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Nathan Dean - Information

As Nathan served overseas, his mother, Elizabeth Luft, waited anxiously for news at her home in Ingleburn. Nathan was born in Adelong in 1890, and when he was older, left Ingleburn for 13 Porcher St in Newcastle. Here, he found employment as a labourer. He then decided to enlist in the AIF, joining up in Newcastle on the 6th of October 1916, aged 25. He trained at Newcastle Depot and was placed as a Private to the 4th Reinforcements, 4th Battalion. Embarking Sydney for war service, he sailed upon the HMAT Suevic on the 11th of November 1916.

Nathan landed in Devonport, England on the 30th of January 1917. He was marched out to the 1st Training Battalion at Larkhill and then Durrington for further training. In June, he proceeded to the Western Front in France, joining the 4th Battalion the following month. Shortly after arrival, he was not feeling well and reported sick, admitted to hospital in Rouen. In September, he was taken ill at the 1st Division Base Depot, and by mid November was invalided to England. He was consistently sick with diarrhoea and hydrocele, an accumulation of fluid. He was then sent back to Australia on the 6th of June 1918 for a medical discharge. When he reached Sydney in August, he received further medical treatment at the 4th Australian General Hospital in Randwick. Nathan reunited with his grateful family, before returning to 13 Porcher St in Newcastle.