SHARP, Henry James Duff (1890-1917)
Henry James Duff Sharp was born on 29 May 1890 at Clyde in Victoria, the son of Henry Clarke Sharp and Emily Eva, nee Duff, of Walmeryong, Flinders, he was educated at Geelong College where he was enrolled in 1906.
He married Mary Lillian Elizabeth Hayes, of Burloo, Coonabarabran, New South Wales, and was working as a public accountant, living at Dunluce, Carrington Avenue, Strathfield, NSW, at the time of his enlistment (No. 5629) as a private on 16 January 1916. They had a son, William S Sharp, born in Gosford in 1916. Henry was also serving as Sergeant of the Guard at Holsworthy German Concentration Camp prior to his enlistment.
He embarked from Sydney on HMAT A14 Euripides on 9 September 1916 for France with the 15th Reinforcement Group. He had not been in France long when he met his death on 28 February, 1917 at Malt Trench, with eight of his New South Wales colleagues. Henry Sharp of 19 Battalion has no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Villers Bretonneux Memorial.
His brother, George Raymond Sharp enlisted as a Private on 17 August,1914, and was to embark with B Company, 3 Battalion on HMAT A14 Euripides in Sydney on 20 October 1915, however he did not actually embark until almost twelve months later with 3 Battalion (21st Reinforcement Group) on HMAT A40 Ceramic on 7 October 1916. He was wounded and invalided home, embarking on 19 September, 1917.
Sources: 'Geelong Collegians at the Great War' compiled by J. Affleck. pp108-109 (citing Pegasus; Australian War Memorial.)