PROMOTING THE HISTORY AND ARCHIVES OF MT COMPASS
Reynolds, Howard
Howard James Reynolds (Corporal)
Howard James Reynolds was born in Broken Hill to William James Reynolds & Charlotte Reynolds (nee Collins) in 1887.
On 13th February 1916, following Howard’s enlistment in Adelaide with the AIF (Australian Imperial Force) at the age of 29, he served with the 32nd Infantry Battalion during World War 1, in both France and Belgium. He qualified as a sergeant in July 1916 following his attendance at a “school of instruction”. Howard also attained a certificate in that first year from the “School of Musketry” and received a “trench warfare & grenade school” certificate. (Copies of these certificates can be found in our Archives.)
Howard arrived at the front just in time to take part in the horrific action at Fromelles, in which his Battalion is reported to have endured a 75% casualty rate. He somehow survived this ordeal, and his Battalion was rested from the front.
His final year in the AIF involved a peace keeping role in Paris. After serving overseas for almost three years, Howard was discharged in 1919 at the age of 32, with his occupation listed as ‘farmer’.
In 1928 he married Eleanor Annie Aughey and they raised three children, Howard James (Jim) born 1929, John William (born 1930) and Eleanor Claire (born 1932).
They moved from Adelaide to Mt Compass in 1937 to live on a 128 acre scrub block on Prosser Road. (Section 165 Hundred of Myponga). It was here that Howard built their first house, which was little more than a shed constructed using tree trunks for posts and flattened iron from old bitumen drums for the wall sheeting. The drums had been left over from the bituminising of Victor Harbor Road and proved a valuable resource for many locals.
Howard found work on the barrages at Goolwa during week-days and worked on clearing the property on weekends. He obtained a transportable home from the barrage construction, which he re-assembled at Mt Compass to replace their first house. Later, this dismountable home was itself replaced with a brick home.
On the 8th August 1940, at the age of 52, Howard once again enlisted, this time with the Citizen Military Forces (CMF). This was a separate army to the AIF in that they voluntarily enlisted for home defence work with some restrictions, such as where they could serve. Howard served as a guard at the Loveday Prisoner of War (POW) Camp in the Riverland, as a Quartermaster at Adelaide Gaol and as a guard on the Melbourne Express train between Adelaide and Serviceton, a town on the Victorian border.
He was discharged in April 1943 ‘due to his age’ and issued with a ‘suit of plain clothes.’
Howard’s service as a Corporal in the CMF qualified him to receive the 1939-45 War Medal, and the Australian Service Medal (1939-45).
His Prosser Road property was able to support a small dairy of 8 to 12 cows with Howard also becoming a registered Corriedale sheep breeder (a dual meat and wool breed). The family sold the farm in 1957 and left the district.
His Prosser Road property was able to support a small dairy of 8 to 12 cows with Howard also becoming a registered Corriedale sheep breeder (a dual meat and wool breed). The family sold the farm in 1957 and left the district.
Howard Reynolds passed away in 1963 and was buried at Centennial Park.
References: trove.nla.gov.au, Jim Reynolds, original Army Service papers. Land Services SA website.
