on the 27th of October with a hernia. He was allotted to a Rest Camp, before returning to his unit in late November. The hernia continued to aggravate him. He was taken to the 3rd Canadian General Hospital on the 13th of December. He was not feeling very well at all, and was evacuated to England in early January 1918. He was considered unfit for active service, with a troublesome hernia and bone disease in his right femur. He waited at Harefield and Sutton Veny for orders to return to Australia, which came through on the 8th of April. Harold returned to his previous civilian life, and eventually resided at Malboona in Huntleys Point, Gladesville.