Ernest Beaumont (SN 4141) from Drummond Street in Ballarat, was a 19 year old scourer when, with the consent of his parents Clara and Joseph, he enlisted on July 12th 1915. He trained at Ascot Vale, Ballarat and Broadmeadows before embarking from Australia on December 29th aboard the Demosthenes. In March 1916 he joined the 14th Battalion in Egypt then in early June the battalion moved to France. Within two weeks he was admitted to hospital ‘wounded’. He subsequently faced a charge of ‘wilfully maiming himself with intent to render himself unfit for service in that he shot himself in the foot with his own rifle’. Although that charge was not sustained he was sentenced to six months detention with hard labour on another charge. The sentence was suspended and he rejoined his unit only to suffer a gunshot wound to the left arm on October 10th which saw him evacuated to hospital in England. Upon his return to France he was admitted to the No.1 Military Prison at Rouen to continue his sentence. He rejoined his unit in early March 1917 after the remainder of his sentence was remitted. On May 14th however he again faced a General Court Martial charged with ‘deserting His Majesty’s service from 7th to 25th March’. He was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years penal servitude. In May 1918 the remainder of his sentence was suspended and he was transferred to hospital in England suffering from an ulcerated leg. He was then returned to Australia on the Orsova and disembarked at Melbourne on February 27th 1919. He was only 43 years of age when he died in January 1940.