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2nd Lt. Enrico Ferdinando "Puss" Catani
Australian Imperial Force 21st Btn.
from:Kyneton, Victoria, Australia
(d.29th July 1916)
Eric Catani was a grazier from Kyneton Victoria. He was the second son of Carlo Catani (a noteworthy civil engineer) and Catherine. He was born in 1891. The family were of Italian origin. Eric enlisted in April 1915 and embarked aboard HMAT A38 Ulysses from Port Melbourne on 10th of May 1915. He served at Gallipoli. His unit were moving through the village of Pozieres towards the front line. This was part of the battle of the Somme. He was killed in action on 29th of July 1916.
He was buried at Cemetery Post Station, near Pozieres. However, in 1932 the body of an 'unknown' soldier was exhumed from another location and this was identified through the identification disc and other personal effects to be Enrico Catani. There are a series of letters in Enrico's Military file between the Australian War Graves Service and Enid Catani regarding this discovery. In the end Enrico was buried again in the Serre Road No 2 Cemetery near Beaumont Hamel, in France.
A memorial to his death read: Catani. A tribute of esteem to the memory of Lieutenant E. F. ("Puss") Catani, killed in action on the 29th July 1916, in France. His many acts of kindness will never be forgotten. "Grammar to the fore."(Inserted by E. R.)
