SEWELL, Henry Edward 'Hal' (1892-1959).jpg)
H E Sewell (Football 1910).
Henry Edward Sewell was a boarder at Geelong College from 1907 to 1910 inclusive. He was a member of the 1st Football XVIII in 1909 and a School Prefect in 1910 and a Cadet Lance-Corporal in 1910. At the inaugral Geelong College Swimming Sports at the Western Baths on 11 April 1910, H E Sewell won the Swimming Championship defeating L F Douglas in the 100yds freestyle event.
He was born on 27 August 1892, the son of Thomas Murcott and Sarah Amelia (Bull) Sewell, of Coleraine.
He enlisted (No 538) first, with 1st Divisional Signalling Company in 5 Battalion, AIF, on 17 August 1914, and embarked on 21 October 1914 on
HMAT A3 Orvieto for Egypt and Gallipoli, joining the MEF on 5 April 1915 where he served until the Evacuation. He then embarked for France and transferred to 5 Divisional Signalling Company, where he was promoted Sergeant on 9 November 1917. He took leave in Paris in August 1917, and in England in January 1918. He then served in France until his return to Australia on
HMT Devon, embarking on 24 September 1918.
After the war he became a bank officer.
'Hal' Sewell died in 1959. His death was registered at Malvern.
His younger brother,
Captain Philip Beauchamp Sewell (1893-1918), also an Old Geelong Collegian, was killed on 24 April 1918 near Villers Bretonneux and buried in Villers Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Fouilloy - Grave X.E.6. Two other brothers, Cedric Whilton Sewell (1889-1965) and Robert Murcott Sewell (1887-1944) were also educated at Geelong College.
Sources: Based on an edited extract from Geelong Collegians at the Great War compiled by James Affleck. p 307 (citing The Pegasus; National Archives); Pegasus April 1910 p10.