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 33 rd 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
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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 [email protected].
‘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
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 [email protected]. Membership inquiries should be forwarded to
Membership Secretary FFFAIF Inc, PO Box 4208, Oatley West NSW 2223 (Australia) or e-mail to [email protected]. 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.
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
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
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: