DIGGER

“Dedicated to Digger Heritage”

Photo: A group of weary Diggers (infantry and stretcher-bearers) resting in a sunken road. The photo appears to have

been taken after a battle, and may be of men from the 33rd

Battalion. Contributed by Jackie Walker, Dubbo.

September 2011 No. 36

Magazine of the Families and Friends of the First AIF Inc

Edited by Graeme Hosken

ISSN 1834-8963

DIGGER 2 Issue 36

Families and Friends of the First AIF Inc

President: Russell Curley ABN 67 473 829 552 Secretary: Chris Munro

Trench talk

Graeme Hosken

This issue Thanks to our contributors for another jam-packed issue. The December issue will be a bumper 80-pager.

New members Welcome to Rebecca Clarke, Neil Falconer, John Fisher, Geurie Memorial Hall Committee, Nicolas Hansen,

Elizabeth Kidd, Keith Lamb, Ian Lawrence, Robyn Lewis, Gregory Palmer, Jamie Parsons, Robyn Prince,

Albert Thomas, John Tramby and Darren Wissam. Great to have you onboard.

33rd Battalion material sought Member Trevor Fenton is collating a history of the 33

rd Battalion AIF and is requesting copies of

photographs, diaries, letters, articles, etc on this NSW battalion which formed part of the 9th Brigade, 3

rd

Division. Trevor is prepared to pay the cost of postage of any copies that are sent to him. Trevor can be

contacted at 14 Elmswood Court, Bundanoon NSW 2578 or by e-mail at trevor.fenton@exemail.com.

‘A pittance of time’ by Terry Kelly Sandra Playle suggests you may appreciate the song of remembrance at the following YouTube page:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kX_3y3u5Uo. Another tribute to those who served in WWI can be seen

at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Rsy_5lelxo&feature=related, based on the poem „In Flanders Fields‟.

Film clips of the Battle of the Somme can also be clicked on at the right hand side of the webpage.

The first mine British member, Jim Corkery, writes to clarify which mine explosion signalled the launch of the Battle of the

Somme on 1st July 1916. In DIGGER 35, Neville Kidd mentioned that it was the Lochnagar mine that did so,

but Jim advises that the mine that created Hawthorn Crater at Beaumont Hamel went off ten minutes earlier,

at 7.20am.

Cover photo The editor would like to hear from any reader who can shed light on the photograph used on the cover of this

issue. I have not seen it in a publication before, and the photo unit at the AWM have not been able to find the

original image. The dimensions of the photograph indicate that it is an official photograph, and as it comes

from a small collection of photos of an officer of the 33rd

Battalion (FG Johnstone), it may be showing men

from his battalion, probably in 1918.

Sir William Glasgow This issue‟s special from the War Book Shop [see page 59] is a biography on Glasgow, who commanded at

Gallipoli and was in charge of the 13th Brigade at Villers-Bretonneux in April 1918. Should be a great read!

Hyde Park Memorial Service photos The committee would like to thank Rob of Rob Tuckwell Photography, Artarmon, for permission to use his

official photographs of the Fromelles Service in DIGGER and on our website. A report on the 95th

Anniversary Service is found inside on pages 35-6. A similar service held at the Melbourne Shrine of

Remembrance was also a great success, judging by the Facebook comments of members Tim Whitford and

Anne Betts.

E-mails Our hard-working secretary, Chris Munro, says that there are still some e-mails sent to members „bouncing

back‟ as undeliverable. To facilitate communications, it would be great if you could send an e-mail to Chris

at the e-mail address below so that we can update the database and distribution list with your latest e-mail

address. Likewise, if you have moved address, don‟t forget to let Chris know via the mail insert or e-mail. Copyright © DIGGER 2011. All material in DIGGER is copyright. Subject to the fair dealing provisions of the Copyright Act 1968, reproduction in any form is not

permitted without written permission of the Editor or Author/s. DIGGER is published four times per year and is available to members only. Images from the AWM are

downloaded with kind permission of the eSales unit. Contributions of possible articles and illustrative material for DIGGER and any feedback should be sent to Graeme

Hosken, Editor of DIGGER, 2 Colony Crescent, Dubbo NSW 2830 or e-mailed to ghoskenaif@bigpond.com. Membership inquiries should be forwarded to

Membership Secretary FFFAIF Inc, PO Box 4208, Oatley West NSW 2223 (Australia) or e-mail to membership@fffaif.org.au. Standard membership is $50 pa and

concessional membership (students, under 18s, seniors) is $40 pa. Family membership is $50 for the first member, then $40 for each additional member residing at the

same address. Only one copy of DIGGER per issue is included with each Family Membership. A membership form can be downloaded from our website:

www.fffaif.org.au. Telephone inquiries can be made to 0448 266 634. Leave a message and we will get back to you.

Founder and Patron-in-Memoriam: John Laffin

Patrons-in-Memoriam:

General Sir John Monash GCMG KCB VD

General Sir Harry Chauvel GCMG KCB

Patron-in-Chief:

Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC

Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia

DIGGER 3 Issue 36

Imperial Reservists from Australia Andrew Pittaway, Fremantle

His Majesty the King, having been graciously pleased to direct by proclamation that the Army Reserve be

called out on permanent service, every man belonging to Reserve resident in New South Wales is required to

report himself at once to the Paymaster of the Imperial Pensions Sydney. The necessary instructions as to his

joining will be given. Any Reservist failing to comply with the above instruction will be liable to be

proceeded against. By order

W.A. Holman

Premier & Treasurer.1

A little-researched area of Australian military history is that of the Imperial Reservists. They are only

mentioned in passing in the Australian Official History by CEW Bean, and that was only when the ship they

were on (the HMAT Miltiades) embarked with the first contingent of the AIF. So who were these men?

They were men who had seen service in the British Army before being released short of their twelve

years service to „Reserved‟ status. On their release they were then free to take up any occupation they

wished, but if England were to find itself at war they were to be recalled immediately to their Regiment.

From the surviving records it seems they were only allowed to leave permanent status if they had

guaranteed employment in Australia or another „colony‟. William Adlam of the Rifle Brigade was promised

employment with his brother in Sydney, so was released to reserved status. One condition William and

others had to meet when arriving in Australia was reporting to the State Treasury department.2 Before the

Great War many of these men were classed as „time expired‟, as they had served their time on the Reserve

list. Though the time expired Reservist was not called up to their regiments when war was declared, this did

not stop many from joining the AIF or making their own way back to England to enlist.3

At the outbreak of the Great War, the majority of those Reservists who had arrived in Australia from

the UK from 1908-1914 were called back to their regiments, as „appeals‟ like the one at the beginning of this

article by the NSW Premier appeared in each Australian Military District. The six military districts in

Australia organised the call up for their own states and arranged for the Reservists to go into camp, and

subsequently their embarkation. According to the records of the military authorities held at the NAA4, 1 509

Imperial Reservists were called up in Australia.

Military District Principal State Number called up

1st Queensland 269

2nd

New South Wales 665

3rd

Victoria 252

4th South Australia 100

5th Western Australia 210

6th Tasmania 13

Though 1 509 men were called up, not all of that number would embark with the Reservists.5 Of this total

number, 160 were exempted as being medically unfit or had become „time expired‟ by the date they had

reported to authorities. One hundred and eleven of these men who were classed as „time expired‟ after

reporting would later enlist in the AIF. There were also 16 who did not report to authorities and were classed

as being deserters.

As the Reservists were called up in each state, they were generally taken under the wing of a local

unit. In New South Wales they were initially ordered to report to the 26th Infantry camp at Randwick

6, while

in Western Australia they came under the 86th Infantry at Fremantle Park. The „West Australian‟ reported

that:

In response to the instructions to report for duty, there was a fine muster of Reservists, who embraced a

large variety of types, ranging from well dressed young fellows, who had apparently been doing well in the

country of their adoption, to others who evidenced in their appearance the fact that prosperity had not yet

dawned for them. Many carried their kit with them in anticipation of speedy embarkation from England,

while several sported their blankets rolled up and slung over their shoulder in true bushman style. Eighty

percent bore themselves, when standing at ease while the sergeant-major checked off their names on the

Reservists list, in an awkward style. When the command to come to attention, however, was shouted, there

was a wonderful change. Each man seemed, in his movements, to hark back to the days when he stood in the

DIGGER 4 Issue 36

ranks of his regiment at home, and commands were obeyed with smartness which drew from bystanders

appreciative remarks.7

In Victoria as reported by „The Argus‟ on 12th August:

Thirty Bell tents were erected on the parade ground of Victoria Barracks yesterday, and from now on the

200 Reservists of the Imperial Army who have reported to Major F.J.D. Daryall will sleep there until they

are sent off to rejoin their regiments. The men are a happy, wiry lot, and they move with the mechanical

rhythm that marks the regular soldier.8

Other Victorian Reservists soon moved to Broadmeadows camp, while the South Australians were camped at

Morphettville.

Initially, the authorities in Australia were not quite sure how to utilise the Reservists, as orders for

their movement were slow to come from Great Britain. Just after their mobilisation, the Australian Minister

for Defence, Mr Millen, made the following statement in regards to their use:

As a considerable amount of uncertainty appears to exist regarding the Imperial Reservists now in Australia,

it might be as well to state that these at present are being attached to our own local forces, pending further

direction from Imperial authorities. These men are, of course, liable for service at the direction of the

Imperial War Office, but obviously there is some little difficulty in the way of their immediate return to Great

Britain. Their services are at present, and with the sanction of the Imperial authorities, being utilised in

connection with our own expeditionary force. It is probable, however, that the Imperial authorities might

desire them to proceed to Great Britain, in which case, arrangements for their transport will be made by the

Defence Department here.9

Because of their previous military experience a number of Reservists were held back when their embarkation

orders came through, and with the permission of authorities in London, were to be used to help train the

recruits of the fledgling AIF. Their previous military experience would be a big influence on the training of

the raw Australian recruits.

Walter Robinson10

of the 86th Infantry wrote that:

At the outbreak of war my battalion, West Australian Rifles (then the 86th, but now the 44

th AMF) was

mobilised in Fremantle Park under the late Colonel C Battye, and I had the honour very soon after

mobilisation of being appointed adjutant. The Imperial Reservists in WA on being recalled to Colours, were

assembled in the Park on ration strength of the 86th. Lieut. (now Major & MC) Manning was their OC & S-

M Nestor was appointed S-M Instructor to them until their embarkation.

It was a treat for all the young Citizen Force trainees to watch Nestor drilling his company, and the

way they responded. The parade ground voice was well exercised in Fremantle Park, and saved „Jock‟ many

miles of tramping, as no matter how far his squads got from him, his voice was after them, and broad as was

his Scotch accent, his orders were never misunderstood.

His conduct of the orderly room when a Reservist stepped over the traces was an eye-opener to all

the young officers, and it was the Camp Commandant‟s order that as many subalterns as possible should

assemble for instruction at the orderly-room when SSM Nestor had „crimed‟ a Reservist.

Nightly after mess, „Jock‟ would attend the camp office, situated in the Bowling Pavilion, for orders,

and it was my delight after routine duty was finished to sit on the verandah with Jock and get him yarning of

his past experiences, particularly episodes connected with the campaigns and battles represented by his

many medals and bars …

The Park Hotel is situated just across the road from the bowling pavilion and although it was out of

bounds to the compulsory trainees, the Reservists had no restrictions placed upon them of that nature. Jock

was well known at „The Park‟ where he frequently visited to see if many of his men were dodging fatigues!

It was no uncommon occurrence for Jock, after a lengthy yarn at the Regimental Office, and a (duty)

visit to „The Park‟ to be in the mood to exercise his voice in the street. If uninterrupted, he would drill an

imaginary battalion for half an hour or more without a pause. Many a time a citizen of East or South

Fremantle remarked to me, “You must have had some big manoeuvres on last night as we could plainly hear

the orders shouted.” But once inside the camp Jock was always the quietest …

It was a great disappointment to Jock that he was not allowed to depart with the Reservists when

they embarked. He badly wanted to get the kilts on again, but his powers as a drill instructor were

recognised as too valuable to the embryo AIF to let him go.11

DIGGER 5 Issue 36

Sixty-four Reservists who had been called up for service did not embark with the other Reservists in 1914 as

they were put on the staff list of the Australian Permanent Force as instructors. The majority of these 64 men

served in this role for the duration, while some were released from this role and ended up transferring back to

their original regiment or enlisting in the AIF.

Herbert Lee had been living at Woollahra in Sydney with his wife when he was

recalled to the King‟s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. He was soon transferred to the

Instructional Staff of the Australian Permanent Forces in the 2nd

Military District from

August 1914. His tenure on the instructional staff ended on 31st August 1916 when he

was allowed to return to his regiment. Embarking from Sydney on the Port Sydney,

Herbert rejoined the 1st Battalion of the King‟s Own, initially as a corporal, but then as a

sergeant. Badly wounded in early October 1918, Herbert died on 6th October 1918 and is

buried at Doingt Communal Cemetery Extension, France [right].

William Faulkner had initially been called back to the Royal West Kents

but had been transferred to the Instructional Staff in Western Australia. He was in

this role until July 1916, whereupon he enlisted into the AIF. Appointed a lieutenant,

he commanded the 9th Reinforcements to the 44

th Battalion which left Albany, WA,

on 23rd

July 1917. William proceeded to France on 3rd

January 1918, where he

served with the 44th Battalion and 3

rd Machine Gun Battalion. He was wounded on

26th August 1918 but remained on duty and was killed in action on 31

st August. He

is buried at Hem Farm Military Cemetery. [Left: William Faulkner.]

Ernest Wright of Waverley, NSW, was temporarily engaged on the staff of

the 2nd

MD in NSW. However, he was soon released when he became time expired

and instead of going on to serve with the Coldstream Guards, he enlisted in the AIF.

Leaving Australia with reinforcements to the 19th Battalion, he soon transferred to the 60

th Battalion. He was

involved in the 60th‟s assault at Fromelles on July 19

th 1916 and was quickly wounded. Unfortunately, a short

time later he was hit by a high explosive shell and was killed. He is commemorated on VC Corner Memorial.

Victor Bowen from Blyth in South Australia was called up to the Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry

but was instead temporarily attached to the Permanent Forces in that state. He eventually embarked in March

1916 as a lieutenant of the 3rd

Division Signal Company. He survived the war and was awarded the Military

Cross for his actions at Messines in June 1917.

In a generous move by the Australian Government, it had been decided to supplement the pay of the

Reservists to bring it up from the level of British pay to the level of greater pay for members of the

Australian Imperial Force. As Senator Millen stated:

Although these men are not members of the Australian Expeditionary Force and the Government is under no

legal obligation regarding them, yet it has been decided to supplement their British pay to the extent

necessary to bring it up to that adopted for the Australian force. In other words, Imperial Reservists will be

placed upon exactly the same footing as members of the Australian force. The Government takes the view

that, although serving in the British Army, the men are residents in Australia, and proposes therefore, to

extend to them a corresponding treatment both as to pay and pension.12

Of the 1 509 Imperial Reservists called up in August, only 1 285 actually departed these shores in 1914, with

the majority embarking with the first contingent to leave in October/November 1914. The Reservists

mobilised in Queensland joined up with those called-up in NSW and embarked from Sydney on the

Miltiades on 17th October 1914. The Reservists called up in South Australia and Tasmania joined their

Victorian counterparts in Melbourne, embarking upon the Miltiades and Karroo on 20th October 1914. The

West Australian Reservists travelled down to Albany where they boarded the Miltiades in King George

Sound on November 1st 1914.

As not all Reservists in Melbourne were able to embark with the first contingent, the remainder

embarked with the 2nd

AIF contingent, leaving on the Berrima from Melbourne on 22nd

December 1914.

Several officers accompanied the Reservists to England, where they were assigned to different units. Major

Cyril Griffiths and Captain Frederick Manning were two who both gave good service to the Imperial

Forces, being decorated and returning to Australia at the end of the war.13

Cecil Thomas Gibbings, on the books of the Royal West Kents, was another officer who had

accompanied the Imperial Reservists on their voyage to Europe. However, he had returned to Australia in

March 1915 on the transport ship Kyarra, being one of the officers put in charge of the men of the AIF who

were being returned to Australia for medical and disciplinary reasons. Upon arrival in Fremantle he joined

the newly formed 28th Battalion AIF. He served at Gallipoli and was promoted to captain. He was killed at

DIGGER 6 Issue 36

Pozieres on 29th July 1916, when trying to force a way through the German barbed wire

that held up their attack. [Right: Cecil Gibbings.]

Departing with the first contingent to leave Australia, the Reservists‟ story mirrors

that of the AIF until they reached Egypt. While the AIF disembarked, the Reservists

continued on to England where they finally went their separate ways into their regiments.

In Australia, with the Reservists‟ destination generally unknown after their

separation from the AIF, it was suggested to families and friends of these men that they

initially address their correspondence to: “Care of the Australian Transport „Miltiades‟,

England”.14

Private William Cleary of the Irish Guards wrote back to a friend in Sydney, saying that:

We had a splendid passage home, and parted with our Australian troopships at Port Said, the old „Miltiades‟

sailing for home by herself. She landed us in Plymouth on December 22. We were all drafted to our different

regiments and got four days furlough. I was back in England from Ireland just in time to spend Christmas

with my people.

The Reservists of the infantry were immediately sent across to their regiments in France and reached their

units by early January 1915. William Cleary continues:

[I] was in the trenches on New Year‟s Day. I had my first taste of war on January 1 at Villiers Cotterets. We

were in action for 36 hours in snow and hail and without food or water. But everyone was happy – no-one

was downhearted. We had Jack Johnson shells for breakfast, dinner and tea. It was terrible. We lost a lot of

men with the German snipers but not half so many as the Germans. I got over my first battle without a

scratch, but not so in my next, for at La Bassee I was hit in the hip by a piece of shell, and while one of my

comrades was helping me back to the field hospital I was hit by a sniper‟s bullet.15

While Cleary survived his wounds, it didn‟t take long for deaths to occur. The first Australian Imperial

Reservists were killed on 25th January 1915, exactly three months before the AIF would be in action. Those

killed were: Wallace Brooks from Cobar, NSW; Percy Luck from Kempsey, NSW, and John Williamson

from Paddington, NSW, of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards, while Peter Crichton from Melbourne was a

member of the 1st „Black Watch‟ Royal Highlanders. Two days later, Private

Francis Baines of the King‟s Royal Rifle Corps [left] was killed by the

concussion from a shell explosion at La Bassee when he was cleaning his rifle in

the trench. There were reportedly no wounds on him.16

Through 1915 these Reservists fought at places such as Loos, Festubert,

Neuve Chapelle, Aubers Ridge, Ypres and Gallipoli – names ingrained in British

military history – and the casualties to the Reservists reflected this. While the

papers in Australia were dominated by news of the AIF, the deaths of Reservists

were also mentioned. A friend of Corporal William Ferris of the Royal Irish put

a notice in „The Sydney Morning Herald‟ to let readers know of his death. Ferris,

killed at Ypres, had been living in North Sydney and had been working as a ship‟s

fireman.17

Corporal George Sullivan served in the same regiment as Ferris and was

also killed on May 8th. It was reported that:

Corporal George Sullivan, an Imperial Reservist who rejoined his regiment, has been reported missing since

May 8th in France. Prior to leaving for the front he had resided in Australia for five years. He was born in

Ireland, and has a wife and three young children who are at present residing in Hayberry Street, North

Sydney.18

Sullivan is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial. His wife and children were granted a

pension from November 1915.

Two days in a row, „The Sydney Morning Herald‟ brought up the case of Trooper Lionel Ward of the 15th

Hussars. Trooper Ward had been wounded at Neuve Chapelle, though the headline that grabbed attention

was that he was one of „Eleven Brothers At The Front‟.

While the Australians were making a name for themselves at Anzac Cove, Reservists with the 1st

Battalion Essex Regiment were in the thick of the fighting at Cape Helles. James Brewster, called up from

Queensland, was killed on 28th April, followed a few days later by Thomas Printer. Andrew Miller from

Redfern, NSW, was killed on 30th May 1915. William Paddon from Bulimba, Queensland, and Joseph

Cockles of Sydney were both killed on 6th August. All apart from Cockles are commemorated on the Cape

Helles Memorial.

DIGGER 7 Issue 36

Joseph Cockles has a special memorial grave in Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery. He was the second

son of Frederick and Elizabeth Cockles of Manor Park, Essex, to be killed in the war. Joseph‟s brother,

Walter, also a Reservist called up in Australia, had been killed on 2nd

May 1915 in Belgium.

Wounded Imperial Reservists trickled back to Australia on the hospital ships. Corporal John

Westley of the Seaforth Highlanders arrived in Fremantle on July 8th 1915 and told the press his stories of

how the Seaforths were cut up at La Bassee, as well as his wounding by gas at Hill 60.19

Sgt-Major Alex Oswald of the Cameron Highlanders returned to Bexley, Sydney, in May 1916. He

gave interested readers of „The Sydney Morning Herald‟ an idea of what faced the Reservists of his unit in

France:

The first battle of importance that we faced was that of Neuve Chapelle. Our regiment had not a great deal

to do there, being mostly held in reserve, but nevertheless there was plenty of excitement. We were right in

the very thick of the next scrap which took place at Rue du Bois on May 8th. We were in the forefront being in

the brigade of the first division that had to do the attacking. Oh, that was a red day, I can tell you! More than

half the fellows who jumped over the parapet to rush the German trenches 200 yards away never came back

alive. They were mown down mercilessly by machine guns. My word it was hot! We lost all our officers – all

but one, whom I dragged back wounded to our lines at night. No, we didn‟t take the German trenches; we

got it pretty strong that time. Besides the hail of bullets, the artillery was on the job on both sides. I got hit in

the leg with a piece of shrapnel and it dropped me and there I had to remain with none but dead and

wounded lying around, for if a wounded man stirred, if he moved a finger even, he became a dead one

immediately after.

Yes, they riddled the wounded with bullets if they moved. The poor chap who turned just near me at once

became a target for German rifles and was soon a corpse. I lay ever so still and rigid and yet half a dozen

bullets fell all around me and two went through my kilt which was sticking up in a heap. I imagine they

reckoned that they had settled me if there were any life remaining. Anyhow, after that no more bullets came

my way. About 9 o‟clock at night it was dark enough to turn on my side and survey the situation and I started

to crawl back to our trenches. On the way I came across the wounded officer I told you of. He had been lying

in a little hollow and so, like myself, had escaped being killed. We tumbled back into the trenches mighty

thankful as you can imagine after the closest call I have had or wish to have.20

Further casualties would occur through 1916, and while no infantry of the AIF were involved on the first day

of the Battle of the Somme, many Reservists went over the top with their regiments. Joseph Poulton from

Western Australia was with the 2nd

Battalion Essex Regiment when they attacked near Serre. He did not get

far before he was killed. However, his body was recovered, unlike Albert O‟Dell of the Somerset Light

Infantry, who is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. Charles Adlam of Claremont, WA, and

belonging to the Dorsetshire Regiment, was badly wounded in the throat and died two days later at 45th CCS

at Puchevillers.

Throughout the war there were 210 Imperial Reservists killed, died of wounds or illness, across

England, Belgium, France, Italy, Salonika, Turkey, Mesopotamia and Egypt.

There are many interesting and varied stories of the Reservists, including those who were decorated

for bravery. Issy Smith of the Manchester Regiment was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at Ypres

in April 1915. Another to be awarded for his courage was Thomas Moore, who had embarked from

Melbourne in the Royal Field Artillery. As a sergeant in the 74th Brigade RFA, he was awarded the

Distinguished Conduct Medal and was also mentioned in despatches. He was killed in action on 31st August

1918. John Saunders of the Royal Warwickshires had been awarded the Military Medal for his gallantry,

and according to a friend in the regiment21

would have received a Bar to the MM if he had not been killed by

a bomb from an enemy aircraft in late May, 1918.

Alfred Schonhardt from Subiaco, WA, of the 6th Dragoon Guards was killed in March 1918 when

the men of the Dragoons, Hussars and Lancers fought the Germans after their breakthrough of the 3rd

and 5th

Armies. Harry Parry of the Royal Horse Artillery served throughout the battles at Ypres, Somme and

Cambrai, only to die of wounds in France three days after the Armistice, on 14th November 1918.

Alfred Gratton had embarked from Melbourne as part of the Devonshire Regiment and was killed

in action on 6th October 1916. He was one of four brothers killed in the war, the others being: William

Gratton, 2nd

Battalion Devonshires, KIA 13th March 1915; 5018 Sydney Gratton of the 22

nd Battalion AIF,

KIA 14th December 1916, and Thomas Gratton MM of the 29

th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force,

KIA 21st August 1917. This must be a very rare case of four brothers dying in three different national armies.

In September 1918 the question was asked to the Australian Minister of Defence, Senator George

Pearce, whether the Imperial Reservists who left Australia in 1914 would qualify for „Anzac leave‟ like the

DIGGER 8 Issue 36

original men in the AIF. Senator Pearce replied that the Reservists were entirely under British administration,

though representations on their behalf were being made to the Imperial Government for their return to

Australia.24

However, before this special leave could be looked at for the Reservists, the Armistice was signed.

Subsequently over five hundred of the Imperial Reservists survivors would return to Australia to live after

the war.

Unfortunately, George Ackland would not be one of them. Called up to the

Iniskilling Dragoons from WA in August 1914, he went on to serve with the Royal

Warwickshires and survived many fierce battles from 1915-1918. In early 1919 he

visited relatives in Surrey and was soon ill with influenza. He died in Newdegate,

Surrey, on 8th February 1919. His wife, in Beaconsfield, WA, and young son George

(who was born a month after George‟s departure from WA in 1914) would continue

residing in Western Australia. [Right: George Ackland.]

The Imperial Government in the United Kingdom offered families like the

Acklands an incentive to return to the UK. This came in the form of a free passage

back to Great Britain for the widows and orphans of those Reservists killed in the

war.25

It is unknown how many families took up this offer.

As mentioned earlier, another interesting aspect of the Imperial Reservists was that 111 of the men

initially called up served in the AIF. These men had generally been classed as time expired or medically

unfit. However, deciding that they still wanted to serve, they joined the AIF. John Willoughby was called

up to the Army Service Corps, but was classed as medically unfit. However, he embarked with the AIF with

the 2nd

Remount Unit, then served subsequently in the Anzac Mounted Division HQ and the Provosts. In

1919 he took up non-military employment in the UK in motor mechanics before returning to Sydney in

February 1920.

Stanley Bugden was called up to the East Kent Regiment („The Buffs‟), however after initially

reporting for duty in Fremantle, he was soon found to be absent from camp and was reported as a deserter.

He had not run away from his country‟s call, however, but had seemingly made the decision to enlist in the

AIF instead. Assigned to the 16th Battalion with the regimental number 739, Stan‟s war would be short as he

was killed with many men of the 4th Brigade on 2

nd May 1915 at Bloody Angle, Gallipoli.

Likewise, George Keyes of Nullawane, Victoria, was another to be reported as deserting before

embarkation when he absented himself from joining his Northampton Regiment. He enlisted in the AIF and

was assigned to the 4th Light Horse Regiment with the regimental number 123. He served at Gallipoli and

later went to France with half of his regiment to form the 2nd

Anzac Mounted Regiment. He returned to

Australia in January 1919.

Michael Breen from Queensland was with the Royal Munster Fusiliers but also decided he would

rather serve in the AIF, and so was also classed as a deserter. Originally in the 15th Battalion, he was soon

transferred to the original 25th Battalion with the regimental number 312. He served at Gallipoli, where he

was complimented in Divisional Orders for his service. In Egypt and France he ran foul of military

discipline, going AWL, discharging his weapon near billets, and punching his superior officer. He was

awarded penal servitude for life, but was still serving with the 25th Battalion at Pozieres. He was badly

wounded on 25th August 1916 and died in London on 14

th September 1916.

Of the 111 Reservists who were called up in August 1914 but served instead in the AIF, twenty were

killed during the war.

The Imperial Reservists who returned to Australia at war‟s end settled back into their peace time

careers and activities. Post-war, the history of the AIF was written by Dr CEW Bean, but the history of the

Australian Imperial Reservists was seen as part of the British Army in the war. Their experiences were

largely forgotten from Australian history and only mentioned when it corresponded to that of the AIF.26

In 1919 when the Reservists should have been fresh in the public memory, an Imperial Reservist

from Queensland felt compelled to write to the „Brisbane Courier‟:

Sir – I should like through the medium of your paper to correct a misapprehension that appears to have

arisen amongst a section of the public over the appearance in this country of soldiers dressed in Imperial

uniform, or, as commonly termed, „Tommies‟. Some funny and also some insulting questions have been put

to the men as to their business here. Well! I will throw a little light on the subject. For the public information

generally, and to avoid any further misunderstanding in case any more should arrive, I would like to say that

these men are : (1) Imperial Reservists called up to join English units on outbreak of war; (2) men who, after

being turned down in Australia, patriotically went over on their own and joined up in England; (3)

Australians in England 1914, and unable either to join the AIF there or return here, so had no option but

DIGGER 9 Issue 36

join the Imperial forces. Perhaps this explanation (which by the way should have been made by the military

authorities) will clear the air, and maybe others arriving will not be subject to contemptuous remarks, such

as „imported strike breakers‟, Tommy emigrants etc.27

The returned Reservists faced the same peace-time realities as the men of the AIF. Joseph Wapling, a

Reservist from Warrnambool, Vic, served with the Royal Garrison Artillery from 1915 to 1916. He had been

discharged in November 1916 after suffering from trench fever and being gassed. The stress of active service

mentally affected Joseph, who was already prone to bouts of melancholia. It seems that no medical

assistance was offered to Joseph, and despite having a wife and two children, he shot himself at Mailors Flat

in Warrnambool in November 1918.

The Imperial Reservists had a common problem through 1919-20, as though they were promised the

same advantages as the men of the AIF, there were many concerns in their dealings with the Repatriation

Department. The Federal Government had in 1919 promised the Reservists the same benefits as the men of

the AIF, though it seems this news was slow to get through to the Repatriation Department. In 1921 The RSL

Congress even sought to get the benefits of the Repatriation Act extended to cover those Imperial Reservists

who were residents in Australia prior to the First World War,28

such was the confusion over who and who

was not covered by the Act.

The return to Australia for a visit by Issy Smith VC in the 1920s temporarily brought the Imperial

Reservist into the media‟s eye again, but by-and-large the experiences of the Imperial Reservists were

generally lost from sight in Australia.

Notes: 1 The Sydney Morning Herald, 10th August 1914, page 10. 2 British Army WW1 Service Records – W Adlam. William was killed on 19th April 1915 in Belgium. 3 The War Office also sent notice that they would pay the passage to Great Britain of ex regular and territorial officers who are medically fit for service (The Brisbane Courier, 19th October 1914, page 7). 4 NAA Melbourne Office MP367/1 – 592/3/831. 5 One Reservist who was classed as medically unfit who tried to join the AIF was a Herbert James Knight from the King‟s Liverpool Regiment. He was mobilised in Victoria and reported to the authorities on 10th March 1915. There is quite a bit of discrepancy in his records, from the fact that he

claimed to be the holder of the Victoria Cross from the Boer War. This was found to be fraudulent and he did not embark with the AIF: „Character

Insufficient, being a bad example to young soldiers‟. He also tried to enlist under the name of Alfred Charles Bell Ingram VC . His NAA file, MT1487/1 Herbert James Knight, is worth a read. 6 The Sydney Morning Herald, 12th August 1914, page 12. 7 The West Australian, 12th August 1914, page 7. 8 The Argus, 12th August 1914, page 10. 9 The Sydney Morning Herald, 18th August 1914, page 8. 10 Walter later joined the AIF as a private and joined the 12th Field Ambulance where he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. 11 The Listening Post, RSL WA, 1932. 12 The Sydney Morning Herald, 31st August 1914, page 8 – Separation allowances also paid to wives and dependents of the Reservists were authorised

by the War Office in London (Brisbane Courier, 11th March 1915, p7). The West Australian of 12th August 1914 had a plea from an unnamed Reservist, stating that he had to leave his farm to go back to his regiment and with the pay as it was, his wife and three children would not be able to

continue to pay off the loan and farm his plot. Subsequent issues of the paper had promises of support for his family from citizens so the Reservist

could keep his farm while he was away. Members of the WACA in particular offered promises of weekly payment to his family. 13 Lt-Col Cyril Tracey Griffiths CMG and Major Frederick Manning MC. 14 The Sydney Morning Herald, 23rd December 1914, page 11. 15 The Sydney Morning Herald, 3 April 1915, page 13 – Cleary was discharged due to his wounds and returned to Australia. However this was not the end of his war as he enlisted in the AIF in May 1917. Assigned to the 19th Battalion, he survived the war and returned to Australia in February 1919. 16 The Western Mail, June 25th 1915. 17 The Sydney Morning Herald, 27th August 1915, page 9. Ferris‟s parents were living at Cundy Street, London. 18 The Sydney Morning Herald, 19th August 1915, page 8. 19 The Brisbane Courier, July 10th 1915, page 6 – Westley returned to Adelaide and was employed with the Australian Instructional Staff. He

embarked from Adelaide in 1917 with reinforcements for the 10th Battalion. However he was kept in England as he was classed as unfit for front line duty. He returned to Australia in 1918. 20 The Sydney Morning Herald, 18th May 1916, page 6 – Oswald joined his battalion again for the action at Loos before leaving the front in February

1916. He was discharged as time expired. 21 See article by Peter Burness in AWM Publication, Wartime, Issue 48. 22 Other Reservists to receive the DCM were 7941 Harry Corbett, 1st West Riding Regiment, died 1/4/1918; 8021 Charles H Smith, 1st Bn East

Surrey Regiment, and 9430 William Stuart, 1st Bn Black Watch, KIA 9/5/1915. 23 Letter supplied to author by Saunders family. 24 The Brisbane Courier, 24th September 1918, page 8. 25 The Sydney Morning Herald, 7th October 1919, page 7. 26 Even the Australian War Memorial only has a portion of names of the Australian Reservists killed in the war in their Commemorative Roll.

Occasionally a story by or about a Reservist would appear in a newspaper or journal of the Returned & Services League. 27 The Brisbane Courier, Queensland, 19th June 1919, page 6. 28 Sunday Times, 30th January 1921 – This also sought to cover French Reservists who left Australia in 1914 to return to their native country and

returned to Australia after their service was over.

If you have not renewed your FFFAIF membership, this will be your last issue of DIGGER. Do it now!

DIGGER 10 Issue 36

‘What would their lives have been like had they lived?’ Anzac Day Dawn Service 2011, Australian National Memorial

Villers-Bretonneux Mike Goodwin, Mackay

The Australian Government‟s initiative in organising a Dawn Service at the Australian National Memorial

(ANM) has gathered a great deal of momentum and the service has now established itself as an important

commemorative event which provides a most appropriate and relevant complement to the Dawn Service at

Anzac Cove.

Having attended the Anzac Cove Dawn Service in 2002, I was keen to experience the new French

experience and I was certainly not disappointed. My wife Roz and I had already been in France for two

weeks and we had enjoyed unseasonably fine and mild weather. As we travelled around the Somme in the

week prior to Anzac Day, it was wonderful to meet up with so many Australians – both in tour groups and

those visiting individually. After many interesting and animated conversations, the final goodbyes always

ended with, „See you at the service‟.

Thankfully, there were no sudden weather

changes on the morning of the 25th April. We arrived

early and secured a park along the road into Villers-

Bretonneux and joined the quiet groups of Aussie

pilgrims as they passed by the French gendarmes and

made their way to the illuminated memorial, which

offered quite a sight in the pre-morning darkness.

After meeting up with our No. 1 Froggy FFFAIF

member, Yves Fohlen, at the grave of Lieutenant Eric

Edgerton DSO, MM & Bar (a most appropriate meeting

point), we settled in with a crowd of between 4000 –

5000 people and, with the ANM providing a perfect

backdrop, we were treated to a solemn and well-organised service. [Above: The tower at the ANM in the

early-morning light.]

Brigadier Chris Appleton CSC (Ret‟d) was the MC and the large crowd was welcomed by the

Australian Ambassador to France, Mr David Ritchie. The choir and band from Wesley College, Melbourne,

provided the music during the service. I must say, as a teacher, it was wonderful to see so many other school

groups in attendance and I take my hat off to my fellow chalkies who I know put so much time and effort

into the organisation of these tours.

The commemorative address was provided by Australian Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd, and Cadet

Petty Officer Sally Allingham delivered a very thoughtful poem reading of „There Lie Forgotten Men‟. As

well, school students Monique Champion, Matthew Catterall and Thomas Joyner delivered Bible readings.

The organisers are to be congratulated for including school students in the service – after all, they are the

future of our commemorative endeavours.

The service provided a number of personal highlights for me. The first was listening to the Last Post

played from the top of the ANM tower. In the stillness of the morning the natural amphitheatre of the

memorial provided for such a clear and pure sound. I‟m sure those who attended would share this thought.

Secondly, the experience of standing in such a significant foreign location surrounded by 4 000 Australians

all proudly singing the National Anthem was something to remember and I do recall getting a bit of a

“wobbly chin” as I sang the words. Added to this was the fact that I was standing next to Yves, who was

singing as loudly and proudly as anyone.

Of course, laying a wreath on behalf of the FFFAIF was the

overall personal highlight and I thank the committee for bestowing me

with the honour. It was a great feeling to be out there with other

ordinary Aussies adding our small tributes and I was proud to do this

on behalf of the association. [Left: Yves and Mike with the FFFAIF

wreath. Note: wreaths are purchased out of FFFAIF funds, and are

laid on behalf of all our members – Ed.]

As dawn approached the temperature dropped significantly –

reports indicate from a very respectable 13 degrees down to 7 degrees.

As I shivered and watched the rays of the dawn sunrise filtering over the ANM, I was taken back to 2002 and

DIGGER 11 Issue 36

was vividly reminded of the sunrise over the Sphinx at North Beach. At the time, I thought of these two very

symbolic features in Australian WW1 history – one a natural feature and the other a magnificent, yet tragic

man-made tribute to our fallen.

The service also gave me the opportunity to meet up with other FFFAIF members. It was great to

meet Mat McLachlan, there with his tour group, and to see Dr Bruce Scates again, who was accompanying

the Victorian Premier‟s school group. I caught up with fellow history teacher, Julie Reece, and had a good

old chat with Johan Vanderwalle who had travelled down from Belgium.

So, all up, it was a wonderful experience. It was a moving service and a fitting way to honour our

fallen. I always look for something special to take away from these occasions – something to sum up the

experience and put it all into perspective. I found this „something‟ in Kevin Rudd‟s address, which covered

many themes. After the service I went up to the wall of names and as I read down the long lines, one line

from Rudd‟s speech kept echoing in my mind: “What would their lives have been like had they lived?”

Above, left to right: The sun begins to spread some warmth at V-B; The FFFAIF wreath in pride of place;

Roz, Bruce and Mike at Villers-Bretonneux after the Dawn Service.

______________________________________________________

Robert Gordon: the third Australian-born officer killed in France Yves Fohlen, Quessy, France, continues his series on Australians who served in the British Forces.

On 14th September 1914 during the first battle of the Aisne, „B‟ Company of the 1

st Battalion

Northamptonshire Regiment went over the top on the Chemin des Dames Ridge above the little village of

Troyon. At the cost of six officers and 102 men killed, wounded or missing, some German trenches were

captured by the British soldiers near the Chemin des Dames Road.

Reinforcements were urgently needed and „A‟ Company had to fight its way up to reinforce the

position taken. These trenches were filled knee-high with water, which added to the suffering of the already

exhausted British soldiers. On 15th September 1914, the commanding officer of „A‟ Company rose from his

trench and was shot and killed. He was Captain Robert Eddington Gordon and was an Australian-born

officer serving in the British Army.

Born on 8th February 1877 at „Ellerslie‟, Robert Gordon was the son of George and Violette E

Gordon, of „Ellerslie‟, Gordon Street, Toorak, Melbourne. Robert was educated at Toorak College in

Melbourne and then by private tutors in Edinburgh, Scotland.

At the end of his studies he returned to Australia and enlisted in the military forces of the state of

Victoria as a second lieutenant. In December 1897 the young officer joined the 2nd

Northamptonshire

Regiment in England. From November 1907 till December 1911 he was attached to the West African

Frontier Force then transferred back to the 2nd

Northamptonshire Regiment.

When the Great War began in August 1914, Robert went to France with the rank of captain and as

commanding officer of „A‟ Company of the 1st Battalion Northampthonshire Regiment, 2

nd Brigade of the 1

st

British Infantry Division, British Expeditionary Force. With his men, he took part in the Battle of Mons and

in some rearguard actions during the retreat to the Marne River. According to survivors, on 15th September

1914, Captain Gordon was shot in the head by a bullet and killed. The position was retaken later by German

troops. The body of the officer was left behind and never recovered. His name is commemorated on the

Memorial to the Missing at La Ferté Sous Jouarre.

After Lieutenant William M Chisholm, 1st East Lancashire Regiment, and Captain Douglas Keith

Lucas-Tooth DSO, 9th (Queen‟s Royal) Lancers, Captain Robert Eddington Gordon has the sad privilege of

being the third Australian-born soldier to be killed in action in France during the Great War. He was 37 years

old.

DIGGER 12 Issue 36

Renaming of the AW Barry Bridge at Yarrawa, NSW Ross St.Claire, Merewether

On Saturday 28th May 2011, FFFAIF members Russell and Lorraine Curley, Harry and Marj Willey, Chris

and Jim Munro, and myself were the guests of the Muswellbrook Shire Council and Ray Barry and his

family of Yarrawa, NSW, at the Official Naming of the AW Barry Bridge.

The bridge was originally built in 1927 but was damaged in the June 2007 floods. The re-constructed

bridge spans the Goulburn River at the small community of Yarrawa, which is about 4km west of the Hunter

Valley town of Denman.

The bridge has been renamed after local

identity and ex-54th Battalion member, 4733 Private

Archie William Barry. Archie [right] enlisted in the

AIF on 4th August 1915, aged 21 years and 11 months.

He was a farm hand from Doyle‟s Creek, which is near

Jerry‟s Plains, about 25km SE of Denman. He was

allotted to the 15th Reinforcements/2

nd Battalion and

left Australia aboard HMAT Star of England on 3rd

March 1916.

Upon arriving in Egypt, Archie and 148 men

from the 15/2nd

were transferred to the newly formed

54th Battalion, which was posted at Ferry‟s Post on the

Suez Canal. Archie trained as a Lewis gunner and left

Egypt with his battalion on 20th June 1916 and arrived

in France on 29th June. Three weeks later the 54

th

Battalion was decimated in the carnage at Fromelles.

Archie was one of the very lucky ones left physically

unharmed by the ordeal.

In September he was hospitalised with a hernia

and did not return to the 54th Battalion until late in

February 1917. Early in March that year Archie was

again sent to hospital, with sore feet. After months of treatment he was eventually sent home in December

1917. After the war Archie was prominent in the communities of Yarrawa and Denman. It was largely

through his efforts that the original Yarrawa Bridge was built. He was active in the RSL, School of Arts,

Upper Hunter Agricultural Show, Junior Farmers, the ambulance service and racing club. One of his

proudest achievements was coaching the Denman rugby league side to a premiership in 1961. The side

included his two sons and son-in-law. Archie died in 1976. The naming of the bridge is a fitting tribute to a

wonderful family man, community leader and soldier.

The FFFAIF were represented by President Russell, Vice-President Jim and Secretary Chris. Russell

made a wonderful speech which outlined Archie‟s service in the AIF. Chris was presented with a book

covering the history of the Denman area by Archie‟s son, Ray Barry. Chris mentioned how important

memorials, such as the AW Barry Bridge, are to keep the memory alive of those wonderful men. Men, as

Russell rightly said, we will never see the likes of again.

I would like to thank Ray and his family for the warm welcome we received. It was a memorable

day.

Far left: FFFAIF

President, Russell

Curley, addressing

the crowd at the

bridge renaming

ceremony.

Left: The new part

of the AW Barry

Bridge.

DIGGER 13 Issue 36

Above left: FFFAIF members at the AW Barry Bridge renaming. Back row, left to right: Harry, Russell and

Jim; Front row: Marj, Lorraine, Chris and Ross. Above right: Ray Barry standing in front of the AW Barry

Bridge named after his father. The „new‟ section of the bridge seen in the photo on the previous page was

butted to the undamaged part of the original bridge, shown here behind Ray.

Bringing in the 18th at Hill 60 Graeme Hosken, Dubbo

Tony Cunneen‟s excellent article on the ill-fated attack of the 18th Battalion at Hill 60, Gallipoli [DIGGER

35], reminded member Andrew Willetts of Dubbo that his relative, George Long, was awarded the MM for

rescuing wounded from No-man‟s land in the aftermath of the attack on 22nd

August 1915. George Long was

profiled in DIGGER 13, revealing that he was from Hamilton, NSW, and served with the 5th Field

Ambulance. By the time of the armistice he had transferred to the 12th Field Ambulance with the rank of

lieutenant and had been awarded the MSM.

Sergeant 2862 George Herbert Long was recommended for the award of the Military Medal for

the following action:

On the morning of August 22nd

1915 at Gallipoli after the attack on Hill 60 trenches by the 18th Battalion and

their retirement from some of the captured trenches, a number of wounded were left in the open. At dusk

Captain Savage of the 5th Field Ambulance acted at once and called for volunteers and organised the parties

under Sergeant Long and with these bearers went into the open to search and bring in wounded under

continuous rifle and shrapnel fire the whole time during the night. They continued in bright moonlight to go

out and search for wounded. The search continued the following

night and they brought in over 30 of our wounded men. On one

occasion Sergeant Long, Corporal Smith and Private Bryant went

almost to the enemy trenches, the New Zealanders holding their

fire, and brought in a wounded man.

Warrant Officer George Long went on to be mentioned in

despatches on 4th October 1916: This NCO has always shown

himself in long and steady work as being most capable and has

proved himself in emergencies by his example in the front line. I

have recommended him before for particular acts of bravery.

George‟s Meritorious Service Medal was awarded for:

This Warrant Officer has done long and very meritorious service

in the field and has been with the unit since its inception. As

Warrant Officer General Duties he has done outstanding work.

Tactful and a good administrator, he has worked at all times to

uphold and strengthen the unit. When his duties have lain with the

bearers in the forward area he has carried out his work regardless

of his personal safety. His work and example have been of the

greatest value to the ambulance.

After the war George returned to working with the NSW

Government Railways and became a long-serving engine-driver.

DIGGER 14 Issue 36

Lance Sergeant 710 Ian Gordon MacInnes, 2nd Battalion Harry Willey, Scone

Ian Gordon MacInnes was the first man from the Scone District to be killed in action during the Great War,

dying on Gallipoli on 25th April 1915.

Born in the Sydney suburb of Ashfield, Ian Gordon („Mac‟) MacInnes was the son of the Reverend

George MacInnes DD, who had died in 1908, and his wife, Margaret MacInnes. Ian had been a bank clerk at

the Scone branch of the Bank of New South Wales, and an enthusiastic member of the Scone Rifle Club for

three years before war was declared on Tuesday, 4th August 1914.

On 10th August when volunteers for overseas service were called for, Ian was handed the keys of the

Woolooma Shire office in Hill Street, Scone, by the Shire Clerk, Irvine Fleming („Flem‟) Campbell.

Campbell had phoned Victoria Barracks in Sydney from his office that morning and volunteered for service.

Being told to report for duty the next day, he immediately rang Mr White, the Shire President to seek leave

of absence.

This done, he arranged to leave the keys of the Shire Office at the Bank of New South Wales (now

Chris Winter‟s Barber Shop) in Liverpool Street, Scone, before he boarded the next train to Sydney.

What effect Flem Campbell‟s actions had on Ian MacInnes, if any, has to be left to one‟s

imagination, but shortly after, Ian resigned his position with the bank. He travelled to Sydney and visited his

widowed mother before volunteering for the army on 29th August and sailing off to war with Flem Campbell.

His attestation papers recorded that he was a

Presbyterian, 30 years and 3 months old, 5‟8” inches

(170cm) tall and weighed 10½ stone (67kg).

Ian was assigned to the 2nd

Battalion which,

with the 1st, 3

rd and 4

th Battalions, formed the 1

st

Infantry Brigade. The battalion was commanded by 35

year old Colonel Henry Norman MacLaurin, a son of

the Chancellor of Sydney University.

Ian was promoted to lance sergeant on 25th

September. On 18th October he embarked as part of

Australia‟s First Contingent from Woolloomooloo on

His Majesty‟s Australian Transport A23 Suffolk. After

sailing unescorted to Albany, Western Australia, the

Suffolk formed a convoy with 35 other transports which

were to take troops from Australia and New Zealand to

war. Disembarking at Alexandria on 8th December, Ian

trained with English and Indian troops at Mena.

Made provisional sergeant on 1st April 1915,

Ian was a sergeant with „G‟ Company of the 2nd

Battalion when he landed on Gallipoli at 7.30am on

25th April, half a mile north of the planned landing

place. As part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary

Force, he was under the command of 62 year old

General Sir Ian Hamilton. On landing on the

Peninsula, Ian was reportedly seen climbing up the

steep cliff, close on the heels of Captain Flem

Campbell, who was leading the charge up the steep

hillside. [Above right: Ian MacInness. Australian War Memorial Negative Number H06250.]

The Turks, who had scored a humiliating victory over the British and French navies in February and

March, were prepared for an invasion. Not knowing the time or the place, they had placed groups of 200 men

in strategic places along the coastline, while holding their main force inland in readiness to move quickly to

where they were needed.

As the invading force landed, an estimated five hundred Turks were in position to oppose them,

leaving gaps through which the Anzacs advanced. Ian was later reported to have been one of a small group

of men who reached „Daisy Patch‟, a piece of cultivated land that was covered in flowers in Fir Tree Wood

in the Helles Sector. Another group, which also included men from Scone, had advanced to a position from

where they could see the Dardanelles.

DIGGER 15 Issue 36

A young Turkish officer, Mustafa Kemal, realised that whoever controlled the 800 foot high

Chunuk Bair would control the battlefield. He rounded up a number of Turkish troops who had been fleeing

from the Anzacs and regrouped them to launch a series of counter-attacks.

When the order to withdraw was given to the group to which Ian was attached, the company sergeant

called to Ian, who was lying nearby, to follow him. When Ian failed to move or answer, the company

sergeant assumed that Ian had been killed. Driven back, but still unsure of Ian‟s fate, the company sergeant

returned into No-man‟s land after dark that night, searching for Ian. When he could not find any sign of

MacInnes, he concluded that the constant artillery fire had buried him. On Wednesday, 28th April, when the

surviving members of the group returned to the Anzac lines, they reported Ian missing.

Margaret MacInnes was given false hope in September when incorrectly notified that Ian had been

wounded in the arm and was recuperating satisfactorily in Alexandria Hospital. This information came from

the British Red Cross, who later claimed there were two „Sergeant MacInnes‟s [sic] serving in the 2nd

Australian Battalion, one from Inverell and one from Scone. They also reported that Sergeant MacInnes from

Inverell, who had been wounded in the arm, had succumbed to his wounds.

A court of inquiry held on 24th March 1916 concluded that Ian MacInnes had been killed in action on

the afternoon of 25th April 1915. His name was published in the 172

nd Australian Casualty List.

Margaret received Ian‟s service medals: the 1914/15 Star; the British War Medal and the Allied

Victory Medal. Due to there being no evidence of Ian‟s burial, his name appears on Panel 16 of the Lone

Pine Memorial.

Ian‟s name also appears on: Memorial Panel 33 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra; the First

World War Memorial Gateway in Kelly Street, Scone; the memorial outside the Scone War Memorial

Swimming Pool; the Roll of Honour at the Scott Memorial Hospital, Scone, and the Honour Rolls at the

Scone RSL Club, St David‟s Uniting (formerly Presbyterian) Church at Haberfield and St Andrew‟s Uniting

Church, Scone.

_______________________________________________________________

Incident at Munster Alley, 1916 Extract from „The Story of the Seventeenth Battalion AIF‟.

During the fight in Munster Alley there was an incident possessing a humorous

aspect. Privates Ford and Craig, bombers, were the principals. These two worthies,

who in civilian-life were coal miners, had retired during a lull in the fighting to slake

their thirsts. Upon rejoining the platoon, they found the situation still quiet, so they

decided to further explore the Alley „just to see what was doing‟. Both had their tunics

slung on their arms as a relief from the intense heat, but neither carried weapons or

bombs. Rounding a bend in the trench they came face to face with a German officer,

probably on a reconnaissance mission. The three men stood as though rooted in their

tracks. Ford was the first to act. „Go for your life,‟ he yelled, as he leapt on the parapet

of the trench, Craig following suit by a split second. There each man grabbed a clod of

earth and hurled it at the startled German, and then fled incontinently back to our

lines. In the course of their hurried departure both dropped their tunics, and in the

pocket of Craig‟s garment reposed his pay-book with a credit of £30 recorded therein. In narrating this tragic

episode, Craig said, „I did not hesitate to run away from Fritz, but I went “butcher‟s hook” at losing my pay-

book.‟ The incident had a pleasant sequel. Craig, together with Privates Mansell and McNair, also

bombers, were wounded later in the day and eventually found themselves in hospital in Cardiff, „stone,

motherless broke‟. What could be done to raise the cash?

Suddenly remembering a public pronouncement by the Lord Mayor that no Australian soldier in that

city would want for anything while he could help, the trio decided to „touch him for a few bob‟. For this

purpose lots were drawn. It fell to McNair to act as spokesman, and he duly departed on his mission. After a

full half hour‟s suspense, during which hope began to fade in the breasts of his waiting companions, McNair

reappeared (and again to quote Craig) „with a grin on his dial, waving a five pound note in his hand and with

two whiskies and soda under his belt‟.

Endnotes: (1) Private 884 William Leslie Ford, 23 year old miner from Coogee. (2) Private 1050 Charles

Harper Craig, 28 year old miner from Helensburgh. (3) Photo of Munster Alley, Pozieres. AWM C04197.

DIGGER 16 Issue 36

Ada Maria Hogg – Voluntary Aid Worker, Red Cross Heather (Frev) Ford, Montrose

When war erupted across the world in August 1914, many Australian women visiting England found they

could „do their bit‟ by joining the various aid organisations. Mrs Ada Hogg was one of those, although she

was actually en-route to Paris as the news broke. Having been widowed the previous year, Ada had joined an

around-the-world tourist party in May 1914, and parted

from her tour group in Milan on 1st August to attend the

International Esperanto Congress in Paris.

Arriving to a city in turmoil, she was told that

Paris was closing her gates that night and all foreigners

must leave immediately. Tired and hungry she joined

the mass evacuation to Dieppe, and after a night spent

in the pouring rain on the wharf, finally caught one of

the boats to England. After a short rest she wasted no

time in volunteering her services, taking on the position

of Assistant Treasurer with the Soldiers‟ and Sailors‟

Families Association (SSAFA) at Shepherds Bush.

Considering it a privilege to be helping in such

important work, Ada was not afraid to put in the long

hours needed to assist the families of the dead and

wounded as the war progressed, especially as she was

no stranger to work. The daughter of a teacher, Ada

had also gone on to teach, and together with her late

husband had established the Adelaide Shorthand &

Business Training Academy in South Australia. For

some years she had also been the President of the

Adelaide Esperanto Group (a language developed in

the 1870s for use in international communication).

[Left: Ada Hogg. Australian War Memorial Negative

Number P03464.001.]

In 1915, working in London was not free from

danger, as Ada attests to in the following letter dated

September 9th 1915:

I retired quite early, weary after my strenuous half-holiday from my self-imposed office duties (which I spend

at the Woolwich Arsenal canteen). I had heard our anti-aircraft guns firing at the Zeppelins the previous

night, but hoped not to be disturbed again. However, 11 o‟clock came, when the roar of machinery, and the

noise as of a rushing, mighty wind heralded the near approach of a Zeppelin. Of course, I did the thing we

are particularly warned not to do, which was to rush out on to my little balcony, and from there I saw an

immense, grey monster, resembling in length a tube train on wings; and flash, flash, boom! boom! explosion.

Bombs were dropped in rapid succession. The result was indescribably terrifying. There was the noise of the

concussion, of the smashing and falling of glass from hundreds of windows, and the screams upon screams

from the poor little crippled children who sleep out in a hospital across the way.

This was all rather too close to be pleasant, so I got back to my room, groped around for dressing

gown and slippers (the electric light had been cut off), and, still groping, found my way down five flights of

stairs to the basement. All this time (in all about 15 minutes, though it seemed much longer) the deafening

noise continued, but it was now our anti-aircraft guns and the added whirrrr-birrrr of pursuing aeroplanes.

In the basement I helped to quieten the crying babies and the hysterical maids. The latter had been

asleep at the back of the hotel, and had been rudely awakened, poor things, by the explosion and the

shattering glass. Then, still aweary, but this time provided with candle and matches, I got back to my room.

However, the fires caused by the bombs seemed too near to be pleasant, so I watched for an hour until they

were well got under, and then to bed and sleep, for there was work to be done on the morrow.

This morning I visited the square and saw the huge excavation made by a bomb almost in the centre,

and the poor, hurt-looking buildings all around (four of which are hospitals), with glassless windows, all so

pitiful. But how much worse it might have been if the bomb had fallen on one of the hospitals, or even on the

hotel. As it is, I don‟t think one life was lost just here, but as I said before, it was all quite too close to be

pleasant. Some experience, eh?

DIGGER 17 Issue 36

In December, Ada resigned her position with the SSAFA to take up the position of honorary secretary of the

Duchess of Westminster‟s Hospital in Le Touquet, France. She had been working at this British Red Cross

Hospital for nearly two years before returning to England for a rest in the latter half of 1917. However, once

again she was harassed from above:

Two days after my arrival from France for a hard-earned rest, about 207 Gothas bombarded us with

disastrous results. Finding this not conducive to a rest cure, I went to the country for a month. I had no

sooner got back than we were treated to the moonlight raids. What with the whirr-rr-rr of the double-

engined hostile machines overhead, the pop-pop-pop of the machine guns, the thud of falling bombs, and the

booming of our anti-aircraft guns (two of the biggest are not a quarter of a mile from here), is it any wonder

that we are developing nerves? Then a three-week‟s interval, and this time an early evening noise and

explosions from the barrage of zone of fire put up by our anti-aircraft. I don‟t go out to see the sights now;

my inquisitiveness was cured by my Zeppelin experiences.

I am off to France next week for a little sleep and quietness, for, in spite of the fact that the newspapers tell

us that we are perfectly calm, which, of course, we are, it is rather a nerve-racking experience.

Before the year of 1917 was over, Ada had transferred to the secretaryship of the Leith War Hospital in

Edinburgh, Scotland. A year later, when this hospital was taken over by the US Navy, she returned to

London, and as a representative of the Australian Red Cross began a six month course at the Surgical

Requisites Association. She was only a week into her course when the Armistice was signed:

At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the firing of the anti-aircraft guns around

London signalled – not an air raid this time, but that they were a thing of the past; then the sirens on the

river shrilled their shrieks of joy, and London went mad. Bunting appeared magically, shops were closed,

and streets filled to suffocation. Every taxi carried its merry load – on the roof, bonnet, anywhere. Motor and

horse-driven vehicles overflowed with excited, yelling humanity. Flags were brought at any old price, and

wildly waved, bells clanged, bands played, and Bedlam was let loose. Outside Buckingham Palace the

immense crowd demanded the King. Believe it was Australians who started the chant, “We want George; we

want George,” until he appeared, and then changed the tune to “We want Mary; we want Mary,” until she

came also.

Through Piccadilly one had to fight one‟s way, but the jostling, happy crowd was exhilarating; the rain

dampened our clothes, but not our enthusiasm. Tea was only procurable at a Chinese restaurant, all the rest

had sold out. Then down the Mall, lined with captured guns, to Victoria. After two hours‟ wait and struggle

to buy a ticket, get through the barrier, board a train, and do a 10 minutes‟ journey, I arrived home, wet,

tired, dishevelled, and dirty, but I wouldn‟t have missed it for something. The funniest sights I saw were the

traffic being held up in Regent Street by a long line of arm-linked hilarious officers doing the goose-step;

and, in a side street, a very drunk Scottie and a very drunk Aussie, solemnly kissing each other, French

fashion, on either cheek. Yesterday I was one of the crowd of enthusiasts who welcomed Marshal Foch and

M. Clemenceau. It was an inspiring welcome, too. Spend Friday evenings doing the waitress stunt at the

Anzac Buffet, and just love it. Hope to be home before Christmas, 1919.

The Surgical Requisites Association, which was the orthopaedic branch of Queen Mary‟s Needlework Guild,

had been established by a group of Chelsea artists and sculptors to develop improvements in surgical aids.

Their inventions of different types of artificial limbs, as well as splints, beds, „soaking baths‟ etc, were

groundbreaking in dealing with the relief and comfort of the many unique cases of twisted and distorted

bodies and limbs that the war had produced. Working with these ingenious women for nine months, Ada

then used the orthopaedic knowledge she had gained in the service of the Surgical Requisites branch of the

AIF.

With the war over, the Handley-Page Aircraft Company modified a number of their planes to carry

passengers on the London-Paris route, and Ada didn‟t allow her previous fear of enemy aircraft to deter her

from experiencing life in the air on a more personal level:

I have the distinction of being the first woman to attempt a flight in a Handley-Page passenger aeroplane de

luxe. I say „attempt‟ advisedly, for though we started off all right, with the six passengers sitting in armchairs

– I the only Australian – we had two forced landings. We should have reached London three and a half hours

after having left Paris. As it was, we only got as far as Amiens, and had, somewhat ignominiously, to catch a

train, and travel in the more orthodox manner. No! I was not in the least sick when in the air. My experience

of flying was that there seemed almost a cessation of motion, except when one struck an air pocket, then

things were decidedly stirring. But I was upset in more ways than one by the forced landings. After them I

am not ashamed to own that I had a nervous breakdown.

DIGGER 18 Issue 36

Ada‟s hope to be home before Christmas 1919 was never realised, but she was however on her way;

spending Christmas on board the family ship Konigin Luise which had sailed from England on 19th

December. In early February 1920, Ada finally stepped back onto Australia‟s shores after almost six years

absence. The following are some of Ada‟s observations from the war:

When the Australians felt the pinch of the war most was having their dear ones so far away – they had to

bear a terrible spiritual strain, if not the actual physical strain.

I loved the French people. They seemed to me to be the very spirit of the war. Nothing ever crushed their

indomitable determination.

One thing I learned thoroughly well when working among the wounded was the value of cheer. Still another

was man‟s love and kindness for his fellow-man. It did not matter what personal sorrow weighed on one‟s

heart, the boys had to be cheered up. We learnt to store – and repeat – every funny story we could get hold

of. I was a great success with these! But I had a serious rival in a Catholic padre. When the boys on my side

of the ward were laughing harder than the boys on his, Padre used to say: - „We must meet afterwards,

Sister, and swap yarns,‟ and we always did.

It seems that Ada‟s time away from Australia had given her the „bug‟, and she spent the rest of her life

travelling extensively and living in many different countries, possibly doing Red Cross work. She was made

a life member of the Italian Red Cross, and apparently she received honours from the French and Italian

Governments.

In 1937 however, Ada was home in Australia and living in Sydney, when following a brief illness,

double pneumonia took her life on 16th June at the age of 66. She was privately cremated and her ashes were

then transferred to Adelaide, where they are interred with those of her husband, William, in the Crematorium

Section of the West Terrace Cemetery.

Endnotes: (1) One of 12 children, Ada Maria Hallifax was born 16/4/1871 in Lexton, Victoria – the

daughter of Augustus New Hallifax and Mercy Allen. Her mother died when Ada was seven, and her father

remarried the following year. Her father had come to Australia as a convict in 1846, but went on to be a

teacher and a JP. (2) Ada married William Hogg 13/12/1897 in North Adelaide; he died 13/6/1913, age 48.

The couple had no children. (3) In 1909 Ada was saved from drowning, and in a twist of fate, one of her

rescuers drowned the following week! (4) As well as the Victory and British War Medals, Ada was entitled

to the 1914/15 Star (just!). (5) In later life she sometimes seems to have been known as Mrs Hallie Hogg –

possibly a name that she wrote under. (6) The AWM photo shows Ada (Assistant Quartermaster Hogg) in

her Red Cross uniform c1919.

Lieutenant Stirling Alexander McWilliam, 9th LHR Contributed by Kim Phillips, from www.spirits-of-gallipoli.com.

Stirling McWilliam enlisted at Williamstown, Vic, on 3rd

November 1914 at the

age of 20 years. He was killed by a bullet wound to his head at Walker‟s Ridge on

30th May 1915. His epitaph reads: Blessed are the Pure in Heart.

2nd

Lieutenant WM Cameron (9th LHR) recorded in his diary: Last night‟s

projected bayonet charge did not come off, the enemy evidently expecting something of

the kind concentrated fire on the position. What a strange contrast is this day! Here I

am comfortably lying in my dug-out, having had a shave, a wash and mouth cleaning

all in one cup of water, and general change, and feel quite Sunday-like, while outside

and all around is the thunder of guns, the whistle and scream of bullets and shells.

Whistling Rufus gave us his usual pills this morning but did not get anyone, tho‟ two

were wounded by stray rifle shots. The snipers are very accurate and dangerous; even

in these rest places one is not safe to unnecessarily expose. Have been spending this couple of hours reading

passages from my Bible, and a feeling of calm reassurance and confidence comes over me.

Yesterday morning the Turks blew up our trenches held by the 10th Regt. and got them out, but the

Australians rallied, charged and recaptured the position. … This afternoon we lost our brave little officer, Lieut S

McWilliam, than whom the Regt. boasted no better. He was on the observation post and just turned round to give

an order when a bullet struck him in the left side of the head, coming out on the right. Mr Mac, as he was

familiarly called, died giving his orders – his last words were „Stand to arms, Twelve Hundred – Five Rounds –

Oh God!‟ and fell back. It just required the word „Fire‟ to complete the order. I feel a great loss keenly.

DIGGER 19 Issue 36

The Battle of Lone Pine Captain Roy Harrison, 2

nd Battalion.

Contributed by Neville Kidd, West Pymble.

Captain Roy Harrison landed at Anzac on 25th April and served right through until the Evacuation. In this

letter to his cousin, Miss Emily Ellis, Roy recounts his experiences in one of the fiercest fights not only of the

Gallipoli campaign, but of the whole war. This letter is taken from member Neville Kidd‟s book, „An

Impression Which Will Never Fade‟.

… It is over a month since we have had any mail from Australia, but that is accounted for by the fact that

about 200 bags of mail for the 1st Aust Division was lost overboard during transhipment. The mail was being

transhipped to a lighter, when the Turkish guns opened fire. The transport promptly got under way, and

being in a beastly hurry, the crew didn‟t care how quickly they got out of range. The result was that a tow

rope got underneath the lighter and when the rope tightened up, the barge was upset.

It is now just over a year since I joined this Bn when it was raised [17th August 1914] but what a

change! Out of 1 023 officers and men who sailed from Sydney ten months ago, there are five officers and

about 60 other ranks left. We have been reinforced six times, each draft numbering about 140; and the

remainder of these, together with the 65 before-mentioned leaves the battalion with a total effective strength

of 263 of all ranks.

We at least have the consolation of knowing that together with other battalions of the 1st Division, a

name has been made for the Australian infantryman that will never be surpassed. The British officers are

very keen on our men, and have wonderful confidence in their capacity.

On 6th August we had another flutter, namely the storming of the Lone Pine position. Promptly at

5.30pm the 2nd

, 3rd

& 4th Bns rushed over our parapets, and in spite of shrapnel, machine guns and rifle fire,

carried the trenches with the bayonet. The 2nd

Bn, as I told you in a former letter, had the toughest job of the

lot, for we had to cross 160 yards of clear ground, with a small valley in the centre, and attack trenches with

very heavy overhead cover and protected by barbed wire entanglements. The first wave (my old Coy. B) was

provided with scaling ladders & wire cutters; they were followed by the 2nd

wave; the 3rd

carrying 60 shovels

and 40 picks, and then the 4th wave.

The signal for the assault was three short whistle blasts. The whole line moved as one man, but

instantly the Turks opened a terrific fire, and almost at once, the dust thrown up by the bullets and shells

striking the ground, hid everything a few yards away from view. The fight was terrific for a time, and one

corporal of B Co. is credited by several of the men with having killed 17 Turks with his rifle and bayonet

before being killed himself.

The Colonel & I crossed with the 4th wave, and as their machine guns and artillery were waiting for

us, we got some hurry up. Those of us who were lucky enough to miss the bullets, tumbled into the enemy

trenches without loss of time. The place was choked with dead & wounded, and in many places, it was

impossible to avoid walking over the dead.

We had to fight continuously for 48 hours without any rest whatever, to maintain our position

against the enemy‟s counter-attacks, particularly bombs thrown from a few yards away.

When light came, the second morning after the assault, the trenches were 3 deep with dead and

wounded, and in one particular trench, were three and four deep. To pass along, it was necessary to crawl

over the dead & living, and unpleasant though it was, it was far from being so

bad as other experiences in this war. The sights & sounds come up to anything I

have yet read, and surpassing my wildest dreams as to what war really meant.

My old platoon (No. 5) was with the first wave, and not one man

answered the roll call when we were relieved by fresh troops on the 8th.

Out of 27 officers and 576 men of this Bn who took part in the attack, we

lost 21 officers (including the Colonel) and 420 men.

At present, I enjoy the distinction of both junior & senior captain – for I

am the only one left.

However, the old battalion has done famously and made a name for itself

in the three big engagements since landing, which will take some living up to.

What it took, it held, and that is as much as can be said for the best regiments in

the British Service. [Right: Two soldiers lean against the side of a captured

trench at Lone Pine. Australian War Memorial Negative Number P03088.016.]

DIGGER 20 Issue 36

The moral effect of our last & previous attacks has been great. One Turkish sergeant who was

captured, said: „We will go out to meet the French, we will wait for the British to come up to our trenches,

but the Australians we will not face, and no amount of driving will make us do so‟. That is a reputation to

win, and the Turk himself has the name of being a very stubborn man when fighting on the defensive.

We do not know what is in store for us in the future, but surely something must be done to turn this

worn remnant into some semblance of a battalion. What will be done we can‟t say, but those of us who have

been through everything since 25th April and not had a rest in all the seventeen weeks would welcome a

week‟s rest to recoup & reorganise at one of the islands hereabouts. Personally, I am in good health, thin, but

feeling strong, but that doesn‟t prevent me from wishing for just a short break from the everlasting worry &

responsibility of the firing line. A mental recuperation more than a physical one.

Tonight we shall sit down to a tea of boiled bacon and tinned tomatoes (3/- a tin) so you see we are

not starved. The excellent food I really think, accounts for the enormous amount of work our fellows get

through. Had the commissariat arrangements been poor, the work could not have been done. Although the

men were very tired, you would be surprised how they cheered up and got quite perky when we told them

that the next day at 5.30pm they would attack the Turkish trenches.

I will long remember the final meeting of senior officers the night before Lone Pine. Prior to

dispersing, we drank „Success to the regiment‟ in issue rum and then turned in for a good night‟s rest. Next

time we met, there were only three of that party left. The dim light of the dug out, and the old, old chorus,

„It‟s a way we have in the army etc!‟, the three cheers for the regiment, and the ring of familiar faces, all

formed an impression which will never fade.

The night before the landing was similar in a sense, but there was unrestrained skylarking & fun

generally, for we were all strangers to war. On the night preceding Lone Pine, however, everyone knew

exactly what to expect, and there was no foolery.

As usual after an action things have been pretty busy. For the first week after this attack there was no

time for anything. My orderly room sergeant was wounded while asleep in our dug out; also very nearly all

the officers & NCOs being knocked out, you can quite imagine the work & reorganisation necessary to get

things ship-shape again.

Adjutant‟s job is not too bad in peace time, but on active service, and particularly after a big action,

it is just ……… ………. . (It‟s far better left unsaid.) However, all troubles soon pass over, and here I am in

good health; living pretty well, sleeping well; and only a bullet hole in my left sleeve, and a couple of tears in

the jacket from bomb splinters, to show that two weeks ago today, we were fighting all out for very

existence.

My third orderly got a shrapnel bullet through the brain.

Am considering whether it‟s a fair thing to take on a fourth. It

seems like tempting Providence. [Left: The parapet of a

communication trench showing the dead of the 1st Battalion AIF

killed at Lone Pine, 6th August 1915. Australian War Memorial

Negative number C01942.]

There have been some Irish regiments on fatigue work

here, principally burying the dead. They are from the Connaught

Rangers & Munster Fusiliers – part of Kitchener‟s army. They are

a funny lot. It takes an awful lot of jabber before they get a move

on and as fighting men, well, on appearances, I would rather have

one company of Australians than a full battalion of them. My

opinion is shared by many of our officers and many Imperial. There can be no doubt that as fighting men,

our chaps have made a wonderful name. They have never failed the General in any task he has set them, and

that is something to be proud of.

The great superiority of our men, being that so many of them in the ranks are of good class. You can

take up any nominal roll and read down the occupations of the men, and such as mine manager, accountant,

wool classer, solicitor student etc are fairly common. This gives a wonderfully intelligent rank & file to work

on, and train as NCOS and sometimes officers.

Splendid though their conduct is while well, it is if anything better when wounded. They lie

uncomplaining until they can be attended to, and are quite apologetic for having been hit, and become a

hindrance, as they imagine, to the battalion. There was one youngster of about 19 or 20 with a broken leg,

bullet in the joint of his left elbow, and a part of the muscle burnt and blown away from the upper right arm,

by a rifle fired point-blank. He lay on a banquette of trench for 36 hours before he was carried off, simply

because he was so quiet & patient that no-one imagined there was much wrong with him. He drew my

DIGGER 21 Issue 36

attention by asking if I could make his back more comfortable. On lifting him, I found he had been lying on a

small tin of bully beef. Stretcher bearers were sent for & he was soon on the way to the field ambulance. He

is only one of many.

I have only seen one man really troublesome, and he was shot through the head and quite mad. He

made such a fearful noise that there was fear of him unnerving the other wounded men, so a corporal who

was attending to him as best he could, was given a couple of morphia tabloids from a small stock carried for

such cases. He placed them under the man‟s tongue, but in his frenzy, he bit the corporal‟s finger almost

through & spat out the tabloids. Later when the Dr came along, he tried to administer morphia by tabloid in

the absence of a syringe, but it was no good as the chap put them out as fast as they were put in. We were

very glad to see and hear the last of him, when he was carried off, tied hand and foot to prevent him from

injuring himself.

The season seems to be on the turn. The last few nights have been quite chilly and we have taken to

sleeping with blankets over us. We hear that this is a very cold spot in winter and under snow for quite a long

time. We can quite believe it, for when we arrived at Lemnos in early April, we could see the snow on the

mountains on the island of Samothrace to the north, and the wind at times has a razor‟s edge …

Endnotes: (1) Neville adds: Roy Harrison dropped rank from lieutenant in the Citizens‟ Forces to 2nd

lieutenant in the 2nd

Battalion of the AIF. At the time of the Landing he was again a lieutenant. On 9th May

1915 the adjutant, Captain Stevens, was wounded and Roy succeeded him as adjutant and was promoted to

captain. He remained in that rank until his return to Egypt from Gallipoli. Prior to his transfer from the 2nd

to

the 54th Battalion in February 1916 he was promoted major and on transfer became senior major and 2i/c of

the 54th. As such, he led the assault of the 54

th at FROMELLES.

Readers will be well aware of my obsession with FROMELLES and the necessity to have it

inscribed within the Anzac Memorial, Sydney. Accordingly, I like to take every opportunity to bring it to

notice. Following Team Lambis‟ success at Pheasant Wood, millions previously unaware now know of

FROMELLES and the massive sacrifice there. Sadly, most do not know that it is not honoured on any of our

principal memorials to The Great War that purport to honour by inscription.

Roy Harrison was the only original officer of the 2nd

Australian Infantry Battalion to stand up with

that battalion for the whole of its campaign on Gallipoli. He was killed leading the assault of the 54th

Battalion at FROMELLES. The Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park, Sydney, honours by inscription within the

Niche Wall of the Hall of Memory of the Memorial. In the Gallipoli Niche, Roy is honoured by the

inscriptions: THE LANDING, LONE PINE, and THE EVACUATION. He is not honoured in the France

and Belgium Niche for the Battle of FROMELLES where, with 1 916 other Anzacs, he gave his young life

for us.

(2) In 1923 a body was exhumed from map reference 36.N.10.b.15.05 and reburied in Rue Petillon Military

Cemetery. A silver cigarette case with the engraving: „To Lieut. Harrison, from Jeff and Sum [sic] 16/9/14‟,

identified the soldier as Roy Harrison. (The correct translation of the inscription was „from Geoff and Em‟,

which allowed for Roy‟s body to be positively identified by his brother.)

Victor Harbor war trophy Contributed by Heather Randall, Victor Harbor.

The war trophy at left rests in the Victor Harbor (SA) Soldiers‟ Gardens.

The trees in the park were planted in memory of local enlistments.

A plaque on the gun states:

Krupp FK 77mm Field Gun No. 1562 captured from the German Army by

the 10th Battalion AIF from South Australia, near Haute Bruyere Farm,

midway between Villeret & Bellicourt on the Hindenburg Line, France, on

the 18th of September 1918. This gun was given to the citizens of Victor

Harbor by the Australian Government in 1920 & has been restored by the

Victor Harbor RSL with the help of a Federal grant, November 2002.

The capture of this and three other field guns is mentioned on page 912 of

Bean, Vol. VI.

If you have any war trophies in your area, please send a photo to the

Editor for inclusion in DIGGER.

DIGGER 22 Issue 36

‘A bit of a kid’: L/Cpl 3858 Richard Pitts DCM, 20th Battalion Kathryn Barton, Mosman

On the road into Mittagong in the Southern Highlands, traffic stops at a fork in the road. There, at the square

where the road splits, stands an impressive war memorial topped with a clock.

Facing the memorial, and from quite some distance away, one gold-engraved name is instantly

recognisable: „Lance Corporal Pitts R. R., D.C.M.‟

It is plainly recognisable to all, if only by virtue of its being the longest on the two-column list that

faces those drivers who linger long enough to decide whether to take the Old Hume Highway or The

Highlands Way.

I see it every time. Sometimes I park and stand beneath and look up at the list inscribed on one of

four such plaques that cover the sides of the memorial that honours the region‟s 220 who never came home.

Sometimes I pray. Sometimes I cry. Always I remember.

Lance Corporal Richard Reginald Pitts DCM – and not „Reginald Richard Pitts‟ as his war

records attest – was my great-uncle whom I never knew. He was „just bit of a kid‟, as his sister – my

grandmother – used to say. Growing up, I remember his enormous studio portrait hanging in her bedroom. If

ever a breeze caught the portrait – that pitched forward from the wall on a chain that clung precariously to a

picture rail – it would rock. Sometimes it would list to one side, weighted by the Distinguished Conduct

Medal that his grief-stricken mother had long ago pinned to his lifeless, sepia-coloured chest.

As little kids, we often stayed with Nana and Da.

Always before sleep, we‟d say goodnight to them and to each

other before saying goodnight to Uncle Dick. Only when we

asked about the mysterious man in the photo would Nana

recite the one-sentence story of her older brother: „That is my

brave big brother, Uncle Dick, who was killed when he was

just a bit of a kid off fighting the war in France.‟ We never

got more than that sentence and didn‟t ask often, wishing to

spare Nana the pain that would make her voice crack.

Sometimes, she would push her glasses up so she could dab

her eyes with a hanky then blow her nose. So we talked about

him among ourselves, all imagining this brave, handsome

uncle saving France all by himself. He must have done.

Someone had given him a big, heavy medal that dangled

from a striped ribbon. [Right: Studio portrait of Private

Richard Pitts. Australian War Memorial Negative Number

P05841.001.]

It wasn‟t until I was much, much older that bits and

pieces of the broader puzzle fell into place as a series of odd

coincidences began – they came thick and fast and too many

to list. Probably the biggest came finding out where he fell.

Uncle Dick died during the Second Battle of Bullecourt, a

detail I didn‟t discover until years after I had moved into

Bullecourt Avenue, Mosman, flanked as it is by Amiens, Central and Bapaume avenues and road.

Turned out in his slouch hat and Australian Imperial Force service number 3858, Private Pitts

enlisted on 5th October 1915 and joined the 20

th Battalion on its voyage into the worst of war zones on 20

th

January 1916. His 92-page Red Cross and NAA files show he fought in Pozieres where he was shot and

wounded, then sent to England to heal. They then detail his return to France where he and his outfit, again,

took up the fight against the Germans.

Just ahead of the fighting for Lagnicourt in March 1917, Private Pitts was promoted to lance

corporal. On 25th April 1917, Pitts was recommended for the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions on

the morning of 15th April in front of the village of Lagnicourt, this NCO, in charge of his bayonet section,

was advancing towards the enemy. He increased the strength of his section from 6 to 9 by gathering in men

of the 9th Bn AIF whom he found wandering about. The section continued to move on and came across a

small section of trench strongly held by the enemy, who offered great resistance. L/Cpl Pitts ordered an

assault with the bayonet on the position. He personally led the assault and after a few minutes hand to hand

fighting, those of the enemy who were still alive, numbering 17 in all, surrendered. A few hundred yards

further on another small trench was captured by this section and as a result of this 31 more prisoners were

DIGGER 23 Issue 36

obtained, 5 of whom were wounded. This NCO‟s conduct and initiative was certainly inspiring to his men

and contributed largely to the above successes.

Dick Pitts came from a farming family. His parents – Fred and Agnes – ran Tooth‟s Farm for the famous

brewers. Dick – like his eleven brothers and sisters – attended St Joseph‟s Convent School, Mittagong. After

leaving school, he took up a job as a shop assistant in Mittagong‟s general store, where his name would later

be written neatly on paper and fixed inside the store‟s window, telling customers that he was missing,

wounded and, the last time, dead aged 22.

Sergeant 289 Charles Thackeray MM – who knew Dick during the battle for Lagnicourt and

Bullecourt – appears to have been the last to see him alive. In answer to the many calls for more information

requested by „the lad‟s mother‟, Thackeray sent this note to the Red Cross in London in April 1918:

I dressed his wound for him and bound him up. It was in the head – severe. We were retiring. I had to leave

him in a shell hole, but he was nearly dead even then and cannot have lived much longer. „I‟m done,‟ he

said.

His military files describe Dick Pitts as being six-foot-three inches tall, a single man of lanky build,

with light auburn hair and blue eyes. They called him „Bluey‟.

Months of conflicting reports about his being in England, sighted at other battles, and having written

letters were unfounded, and must have set the family on the worst of roller-coaster rides.

His mother, Agnes, tired of waiting for news but sensing something terribly wrong so many

thousands of miles away, moved from Mittagong for weeks at a time to stop with relatives in Ultimo. From

there she would bundle up her newborn and walk to Central Railway Station to meet the trains that pulled in

laden with the wounded, the shell-shocked and those for whom the war had robbed them of their minds.

She refused to believe her fifth-born was missing or dead, preferring to rest her hopes on his being

held prisoner or no longer of sound mind and, if the latter, about to disembark the saddest of passenger

trains. This she did many times over, right up until November of 1917 when her desperate search ended

abruptly with news that, six months earlier on May 2nd

, Dick had died in a shell-hole at the Second Battle of

Bullecourt.

Before this terrible pall descended on the Pitts family, Agnes and Fred had written and written to

everyone they could think of, begging for news of their son:

„I don‟t expect it would make any difference,‟ his mother wrote in one of her many letters to the Red Cross,

„but he has a scar over one of his eyes, gold capped teeth and several false in the front, I think it was seven.

Any information you can find me, I would be so thankful to receive … trusting I am not writing too much to

you.‟

When that news finally came, it was delivered by telegraph to the parish priest who arrived at the

family‟s Mittagong home with a box containing all his belongings: a hairbrush, a handkerchief and a Bible.

„We are pleased to know our lad done his duty and done it well,‟ his father, Fred, wrote in return.

„Still it is very hard not to be able to hear anything of him or what happened to him.‟

Some eighteen months after Uncle Dick‟s death, in London on 16th December 1918, Winston

Churchill said:

„We must look forward one hundred, two hundred, three hundred years to the time when the vast

continent of Australia will contain an enormous population; and when that great population will look back

through the preceding periods of time to that world-shaking episode of the Great War, and when they will

seek out with the most intense care every detail of that struggle; when the movements of every battalion, of

every company, will be elaborately unfolded to the gaze of all; when every family will seek to trace some

connection with the heroes who landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula, or fought on the Somme, or in the other

great battles of France ...‟

And here we are, just a little ahead of Sir Winston‟s prophecy. Like many Australians everywhere,

my family remembers their Fallen. It is my great hope to keep that memory alive as time marches on; for I

am among those who have tasked themselves with the responsibility of carrying our heroes and their legacies

into the centuries to come.

But, even with the weight of such great responsibility and expectation, there‟s one thing I know for

sure – more surely than any document could ever elucidate. I will always look upon the moniker, „Lance

Corporal Richard Reginald Pitts DCM‟, as way too much of an older man‟s handle for „a bit of a kid‟.

Endnotes: (1) Kathryn is writing a book on Richard Pitts and would appreciate hearing from any members

who have information on him or the 20th Battalion. She can be contacted via the Editor. (2) Richard Pitts is

remembered on the Villers-Bretonneux National Memorial as his body was never found or identified.

DIGGER 24 Issue 36

(Captain Albrecht told the Red Cross that Pitts was „buried at Noreuil, beyond Bapaume, not in a cemetery‟.)

(3) Dick‟s mate, 289 [later Sergeant] Charles Thackeray, was awarded the Military Medal for his bravery

on the same day that Dick won his DCM: On 15th April at about 8.30am at Lagnicourt, this NCO with his

bombing section of rifle grenadiers of 4 men were advancing through Lagnicourt village. On the right of the

village a strong point was discovered in a trench about 20 yards long. L/Cpl Thackeray at once commenced

to attack with rifle grenade fire and by his initiative and energetic action made the place untenable and

forced the garrison of 25 to surrender. Continuing his advance along the village he came across some more

of the enemy strongly entrenched. By swift decisive action he inflicted casualties and forced the remainder to

surrender. (4) Photos of the Mittagong War Memorial featuring Richard‟s name can be found on page 48.

________________________________________________________

Reminder of a life: Sergeant Ormond Collins, 24th Battalion Contributed by Robyn Prince, Karingal, with thanks to Michele Rickard.

At the beginning of 1916 an Australian soldier wrote in the autograph book of a volunteer aid worker, Miss

Mary Lewis in Wales, the following message:

Aberdare

Red + [Cross] Hospital

11-1-1916

May your day be bright

In this World below

And your Friends be many and true.

But although there‟s miles

Which part us two

There‟s always a thought for you.

Sgt OA Collins Sgt OA Collins

1 Jessie St 24th Battalion

Northcote 6th Brigade

Melbourne Australian Imperial Force

Victoria

Australia

Sergeant 572 Ormond Alfred Collins was killed in action on 15th May 1918 at the age of 24 years. He

enlisted in the AIF on 17th March 1915 and served on Gallipoli for around a week before being evacuated

with a septic knee on 15th September 1915. This saw him undergoing treatment at the 3

rd Western General

Hospital at Cardiff from 5th October 1915 to 15

th May 1916, where he must have met the VAD and wrote in

her autograph book.

The severe winter of 1916/17 saw him transferred to England for treatment for „influenza and a

disorderly action of the heart‟ on 8th December 1916. He

rejoined his unit in France on 9th March 1918. Collins was

killed on 15th May 1918 when a portion of an enemy anti-

aircraft shell severed his jugular vein. He was buried at

Heilly British Cemetery No. 2, France, by men of the 24th

Battalion but his body was later moved to Ribemont

Communal Cemetery Extension [right].

When Collins enlisted he was single, but he married

before embarkation from Australia. In 1919 his widow, Mrs

Ivy May Collins, was living at 32 Moubray St, Albert Park.

Endnotes: (1) With the wonderful help of „Frev‟ Ford,

Michele Rickard (Mary‟s granddaughter) was able to trace

the 90 year old nephew of Ormond Collins and show him the autograph entry of his uncle. (2) Aberdare is 23

miles from Cardiff but the Red Cross Hospital is not mentioned in Collins‟ service record, which only shows

him being treated at the 3rd

Western General Hospital. (2) Mary Lewis (an orphan, munitions worker and

Red Cross volunteer) married Gunner 242 Charles Arthur Pepper, 13th FAB, and moved to Australia after

the war.

DIGGER 25 Issue 36

Lance Corporal 303 Francis Leonard Yorath, 5th Battalion Heather (Frev) Ford, Montrose

Although born and bred in the small Victorian country town of Rheola, Francis („Frank‟) Yorath was

living in the Melbourne suburb of Prahran when war broke out. Employed as a carrier and coach painter, in

his leisure time he honed his skills with the Prahran Rifle Club and served as a sergeant in the 78th Infantry.

Eager to be a part of it all, Frank was amongst the

first to front up at the Prahran Drill Hall on 17th August

1914 to sign up with the 5th Infantry Battalion. Two days

later the men from Prahran set out for Victoria Barracks,

where they joined the rest of the battalion before

following the band to the newly established

Broadmeadows Camp.

Their initial training over, they marched out of

camp on 21st October 1914 and embarked at Port

Melbourne on the A3 Orvieto. Having rendezvoused with

the growing fleet at Albany, the Orvieto (as flagship of the

First Contingent), then led the troopships out of King

George‟s Sound (following their escort) on 1st November,

en-route to war.

The convoy arrived safely at Colombo, thanks to

the Sydney (one of their escort) disabling the German

raider Emden at the Cocos Islands. In Colombo the Sydney

transhipped the Emden survivors to the Orvieto and the

Omrah, who were then offloaded at Suez. Travelling on to

Alexandria, the 5th Battalion disembarked on 4

th

December and proceeded to Mena Camp, where they

carried on their training under the shadow of the

pyramids.

Frank spent the first half of March 1915 in the

Isolation Camp at Abbassia with German measles, but three weeks later was fit enough to board the Novian

with his battalion and sail to Lemnos. During the weeks spent in Mudros Harbour, „landing‟ practice took

place, until at last Frank and his mates were able to put their new skills into practice on the morning of

Sunday, 25th April 1915. After all the build up, Frank‟s involvement in the initial fighting was to be short-

lived, but perhaps thanks to the „accident‟ described in the following letter, he did however survive that first

day. [Letter begun on Sunday 2/5/1915]:

Well, dear parents, much has taken place since I last wrote. I am safe and sound, as you can see. I was put

out of action last Sunday by a bayonet wound in the arm, but am getting alright again. I presume you have

read the full account of our landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula. It was a great experience, and we were

successful. It was a very uneven go – rifle fire against artillery, machine guns, and rifle fire.

Three hours after our troops had landed, the enemy were driven back 3 miles. We were ordered to

reinforce the firing line at about 10 a.m. I was put out of action somewhere near 12 o‟clock. A chap who had

his bayonet fixed stumbled over some scrub, and the bayonet caught me in the elbow. I stayed in the thick of

it for two hours afterwards, but as I could not use my rifle I had to retire. I have often wondered how I

escaped alive, much less getting back without a scratch. Shrapnel was falling right along to the beach, and

bullets were whizzing past me like a long, continuous swarm of bees. The worst is over now, and we are not

likely to strike such a hot fire again. I can tell you that I will never forget my baptism of fire if I live to be 100

years old.

You would laugh if you saw me sitting on this hatch with a blanket for a writing table. I have had a

headache ever since last Sunday, and do not feel in much of a humour for writing, so you will excuse me if

this letter is muddled. It was awful to see some of the poor chaps. Some described it as a „hell on earth‟. I

may state that it was not an easy task the Australians were given.

I never told you where we mysteriously disappeared to after leaving Cairo. Well, we embarked on

the [censored (Novian)], and concentrated in a little harbour on the Island of Lemnos. It is a Grecian island.

It was bonza and green, with the larks singing, wild flowers and fields of corn, and reminded me of home.

We landed several times, and had a couple of interesting marches. It was the nearest we had been to

Australia since we left.

DIGGER 26 Issue 36

We left the Island of Lemnos on the 24th of April, and when we woke up next morning at 2.30 a.m.

we found ourselves in the midst of the battleships. We had breakfast at 2.45 a.m., and then had to await

orders. We watched our navy bombarding the coast where howitzers were supposed to be. Just about dawn

our first party landed. Where we landed there was scrub between two and four feet high and wild thyme,

which has a very sweet smell. Bullets and shrapnel were flying around very thickly, but we were „cracking‟

jokes all the time. We soon knew shrapnel was no joke, though, and I was calmer than if I was firing for the

„King‟s‟.

We were taken off in four rowing boats, pulled by a pinnace, which could not go right in, and only

had to row about 50 yards. We landed in water up to our waists, and had only gone about 100 yards along

the beach when a shrapnel whizzed over our heads and burst where we had a couple of minutes ago landed.

That was at 9.30 a.m.

We then climbed up the first ridge, where we got orders to reinforce the firing line. When we got to

the top of the next ridge the bullets were flying thick and fast, and a machine gun was also „barking‟. As soon

as we mounted the ridge we laid down and got to work, going forward in short, sharp rushes. It was in one of

these that I received my wound.

I was taken aboard the [censored], which is being used as a hospital boat. We left the Gulf of Saros

on Tuesday, 27th April, and arrived at Alexandria on the Thursday following. The worst cases were taken off

there, and the remainder taken to Malta, which is about a four days‟ trip from Alexandria. My arm was stiff

for a few days, but is as right as it can be now. I would like to [be] back for the fall of Constantinople, and do

not think much resistance could be offered with our navy knocking at the door from the Dardanelles.

I saw all the battleships in action. The Queen Elizabeth is a beauty. Her 15in guns are capable of

throwing shells 27 miles, which, I am told, cost about £1 000 each. Fancy her „barking‟ at Constantinople.

This will be old news to you, I suppose, but we must thank God we are able to tell these things. Perhaps I

may never see such fire again all through the campaign. The Australians have made a name for themselves

which will live long in history. The old South African men declare that they never saw anything like Sunday‟s

fire in any part of the Boer War.

I will now give you a few particulars of what I saw while in Malta, which, in my opinion, is a grand

little place. The Maltese and English people here are very kind, and give our men who are wounded plenty of

cigarettes, cakes and etc, and are made a real fuss of. One is often stopped and asked to give an account of

the fighting he has seen, and after a few minutes‟ conversation is surrounded by a great crowd of people,

who are not at all easy to get away from. I went to a picture theatre (free for wounded soldiers), and it was

real good. The streets are lovely and clean, and so different to Cairo. It is very funny to see them selling milk

here. They drive a herd of goats from door to door, and milk a pint, or whatever quantity you want, while

you wait. Malta is well fortified, and I do not think much harm could be done to it. We left Malta on

Thursday and arrived at the Island of Lemnos on Saturday night – a two and a half days‟ trip.

While out of action, Frank had been spared the decimation of his battalion at Helles, and rejoined the

remnants of the Fifth as they returned to Anzac on 16th/17

th May. A month later he had a short stay in

hospital with influenza and diarrhoea, which was quickly followed by a bout of gastro, then in July he was

promoted to lance corporal.

Having survived Lone Pine and the monotony of trench life, Frank and his mates left Anzac once

more on 9th September, for a well-earned rest at Lemnos. Within days he found himself in hospital with a

fever and was still laid up when his battalion returned to Anzac on 24th October. Frank was finally

discharged from hospital on 26th November and was still in camp on Lemnos when his battalion returned a

few weeks later – the evacuation from Gallipoli having begun.

Returning to Alexandria on 10th January 1916, the 5

th Battalion endured another 2½ months of

training in the desert sands before embarking for France on 25th March. However, for some reason not noted

in his records, Frank did not sail with them. He instead remained at the Overseas Base at Tel-el-Kebir and

didn‟t embark to join the BEF until 9th May.

On arrival in France he joined the 1st Division Base Depot at Etaples and was made EDP Corporal

the following day. He remained at the depot until finally rejoining his battalion on 30th July at Bonneville,

where they‟d been sent to rest after their first involvement in the Battle of Pozieres.

After a couple of weeks the Fifth returned to the Pozieres trenches and, only two days in, Frank was

amongst the many casualties as the line was persistently cut-up by shellfire. With a shell wound to his thigh

received on 17th August, he was admitted to the 13

th General Hospital in Boulogne on the 19

th and then

transferred to England and the 3rd

Northern General Hospital in Sheffield on the 21st. A week after he was

discharged from hospital, he was granted furlough, from the 11th October 1916 to the 30

th. Frank then

DIGGER 27 Issue 36

marched into No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs, where he remained until 28th April 1917, at which

time he was transferred to the 67th Battalion at Windmill Hill Camp.

The 13th of May saw him on command at the Lewis gun course at Tidworth, followed by a musketry

course at Hayling Island from 4th June, before being returned to Perham Downs on 31

st August for a tour of

duty on the Instructional Staff of the Overseas Training Brigade.

Over the following months he was transferred around the camps until finally, on 1st February 1918,

he boarded the Balmoral Castle for return to Australia. Frank had developed a cough in October of 1916,

which had eventually been diagnosed as TB, and he was going home for a „change‟.

Arriving back in Victoria on 23rd

March, he was sent to the Military Sanatorium at Macleod. In early

May, while visiting his family in Rheola, he was given a huge welcome home party and presented with an

inscribed gold medal to commemorate his service. Frank was engaged to a local girl, and at some stage after

he‟d been invalided to England, she apparently also made the trip to the UK, probably to be with him, but

perhaps also to volunteer her services. In July 1918 Frank applied for her free passage back to Australia.

By September it was noted that his condition, which was considered curable, was improving, but

even so he wouldn‟t be fit enough for further military service, and towards the end of October he was finally

discharged from the AIF.

The war over, and Frank‟s health continued to improve. As a keen marksman, he attended a rifle

competition in Melbourne in April 1919, only to return home with the dreaded influenza virus. He was

admitted to the Inglewood hospital but unfortunately wasn‟t strong enough to withstand the attack, and died

of pneumonia on Sunday, 20th April, aged 26. Frank was given a military-style funeral at the Rheola

cemetery, with many of his „returned‟ mates in attendance as coffin bearers and the firing party.

His broken-hearted parents inserted the following verse in the local paper:

A gallant Anzac. Our darling boy.

Sleep on, dear one, and take thy rest,

Thy earthly task is o‟er,

For you have left a troubled world,

To reach a peaceful shore.

This was followed by a tribute from his fiancée, Jean:

God be with you till we meet again.

His warfare over, his battles fought,

His victory won, though dearly bought,

His fresh young life could not be saved,

He‟s resting now in a hero‟s grave.

Endnotes: (1) Born 24/2/1893 at Rheola, Frank was the youngest

son of Howell William Yorath and Annie Jones. (2) His fiancée,

Jean Mildred Innes, married Albert Victor Eades in 1924. Albert

had originally enlisted in the 5th Battalion with Frank at Prahran

on 17/8/1914. (3) Frank is listed on the Inglewood and District

War Memorial and on the Rheola Honour Board which hangs in

the Rheola Community Hall. (4) Frank‟s epitaph [right] reads:

Father in thy precious keeping, Leave we now our loved one

sleeping.

Extracts from the war diary of the 35th Battalion

(1) The following punishment was awarded by CO, 35th Battalion:

No. 3026 Private V Cohen, Headquarters Company, charged with: „Neglecting to obey a lawful command

given by his Superior Officer, in that he, on 31-7-18, appeared on parade wearing two hats, and when

ordered by Major HV Carr to remove one of the hats from his head, he failed to do so.‟ Awarded – Loss 1

day‟s pay.

(2) „The use of explosives, bombs, etc for the purpose of killing or stunning fish in the River Somme is

strictly forbidden. Several instances have occurred lately where important communications have been

delayed owing to the lines which run along the bed of the River Somme being cut by explosives.‟

DIGGER 28 Issue 36

Corporal 3821 John Gall, 49th Battalion Contributed by Irma Roberts, Bomaderry, with Graeme Hosken.

John („Jock‟) Gall was working as a 27 year old mill hand when he joined the AIF on 20th October 1915.

Though born in Berry (NSW), where his mother and next of kin, Alicia Gall, was still residing, Jock must

have been working in Queensland as he enlisted in Toowoomba.

When he sailed from Australia aboard the Wandilla on 31st February 1916, Jock was part of the 9

th

Reinforcements for the 25th Battalion, but soon after arrival in Egypt he was transferred to the 49

th Battalion

(13th Brigade, 4

th Division) on 2

nd April at Serapeum.

The 49th Battalion embarked for France on 5

th June and arrived in Marseilles one week later. Jock

Gall served with the 49th Battalion in France and Belgium until 6

th May 1917, when he attended a school of

instruction for seven days. On 25th June he was made a lance corporal and on 5

th October he was promoted to

corporal.

On 30th January 1918, Gall was detached to the 13

th Training Battalion in England and placed on the

supernumerary list. On 1st February his status was changed to duty with the permanent cadre of the 13

th

Training Battalion. Later that month Jock attended a gas school (qualifying 1st class), then in March he went

on a bombing course at Lyndhurst. On 11th April Gall was transferred to the 12

th Training Battalion at

Tidworth.

Jock‟s time in England ended on 1st September 1918 when he proceeded to France, rejoining his unit

five days later. On 8th October he was promoted to sergeant, replacing Sergeant Richardson who had been

appointed CSM.

Gall‟s previously good record was tarnished on 25th March 1919 when he was charged with „conduct

to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in that he irregularly dismounted a sentry on duty at

Vitrival when in command of a guard on 20th March.‟ Jock was found guilty of the charge and was reduced

to rank of corporal.

On 13th April, Jock Gall was mustered for return to Australia and left France for England on 22

nd

April. He sailed for home aboard the Swakopmund on 15th June 1919, for discharge in Queensland.

In 1942 Jock Gall was living at 88 Parramatta Road, Granville, and spent a number of years as

secretary of the Granville Sub-branch of the RSL.

___________________________________________________________

The following letter was provided to the Editor by Mrs Irma Roberts of Bomaderry, whose grandmother was

Eliza Jane Gall (Jock‟s sister) who was married to Ernest Host, the brother of Lieutenant Walter „Tiny‟

Host, 2nd

Battalion [see DIGGER 28]. The letter was written to Eliza Jane („Jinny‟) by Jock during a period

of leave in England (unusually, the period of leave is not shown on his casualty form).

Amesbury

„Durrington Camp‟

Salisbury, England

Aug 4-17

Dear Jinny

Arrived from Edinburgh safely, after having a most glorious time in Scotland. Came down to

Durrington yesterday, and will be leaving for the cursed Front tomorrow. Barry looks splendid & assures

me he is as well as he looks. Have not time or space to give details of my „supreme ten days‟. Suffice to say

have seen the most cherished dream of my active career, and it will be a priceless satisfaction when I return

to the Front.

Few of the boys in the 49th Battn. have been spared to be lucky enough to come through unscathed so

many & trying ordeals as I have. Very few of the old boys who were in Egypt, let alone Australia, now

remain. One cannot expect to come through every time, but if I get skittled now, I will have the satisfaction of

having a good run for my money. Have seen more in these ten days than millions ever see in their natural

existence.

Today is the third anniversary of the war – would God it may be the last. The intense agony of

suspense & uncertainty, the heart wrenching longings, is beyond the strength of humanity.

Will write you more when I return to Hell. I think a large amount of mail going both ways has gone

to the fish. Have had none for about six weeks, so hope what I am sending from England will arrive safely.

Am splendid & in glorious spirits. Hoping you are all the same.

With love, JOCK.

DIGGER 29 Issue 36

Endnotes: (1) Irma Roberts had been looking for a wartime photo of Walter Host for many years, and by

chance she came across a copy of DIGGER 28 which featured Patric Millar‟s contributed story on „Tiny‟

Host, written by Captain Ken Millar. Within two weeks of writing to the Editor, Irma had received from

Patric four photos of „Tiny‟ Host. Patric was just as thrilled as Irma, as „Tiny‟ Host was a great mate of Ken

Millar‟s, and Patric had been seeking to trace the Host family for some time. (2) The „Barry‟ referred to in

the letter is Lieutenant Arthur Barrowclough Harrison, 7th Battalion, who was married to Margaret Gall,

Eliza‟s sister. Barry was serving at the 2nd

Training Battalion at Durrington as a bombing instructor at the

time he met up with Jock. Barry returned to Australia in 1918 due to bronchitis, gassing and age. (3)

Sergeant Richardson was probably 2nd

Lieutenant Albert Mead Richardson DCM, 49th Battalion.

Identities sought for soldiers The FFFAIF has been contacted by several persons wishing to discover the names of WWI Diggers in

photographs that they hold. If you can help, please contact the Editor.

The top photos have come into the possession of the

Liverpool Genealogical Society. They believe that

the photos may have been found when placed in the

garbage (many years ago) in an inner Sydney suburb.

The photos appear to be of a Digger with his father

and mother. The father may be in a uniform relating

to service in the militia or the Boer War.

The soldier in the photo at left is believed to have

been in the Tamworth area in the second half of

1917. Wendy Lindsay from Mackay, Qld, is

endeavouring to establish his identity for family

history purposes.

Please contact the Editor if you think you know who

either soldier could be.

DIGGER 30 Issue 36

Captain Duncan Victor Mulholland, 1st

Machine Gun Battalion Harry Willey, Scone

Duncan Victor („Mul‟) Mulholland, who had entered the army as a private, was a captain when he died on

Friday, 31st May 1918, aged 27 years. He had suffered multiple shell wounds just three days after the first

American infantry divisions finally entered the offensive.

Working at the Muswellbrook branch of the Bank of New South Wales, Mul had volunteered for

overseas service on 25th January 1915. Mul had worked as an accountant at the Scone branch of the bank

from May 1911 till September 1913 before being transferred to Muswellbrook. He was the son of James and

Gertrude Mulholland (nee Brown) of „Dunganon‟, Queen Street, Ashfield.

Mulholland was 23 years and six months of age on 13th February 1915 when he reported to the army

camp at Liverpool for his medical. He was recorded as being exactly 6 foot tall (180cm), a rare occurrence

which was commented on by the examining doctor. He weighed 12 stone (76kg), had a fair complexion, grey

eyes and brown hair. His ability to expand his chest from 34” to 39½” was exceptional. His religious

denomination was Church of England.

With no prior military training he was taken into the army on 1st May 1915 as No. 655 Trooper

Mulholland, and assigned to the reinforcements for the 12th Light Horse Regiment of the 4

th Light Horse

Brigade.

On 13th June he embarked from Sydney on the 12 500 ton HMAT A29 Suevic, and on disembarking

at Suez trained at Mena.

Following the devastating number of casualties suffered by the Australians during the August

offensive on Gallipoli, reinforcements were urgently required. On 23rd

August the 4th LH Brigade was

dismounted and the light horsemen were informed they were to go to Gallipoli as infantrymen.

Mul handed in his bandolier and was issued with infantry webbing before going on parade the

following morning. On 25th August he embarked at Alexandria on the SS Marquette, a 7 057 ton former Red

Star Line vessel, which less than two months later was torpedoed and sunk with heavy loss of life.

Three days later at Lemnos, Mul re-embarked on the MV Prince Abbas which took him to Anzac

Cove. Disembarking at 3 o‟clock on the morning of 29th August, he was immediately taken on strength with

„B‟ Squadron of the 1st LHR and assigned to the machine-gun section at Walker‟s Ridge as a corporal. Three

weeks later, now at Otago Gully, Mul spent five days at a field ambulance unit with a fever.

During November the men on Gallipoli suffered many hardships in addition to the constant enemy

shell fire and snipers. The weather turned cold, snow covered the ground and dysentery and fever were rife

among them. Adding to their woes was the shortage of food and water.

Mul spent a week with the anti-aircraft section before returning to his own unit on 22nd

November

1915. A week later he was made 2nd

lieutenant, replacing twenty-two year old Lieutenant Hugh Cyprian

Holden who had been killed by a Turkish mortar bomb.

Within days, Mul was transferred to the 3rd

Battalion. As machine-gun officer, Mul was in charge of

the last machine-gun party to fight on Gallipoli.

At dawn on 20th December 1915, a mine was exploded under the Turkish trench at The Nek. This

mine had been placed at the end of a tunnel dug by the Australians and killed 70 Turks. The Turks quickly

entered the tunnel exposed by the blast and found the Australian trenches abandoned. Similarly, at Quinn‟s

Post an attack by the Turks had found the Australian trenches abandoned.

Shortly after the sun rose, the Turks attacked along the entire Anzac line, discovering the Australians

had left the Peninsula. The evacuating Australians showed their feelings in many different ways. Some left

booby traps in their trenches after smashing everything that was of any use, while at the same time others

showed their respect for the Turks by leaving tables set with food ready for the Turks to have a meal. One

trench displayed a large sign upon which was written: „Don‟t forget Johnny, we left, you didn‟t push us off‟.

The Australians had slaughtered all their horses before leaving but left behind thousands of tins of

the despised hard biscuits they had been forced to live on during the final stages of the campaign.

Zeki Bey, an officer who served with Mustafa Kemal, later said that Kemal did not regret the

Australians evacuating without casualties, preferring this to them being humiliated if they had been driven

off.

Following the evacuation, between 18th and 20

th December 1915, Mul rejoined the 1

st Light Horse

Regiment at Tel-el-Kebir on 28th January 1916.

Admitted to the 2nd

Stationary Hospital suffering from influenza on 22nd

February, he was transferred

to the 1st AGH in Cairo five days later suffering bronchitis. Discharged from hospital on 13

th March, Mul

DIGGER 31 Issue 36

embarked for France ten days later on the Grampian. On disembarking, Mul learnt he had been made a

lieutenant. On 11th June, Lieutenant Mulholland was assigned to the 1

st Machine Gun Company, which was

equipped with 16 Vickers machine guns.

On 28th December 1916 he had continued to single-handedly serve his gun following the death of the

rest of his team. In recognition of his conspicuous gallantry he was promoted to captain.

On 12th January 1917, Mul attended a machine-gun training school for six weeks, returning to his

unit on 28th February.

In June, three weeks after enjoying a week‟s leave in Paris, he was sent to the 5th Army Training

School, and did not rejoin his unit until 11th August. At the end of August, he took command of the Brigade

Headquarters for a week and three weeks later he was given command of the 3rd

Machine Gun Company of

the 1st Machine Gun Battalion, 1

st Infantry Brigade of the 1

st Division of the AIF.

Toward the end of 1917, the Lenin-led revolution in Russia saw the demise of the Russian Army.

This necessitated the reorganisation of the tactics of both the Allied and German Armies, who after three

years of fighting were both suffering from fatigue and exhaustion.

On 10th February 1918, during a three month lull in the intensity of the fighting, Mul returned to

England for a further two week‟s training at the Machine Gun Training Depot at Grantham. Returning to

France he resumed command of the 3rd

Machine Gun Company.

The Chief of Staff of the German Armies, General Erich Ludendorff, now believing he had sufficient

troops, launched his spring offensive on 21st March. It commenced with a five hour bombardment from 6

000 German guns. Following this the Germans launched an attack by 50 Divisions (one million men) against

the British 3rd

and 5th Armies at St Quentin on a 50 mile front. The British had rested their weary experienced

troops and replaced them with young untried troops. These young boys could not hold the advancing German

forces and were driven from their positions.

Captain Mulholland had returned to the 1st Machine Gun Company on 12

th March. On 8

th April the

1st Australian Division began to move south from Flanders to join the other Australian divisions. The next

day the Germans confidently opened up a second front in the Lys Valley, south of Strazeele and Merris. Two

Portuguese divisions which had been holding the line hurriedly withdrew in disarray, leaving a gap that was

then defended by the Australian 1st Division.

On 28th May, Australian troops ventured into the lush

crops that were covering No-man‟s land and obscuring their

view of the enemy. They cut all but a five yard wide strip

which their machine gunners soon cut down.

Three days later, 31st May 1918, Mul was taken to the

3rd

Australian Field Ambulance Station where he died from

shell fire wounds he had received a few hours earlier.

He was buried near the 15th Casualty Clearing Station,

approximately half a mile due east of Ebblinghem. Later his

remains were exhumed and reburied in the Ebblinghem

Military Cemetery, Ebblinghem, France, five miles WNW of

Hazebrouck. [Right: Photo of Mul‟s grave courtesy of Peter

Bennett.]

Duncan Victor Mulholland left his estate to his

mother, who was now living at the corner of White and

Woodland Streets, Manly. She requested the following

inscription for his headstone:

HE DIED FOR KING, EMPIRE,

AND PRIDE OF RACE

GOD‟S WILL BE DONE.

In 1967 his brothers, Harold Kenneth Mulholland of the 6th Army Brigade, and William James Mulholland,

the Assistant Director of Education at Corps Headquarters, both put in requests for Mul‟s Gallipoli

Medallion and lapel badge.

DV Mulholland‟s name appears on: Memorial Panel 175, the Australian War Memorial, Canberra;

the World War One Memorial Gateway in Kelly Street, Scone; the Memorial outside the Scone War

Memorial Swimming Pool; the Roll of Honour at the Scott Memorial Hospital, Scone; the First World War

Memorial Arch in St Luke‟s Anglican Church, Scone; the Honour Roll at the Scone RSL Club, and the

Muswellbrook War Memorial.

DIGGER 32 Issue 36

Endnote: The AWM holds two relics related to Duncan Mulholland‟s

service. Left: An aluminium trench art signet ring, with „YPRES‟ engraved

on a rectangular piece of copper attached to the front face. This ring was not

listed amongst Mulholland‟s effects after he died, so he had probably sent it

home as a souvenir before his death. A cottage industry developed in the

trenches during the war making souvenir aluminium rings. The rings were

made from melted-down fuses from German shells, or from melted-down

aluminium mess kits and canteens. Collecting the fuses from unexploded

„duds‟ could often be dangerous and many men were wounded attempting

to salvage this material. The aluminium was melted, then roughly cast, and

filed down before the face was decorated with engraving, or an attached

plate or button. AWM REL/00789.

Left: A German Model 1917 stick

grenade. The grenade warhead is

made from sheet steel and has an

iron belt hook attached to one side.

The shaft is made from wood and

features an aluminium screw cap at

the base of the wooden handle.

Removing the screw cap reveals a

weight with a cloth wire which operates the friction igniter that arms the grenade. RELAWM09543.001.

A sad day for the 2nd Battalion Extract from „Nulli Secundus, A History of the Second Battalion AIF‟, FE Taylor & TA Cusack.

On October 26th [1917], refreshed after their weeks of rest, and fighting fit, the men of the Second left

Wippenhoek for the forward area, the first stop being Belgian Battery Corner, a muddy spot, where they

were accommodated in tents. At this time the countryside for miles was crowded with troops, horses, guns

and GS limbers, and the roads were churned into a morass.

Battery Corner holds for those of the Second who were with the battalion on October 27th one of the

most tragic memories of the war. An enemy plane, flying low, dropped a bomb in „C‟ Company‟s lines,

killing twelve men outright and wounding thirty-four, four of whom later died of wounds.

This area had been subject to considerable bombing attacks by the enemy, who evidently had an

inkling of the large concentration of troops and war material, and the blazing light from a brazier on the

fateful evening probably attracted him.

L/Cpl Morgan‟s version of the story is:

Was standing in our tent when the first bomb exploded. I soon dropped flat, hoping that he would not

come in our direction. The next bomb riddled the top of our tent, leaving great holes in the canvas,

and made an awful din. He dropped about four bombs in about as many seconds, which seemed to

me like an hour.

Almost immediately a cry was raised for stretcher-bearers and, grabbing a stretcher and bag, I

rushed down the camp, where a scene met my eyes; I never wish to see such a sight again. One tent

had been completely destroyed, and the twelve men lying in it had been shot to pieces by a bomb that

had landed down the ridge-pole. Poor beggars! Most of them never knew what had happened, but

three or four were still alive, frightfully mangled. One of them, L/Cpl Thomas, whose leg had been

shattered, displayed wonderful fortitude. J Hills and myself affixed a tourniquet to stop the bleeding,

but he died of wounds.

The bodies of the raid victims were reverently laid to rest in one long grave in the military cemetery nearby,

the service being attended by Brigadier General Lesslie, as well as officers and men of the battalion,

Lieutenant Colonel Milligan again being in command.

There was hardly a dry eye as those who gathered around the grave looked sadly down on the twelve

bodies lying side by side, while the Second‟s padre, Captain Pittendright, read the burial service, probably

one of the most difficult he had been called on to perform. As the service proceeded, two field mice were

seen playing hide-and-seek among the bodies, and they were finally buried with the men when a fatigue

party carried out the sad task of filling in the grave which held the mangled remains of their comrades.

DIGGER 33 Issue 36

Gunner 22258 Clifford James and the letter to Kitty Contributed by Robyn Prince, Karingal, with Graeme Hosken.

In 1916 the students of Campsie Public School in Sydney were encouraged by their teacher to write to

Australian soldiers serving overseas. The letter written by Miss Kitty Newbery ended up in the hands of

Clifford James, a gunner with the 36th Battery of the 23

rd Australian Field Artillery Brigade.

Clifford was touched by the letter and sat down on Christmas Eve to write a reply to young Kitty.

The letter, now in the possession of Kitty‟s granddaughter, Robyn Prince, is reprinted below.

24th December 1916

London

Dear Kitty

I received your letter last week. The boys and I think it is very kind of you to think of them.

I am now in London, have six days leave, most of our soldiers are going on leave for Christmas which is a

great treat as a lot of the boys have been in the trenches for months.

Every soldier is going to get a box from Australia for a Xmas present. I hope I am lucky enough to

get one that your class sent.

Tomorrow will be Xmas day, I hope when the next one comes along, that the war will be over and we

are all back again.

I have been to four different countrys [sic] now, and I am sure that Australia is the best one.

I often think of the nice warm weather you must be having now, we are getting snow and rain. I

remember the first winter we put in here, the boys were eager to see snow which was quite new to most of us.

When it did come the trouble was we got too much. But now we are used to it, it can snow & rain as much as

it likes.

The boys and myself wish my Australian friend a Happy New Year, also your parents and teacher.

I remain

Your Soldier Friend

Clifford James

36TH

Battery, 23RD

AFA Brigade

_________________________________________________________________

Clifford James was born in Penshurst, Sydney, and was aged 23 years and 2 months when he enlisted in the

AIF on 23rd

March 1916. Clifford had been working as a joiner and was living with his mother, Beatrice, at

647 Malvern Road, Toorak, Victoria. He has 2½ years experience in the militia and was allocated to the 23rd

Howitzer Brigade‟s 109th Battery.

Clifford passed his medical examination at Prahran on 3rd

March, when he was recorded as standing

5‟9½”, weighing 136lb, with fresh complexion, brown hair and brown eyes. Clifford arrived in camp on 23rd

March and underwent training until embarking from Melbourne on 20th May 1916.

The Medic arrived in Plymouth, UK, on 18th July where the men went into camp for further artillery

training. Clifford was awarded two extra stables fatigues for: „while on stables fatigues failing to turn out

promptly upon the visit of the Brigade Ordinance Officer‟.

The 23rd

Field Artillery Brigade proceeded to France from Southampton on 31st December 1916, a

week after Clifford wrote his letter to Kitty. On 6th January 1917, Clifford was transferred to the 7

th Field

Artillery Brigade and its 27th Battery.

Clifford James was recommended for the Military Medal for his bravery: On 7th June 1917, at

Ploegsteert, displayed great courage and untiring determination in the performance of his duty as a lineman

with the FOO [forward observation officer]. Throughout the day the telephone lines were cut and mended

upwards of fifty times. A large amount of the work involved in rectifying these breaks fell to the part of

Gunner James. He performed this duty with the utmost skill and daring, and thus materially assisted in

maintaining communication at very great personal risk. The MM does not seem to have been awarded.

On 18th June, Clifford was admitted to the 9

th Field Ambulance with scabies. This resulted in him

spending a month undergoing treatment, mostly at the 50th Casualty Clearing Station. On 30

th August he was

admitted to the Field Ambulance for treatment for an abscess. Clifford rejoined his unit on 7th September

1917.

Gunner James went on leave to the UK between 14th March and 4

th April 1918, after which he served

right through to the Armistice with his battery. On 13th April 1919 he marched out for return to Australia,

DIGGER 34 Issue 36

arriving in England on the 19th. He sailed for Australia on 5

th June 1919 and was discharged in Victoria on

31st August.

Endnotes: (1) Robyn is hoping to trace descendants of Clifford James so that she can return the original

letter to his family. „Frev‟ Ford has so far uncovered that Clifford married Louise Millward in Victoria in

1920 and that the couple had one daughter, Elvie Beatrice. Elvie married John Wooldridge in Sydney in

1942. Clifford James passed away on 9th June 1932 while residing at Kings Cross. He was buried at

Rookwood Cemetery. Louise remarried in 1941. Robyn can be contacted at PO Box 6017, Karingal, Victoria

3199 or by e-mail at prince.r@bigpond.com. (2) A photo of the 27th Battery personnel can be found at AWM

E01529. This photo was taken at Bailleul on 24th January 1918 but Clifford James does not appear in the list

of names in the photo caption. Several men are unidentified, so Clifford could be one of those, as his service

record indicates he was with his battery on that date.

___________________________________________________________________

Private 3449 Joseph Skewes, 58th Battalion Graeme Hosken, Dubbo

Joseph Skewes was born in Creswick, Victoria, and was employed as a labourer before enlisting on 9th July

1915 at the age of 38 years. Both his parents were deceased and he gave his sister, Miss M Skewes, as his

next of kin. Joseph enlisted at Stawell and was then sent to Melbourne to join the 11th Reinforcements for the

8th Battalion.

Skewes embarked from Australia on 11th October 1916 and may have been too late for service on

Gallipoli (though his service record does not rule it out either). At Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt, he was transferred to

the new 60th Battalion (15

th Brigade, 5

th Division) on 24

th February 1916. He was then transferred to the 58

th

Battalion (also Victorian) on 15th March 1916 and embarked for France on 17

th June 1916, arriving in France

six days later.

The 5th Division attacked at Fromelles on 19

th July but Joseph was not with his unit when they went

over the top. Instead, he had been taken prisoner at Laventie on the 15th, four days earlier. He was reported

missing the next day. The Germans notified that he was a prisoner of war on 12th August, and that he had

been in Germany since 27th July. Paperwork from Dülmen POW camp reveals that he was wounded in the

leg when captured.

Joseph remained a prisoner until the armistice, arriving back in England on 22nd

November 1918. He

returned to Australia aboard the Ulysses on 10th March 1919.

Joseph Skewes‟ front line service was very brief indeed. The 58th Battalion held the front line near

Fleurbaix between 14th and 16

th of July, just prior to the proposed attack (which was to originally occur on

the 17th). „The Story of the Fifth Australian Division‟ by Captain AD Ellis relates the action in which Skewes

would have been captured: … by the 15th of July sufficient information of our intention reached the enemy to

induce him to take extreme measures to procure more. At about 11pm on that date he suddenly turned upon

a sector of the line occupied by „A‟ and „B‟ Companies of the 58th Battalion an extremely violent

concentration of artillery and trench mortars. It was the men‟s first experience of anything like a

concentrated artillery bombardment, and few of the survivors are likely to forget it.

Dug-outs and parapets crumbled under the fire and men and sandbags were flung aloft in fountains

of fire or torn asunder by the shattering power of high explosives. The earth trembled beneath the fury of this

storm of shells, and everywhere were dust and fire and smoke and the pitiful ruins of men and of the works of

men.

Under cover of this fire a small enemy raiding party approached the trench and, on the lifting of the

barrage, entered the bays to the accompaniment of a lively fusillade of hand grenades. They appear to have

accounted for all the occupants of one or two bays, some of whom were killed by bombs. The casualty

returns, amounting to about 140, included a small number of missing, and it is reasonably certain that

several of these were made prisoners of war.

The 58th Battalion unit diary states that a raiding party of about 10 Germans killed one man and

wounded three others of a Lewis gun crew, capturing the gun. Five men were reported missing, and Skewes

must have been one of them. One officer and 41 other ranks were killed in the raid.

Enclosed with this DIGGER! News of the next FFFAIF Tour of the Western Front in 2012.

DIGGER 35 Issue 36

The Battle of Fromelles 95th Anniversary Commemoration Service, Sydney, 19th July 2011 Margaret Snodgrass, Willoughby

In the presence of Her Excellency the Governor of New South Wales, Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, an

estimated 150 people gathered at the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park, Sydney on Tuesday July 19th, 2011 to

commemorate the „worst day in Australia‟s history‟. On the night of 19/20th July 1916, 5 533 Diggers were

killed, wounded or taken prisoner.

Mr Brad Manera, Executive Manager ANZAC Memorial, welcomed the dignitaries and guests and

introduced Pastor Bob Durbin, Chaplain Returned and Services League Life Care, who led the gathering in

the opening and closing prayers and blessing, referring not only to the service people of the past but to those

serving in the Armed Forces today.

Throughout the service, members of the Holy Family Choir, Menai, added to the richness of the

ceremony with songs and hymns such as Ode to the Fallen, Requiem for a Soldier, Abide with Me, Be Still

My Soul and I Vow to Thee My Country.

Her Excellency presented the Commemoration Address referring to „those precious Australian lives

lost in ultimate courageous service‟, who suffered appalling losses and injuries in the first battle these

untried, ill-equipped men faced on the Western Front. Her Excellency said we must never forget their

sacrifice. She also conveyed her appreciation to „the young people‟ who attended the service.

During the wreath laying, Piper Alexander Mann of Scots College played a lament. Her Excellency

laid the first – a glorious tribute of wattle. Others included:

Representing the Premier, Chair of ANZAC Memorial Trustees, the Honourable Victor Dominello

MP, Minister for Citizenship and Communities, including Veterans‟ Affairs

Mr Don Rowe OAM, State President RSL (NSW), Deputy Chairman ANZAC Memorial,

representing the 5th Division Association

NSW Opposition – Mr Michael Daley MP

Navy – Commander Christine Clarke

Department of Veterans‟ Affairs – Ms Jennifer Collins

The Fallen – Mr Neville Kidd and Mr Russell Curley (Families and Friends of the First AIF)

The Missing – Ms Helen Carey, Ms Julie Werner (both FFFAIF) and Mr Rene Herbert

War Widows – Mrs Audrey Blood OAM, State President and Mrs Jan Stevens, Manager Member

Services

The North African French Veterans‟ Association – M. Theo Arfaras (FFFAIF), M. Jean Louis

Worobec, M. Rene de la Ville Fromoy and Dr William Land AM

Three generations of the Tebb/Darling family (all FFFAIF) – Annette Tebb and son Harrison with

Annette‟s mother, Margaret Darling – then placed their personal tribute to their cousin L/Sgt Ernest

Jentsch (53rd

Bn), one of the recovered and identified Diggers from Pheasant Wood.

In keeping with the tradition begun in 1928 at the Menin Gate, Ypres, Bugler Terry McCleary of the Fire and

Rescue Services sounded the Last Post and Rouse. This was followed by the reciting of the Ode by Mr Don

Rowe OAM.

Mr Russell Curley, President of the Families and Friends of the First AIF, delivered the closing

remarks, which included a reference to 2/Lt John Charles Watt DCM, MC 56th Bn, who was wounded and

received a DCM for his gallantry at Fromelles. He was awarded a Military Cross in 1917 and wounded twice

more in 1917 and 1918, before returning to Australia in 1919. Russell conveyed special thanks to Her

Excellency for her presence and ongoing support. He also expressed the FFFAIF‟s appreciation to the

ANZAC Memorial Trustees, distinguished guests, personnel of the ANZAC Memorial and to all who had

gathered to remember.

Following the singing of the National Anthem, everyone was invited into the Memorial for

refreshments.

A miniature Digger cast by Ivan „Shrapnel Charlie‟ Sinnaeve, with accompanying card of

appreciation, was handed to Her Excellency‟s Aide-de-Camp, Squadron Leader David Glasson, during

refreshments, as our gift to Her Excellency.

[Russell would like to thank FFFAIF Commemorations Officer, Margaret Snodgrass, for her invaluable

contribution in the lead up to – and on the day. Thank you also to Helen Carey, Julie Werner, Arline and Ed

Ronsisvalle and Rene Herbert for their assistance before, and with refreshments after, the service. RC.]

DIGGER 36 Issue 36

Photographs taken at the Battle of Fromelles 95th Anniversary Commemoration Service

Top row, l to r:

Marquees provided

shade for the crowd;

MC Brad Manera.

Second row: Russell

presents Victor to the

Governor of NSW;

Rene, Helen and Julie

lay a wreath for the

Missing. Third row:

The Memorial Guards

in their uniforms; The

NSW Governor with

Lorraine and Margaret;

Bottom Row: The

Menai Choir; Wreaths.

Photos courtesy of Rob Tuckwell Photography, Artarmon, NSW

Photos courtesy of Rob Tuckwell Photography, Artarmon, NSW

Photos courtesy of Rob Tuckwell Photography, Artarmon, NSW

DIGGER 37 Issue 36

With the 40th Battalion at Mont St Quentin Sergeant 7535 Edwin Victor Reardon MM, 40

th Battalion

On the night of 29th August, „B‟ Company of the 40

th Battalion had a well-earned rest in the strong point

which they had captured on the previous day. The next day‟s work was uncertain. We knew that the glorious

advance would be continued, for the stiffening of the enemy‟s defence only made us all the more anxious to

prove to him once more our superiority.

About dawn a heavy strafe was put down on our position and our company sustained casualties

amounting to one-third of our strength, this bringing our total strength to twenty men, including signallers,

etc.

Orders for the advance came at about 5.30am but it was not until 9.00am that we marched out in

artillery formation in rear of the 38th Battalion. Our job for the day was to act as „battalion in support‟ to the

brigade; „B‟ Company being reserve company to the battalion.

The barrage which had opened at daybreak was still fairly strong but the enemy‟s retaliating fire was

becoming most erratic. Our route lay up the northern slope of a gully, the eastern end of which formed a re-

entrant in a ridge running, here, north and south.

Indirect machine-gun fire was encountered here but we crossed the gully and established ourselves

in support to the 38th Battalion, on the ridge to the eastward of us, without losing a man. Ten minutes after

our arrival at this position, orders came from brigade that a counter-attack was imminent on the left of the

38th and Lieutenant Rattray (who had command of the company while Captain McIntyre was away on

special duty), decided to move his company and take up a position at the threatened point.

Arriving in position, scouts were sent out to the left to discover the whereabouts of the 39th Battalion

on the left and also to observe any movements indicating an attack. These scouts returned with the pleasing

information that the 39th Battalion had pushed forward and were now in a most favourable position so that

the chance of a successful attack by the enemy was small indeed.

We were now in full view of Mont St Quentin on the right front. We could also plainly see the road,

Peronne to Bray-sur-Somme which ran along the ridge 1 000 yards to our front and running parallel to the

one we occupied.

At first we thought that a company of the 38th Battalion was holding trenches on the forward slope of

our ridge, but later we found that their flank did not extend so far and it was decided that „B‟ Company

should fill the gap, and more, would advance together with „A‟ Company of our battalion and take

possession of the ridge opposite; thus enabling us to command the whole of the comparatively level country

stretching away to the left of Mont St Quentin.

About 3.00pm the two attacking companies formed up for the attack: „A‟ Company on the right

while „B‟ Company took advantage of a 50 yard sap running down the slope, and from the head of this

shallow trench men were dribbled out into the shell holes.

Here we met with extremely heavy fire from machine guns and snipers from the enemy, who were

plainly visible through field glasses. Artillery observers directed our artillery and several of our machine

guns also helped to keep his head down while we ran and crawled through the densest thicket of wire we had

yet encountered. Wires were severed with rifle shots and eventually the whole company – minus not a man –

reached a deep trench at the foot of the slope.

Here it was that we discovered that „A‟ Company had been unable to get through, so a message was

sent back to that effect. The reply came shortly to carry on, so accordingly we divided our small unit into two

and pushed out the two parties in bombing formation; one going to the left under Lieutenant Jackson who

had joined us from Headquarters, and the other under Lieutenant Rattray to the right.

For cover, we worked up two communication trenches which, however, as we neared the top of the

ridge, ran into one main communication trench, this bringing the whole party together once more.

Pushing quickly up the trench, our advance party at once got into touch with the main enemy post on

the ridge and a bombing duel ensued. Our rear party were in view of the post and inflicted heavy casualties

on the German snipers as they attempted to pick off our men. Meanwhile the advance party had sent out a

small party to the left, where they occupied some shell holes.

For a considerable time the enemy put up a stubborn defence with stick bombs and rifle grenades

coming in showers, until one of our men, who had crawled up to the edge of the road under cover of the

parapet of the trench, rushed across the road into the continuation of the trench opposite, from where he

could fire into the enemy‟s rear.

This was the signal for a general assault; the party on the left rushing forward and the remainder of

the party attached, along the road. The final attack was most gallantly withstood and not until he had lost

DIGGER 38 Issue 36

fully fifty per cent of his strength in hand-to-hand fighting did he give way. Twenty-five prisoners were

taken and immediately sent to the rear.

A small party with one Lewis gun followed the remainder of the force down the communication

trench and were soon in contact on the downward slope. The enemy, beaten for the moment, was, with the

aid of reinforcements, massing for a counter-attack, and so the Lewis gun was brought to bear on bodies of

ten and twenty men in close formation – doing great execution.

Marvellous as it may seem, it was here that we sustained our first casualty – Private Sandqvist

being shot in the neck.

Immediately after this, the counter-attack broke upon us – the enemy charging over the open ground

and up the trench. His most advanced party in the trench came to the spot where our stretcher-bearer,

William Nolan, was gallantly dressing the wounded man. At first shot the stretcher-bearer was wounded in

the leg, the same bullet striking the wounded man and killing him instantly. For some minutes we held up the

enemy; one man standing on the parapet and firing the Lewis gun from the hip, but the great superiority of

numbers gave the enemy the advantage and so, still fighting and bearing our wounded stretcher-bearer, we

retired to the road.

Here we might have held him but a new danger confronted us, for being so few our flank was in

great danger, so we were forced to retire to a position forty yards beyond the road where we quickly got into

line, utilising shell holes etc and prepared to uphold our maxim: „What we have, we hold‟.

Endnotes: (1) Lieutenant

James Stuart Rattray MC,

40th Bn, enlisted 21/2/16 and

RTA 30/4/19. (2) Captain

Gilbert Langdon McIntyre

MC, 40th Bn, RTA 28/8/19.

(3) Lieutenant Bert James

Jackson, 40th Bn, enlisted

5/10/15, RTA 28/3/19. (4) No

record of a Private Sandqvist

yet found (or variations of

spelling). (5) Private 7775

William Henry Nolan MM,

40th Bn, enlisted 24/4/17, RTA

6/5/19.

[Left: Lieut Bert Jackson is

second from left, middle row;

Capt McIntyre is second from

left, front row. Australian War

Memorial Negative Number

E01610.]

(6) William Nolan was awarded the Military Medal for his bravery in the field at this time: Near Clery-sur-

Somme on the 30th and 31

st August 1918, this soldier did magnificent work as a stretcher-bearer. He carried

wounded men from his company to the RAP without rest for 24 hours and most of the period he was under

heavy artillery and machine-gun fire. He was wounded on the 31st whilst gallantly attempting to rescue a

wounded man from a trench partly occupied by the enemy. Private Nolan‟s devotion to duty and his total

disregard for danger is deserving of the highest praise. By his enterprise and determination he undoubtedly

was responsible for saving the lives of many of his comrades under most trying circumstances. (7) According

to Bean (Vol. VI, p801), Corporal EV Reardon was one of two scouts who crept on and located a German

post in a trench and fortified ruin on the cross-road to Ommiecourt bridge. (8) Corporal Edwin Reardon was

awarded a Military Medal for: Near Bony, 29th September to 2

nd October 1918, this NCO rendered

invaluable service as a patrol leader. Under severe fire and over difficult country, he made several

reconnaissances as far as the Hindenburg Line and was the first of his battalion to pass through it. The

information he brought back was invariably accurate and was the greatest possible value to his battalion in

the final capture of the Hindenburg system. It was entirely due to his thorough knowledge of enemy

dispositions and strong points that his company was enabled to move forward and take the line with light

casualties. Throughout, his powers of leadership, his initiative and coolness under fire were most inspiring.

DIGGER 39 Issue 36

‘The thankless, trying job’ Trevor Munro, Dubbo

The National Library of Australia‟s „Trove‟ website has the above photograph on display. The image is

identified as „Distribution to Anzac Provost Corps, Cairo‟. The photo is acknowledged as being from the

Great War, and I believe the event captured may well have also been basis for the newspaper article

reproduced below [Source: Trove].

Now the Anzac Provost Corps, alias „The Thankless Job‟ is a development; necessity produced it.

Its members have, what is termed scathingly by the fighters, „a soft job‟. Materially – of course, contrast to

the wild orgies of the terrible battlefield, this might be so – but morally, it is the most fiendishly difficult and

distasteful task ever invented. It consists primarily in keeping any of their mates (those who have the

inclination to do so) from making fools of themselves in the eyes of the natives and numberless alien races of

Egypt; and secondarily in the enforcing of a hundred petty irksome rules of military discipline. All this has to

be done to one‟s own flesh and blood – one‟s „mates‟. Just there‟s the rub.

Thus the APC boys – doing their thankless but essential duty – are branded by the headstrong and

undiscerning as publicans, Judases, traitors to their mates for reporting them, and a thousand other far more

fiery epithets, and are looked upon by the great majority of „fighters‟ as „cold-footed loafers‟.

But the dear old Australian Comforts Fund (of which the Tasmanians‟ Active Service Fund is the

Tasmanian division) pauses at nothing of this. With deep comprehension – like the wise, loving mother that

she is to all her children she goes directly to the heart of the matter. These are her boys, doing their stern

duty just as much as any on the battlefield. She knows of the B class men, once wounded, that the corps

contains; she knows of the few who are volunteers (and most of their reasons for volunteering, too), and

knows also the large number that have merely received orders to quit their units and become „Anzac Provost

Corps‟. She knows, too, the long hard hours of keeping guard in filthy slums, watching for any poor

disreputable mate; or standing at street corners, hotel vestibules, theatre entrances, in, hot baking sun or in

the cold night wind, on guard to prevent any flaws in military discipline to uphold their country‟s name.

DIGGER 40 Issue 36

She remembers too, many invaluable detective feats achieved by faithful concentrated observation.

Above all, these, her boys in khaki need her „comforts‟. And it is the boys‟ need every time that has the

strongest pull on her heartstrings.

So the Australian Comforts Fund grey motor suddenly appears at the barracks one forenoon – those

comfortless, ancient style, dreary barracks (near enough to the Nile for the ground floor to become

exceedingly damp during each year‟s overflow). Its occupant, Miss McConaghy, finds out how many boys

are quartered there in the barracks, takes a general survey of the „lay of the land‟, and the very next day

several cases of welcome, unaccustomed comforts arrive.

A very willing parade of the APC is then called: QMS Edmonds gets very busy carefully arranging

the gifts on the table for distribution; Sergeant Major Stevens takes two good snapshots, and then the

Australian Comforts Fund (in other words, Miss McConaghy) has its heart‟s desire. For each boy (such fine,

big, clean-looking follows the APC are) marches past and receives his share of the gifts into his own hands

just for himself.

When all is over, and three, happy cheers have resounded through the old cloister-like arches all

round the square yard, the little grey motor doesn‟t seem to have any idea of returning to its quarters

somehow; there is something on its mind apparently: „Have you any men in there?‟ asks Miss McConaghy,

pointing to the „clink‟. „Yes,‟ replied the OC. „Aren't they to get anything?‟ asks she quietly. „Yes, certainly,

if you wish it,‟ responds the OC with unexpected heartiness, „and you may give them some comforts

yourself.‟ „Hear, hear,‟ ejaculated the happy little grey motor standing patiently at one side watching

proceedings. „Kindness softens; it never, can harm,‟ it added sedately. An Australian Comforts Fund motto

that, and the OC felt it.

So right into the defaulters‟ quarters the comforts, those subtle reminders of home, entered. And

their influence, who would dare to estimate it? Not even themselves could do so.

There was one thing that the APC, that thankless, trying job could thoroughly estimate, however,

and that was just how warm Australia‟s affection for her sons could be. For there is no corner upon this

earth – wherever the boys are doing their stern duty – into which the Australian Comforts Fund has not

penetrated. It has always reminded me of the influence of the sun.

It is not hard to deduce that the above article that was reproduced in „The Mercury‟ (Hobart) on Friday 22nd

June 1917, could well relate to the photo shown at the start of the article. The barracks in the photo are most

certainly the Kasr-el-Nil Barracks, a portion of which was the home of the Cairo Detachment for the Anzac

Provost Corps. It is easy to imagine that QMS Stevens is one of those fussing around, busily organising the

distribution of parcels to go to the men.

The photographer logically is Sergeant Major Stevens, as Miss McConaghy stated in her description.

A further indication that the article and photo relate, is that the Kasr-el-Nil Barracks was located right next to

the Nile. Indeed, in the photograph below a portion of the Anzac Provost Corps are shown crossing the Kasr-

el-Nil Bridge; the photo possibly taken from one of the upper levels of the nearby barracks.

Miss McConaghy‟s view about

most of the men in the Anzac Provost

Corps is not necessarily correct – the bulk

of the corps had come together at

Abbassia in Egypt in early April 1916,

and it had been built on a call for

volunteers – no forced secondments were

made. Those that were found to be

unsuitable for the role were returned to

their original units, and those that found

the role also not to their liking were given

the opportunity to transfer to other units.

Of course there were exceptions

to these rules. The Egyptian Section of the

corps was known to have regularly

seconded light horse squadrons to act as MMP, but more likely these men would have been akin to the traffic

control detachments that assisted the MMP on the Western Front. (These secondments were usually not for

more than a few weeks.) The Cairo Detachment was not a mounted section and was probably more like the

British MFP (military foot police) and in certain districts would have worked in conjunction with the British

Military Police.

DIGGER 41 Issue 36

In saying this, it is clear that many men still showed an allegiance to their original unit (quite rightly

so), as often the men had seen service with that unit on the Gallipoli Peninsula and many had been wounded

there. As Miss McConaghy stated, many of these recovering wounded men were given the option to join the

newly formed Anzac Provost Corps. Perhaps an embarrassment about the role they played would lead many

military policemen to infer they may have been somewhat reluctantly forced into that role. Indeed, it is

acknowledged that after the war many enquiries by ex-military policemen to the Department of Defence

would quote their original unit‟s service and barely mention their MP service – perhaps a realisation that the

military police were not a loved force.

Miss McConaghy [right] had been engaged in missionary work in Palestine

when Turkey declared war against the Allies, and instead of returning to her home in

Ireland she remained in Egypt, realising that there would be more need for workers

there than in the United Kingdom. She was Hon. Lady Superintendent of the British

Soldiers‟ Cafe during the first six months of its existence. When the wounded began

to arrive from Gallipoli, she went into hospital and nursed until the evacuation,

when there was no further need for extra workers. Miss McConaghy then interested

herself in the Australian Comforts Fund. She was mentioned in dispatches for the

work she did with the Australian Forces. [Source: The Kia-Ora Cooee magazine,

circa March 1918.]

I draw from a passage often reproduced by the military police to illustrate an

example of the provost corps‟ early recruiting:

Dear Elliot,

I was picked out of the 11/23 to join the „Anzac Provost Corps‟; 15 of us were picked out of about

three hundred, I was amongst those selected. We had to pass a severe test, the questions put to us were – had

we ever crimed before or since joining H. Majesties Forces, and the length of service we had, what we

returned to Australia with, and if we were in the habit of getting drunk. We also had to be over 5‟9” and

weighing 11 stone 10, my height and weight are now 13 stone 12 and 6‟, so I had no trouble to get in and I

could pass the other tests. I might say I have not touched strong drink since joining the Army, we have to be

examined again tomorrow, but I don‟t expect anything will put me out of them. The idea of getting picked

men is to get a model corps of Australians to go to France. We also do duty as military police, we are not

ordinary MP‟s, we are equipped with the same rifle and bayonet as the infantry and go into the trenches in

France. I think by the time you get this I will very likely be there (I hope so anyway) there are about 500 of

us together here [Abbassia] and they are the pick of thousands, I have never seen a more even and splendid

lot of men. The first person I saw here tonight was Bert Rosengrave, who used to work for Billy Fellows. I

have to answer to roll call in a few minutes so I‟ll stop, I hope to get this letter all right, it has to pass the

censor yet, hoping all‟s well. No 4562, „Anzac Provost Corps‟.

Your affect. Bro, Roy Argyle.

The writer of the letter was Douglas Roy Argyle, better known as Roy. As hinted in his letter, Roy had

served on Gallipoli (with the 6th Battalion) and been evacuated due to enteric fever in late October 1915. Roy

had returned to Australia for a break and had re-enlisted in early March 1916. On this occasion he became

part of the 11th Reinforcements for the 23

rd Battalion.

Roy did finish his training and

ultimately was sent to France, but not as

a divisional MMP, as he was describing

in his letter. Roy appears to have served

in the rear echelon areas and then later at

the Field Punishment Compound. Private

Argyle then transferred back to the 6th

Battalion and became part of a Lewis gun

crew [right] in 11 Platoon within „C‟

Company. Apparently he fitted back into

the battalion quickly and was well-liked.

Roy Argyle was killed in

October 1917. Private 6137 Henry

Walden from the 6th Battalion stated that

he hadn‟t actually seen Roy struck, but went to his aid afterwards, stating that Roy had been „shot through

the abdomen‟. Roy was wounded as his battalion advanced towards Broodseinde Ridge early on the morning

DIGGER 42 Issue 36

of 4th October 1917. Walden helped carry the

unconscious Private Argyle back to a dressing station,

but Roy died shortly after being admitted. Walden

mentioned that he was part of the Lewis gun crew with

Roy (Walden was the No. 4, and Argyle the No. 2 on

the gun).

Second Corporal 4200 Burton John

Rosengrave, who Roy mentioned, also hailed from

Kerang in Victoria and was a few years older than

Roy. Burt would serve with the provost corps

throughout the war; in fact he spent most of his time

posted to the Cairo Detachment, and he may well have

been one of the military policemen lined up in the

photo waiting to get his parcel.

[Right: Roy Argyle‟s name is in the bottom left corner in this extract of the Memorial Plaque on the Kerang

Memorial Municipal Chambers. Photo Graeme Hosken.]

_________________________________________

Lieutenant Henry Renny-Tailyour: A forgotten Australian-born officer Yves Fohlen, Quessy, France

One of the most important turning points of the Great War was the action in the First Battle of Ypres when,

from 29th to 31

st October, the Germans attacked British units at Geluveld. The British line was broken but the

ground was retaken after a charge which took the Germans by surprise and saved the day, stopping the

German Army advance on Ypres.

On 11th November 1914, the Germans tried again to break through the British lines. The German

High Command launched the Prussian Guard regiments. These German elite troops first broke the line but

were stopped by men of the 16th, 22

nd and 51

st Batteries of the Royal Field Artillery and the 5

th Field

Company Royal Engineers and all the men available.

Among the 5th Field Company RE was 23 year old

Second Lieutenant Henry Frederick T Renny-Tailyour, killed

in action while leading his section against the Prussian Guards.

Henry Renny-Tailyour [right] was born on 31st July

1891 in Homebush, Sydney, NSW. He was the son of the famous

pre-war sportsman and Scottish officer, Colonel Henry Waugh

Renny-Tailyour. Educated in Arnold House, Lianddulas, and at

Rugby, Henry Renny-Tailyour was gazetted 2nd

lieutenant to the

Royal Engineers on 20th December 1912. He went to France with

the 5th Field Company, attached to the 2

nd British Infantry

Division, and was wounded in action at the Battle of the Aisne

River on the Chemin des Dames but did not leave duty.

After his death he was mentioned in Field Marshall Sir

John French‟s dispatch of 14th January 1915 for gallant and

distinguished service in the field.

Today, Second Lieutenant Henry Renny-Tailyour has no

known grave. His name is to be found on the Menin Gate

Memorial to the Missing. The Commonwealth War Graves

Commission register mentions just his rank, name, unit, and date

of death, but nothing about his past.

He was an Australian-born gallant officer who fought with the British Expeditionary Forces and was

killed in 1914 in Flanders fields … Lest we forget him.

References:

Westlake, Ray: British Battalions in France & Belgium 1914. Leo Copper Edition, 1997;

LA Clutterbuck: Bond of Sacrifice. August – December 1914. Naval Military Press Reprint, 2002;

Jack Sheldon The German Army at Ypres 1914. Pen & Sword Publishing Ltd, 2010.

DIGGER 43 Issue 36

One man’s mission: The Bodangora War Memorial Maurice Campbell, Dubbo, details his decade-long effort to restore the Bodangora War Memorial and

beautify its surrounds. On June 18th 2011, the project culminated in a rededication ceremony attended by

over one hundred people, with some even travelling from Cobar, four hours away.

When I visited the Bodangora War Memorial in 1999, I was disappointed with the state of the grounds

surrounding this small memorial near Wellington in NSW. The grounds had become overgrown with grass

up to 30cm high and there was an overabundance of many varieties of noxious weeds.

Two of my uncles have their names on the Bodangora Memorial (hence my visit), and while I was

there I suddenly recalled my father‟s words to me not long before he passed away. He said he would hate to

think that the memorial and yard would become neglected, and expressed a concern that the memorial would

lose its significance to the population of the small village as the years rolled by.

In the thirty years since my father‟s death, the grounds and memorial had deteriorated considerably. I

decided that it would be up to me to tidy it up, as no-one else (individual, community group or government)

seemed to be interested. What a mammoth task I had set myself!

The first and ongoing problem was the distance from our home in Dubbo to the memorial – a round

trip of 140km, which I undertook every Sunday for eleven years. The boot of my car became a repository for

a lawnmower, fuel, a shovel, water, gardening chemicals and plants.

Regular mowing of the „grass‟ and spraying of weeds in the early years led me to develop a plan to

plant 47 trees – one for each soldier whose name appears on the Bodangora Memorial. Each tree would

become a living symbol of the soldier‟s service, courage and sacrifice.

All the trees and shrubs were selected with the advice of the staff at the State Forestry nursery in

Dubbo, but even then, the plants faced an uphill struggle for survival due to the near ten-year drought in

NSW. We decided to go with native plants, mainly wattles, grevilleas and bottlebrushes – over the years

around ten died and had to be replaced. As there was no water supply at the memorial, all the water for the

plants had to be carried from Dubbo in containers and delivered to the plants by bucket. A slow process!

Fortunately, I often had company on my trips to Bodangora, and I would like to thank Vince Dunn

Doug Herd, Bruce Ellis, Lindsay Young and Craig McNair for their assistance and for „sharing the dream‟.

My family was also a source of constant encouragement.

Since 1999 the wooden structure that

sheltered the memorial (built in 1921) has been

replaced by one of steel posts and colourbond

roof; the protective fence that resembled a prison

yard has been removed, and a water tank has been

installed. [Left: This photo was taken in the early

days of the project. The steel shelter had been

constructed, but the ugly fence that protected the

memorial was still in situ. The shrubs and tube

stock then planted were struggling with the

drought conditions.]

The last three years have seen the climax

of activity, and the breaking of the drought has

given the plants a real kick-along. Funding was

obtained from the Department of Veterans‟

Affairs and the Heritage Council, and Jan Van der Meer of Wellington Council and her „mowing team‟

became a great help in keeping the yard attractive. Prior to the rededication ceremony, Andy Byrne

(plumbing), Kevin Hinton (painting), Barry Taylor (signwriting), Bridgewater Signs (new plaque), the

Wellington Men‟s Shed (picnic table) all played important roles. The Wellington RSL Sub-branch paid for

the picnic table and plaque.

On June 18th a formal ceremony was held at Bodangora to rededicate the memorial. This featured a

catafalque party supplied by the local Army Reserve unit, several prayers and hymns, a key address, wreath

laying, the Ode, Last Post, two minutes silence and the Rouse, followed by a welcome morning tea and

snacks on a cold and blustery day. While it marked the fruition of a long project, my visits to Bodangora will

continue, but as the trees and shrubs become more established, I expect that the nature of my visits will

change.

Some years ago I was by myself at the memorial and it was getting quite late in the afternoon and the

sun was low on the horizon. A feeling came over me that I was not alone – I could feel the spirit of the men

DIGGER 44 Issue 36

whose names were on the memorial; sixteen of whom never returned to this peaceful spot adjacent to where

they would have played tennis and cricket before the war.

I believe all the soldiers named on the Bodangora Memorial would be looking down and be pleased

with what I have achieved on their behalf – in keeping their memory alive.

Above left: The catafalque party on the day of the rededication. Above right: Some of the large crowd

present on the day; many local FFFAIF members were in attendance. Catering was organised by my wife,

Sandra.

A Bodangora kind of day Trevor Munro, Dubbo

The photo to the left was taken at the rededication of

the Bodangora War Memorial which took place on

Saturday, 18th June 2011, at 10.30am. Bodangora is a

tiny village located some 13 km from the larger town

of Wellington in the Central West of NSW. The

village‟s heyday was during the gold mining boom

prior to WWI, when its population reached 3 000. The

miners and farm labourers kept the five hotels busy.

Bodangora was the district in which Maurie

Campbell was raised (on the property „Argyle‟), and it

was his enthusiasm and drive that saw the memorial

returned to its former glory (and probably beyond).

My small part in helping Maurie rests with the

machine gun that I‟m kneeling next to in the photo at

left, taken on the rededication day.

Back in March 1998, I knelt beside the same

Maxim machine gun, which had badly deteriorated

due to years of exposure to the elements and a lack of

interest in its origin and upkeep. At that time I was in

front of the „Wellington Times‟ office, in the back of a

ute about to take the gun to Dubbo. As a then member

of the Wellington Historical Society, I was aware that

the machine gun was one of the district‟s war trophies.

It and a second Maxim had been situated next to the

Bodangora War Memorial for most of their time in

Australia. It was my approach to the local RSL Sub-

branch on behalf of the Wellington Historical Society

that secured the funding to get the machine gun

sandblasted and then repainted.

I realised the importance of preserving the war trophy, but was also mindful that the „restored‟

machine gun could not be housed inside the Museum itself due to space constraints, and that the backyard of

the museum was an obscure place for it to be located. My suggestion was that it be housed in the Shire

DIGGER 45 Issue 36

Chambers, upstairs near the marble Honour Roll of all the Wellington District men that had served during

the Great War.

The machine gun remains there to this date, and the Council was more than obliging in arranging for

it to be brought back out to the Bodangora Memorial

rededication and placed in its original position (shown right in

this 1921 photograph, taken on the day of its dedication by the

Governor of NSW). The other Maxim machine gun, to my

knowledge, is housed upstairs in the museum, but is in a poor

state of repair and was not worth sandblasting, as its wooden

stock had long since deteriorated. This gun was also a war

trophy allotted to the Central West, although not originally to

Bodangora. It ended up at Bodangora and was there housed on

an anti-aircraft type mount in its early years. This second

machine gun is visible to the right of the memorial in the

photo.

The Bodangora War Memorial rededication ceremony

was attended by 120 people. Despite being a chilly morning

with a southerly wind blowing, and one of the clergy running

late, all fell smoothly into place. Typically, Maurie had

organised everything to the „nth‟ degree. It was great to see so

many members of the FFFAIF in attendance and it was good to

see the light-hearted humour of a certain „burr-cutter‟, who was armed with his hoe and would have

comfortably fitted into the catafalque party if given the chance. I was terribly impressed that even traffic

control had been organised when I observed the Highway Patrol arrive. I was even more impressed when I

realised that the „boy in blue‟ was one of our FFFAIF members who had taken the time to come and pay his

respects.

The members of the local Dubbo Army Reserve unit (of which Maurie‟s son, Warwick, is a

committed member) mounted a most professional catafalque party around the memorial, bravely facing the

chilly conditions. It was obvious that the Reserve unit had also assisted in providing chairs to make those

who wanted to sit comfortable, and it was great to see them all pitching in helping pack up. The three clergy

present combined well to make for a simple yet effective ceremony; Ross Godfrey‟s leading in the hymn

singing breaking the ice and getting good participation. It was obvious from Maurie‟s key address the

passion and pride with which he had approached the rededication of the memorial.

The one hundred and twenty people present all enjoyed the event. After the dedication a cup of tea

and coffee warmed everyone as we all chatted and mingled, feasting on typical country fare of numerous

slices, biscuits and cake. My nephew, Zac Goninan from Wellington, did a sterling job in playing the „Last

Post‟ and then „The Rouse‟, and I was glad to see his parents, Doug and Narelle (my sister), proudly

watching. It was Doug who had greatly assisted me in the organising and taking of photos for „Wellington‟s

Finest‟ from 1998, including many of the Bodangora boys from the Great War.

I believe all the Bodangora soldiers would have appreciated the small ceremony and I hope that in

another ninety years the Bodangora Memorial and the Maxim machine gun war trophy will still be around

for another rededication ceremony.

Photos from left: (1) The

names of those men from

the Bodangora District who served and returned. (2) The names of those who gave their lives in WWI. (3)

The Maxim back in its original position, 90 years later. (4) The Bodangora Memorial in 2011 (compare with

the 1921 photograph above). Endnote: Maurice invites anyone to visit the Bodangora Memorial and have a

quiet picnic in the grounds. GPS coordinates are: 32º27‟23.40”S 149º00‟12.58”E.

DIGGER 46 Issue 36

The Thomas brothers – together in peace Heather (Frev) Ford, Montrose

A rather sad-looking grave in need of some repair was an unusual find in the St Kilda Cemetery in Victoria –

buried together are three of the four Thomas brothers who served in WWI. All three were married men in

their early thirties when they enlisted within around a month of each other in 1916. Sons of Samuel Devine

Thomas and Mary Palmer, they were born in Wail, a small country town on the Western Highway between

Dimboola and Pimpinio, not far from Horsham in western Victoria.

Sydney („Syd‟) William Stevenson

Thomas, the eldest of the three at 34, was the

first to enlist, doing so on 7th March 1916. A

commercial traveller, Syd had married in 1909

and had two young children.

Syd‟s enlistment was soon followed by

32 year old Percival („Perc‟) Frederick

Thomas on 28th March. A chemist in civilian

life, he had married in 1911 and also had two

young children.

A couple of weeks later, on 14th April,

Ernest („Ern‟) Arthur Thomas also enlisted.

Ern was younger than Perc by almost two

years and he had followed the trade of an

electrician. Like Syd, he had also married in

1909.

Ern and Syd joined the 1st Australian

Wireless Squadron which was destined for the

Mesopotamian campaign to serve in support of

the British forces commanded by General

Maude. After a brief time in signal school,

they embarked together on the RMS Morea at the end of May 1916 – Ern as a staff sergeant and Syd as a

corporal. The Morea only took them as far as Colombo, where they re-embarked on the SS Novara for

Bombay. From Bombay they boarded their final ship, the Ellenga, which took them to Basra. As soon as

they landed, Syd was admitted to hospital with mumps, where he stayed until the end of July.

Meanwhile, the arrival of their squadron allowed a reorganisation of the wireless units to take place.

Together with the 1st Australian Pack Wireless Signal Troop (which had been stationed there since March),

along with a New Zealand unit, they formed the 1st Anzac Wireless Signal Squadron (1

st AWSS), under the

command of Major Alexander Sutherland.

The wireless stations that they operated were mostly mobile and allowed essential, reliable

communications between the British forces, as well as intercepting enemy communications. Although the

signallers were relatively protected by the cavalry whom they travelled with, they didn‟t escape the illness

and disease that came with the harsh conditions, the unbearable heat, the flies and the mosquitoes. By

October, when the 1st AWSS was preparing to join the main British action on the Tigris, Major Sutherland

had already been invalided home, and Syd wasn‟t far behind. Having only been promoted to sergeant on 8th

October, he found himself in hospital five days later with conjunctivitis. On the 16th he boarded the hospital

ship Oxfordshire for India, and after being transferred to Egypt, he received a new diagnosis of trachoma and

was sent home on the Euripides in January 1917.

Ern remained with his unit throughout 1917 and was possibly

amongst the first troops to enter Baghdad when the British took it in

March. Towards the end of 1917 the NZ wireless troops were

replaced by Australians and the unit became known as the 1st

Australian Wireless Signal Squadron. [Right: The badge of the

Australian Wireless Squadron. Courtesy Trevor Munro.]

In mid April 1918, Ern proceeded on one month‟s leave to

Australia for family reasons. He never returned to the front and was

eventually discharged at the end of September 1918.

A couple of months after his own homecoming, Syd had recovered from his eye problems and

returned to duty on 20th April 1917. He remained in Australia attending various signal schools until March

DIGGER 47 Issue 36

1918, and then set sail once more. This time however he was destined for the Western Front, and landed at

Liverpool a week after Ern had begun his journey home. After a month in England, Syd crossed to France in

May and joined up with the Australian Corps Signal Company (ACSC) on 5th June.

During his first month with the ACSC, Syd was listed as supernumerary and under training; he then

attended a signal school in July. Towards the end of August he was given a week‟s leave in Havre, and two

days before the Armistice he was fortunate enough to receive two week‟s leave in Paris. Finally he spent a

couple of weeks on leave in the UK before once again sailing for home at the end of February 1919.

Perc, meanwhile, had joined the Medical Corps (AAMC) as a corporal and went into camp at Royal

Park (Melbourne) for six weeks, before being transferred to Williamstown for five months. He was then

stationed at No. 11 Australian General Hospital in Caulfield until midway through January 1917, when he

was transferred to Medical Stores at the Central Base Depot. Finally, at the end of October 1917, he was

promoted to staff sergeant and boarded the Aeneas for England. At the Base Depot at Tidworth he continued

his work in Medical Stores until 18th February, and was then transferred to the ABDM Stores at HQ in

London.

Unable to escape the raging influenza virus, Perc was admitted to the 1st Australian Auxiliary

Hospital at Harefield on 28th October 1918. So while his brother Syd celebrated in Paris as the fighting

ended, Perc was lying ill in hospital. His luck was in however, and unlike so many who succumbed, he

pulled through and was discharged on 14th November. On 4

th December, Perc marched into No. 2 Command

Depot at Weymouth, where he remained for eight months. He was then given leave from 8th August until the

22nd

, at which time he embarked on the Anchises, on duty as a member of the nursing staff, for his return to

Australia. Back home, Perc remained on duty until he was eventually discharged at the end of May 1920.

A month after the Armistice, while Syd and Perc were still overseas, their father Samuel passed

away. Twenty years later, almost to the day, Ern was the first of the three brothers to be interred in their

shared grave at St Kilda, when he died at the Caulfield Repatriation Hospital (previously No. 11 AGH) on

the 8th December 1938. His widow Mary remarried in 1940.

Perc, who had been living separately from his wife, Jeanie, since sometime in the 1930s, joined Ern

in July 1961. Three years later, Syd, who had divorced and remarried also in the 1930s, completed the trio.

Their younger brother Stan (5216) is buried elsewhere.

Endnote: Service details of the Thomas brothers:

Sgt SWS Thomas, 14326, 1st A Wireless Sqd/A Corps Sig Coy (b.1881 – d.1964)

Staff Sgt PF Thomas, 18987, AAMC (b.1883 – d.1961)

Staff Sgt EA Thomas, 14321, 1st A Wireless Sqd / 1

st AW Sig Sqd (b.1884 – d.1938)

Fourth brother: Cpl SRP Thomas, 5216, AGBD (b.1890 – d.1955).

The terror of malingerers Extract from „Nulli Secundus, A History of the Second Battalion AIF‟, FE Taylor & TA Cusack.

Major Southey [the 2nd

Bn‟s medical officer] was the terror of malingerers, for he had learnt by experience

to pick out the bogus from the genuine article on sick parade. However, he stood very high in the estimation

of the good soldiers, who were ever-ready to testify to his keen devotion to duty and his undoubted courage.

The following story shows the way in which Major Southey was always ready to deal with the man who tried

to put it over him. On one occasion at a camp in the northern area he was in the latrine when he overheard a

conversation between two privates in an adjoining compartment. The battalion had been detailed for fatigue

duty in the forward area that day, and one of these privates, conscious of its dangers, and anxious to avoid

them, said to his companion, „I‟m not going up the line. I‟m going on sick parade this morning.‟

„Crook?‟ queried the other.

„No,‟ was the reply, „but I‟ll pretend to the quack I am. He won‟t know the difference.‟

„What‟ll you tell him?‟

„Oh, that I have a pain in the stomach.‟

The two decided to face the MO with the same complaint.

The major, first out, waited for them to emerge, noted their identity, and instead of being marked „Medicine

and Duty‟ or exempted, he had them listed for disciplinary action when they appeared before him on sick

parade. They didn‟t go up the line that day, but had to face a duty far more arduous, though perhaps less

dangerous. Until the fatigue party returned, they were marched up and down the parade ground with full

packs aboard.

DIGGER 48 Issue 36

The Mittagong War Memorial Photos by Kathryn Barton, Mosman

Lance Corporal Richard Pitts‟ [see story on pages

22-24] name appears halfway down the right-hand

column of names of Mittagong men „who gave their

lives for the freedom of the World in the Great War

1914-1919‟.

He was the only local enlistment killed in the

war to be awarded a bravery medal in WWI. Thirty-

two men from Mittagong are listed on their Honour

Roll.

In the Passchendaele mud with Lieutenant Maynard, 17th Bn Extracts from „The Story of the Seventeenth Battalion‟.

At 4pm on the 26th [October 1917] the battalion embussed for Dickebusch, en route once more for Ypres. On

November 4th the Seventeenth took over a quiet part of the line six miles east of that place. Continuous rain

had converted the shell-torn ground into a vast morass. The operation of taking over from a battalion in the

front line was in itself an ordeal, which Lieutenant Maynard describes as follows:

From the point where the guides of the battalion in the line are picked up, that is, provided they have

not become casualties, or mislaid, progress is maddeningly slow, despite, which, however, there are

frequent cries from the rear of the column that it has lost touch, so you must wait. Men become

casualties or fall into shell holes, or get stuck in the mud and have to be hauled out. Some are night-

blind, and have difficulty in keeping up. If your guide becomes a casualty, you are indeed in

difficulties. Somewhere in the murky darkness, a mile or two ahead, a company is in a collection of

muddy shell holes waiting to be relieved, and they must be got away by sunrise … if everything goes

well, a relief between companies who knew their job will be completed in half an hour.

The new position was merely a series of unconnected posts, without overhead shelter of any kind, though an

occasional captured German pill-box offered facilities for establishing a company headquarters. In most

cases, the top of the structures were only a few feet from the ground, and to enter them one had to crawl on

one‟s belly. The interiors were mostly evil-smelling and wet underfoot.

Lieutenant Maynard recorded:

During daylight on November 5th, I was called to Battalion Headquarters, which was in some

concrete pill-boxes 300 yards to the rear, and on the way across I was swooped on by a German

aeroplane. Three times he turned and dived on me, and on each occasion I had to dive into a muddy

shell-hole for protection. I eventually arrived at my destination, covered in mud, out of breath and

highly indignant, to be met with yells of laughter by the Headquarters people who had watched my

predicament and had been much entertained. I am afraid that I was rather rude to them.

Endnote: Lieutenant Charles Robert Maynard, returned to Australia 28th September 1919.

DIGGER 49 Issue 36

The Irvin brothers go to war Graeme Hosken, Dubbo, with thanks to Roger and Ann Irvin, Gilgandra.

Four Irvin brothers would enlist in the AIF in the Great War. All would return to take up a life on the land.

This is their story.

William Irvin was born at Tooraweenah, a small town between Gilgandra and Coonabarabran in NSW, and

was a single 27 year old farmer when he volunteered on 18th August 1915. He was the son of Henry Irvin of

Tooraweenah.

William (commonly known as Bill) enlisted at Dubbo and was

recorded as being 5‟7” tall and weighing 136lb, with green eyes and

brown hair. He was allocated to the 13th Reinforcements for the 6

th

Light Horse as Trooper 1893 when he arrived at Dubbo camp on 8th

September. [Left: Bill Irvin is seated in this photo, with his brother

Leslie standing.]

Bill Irvin embarked from Australia on 20th December 1915 and

arrived at Maadi, Egypt, on 17th January 1916. On 1

st March, Bill was

taken on strength of the 2nd

LH Reserve Regiment but soon after opted

to join the Artillery, and on 28th March he was transferred to the 25

th

Howitzer Brigade at Tel-el-Kebir and posted to the 114th Battery. He

was mustered as a driver on 10th May at Ferry Post and proceeded to

France on 18th June 1916. His battery disembarked at Marseilles on 27

th

June.

Bill was transferred to the 115th Battery on 7

th July 1916 and

served with them until 2nd

April 1917, when he was transferred to the

3rd

Army Field Artillery Brigade. He was with his unit until 5th

February 1918 when Bill received leave to Paris. This leave was only

for four days but he received three week‟s leave in the UK commencing

18th September 1918. A week after his return from leave, Bill reported

to hospital suffering from influenza. He rejoined his unit on 28th

October.

Following the Armistice, Bill remained in France until 24th

February when he moved to Parkhouse camp in England. He sailed on the Boonah for Australia on 20th April

1919 and was discharged on 3rd

August.

Leslie („Rufus‟) Irvin enlisted on 17th January 1916. He was aged 21

years and 10 months and was a farmer prior to joining up at Town

Hall recruiting centre. He stood 5‟5” tall and weighed 145lb, and had

blue eyes and brown hair.

Rufus [standing at right in the photo, right] was allocated to

the 18th Reinforcements for the 3

rd Battalion and was placed in „D‟

Company as Private 5687. He embarked from Sydney on 3rd

June

1916 and disembarked at Plymouth on 3rd

August. On 22nd

September,

Rufus proceeded to Etaples, France, and joined his unit in Belgium on

6th October 1916.

Rufus received a gunshot wound to the right leg near Hermies

on 9th April 1917. He was admitted to the 56

th Casualty Clearing

Station and then to the 1st General Hospital at Etretat, but was well

enough to rejoin his unit on 18th May. Rufus was in a forward

observation post with his brother, James, on 10th November 1917, west

of Passchendaele, when the post was hit by a shell, killing Jack Ison of

Dubbo and wounding James [see DIGGER 34].

He received leave to UK between 29th December 1917 and

16th January 1918, so was lucky to spend New Year‟s Eve in England.

In August he spent nearly two weeks at an army rest camp.

On 18th September 1918, Rufus was wounded on a second

occasion, with shell contusion to the back and left hip. He was

admitted to the 11th Stationary Hospital at Rouen the next day and was

DIGGER 50 Issue 36

transferred to England on 28th September, ending up at the Graylingwell War Hospital, Chichester.

Rufus received furlough on 5th October 1918 for two weeks, following which he marched in to the

No. 1 Command Depot. He remained in the UK until leaving for home on 14th January 1919 aboard the City

of York. He was discharged from the AIF on 12th April 1919.

Andrew („Andy‟) Irvin enlisted on the same day as Rufus on 17th January 1916. He was a labourer aged 29

years and 6 months, standing 5‟6” tall and weighing 129lb. Like Rufus, he was allocated to the 18th

Reinforcements for the 3rd

Battalion and given the regimental number 5688. The brothers sailed together for

England from Sydney and joined the 3rd

Battalion in the field on 6th October 1916.

On 10th October Andy was admitted to hospital at St Omer suffering from mumps, rejoining his unit

on 31st October.

Andy was wounded in action with a gun shot wound to the right arm and right leg on 5th May 1917

and admitted to the 6th General Hospital at Rouen, France, on 6

th

May. At the time the 3rd

Battalion was fighting in the Second Battle

of Bullecourt. (Andy was probably wounded as his company

bombed along the German trench called OG2.)

Andy had recovered enough to rejoin his unit on 4th June. On

4th September he attended the 1

st Infantry Brigade School in France

for two weeks. On 21st October he began three week‟s leave in the

UK.

Andy was wounded for the second occasion on 14th April

1918; this time he received a shrapnel wound to the right leg during

fighting around Strazeele. He was transferred to England for

treatment, arriving at the Royal Victoria Hospital on 19th April. On

21st May he was moved to the 3

rd Auxiliary Hospital, from where he

was discharged to No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott three days

later.

Andy was classified as „B1a1‟ on 1st June and transferred to

No. 4 Command Depot, also at Hurdcott. The period 22nd

June to

29th June was spent in hospital. On 30

th September, Andy marched

out for the Overseas Training Brigade and from there his next move

was to the Machine Gun Training Depot at Parkhouse on 21st

October. Following a final move to Heytesbury in January 1919,

Andy left for return to Australia on 19th February. He disembarked in Sydney on 3

rd April 1919 and was

discharged from the AIF on 17th June. [Right: Andy Irvin served in WWII and is on the right in this photo,

perhaps taken near Central Station. He did some training of soldiers at the Dubbo Showground camp and his

posting at discharge was with the 31st Garrison Battalion.]

The third brother to front at Town Hall Recruiting Centre on 17th

January 1916 was James („Jim‟) Irvin. Jim was a farmer aged 25 years

and 7 months when he opted to join Rufus and Andy in joining the AIF.

He was 5‟8” tall and weighed 143lb, and may have been the first brother

in the line, as he was given number 5686.

Jim [left] was allocated to „D‟ Company, 18th Reinforcements/3

rd

Battalion and sailed with his brothers. The three Irvins were taken on

strength on 6th October 1916 when the 3

rd Battalion was in Belgium. Andy

went to the Anzac Corps School of Instruction from 24th February to 11

th

March 1917. He was appointed lance corporal on 13th May. Andy

suffered a short bout of trench fever in May 1917, spending just one day

away from his unit.

Jim spent two weeks at the 1st Infantry Brigade School from 27

th

September 1917. He was wounded in action on 10th November 1917 when

occupying a forward observation post with Rufus, Samuel Whitburn and

Jack Ison [see DIGGER 34]. He was admitted to the 3rd

Australian

General Hospital suffering from shrapnel wounds to the face and left hand

on the 11th and returned to his unit on 30

h November.

Jim spent the period 29th December 1917 to 16

th January on leave

in the UK with Rufus – no doubt a great thrill for two boys from the NSW

DIGGER 51 Issue 36

bush. He was admitted to hospital at Havre between March and May 1918, rejoining his unit on 12th May.

His condition recurred on 31st July and he was away from his battalion until 30

th August.

Lance Corporal James Irvin was awarded a Belgian Croix de Guerre for the following action: For

conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. Pte Irvin is a Lewis gunner and has always set an excellent

example to all by his capable employment of his gun in action. At Lihons and Hargicourt he displayed great

initiative and boldness, and by his excellent services aided considerably in the capture of the objective

allotted to his Company, as well as inflicting severe casualties on the enemy. [The portrait of Jim on the

previous page shows him wearing his CdeG.]

Following the Armistice, Jim spent New Year‟s Eve once again in England. He left France for the

last time on 5th April and sailed for Australia on the Aeneas on 31

st June 1919, making him the last of the

Irvin boys to return home.

After the war Rufus, Bill and Jim were successful in gaining soldier-settlement blocks east of

Gilgandra on the Mendooran Road. Bill later moved to Victoria and spent the rest of his years there. Andy

lived on a few acres of his brothers‟ land and worked in the Gilgandra area in a variety of jobs.

Above left: Andy is seated left of front row with Leslie (Rufus) next to him. Jim is standing at right of the

back row. Above right: Studio portrait of Rufus Irvin.

________________________________________________________________________

Private 1747 Charles Ah Tuck, served as Charles Tucker, 16th Battalion Contributed by Kim Phillips, from www.spirits-of-gallipoli.com.

Charles Tucker arrived at Gallipoli on 2

nd June 1915, having enlisted in South

Australia on 30th December 1914 in Adelaide. From June till 6

th August the 16

th

Battalion were camped in the reserve area near the Sphinx, where the men were

involved in training and fatigues.

On 8th August, the 16th Battalion was involved in the unsuccessful

attempt to capture Hill 971 as part of the August Offensive, losing four officers

and 114 other ranks.

On 9th August the battalion took over at No. 1 Outpost, and it was here

on 11th August, that Charles was near an exploding bomb. He received injuries

to his right shoulder, neck and jaw, and was taken to the 13th Casualty Clearing

Station, where he died that same day. He was buried in the 4th Battalion Parade

Ground.

He is commemorated on the Wellington Cenotaph as „C TUCK‟, the

name used by his family. He was the son of Mow Funn and Mary Ann Ah Tuck

(never married). His epitaph reads: Their glory shall not be blotted out.

DIGGER 52 Issue 36

Sergeant 6849 Arthur Stanley Upward, 4th Division Australian Army Ordnance Corps

Andrew McDonald, Everton Park

In the June edition of DIGGER, it was my great pleasure to write a short story about Corporal Fred

Litchfield of the 12th Battalion AIF. I learned about Fred‟s story after I purchased a medal bearing his name,

and now I would like to introduce you to another very brave young man who also lost his life on the Western

Front more than 93 years ago. His name is Sergeant Arthur Stanley Upward.

Very recently I picked up a medal – a 1914-15 Star – at auction with his name upon

it. Approximately 85 000 of these medals were awarded to Australians after the Great War.

Stan‟s sadly was provided posthumously. As the name suggests, it is a four-pointed star and

it is made of bronze. In the middle is a laurel wreath, and on a small flowing scroll running

from the left to the right of the medal are the years, 1914-15. The ribbon of red, white and

blue has disappeared but otherwise what I have is a magnificent reminder of a young man.

[Left: A 1914-15 Star. From sandersonmedals.com.]

So who was Arthur Stanley Upward?

Australians have the great privilege of being able

to access an archival system that is freely

available to anyone – a great gift to our country. I went to the

Australian Archives on-line in search of Arthur Stanley Upward.

The surname produced a listing of just four Upwards who had

served Australia in WWI. Arthur was one. His elder brother,

Private 2499 Frederic Hugh Upward, was another. Both would

give their lives in the service of their country.

Arthur Stanley Upward was born on October 28th, 1885

in the suburb of Malvern in Melbourne. He was the youngest of

four children to parents, Frederick and Rebecca Upward. Arthur

was educated at Melbourne Grammar School and was a member

of the School Cadets. I don‟t think he thought it was very relevant

to mention this in his attestation papers, as it has been entered in

with different ink later by a different hand. I believe he was a

bright boy as he completed his schooling and soon found himself

working for the Bank of New South Wales. Banking was a well-

respected profession for the period and by 1907 he was appointed

a ledger-keeper. [Above right: Portrait of Stan Upward from Bank of NSW Honour Roll.]

You can‟t help but wonder what might have been if the Great War had not interfered with the lives

of so many. But the Great War sadly did intervene and on 22nd

February 1915, Stan (as he was known to

those closest to him) enlisted for service abroad. He was given the service number 6849 and became a driver

in the Australian Army Service Corps. The rank „driver‟ suggests that Stan would work with horses and one

wonders what a bank clerk from the inner suburbs of Melbourne would know about anything equestrian.

We‟ll never know for sure but horses still played an important part in early 20th Century society, so it‟s fair

to suggest that Stan at least knew how to ride. Clearly the army saw in Stan a careful, meticulous man with

an eye for detail and organisation. He was therefore an ideal candidate for the Service Corps.

Stan left Melbourne and Australia on 28th June 1915, on the converted troopship, HMAT Berrima.

Like many Australian servicemen, he soon made his way to the port of Alexandria in Egypt, as this was the

main assembly and departure point for the Gallipoli Peninsula, and after 1915 for the Western Front in

Europe. Egypt was also a training ground for Australian servicemen, although of course the deserts of North

Africa were a poor match for the rich and bountiful conditions of Europe.

The first entry on Stan‟s Casualty Form is dated 7th August 1915, and it states that he left Alexandria

for the Dardanelles on the HT Cameronian. I couldn‟t find any other reference to Gallipoli, and with the

absence of unit diaries for this period I can only assume that Stan did indeed serve there for the remainder of

the campaign. In early March 1916, Stan was once again in Egypt and he was transferred to the 27th

Company of the 4th Divisional Train of the AIF. He left for Marseilles in France on the SS Kingstonian.

(This particular ship was later hit by a German torpedo while undertaking a similar voyage to Marseilles in

April 1918. The Captain managed to run the Kingstonian aground on the south west coast of Sardinia to save

her and the many passengers on board. Sadly, just a few weeks later, yet another marauding German

DIGGER 53 Issue 36

submarine finished off the job and also sank the tug, HMS Dalkeith, which was in the process of repairing

the Kingstonian. Ten people were killed.)

Stan finally reached northern France on 11th June 1916, and his movements on the Western Front are

followed in greater detail by the unit diaries. The different companies went their respective ways and Stan

departed with the 27th Company for a place called Merris, which is a few miles to the south east of

Hazebrouck.

So what did he do now that he was in France? I have to confess that before researching Stan, my

knowledge of the Service Corps was very basic. Essentially, the Service Corps were involved in the supply

and distribution of a variety of different materiel that an army would need to fight and survive on the front

line. Their deliveries included water, food, clothing, ammunition and weaponry. The list was endless. Most

of the heavy equipment was brought up to the front on railways and then unloaded onto the various „trains‟

(mechanised and horse-drawn), which would in turn carry the goods further up the line to the soldiers. It

seems that the life of an ASC soldier was a varied one. Long periods of mundane and repetitive duties

interspersed with periods of great excitement and fear. On the evening of 10th and 11

th August 1916, two men

of the 4th Division Train were recommended for, and later awarded, the Military Medal for their devotion to

duty in delivering a large supply of mortar bombs to the forward areas of the battlefield under heavy German

artillery bombardment. It is a strain sometimes to decipher writing that is nearly 100 years old and highly

stylised but these men clearly did a lot more than they were expected to, and the diarist wrote that the work

of the train „was at variance with that laid down as its normal function‟ and „can be considered extraneous to

normal ASC duties‟.

Not too long after Driver 1189 Frederick Vaughan Curtis and Corporal 1137 David Cave were

acknowledged for their „extraneous‟ activities on the front line, Stan received an injury to the left leg of a

„trivial‟ nature and it appears to have caused some confusion in his record. The entry on his file might even

suggest that perhaps Stan‟s injury was suspicious or self-inflicted. I‟m still not sure just exactly how he could

have carried out a severe horse kick to the leg or why the authorities were confused enough to later describe

it as a gunshot wound. At any rate, whatever the circumstances, Stan was transported to England where he

spent a month or so in hospital before being „marched in‟ and „out‟ of various command and training depots

and schools to further extend his knowledge and expertise.

He returned to France in March 1917 and initially returned to the 27th Company before he became

part of the 4th Division Army Ordnance Corps as a newly promoted corporal. The Ordnance Corps dealt

entirely with the distribution of munitions and the repairs to weapons such as the Lewis gun and Stokes

mortar. In July 1917 Stan was promoted to full sergeant. In the same month the 4th Division lost its

commanding officer, Major General William Holmes, to shellfire. He was one of the most senior

Australian officers (along with Major General Bridges) to be killed in action during World War One. He

was aged 55 and now lies in Trois Arbres Cemetery in France.

Tragically on September 23rd

1917, Stan‟s elder brother Hugh was killed whilst serving with the 56th

Battalion near Polygon Wood. Stan wrote to his Mum a month or so later and she forwarded a copy of it in

her own hand to the military authorities in Victoria Barracks, Melbourne.

Belgium

22nd

October 1917

My very dear Mother,

Long before you receive this letter you will have received advice from the authorities of dear old

Hugh‟s death. I had been very anxious about Hugh for some time, as I had not heard from him since

September 21st, so made enquiries at Horseferry Road I was partly prepared for the shock.

It is strange. The 56th Battalion moved in close to me this morning. I went over and saw a Lieutenant

and Sergeant Phillips, who was Hugh‟s platoon sergeant and he confirmed the sad news I had

received that Hugh was killed September 23rd

as they gave them to me – the company was in the

support trenches and all were asleep. A shell landed either in the trench or on the parapet killing

Hugh, Lieutenant Menzies [?] and one or two others. Sergeant Phillips whom I saw today was slightly

wounded. So you see dear Mother, Hugh suffered no pain, died in his sleep.

Rebecca used Stan‟s letter in an attempt to galvanise the authorities into finding Hugh‟s final resting place.

In fairness, they must have had thousands of similar enquiries to deal with. This would have been a terrible

period for the Upward family and yet Rebecca was always unfailingly polite in her enquiries. Like so many

parents suffering the loss of sons so far away from home, the thought that there was no recorded place of

burial would have tormented her. Losing her son was one thing. Not knowing where he was buried would

DIGGER 54 Issue 36

have been quite another matter entirely. Rebecca‟s letters regarding Hugh‟s burial continued well into the

1920s, although the answer from the authorities was always the same. A Red Cross file confirmed that Hugh

had indeed been killed while sleeping and that he was buried close to where he had died. An upturned rifle

marked the spot.

The divisional store (which was Stan‟s „home‟) moved on a fairly regular basis as the front line

changed, especially in the months of March and April 1918. For the most part, the men of the 4th AOC were

based in and around Villers-Bocage and continued to supply the troops of the front line with blankets and

belts, and retrieving shell-damaged Lewis guns for the armourers to repair. One entry in April made me

laugh, although it‟s possible that perhaps I‟ve misinterpreted it. The diarist wrote that the division had

received 1 000 pairs of dirty socks in a car. He simply said: „Am writing and asking for explanation‟. I‟d

want to know why as well! The 28

th April saw Stan moving from Pont-Noyelle

to a place called Camon, just outside of Amiens. They

„liberated‟ a schoolroom there next to the mairie and part of

the courtyard as the stores office. (The „mairie‟ is the town

hall or the mayor‟s office. The postcard at left shows the

Camon mairie at the time of WWI. NotreFamille.com.) Just

a week or so later, in the early morning hours of May 2nd

, the

office took a direct hit from a German heavy artillery piece.

Was it a stray shell or a deliberate target? Since the stores

office was a considerable distance from the enemy lines, I‟m

still stunned with the ground this shell covered and the

astonishing accuracy with which it landed. Stan was sleeping

inside with eight other comrades.

The 4th Division diary gives a very detailed description of the tragedy. A British military doctor of

the Worcester Regiment stationed nearby attended the scene and sifted his way through what was left of the

stores office. Herbert Lindsay

Watson, a 33 year old

commission agent from Fortitude

Valley in Brisbane, was barely

alive. Both his legs were gone,

and the trauma he had endured

gave him very little prospect of

survival. He died a few hours

later. Stan was already dead. The

funeral of the six men killed was

carried out promptly at 11am the

following morning. A number of

the boys who were killed had

brothers stationed in France and

they attended the burial service at Camon Military and Civil Cemetery, in addition to Major Joseph Tuckett

MC, MM (the commanding officer). [Above: The graves of Stewart, Upward and Manton (l to r) at Camon

Communal Cemetery.]

And so the story ends. Replacements were soon found for the men who were lost that night and the

war dragged on until the Armistice of November 11th, 1918. Stan‟s personal effects reached his mother in

Melbourne on February 21st of the following year, and she wrote to the Base Records at Victoria Barracks in

Melbourne acknowledging their safe arrival. She noted that the seals were untouched and that she hadn‟t the

heart to open the parcel yet. She was still asking for the whereabouts of her son Hugh and continued to

receive the same stock standard answer in reply. Hugh would never be found and I don‟t think she found the

closure she so desperately wanted.

I began researching this story to find out more about Arthur Stanley Upward. I had no idea what I

would find. Now, I feel as though I know something about the family itself. I feel so much admiration for

mum, Rebecca. What an extraordinary woman she was, and if we choose to remember Stan and Hugh

Upward, we should also not forget Rebecca, who would spend the rest of her life pondering what might have

been if her boys had come home. Their medals, one of which is now in my care, would have been the only

physical reminder of their sacrifice and her loss.

DIGGER 55 Issue 36

In memory of Sergeant Arthur Stanley Upward, his brother Private Frederic Hugh Upward, and the five

other men killed with Stan on 2nd

May 1918:

Warrant Officer 1927 Samuel John Stewart of Gympie, Queensland;

Warrant Officer 1980A Herbert Lindsay Watson of Brisbane, Queensland;

Corporal 9319 Harold Charles Manton of Melbourne, Victoria;

Corporal 740 Norman McLeod Wishart of Melbourne, Victoria, and

Private 4297 Angus MacDonald of Scotland.

Lest We Forget.

Endnotes: (1) Stan‟s brother, Hugh, was also a bank clerk when he enlisted, aged 44 years. (2) Rebecca‟s

husband, Frederick, had passed away in 1905. (3) There is no record of a „Lieutenant Menzies‟ being killed

on 23/9/17 (or at any time in the war), yet there seems little doubt that this is the name Stan wrote. (4) The

epitaph on Stan‟s grave reads: Loving Son of F & R Upward of „The Olives‟, St Kilda, Victoria. A search on

Google Maps indicates that „The Olives‟ is no longer and the site is now occupied by a block of flats. (5)

Special thanks to the Editor, Graeme Hosken, for his advice and help while researching this story.

Postscript: Camon mairie – then and now Using the wonders of Google Earth, the Editor „flew‟ to Camon to see if he could find the mairie today, and

if so, see how it has changed since the war. The screen capture on the right shows how little the town hall

(on the right) and the school (on the left) have altered over the nine decades. Apart from the small gatehouse

on the corner, the mairie still has the same appearance, and even the same stone and iron fence.

What is interesting is the building found between the mairie and the main school building (with the clock). In

the early photo [above left] the front of the building back as far as the chimney has a gabled roof, but in the

modern photo it has a flat roof. Is this the building that the store office was in and in which the six men were

killed? When it was rebuilt after WWI, was the damaged building reconstructed with a different and simpler

roof? To find out, might take a real flight to Camon. [Donations to send the Editor to France welcomed!]

_____________________________________________________________

Trooper 62 George Rothwell Seager, 9th LHR Contributed by Kim Phillips, from www.spirits-of-gallipoli.com.

George Seager enlisted on 24th October 1914. He was a sailor and had already

seen action against the Germans in the South West Pacific before returning home

and enlisting in the 9th Light Horse Regiment, aged 17 years. George was the

youngest of three brothers at the front – his serving siblings were Captain Harold

William Hastings Seager MC, 10th & 50

th Battalions, and Sergeant 185 Edward

Clarendon Seager DCM, 4th LHR. Both of his brothers survived the war.

George was killed at Walker‟s Ridge, Gallipoli, on 7th August 1915. He is buried in

the Ari Burnu Cemetery, where his epitaph reads: He died a man & closed his life‟s

brief day ere it had scarce begun.

George was the grandson of the late Lieutenant General Edward Seager CB, 8th

Hussars, who was in the famous charge at Balaclava [Source: ROH Circular]. See

Edward Seager‟s elaborate headstone at http://www.flickr.com/photos/25632502@N00/4151643680/.

DIGGER 56 Issue 36

The hands of time Damian Madden, Sydney South

For a long time I have been fascinated by antique watches, due primarily to the fact that they are inherently

personal items. Whereas jewellery may have been kept in a box, or medals only brought out for special

occasions, watches were there every day, through thick and thin, whenever their owners needed them.

It is because of this personal connection that I began to collect watches for my museum, specialising

primarily in presentation watches or those bearing inscriptions. As well as the beauty of the watchmakers‟

craft, these inscribed watches have provided a wealth of research opportunities and have revealed many

interesting stories. Here are a few …

Horace James Sparks Horace James Sparks was born in Carlton, Victoria, in 1880. A labourer at the Queen Victoria Markets, he

enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in Melbourne in November 1914 and was sent to camp at

Broadmeadows as a member of the 5th Infantry Battalion.

After spending time in camp he embarked for the Middle East in February 1915 onboard the Runic,

being sent to Gallipoli where he took part in operations

from 3rd

May until late July. At this time he was

evacuated to Hospital Ship Soudan with enteric fever,

ultimately being admitted to the Australian General

Hospital in Heliopolis.

His condition worsened and he was sent to the

Military Hospital at Helouan before being invalided

home and discharged in April 1916 as being medically

unfit. Upon returning home he was presented with a

sterling silver pocket watch [right] by his family as a

memento of his service. It is inscribed Pte H.J. Sparks.

5th Batt. 2

nd Bgde. AIF. Helles. Anzac. Lone Pine 1915.

Lewin David Lobascher Lewin David Lobascher was born in 1892 and was also from Carlton, Victoria. A correspondence clerk by

trade, he enlisted in the AIF in Fremantle, Western Australia, in August 1915, being assigned to the 32nd

Infantry Battalion.

After spending a considerable time in camp he embarked for England onboard the Port Melbourne in

October 1916. Following a brief stint at AIF HQ in the UK, he was sent to France at the end of January 1917

to join his battalion in the field. In May 1917 he was transferred to the 29th Battalion, where he stayed until

mid 1918 when he was seconded to duty with the Overseas Training Brigade.

It seems his clerical skills were in high demand, as he proceeded to spend the rest of 1918

performing these duties for the Training Brigade, and even

undertook courses in subjects like accounting to further his skills.

During this period he was also officially transferred back to the 32nd

Battalion, although he remained seconded, as well as becoming a

lieutenant. He returned to Australia in November 1919 and was

discharged in February 1920.

Upon his return he became the Honorary Secretary of the

32nd

Battalion Association and in 1936 they presented him a wrist

watch [left] which was inscribed: 32 BATT AIF Assocn. Presented

To LD Lobascher. Hon Sec. In appreciation of services. 1.9.36.

Charles James Goddard Charles James Goddard was born in Victoria in July 1880. The proprietor of a motor vehicle dealership, he

enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in September 1914, having already served time in the Field Artillery

and Infantry. After being made a captain he embarked in December 1914 aboard the Ceramic.

Goddard was sent to Gallipoli and assigned to the 1st Anzac Supply Column, in which he served until

1916 when he was promoted to major and moved to France. Goddard continued his work with the supply

column; however the muddy and often trying conditions of the Western Front soon took their toll and he

developed phthisis which saw him hospitalised for much of 1916.

DIGGER 57 Issue 36

When he emerged from hospital he resumed his duties, earning a DSO for his work. His citation

reads: For exceptionally fine work in handling all supply arrangements for over 2 000 corps troops under

exceptionally arduous conditions on the Somme from November 1916 until February 1917.

Goddard continued to work with the supply

column right up until 1918 when he fractured his upper

arm – an injury that ultimately saw him invalided home.

Once he returned home, Goddard resumed his duties at

the Barlow Motor Dealership, where in 1927 he was

presented with a gold wristwatch [left] which is

inscribed: To Major C.J. Goddard as a token of esteem

from Sales Staff at Barlow Motors. 1927.

You can view these watches and more timepieces from

both the Boer War and Second World War at my newly

updated virtual museum, Lest We Forget (www.lestweforget.com.au).

Research notes:

(1) In March 1912, Horace James Sparks was the victim of an armed robbery while returning home from

work. It was reported in the newspaper thusly: An emotional story of assault and robbery has been told to the

police by Mr Horace James Sparks of Hoddle Street, Collingwood. Mr Sparks stated that he was a produce

merchant at the Victoria Markets. On Friday night he arrived home at 11:35pm and was just about to enter

his door when three men, who had been standing in the shadows, sprang out and attacked him. One caught

him by the throat and another held his two arms down while the third rifled his pockets. They took all the

money he had, which represented his business receipts and amounted to between 39 and 40 pounds. Mr

Sparks added that as soon as the men got a hold of his money they ran away. He saw them cross the Hoddle

Street railway line and then disappear. The police were informed of the occurrence and are making

enquiries.

(2) Horace James Sparks passed away in June 1948 from what is listed as after-effects of his war service and

is buried at Box Hill Cemetery in Victoria with his wife and young child (who died at the age of two).

(3) Lewin David Lobascher was dux of his school. In

1907 the headmaster, Mr Hadley, wrote Lewin a

reference which read: To Whom It May Concern. This is

to certify that Lewin Lobascher attended at the above

school [State School, Beaconsfield] for a period of five

years. His record during that time has been extremely

satisfactory and he has passed into the 7th standard on

leaving. He has ever proved himself an upright manly

and straight forward lad and I have great pleasure in

recommending him to anyone desirous of securing the

services of a trustworthy youth.

(4) After the war, Lobascher worked for Film Ads in

Western Australia and was part of the Theatre Group‟s

cricket team. He ultimately became the President of the

32nd

Battalion Association. [Above right: This photo shows Lewin Lobascher sitting second from right in

the front row. He is wearing his wrist watch which was presented the very night the photo was taken.]

(5) There is a large collection of photographs and letters pertaining to Charles Goddard kept at the

Melbourne Library and the author would be keen to hear from any Melbourne-based members who are able

to conduct some more research into Goddard for the website and possibly obtain a photo. [Damian can be

contacted at PO Box A709, Sydney South, NSW 1235 or damienmadden@hotmail.com.]

Waggon line advertisements It having been reported that patrons of the 4

th Battery cookhouse have had considerable difficulty in

distinguishing the stew from the tea – both in appearance and taste – the proprietors wish to announce that in

future the stew will be recognisable by small pieces of floating bone. These delicacies will not be available in

the tea.

Contributed by Ken Lyall, from the „The Reporter‟ (Box Hill newspaper), 27th July 1917.

DIGGER 58 Issue 36

EETTCCHHEEDD IINN SSTTOONNEE ((Edited by Russell Curley)

This is the thirty-fifth in a series of extracts, from John Laffin‟s “We Will Remember Them - AIF Epitaphs of

World War 1”, which will appear in successive issues of „DIGGER‟.

“Profound Despair and Resignation” continued

Place names in bold type are cemetery names

Lance Corporal Herbert W Bettles, a labourer from Newnes near Lithgow, NSW, enlisted, with his father‟s

permission, at Liverpool on 16th July 1915 at age 18. He embarked on the Euripides with the 11

th Rfts/2

nd Bn

(too late to see action at Gallipoli) and transferred to the 54th Bn in Egypt in January 1916. He was

hospitalised with influenza during the hell of Fromelles and was wounded near Wye Farm (near Fleurbaix)

on 6th August 1916 with a bomb or gunshot wound to the left shoulder and evacuated to England. He didn‟t

return to France until 22nd

May 1917 and was promoted to L/Cpl on 10th October 1917. Herbert was killed in

action nine months and one day later on 11th July 1918.

He and Rose Violet Clarke, of Boscombe UK, married at Bournemouth in England on 23rd

April

1917. Both had stated their age as 22 years on the marriage certificate. Herbert‟s service record shows a lot

of AWL activity between December 1916 and May 1917 while he was stationed at Wareham, not all that

distant from Boscombe. Rose composed the following epitaph which appears on his headstone at Franvillers

Communal Extension Cemetery in France:

NO DEAR ONES STOOD BESIDE HIM

TO HEAR HIS LAST FAREWELL

ROSE

HE CAREFULLY DID HIS DUTY

WHAT MORE COULD OUR DEAR FATHER DO

Pte D. C. Thomas, 10th Bn, 20.8.16 (32)

Serre Road No 2, France

WOULD GOD THAT I HAD DIED FOR THEE

MY SON, MY SON

Gnr E. M. Flower, Field Arty, 29.9.17

Lijssenthoek, Belgium

JUST AS HIS LIFE WAS BRIGHTEST

JUST AS HIS HOPES WERE BEST

Pte G. M. Dow, 46th Bn, 16.7.17 (23)

Underhill Farm, Belgium

A WIDOW‟S ONLY SON

HE WAS THE LOVED OF ALL

Pte J. W. Hendry, 20th Bn, 31.8.18 (20)

Daours, France

WHEN DAYS ARE DARK

AND FRIENDS ARE FEW

MY DEAR SON HOW I LONG FOR YOU

Gnr M. M. Isaacs (served as C. M. Jackson)

Field Arty, 2.7.18 (22)

Querrieu, France

IN MEMORY OF OUR ONLY BOY‟S

NOBLE SACRIFICE

Pte W. E. Redford, 28th Bn, 1.6.18 (23)

Franvillers, France

A PAINFUL SHOCK A BLOW SEVERE

TO PART WITH ONE WE LOVED SO DEAR

Pte H. T. Hammond, 48th Bn, 6.8.16 (39)

Serre Road No 2, France

A BRAVE YOUNG LIFE THAT PROMISED WELL

AT THE WILL OF GOD A HERO FELL

FRANK FARQUHARSON, OF KIAMA, NSW

Pte F. Farquharson, 33rd

Bn, 31.8.18

Daours, France

DEARLY LOVED JACK

YOU HAVE GONE BEFORE US

EVER REMEMBERED

Pte J. McIntyre Clogan, 6th Bn, 26.8.16

Etaples, France

SHORT AND SUDDEN WAS THE CALL

OF HIM SO DEARLY LOVED OF ALL

Pte W. R. Byers, 44th Bn, 23.1.17 (23)

Trois Abres, France

HIS WORK ON EARTH WAS DONE Pte A. E. Leadbeater, 56th Bn, 22.7.18 (21)

Ribemont, France

DIGGER 59 Issue 36

DIGGER Quiz No. 36: ‘Campbell’s challenge’ Maurice has been reading his copy of the „Fighting Nineteenth‟ by members Wayne Matthews & David

Wilson to come up with this issue‟s questions. Do you have your copy yet?

1. How many Battle Honours was the 19th Battalion awarded for its service in WWI?

2. Of this number, how many can be included on a battalion‟s Regimental Colours?

3. What were the shape and colours of the 19th Battalion‟s shoulder patch?

4. How many men served in the 19th Battalion during WWI?

5. What was the breakdown between Australian-born and overseas-born for the 19th Battalion?

6. How many men of the 19th Battalion were taken as prisoners of war?

7. Wayne and David provided two dates that may often be hard to find?

(a) When did the First AIF cease to exist?

(b) What was the official date for the end of the Great War?

8. Who was the member of the 19th Battalion awarded the Victoria Cross? Where was he born?

9. Where and when did he perform the act that won him the VC?

10. A member of the 19th Battalion became „famous‟ after the war for writing the word „Eternity‟ in chalk on

the streets of Sydney. What was his name?

Trench talk Part 2

News from Andrew Pittaway „Last year on the FFFAIF trip I did a commemoration in Toronto Avenue Cemetery in Belgium for one of

my Fremantle soldiers buried there by the name of John Luff. After we returned from the trip, Alan Kitchen

e-mailed to see if I could send any information on to Brendan Nelson, the Australian Ambassador to

Belgium (and FFFAIF member), as Brendan was going to do a speech and service at Toronto Ave Cemetery

on Anzac Day 2011. I forwarded on John Luff‟s story and photos to Brendan and he ended up using John‟s

story in his address. Brendan also left a photo of John Luff and his family on the grave with a nice message

written on the back. A week later, Rowley Rayfield (John Luff‟s grandson) pays his first ever visit to

Toronto Ave Cemetery and is completely blown away to find John Luff‟s photo next to the grave with a

message written on the back by Brendan Nelson and also the FFFAIF photo which was still there from the

year before. Rowley got in touch with both Brendan and Chris and Jim Munro and is probably going to join

the FFFAIF. It‟s a small world sometimes!‟

[For photos of the Toronto Ave Cemetery service and to see the photo of John Luff and his family, go to the

website: http://jewaserbij.wo1.be/WO1Detail.aspx?genericid=838 – Ed.]

2011 Annual General Meeting As you have seen, there is considerable information relating to this year‟s AGM enclosed with DIGGER. All

members should have received a copy of the draft Constitution which will be voted on at the AGM. Changes

to NSW legislation requires all associations incorporated in the state to go through this procedure.

The venue for this year‟s AGM will be the freshly opened Australian Infantry Museum just outside

Singleton in the Hunter Valley. A pre-meeting tour of the museum will make your attendance even more

worthwhile. It has always been an excellent museum, but the new building and displays should make it even

better. Please RSVP your attendance at the AGM by the due date. Refer to the enclosures for detailed

information on the weekend. See you there!

SIR WILLIAM GLASGOW [PETER EDGAR] Biography: A most successful AIF General at Gallipoli, he led a charge on Dead Man’s Ridge. He then commanded the 13th Brigade which played a major role in the Villers-Bretonneux counter attack in April 1918.

[406 PAGES] – HARDBACK $45 Normal price

$40 FFFAIF MEMBERS Postage included in Australia Mention your membership when paying for your purchase.

WAR BOOK SHOP 13 Veronica Place, Loftus NSW 2232.

Phone: 02 9542-6771 Fax: 02 9542-6787 Web: www.warbooks.com.au Join our free mail-out for regular book lists: new and second hand

DIGGER 60 Issue 36

Answers to DIGGER Quiz No. 36 1. The 19th Battalion (5th Brigade, 2nd Division) was granted 20 Battle Honours.

2. Ten of these honours can appear on the Regimental Colours.

3. A diamond; brown over green.

4. 4 842 men served in the 19th Battalion in its four years of existence, but it is likely there are some more men who served in the unit

who are not recorded.

5. Of the 4 842 known to have served in the 19th Bn, Australian-born men totalled 3 492 and overseas-born 1 350.

6. The official figures show 37 members of the 19th Battalion were taken prisoner by the enemy.

7. (a) The First AIF went out of existence on 1st April 1921. (b) The war finally ended on 31st August 1923, having officially lasted

seven years and 21 days.

8. Lieutenant Percy Valentine Storkey VC (later Captain). He was born in New Zealand.

9. Storkey won the VC at Hangard Wood, southeast of Villers-Bretonneux, on 7th April 1918.

10. Private 5934 Arthur Malcolm Stace.

IWM Unit History reprints available in Australia at great prices! Member Kim Phillips advises that reprints of Australian WWI unit histories produced by the Imperial War

Museum (London) can now be ordered at attractive prices from the Australian online book store,

www.booktopia.com.au, based in Sydney. Examples given by Kim include: 7th LHR ($40.95); 2

nd LHR

($32.50); 28th Bn ($34.40); 24

th Bn ($61.80); 13

th Bn ($34.40) and 11

th Bn ($75.50). These are facsimiles of

the original books and represent great value for books that are extremely rare and expensive in the first

edition. Kim suggests that you obtain the ISBN for the books from http://www.naval-military-

press.com/imperial-war-museum-books/index3.html and search Booktopia‟s site using that code. Books are

ordered in from overseas once you have placed an order. The Editor found many (perhaps all) Australian

infantry battalion and light horse regiment histories are available – books that he thought he could never

afford, if indeed he could ever find them! See a sample webpage at:

http://www.booktopia.com.au/history/anzac-history/gallipoli-and-our-first-anzacs/cHBB1-p2-l0.html

DIGGER 36 contents

Cover photo: Diggers out of the battle 1 Pte Joseph Skewes, 58th

Bn 34

Trench Talk & contact/membership details 2 95th

Fromelles Commemorative Service, Sydney 35-36

Imperial Reservists from Australia 3-9 Sgt Edwin Reardon, 40th

Bn, at Mont St Quentin 37-38

Dawn Service at Villers-Bretonneux, 2011 10-11 Miss McConaghy and the Provost Corps 39-42

Capt Robert Gordon, 1st Bn Northamptonshires 11 Lieut Henry Renny-Tailyour, RE 42

Naming of the AW Barry Bridge 12-13 Rededicating the Bodangora War Memorial 43-44

Sgt George Long, 5th

FA, at Hill 60, Gallipoli 13 Bodangora‟s Maxim machine gun returns 44-45

L/Sgt Ian MacInnes, 2nd

Bn 14-15 The Thomas brothers (Syd, Perc & Ern) 46-47

17th

Battalion at Munster Alley, 1916 15 Major Southey, RMO 2nd

Bn – humour 47

Ada Maria Hogg – volunteer aid worker 16-18 Mittagong War Memorial (R Pitts) 48

Lieut Stirling McWilliam, 9th

LHR 18 Lieut Maynard of the 17th

Bn at Passchendaele 48

Capt Roy Harrison, 2nd

Bn, at Lone Pine 19-21 The Irvin brothers go to war 49-51

Victor Harbor war trophy 21 Pte Charles Ah Tuck (Tucker), 16th

Bn 51

L/Cpl Richard Pitts DCM, 20th

Bn 22-24 Sgt Arthur Upward, 4th

DAAOC 52-55

Sgt Ormond Collins, 24th

Bn 24 Tpr George Seager, 9th

LHR 55

L/Cpl Francis Yorath, 5th

Bn 25-27 The hands of time (presentation watches) 56-57

33rd

Battalion orders – humour 27 4th

Battery cooks – humour 57

Cpl John Gall, 49th

Bn 28-29 Etched In Stone 58

Identities sought for soldiers (from photos) 29 DIGGER Quiz No. 36 (19th

Battalion) 59

Capt Duncan Mulholland, 1st MG Bn 30-32 Toronto Ave Cemetery service (John Luff) 59

A sad day for the 2nd

Battalion 32 Unit history reprints 60

Gunner Clifford James, 2nd

FAB 33-34 Answers to DIGGER Quiz No. 36 60

fffaif.org.au

DIGGER is printed in Dubbo by the Colour Copy Shop For a top quality printing job at the right price, wherever you live, contact

Aaron McMillan by e-mail: pc@dubsec.com.au

or phone: 02 6884 5577

or visit the Colour Copy Shop website: www.dubsec.com.au