Private Florence Alfred 'Bud' Healey

Florence Alfred Healey was born on 29 September 1874 at Berrima NSW. Prior to the First World war, he had extensive previous military experience including service in the Boer War, as number 110 - a lance sergeant with 3 New South Wales Imperial Bushmen.

Healey enlisted in the First World War on 1 November 1916 at the Sydney Showgrounds and was assigned to 7 Light Horse as a trooper under service number 3124. He embarked from Melbourne in May 1917, disembarking at Suez 6 weeks later and was transferred to the Australian Army Service Corps where he was variously attached to the Anzac Mounted Division, 1 Light Horse Brigade, and Desert Mounted Column throughout 1917 and early 1918. In mid-December 1917 he was transferred to the 26th Depot Units of Supply and by March 1918 had became ill with nephritis in Palestine and was repatriated back to Australia in June, suffering from tremors.

Healey re-enlisted in Sydney on 5 July 1919 under service number 86024 for Special Service - this entailed escorting Germans for repatriation. He returned from England in December after suffering a bout of illness in September and was finally discharged from the AIF on 8 October 1920. He died in August 1944.