Stanley Gordon SNOWDEN
Personal
Born: 24 August, 1897
Birth registration: Victorian Births, Deaths & Marriages Registration No. 30397
Birthplace: Milawa, Victoria
Parents: William Snowdon
Margaret Jane Lydeker
Died: 16 July, 1967
Place of death: Paynesville, Victoria; Registration No. 21733
Burial place: Maffra Cemetery, Maffra, Victoria
Awards and Honours
- British War Medal 1914-20
- Victory Medal
Battalions
4th Battalion; 3rd Light Horse Brigade Training, 14th Reinforcements; Anzac Provost Corps
Events
Enlistment
Regimental Service Number: 9524
Enlistment date: 27 July, 1915 Melbourne
Age at enlistment: 18 years
Religion: Presbyterian
Marital Status: Single
Next of kin: Father: William Snowdon, Post Office, Springhurst, Victoria
Physical Description: Height: 5 feet 9 inches
Weight: 12 stones
Complexion: Medium
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
Distinctive marks: Vaccination x 3 left arm, Scars on left and right knees
Embarkation ship: HMAT A 70 Orontes.
Rank: Corporal
Return Date: 31 March, 1920
Return Vessel: Wahehe.
Arrival at Australia: 20 May, 1920.
Discharge Date: 19 August, 1920
War Service Summary
18/02/1916 - Embarked with brothers Stanley Gordon and Percy Claude; all in 3rd Light Horse Brigade; all transfer to Anzac Provost Corps
20/01/1916 - Driver; 3rd Light Horse Brigade training
23/03/1916 - Proceeded to Reinforcement Camp, Zeetoun
03/04/1916 - Taken on strength to Anzac Provost Corps; Police; Abassia
06/06/1916 - Proceeded per Oriana from Alexandria for France
15/06/1916 - Disembarked Marsailles
29/07/1916 - Admitted to 55th General Hospital, Calais
29/07/1916 - No. 1 Convalescent Depot; Boulogne
30/07/1916 - To Base details; unfit; Boulogne
02/08/1916 - Admitted; T.B.
03/01/1917 - Returned to Unit, France, from attachment at Headquarters
14/02/1917 - Sick to hospital; German measles
12/03/1917 - Admitted to 51st General Hospital, Etaples
20/04/1917 - Discharged to Base
09/05/1917 - Rejoined unit and attached to 1st Anzac Field Punishment Compound
29/05/1917 - To hospital; sick; then to Convalescent Depots Rouen and Buchy
12/08/1917 - Recommended for England
16/08/1917 - To England for regular periods of hospitalisation
26/02/1918 - Discharged from hospital
23/03/1918 - Marched in from hospital; Sutton Veny
08/04/1918 - To Australian Provost Corps Headquarters, Tidworth
15/10/1918 - Acting Lance Corporal
01/09/1919 - Australian Provost Corps; Warminster Detention barracks
14/11/1919 - Promoted temporary Corporal
09/06/1919 - Promoted; Corporal
26/02/1920 - Granted leave from Australian Provost Corps; London
31/03/1920 - Embarked for Australia with Lilian Maude Witt, his future wife
20/05/1920 - Disembarked, Melbourne
19/08/1920 - Discharged
War Service Commemerated
Life After the War
28/06/1920 - Married Lilian Muriel Witt, aged 20; St. Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne. Her address was given as Salisbury, England. Reg. # 4127
Children:
Muriel Margaret (b. 02/11/1920)
Place/s of residence:
Boralma, Springhurst, Victoria
1920 - Fitzroy
12/02/1924 - c/- S. Reid, Church St., Maffra
1936 - Smithtown
1943 - Johnson St., Maffra
1949 - Fulham Grove, Preston
1954 - Bellevue Rd., Eltham
1963 - Main Rd., Paynesville
Occupations:
1924 - Factory employee
1936 - Foreman
1943 - Factory worker
1949 - Ironworkers
1954 - Machinist
Date of death:
16/07/1967 - Paynesville, Victoria, Reg, # 21733
Place of burial:
18/07/1916 - Maffra Cemetery, with Lilian
Other relevant information:
Note: Shown as G. Snowden on the cenotaph
Note: The Snowden family and the family of George Alexander Gordon Smith lived at Boralma, in the Wangaratta area. George's Service Record shows him farming at Gnotuk Park, Toolern Vale. This was a 700 acre farm with many farm labourers. He was a farm manager before joining up.
George Smith was a neighbour of the Snowden family, and it is probable that George Smith came to Gnotuk Park with the two Snowden brothers listed on the cenotaph.
Note:
G Snowden and L Snowden are represented on the cenotaph, but their connection to Melton is tenuous.
Five Snowden brothers from the Wangaratta area fought in WW1. We believe that two are represented on the cenotaph - G. (S.G.) Snowden and L (D.L.) Snowden. Their brother, Driver Percy Claude, 9523, Anzac Provost Corps, married Elizabeth Ann Condon (Lizzie) of Coimadai.
The other brothers are Sergeant Robert Charles, 3109, 40th Battalion, and Private Thomas Ernest, 349, th Battalion Battalion (Shot in head at Gallipoli, gassed when on the Western Front.)
The brother, Davis Leslie, may be L Snowden, even though he is referred to as Dave/David in the Wangaratta Chronicle. Stanley Gordon may be G. Snowdon.
Additional Information
The Bacchus Marsh Express
Saturday 27 May 1916, P 4
The Empire’s Call
…., Gordon Snowdon, Late of Toolern, ….
Sources
Service Record