Sapper Isaac Wise

SAPPER ISAAC WISE

3392 – Mining Corps

Isaac Wise was born in Tamworth, New South Wales in 1883 the son of John and Matilda Wise. He married at twenty-six years of age in 1909 at Newcastle, NSW to Violet Lillian Boughton. He had been previously rejected as a volunteer for service abroad due to defective sight.

At a recruiting meeting at Kurri Kurri, NSW about April 9, 1916 the thirty-three year old married miner applied to re-enlist. Personal particulars taken reveal his residence was at Stanford-Merthyr, NSW and was 163cms (5ft 4ins) tall with a chest measurement of 88cms (34½ins). Declared fit for active service the recruiting officer accepted his application.

Attestation Forms were completed which describe him further with a dark complexion, dark brown eyes that tested to extremely poor eyesight in both eyes and black hair. Religion was Church of England. The medical officer noted ‘slight Varicocele’ (varicose veins in scrotum) on his report. Next-of-kin was his wife Mrs Lillian Violet Wise of Stanford-Merthyr, Kurri Kurri, NSW. He signed and took the ‘Oath on Enlistment’ on April 25, 1916 at West Maitland, NSW.

Acknowledgement to the departing volunteers was published in:

After basic training he was allotted to No. 4 Tunnelling Company in the rank of Sapper with the regimental number 3392.

Early in May, 1916 recruits forming part of the No. 4 Tunnelling Company embarked from Brisbane, Qld aboard HMAT A69 Warilda for Sydney, NSW. Six officers and 152 other ranks together with the 1st Reinforcements of fifteen other ranks made up the two sections.

At Rosebery Park, Sydney, NSW about May 12, 1916 they joined their Headquarters and two sections (8 officers & 153 O.Rs.) plus 1st Reinforcements consisting of one officer and seventeen other ranks for final training.

The 7713-ton transport departed Sydney, NSW on May 22, 1916 and collected in Melbourne, Victoria the No. 5 Company recruited from Victoria, South Aust. & Tasmania made up of Headquarters and 2 Sections (8 officers & 173 men) (3 M.D.). 1 Section from Tasmania (3 officers & 76 O.Rs); also 1st Reinforcements for No. 5 Company (17 men from Vic. & 8 men Tas.) The ship departed on May 25, 1916 for Adelaide, S.A. to collect one Section of 3 officers & 76 O.Rs with 1st Reinforcements of 8 O.Rs. Docking at Fremantle, W.A. on June 1, 1916 added No. 6 Company recruited from W.A. of 14 officers and 325 O.Rs along with 1st Reinforcements of 1 Officer & 32 O.Rs departing the same day.

Sapper Wise was disembarked from the transport and a memo from the medical officer stated his condition:

He also received a memo stating his pay while on board Warilda was paid up to May 21, 1916.

Entering No. 8 Aust General Hospital at Fremantle the next day Sapper appeared before a medical board there and his Statement of Case reads:

Disability: Impaired Vision – Leucoma (left); Chronic Conjunctivitis

Origin Disability: N.S.W.

Date of Disability: Prior to enlistment

Essential facts: Old standing eye trouble

Cause of Disability: Constitutional

Cause by Service: Not caused

Present Condition: Blind in left eye – Leucoma (dense white corneal opacity) – states that

he remembers having been hit in the left eye years ago – Chronic

Conjunctivitis and granular lids both eyes – Quite unfit for service.

Pathological: Chronic Conjunctivitis; Granular lids; Leucoma; blind in left eye

Labour market: Not impaired as result of service

Recommendation: Discharge permanently unfit – Discharge in 2nd Military District

Fremantle 2/6/16

Approved: Perth 7/6/16

Sapper Wise remained in hospital under treatment for eight days until June 8, 1916 for his sore eyes.

He returned to Sydney, NSW (2nd Military District) leaving on June 16, 1916 on the transport Kanowna.

Military Discharge was issued in Sydney (2nd M.D.) on July 1, 1916 as medically unfit.

He returned to working as a miner and was mentioned during a mine rescue which was published in:

As Sapper Wise did not leave Australia he was ineligible for any War Service Medals.

In 1930 he and his family were residing at Stanford-Merthyr with his occupation as a labourer. In 1936 he was a shiftman and their residence was Lewer’s Estate, Belmont. In 1963 his address was 73 Lewers Street, Belmont and still a shiftman.

Isaac Wise died aged 85 on August 19, 1968. Cremation took place in Newcastle, NSW and his ashes were scattered at the Crematorium.

Mrs Lillian Wise passed away at Belmont on May 15, 1977.