Neglected Australians: Prisoners of War from The
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NEGLECTED AUSTRALIANS: PRISONERS OF WAR FROM THE WESTERN FRONT, 1916 TO 1918 PM Regan A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Arts (Honours) at the University College, University of New South Wales Australian Defence Force Academy 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Declaration v Abstract vi Acknowledgements vii Abbreviations and Glossary viii Introduction 1 Prisoners of war in Australian history 1 POWs in the First World War 2 International Conventions and modern war 4 Chapter 1: Overview 8 The structure of this Study 8 Prisoners in the First World War 10 The First AIF 12 The major battles 14 Varying numbers of prisoners 15 Chapter 2: Capture and its immediate consequences 18 Dilemmas 18 The AIF experience 19 Treatment of the wounded 21 Cull’s story 23 Avoiding capture 24 Misadventure 24 Surrounded 26 Use of the white flag 26 An incident at Fromelles 27 Attitudes to officers 31 After surrender 31 Interrogation 32 Collection of information and results 33 Extracting information 34 Tricks 34 Difficult situations 35 Treatment of German-Australians 35 Aftermath 36 ‘The Black Hole of Lille’ and later 37 The ‘Listening Hotel’ 39 Conclusions 40 i Chapter 3: Food for prisoners 43 Agreements at The Hague 43 Food in wartime Germany 44 Red Cross parcels 45 Officers’ entitlements 46 Immediately after capture 47 Hospitals behind the lines 48 Cull’s experiences 49 Moving further back 51 Working parties behind the lines 52 The aftermath of an accident 53 Journeys 53 ORs’ hospitals in Germany 54 Officers’ hospitals in Germany 57 Officers’ camps 58 Lagers and commandos 60 West’s account 61 The AAMC party 63 Consequences of hunger 63 After the Armistice 63 Weight loss 64 Conclusions 64 Chapter 4: Life in the lagers 67 The impact of captivity 67 Camps in Germany 69 ORs’ lagers 70 Davies’ story 71 Views of senior NCOs 73 Indigenous Australian POWs 73 Officers’ camps 76 Sanders’ story 77 Leisure 79 Bad treatment 79 Conclusions 80 Chapter 5: Work 82 International agreements 82 Germany’s need for labour 83 Working parties behind the German lines 84 A range of experiences 86 Farms 87 Refusal to work 88 NCOs and work 89 Self-promotion and proof of rank 91 Deception and slacking 92 Retaliation 93 ii Unfit for work 93 Work in mines 94 Wulfruth Quarry 96 The turned tide 97 Conclusions 97 Chapter 6: Escapes 101 International agreements 101 Escaping in the First World War 102 The AIF experience 104 Preparations 105 Escapes from behind the lines 107 Unsuccessful escapes, then success 108 Successful escapes 110 Taylor’s peregrinations 112 Unsuccessful attempts 113 Punishment for escapes 115 Recognition 116 Conclusions 117 Chapter 7: Wounded and sick prisoners 120 International agreements 120 Experiences of the AIF 121 Immediately after capture 122 Behind the lines and into Germany 123 Hospitals in Germany 123 Shortages and poor treatment 124 Consequences of poor treatment 126 Good treatment 127 In camps and on commandos 129 Cull’s experiences 130 A professional’s view 132 Accidents 132 Deceiving the Germans 133 The influenza pandemic of 1918/1919 135 Conclusions 136 Chapter 8: Exchange and internment 138 Conventions and agreements 138 The AIF in Holland and Switzerland 139 AIF administration 140 To Aachen or Constance 141 Conditions in Holland 142 The AIF in Holland 143 Conditions in Switzerland 144 The AIF in Switzerland 144 Work and education 146 ii The German-Swiss 147 The influenza pandemic and other illnesses 147 Discipline 148 Cull in Switzerland 149 Conclusions 150 Chapter 9: Returning from captivity 153 After the revolution in Germany 153 Armistice night and later 155 Release 155 Return via Holland 157 Through Switzerland 158 Repatriation postponed 159 Delays 160 In the UK 161 Illness and death 162 The return to Australia 162 After the war 163 Chapter 10: Conclusions 166 Note on Sources and Numbers 176 Appendix 1: AWM 30 Statements 184 Bibliography 187 Examples of AWM 30 Statements 200 Pte T Simpson, 25th Battalion Pte C Beresford, 51st Battalion Pte T Ensor, 16th Bn Capt JE Mott, 48th Bn Accompanying this thesis is a copy of a map indicating where AIF POWs were held in Germany. ii DECLARATION I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW, or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project’s design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged. Patrick Regan v ABSTRACT About 3850 men of the First Australian Imperial Force were captured on the Western Front in France and Belgium between April 1916 and November 1918. They were mentioned only briefly in the volumes of the Official Histories, and have been overlooked in many subsequent works on Australia and the First World War. Material in the Australian War Memorial has been used to address aspects of the experiences of these neglected men, in particular the Statements that some of them completed after their release This thesis will investigate how their experiences ran counter to the narratives of CEW Bean and others, and seeks to give them their place in Australia’s Twentieth Century experience of war. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Studies of this kind attract debts of gratitude to many people and institutions. Associate Professor Robin Prior of HASS at University College, Australian Defence Force Academy, was kind enough to accept me as a student, and was then very patient as supervisor of this Study. Without the assistance of staff at the Research Centre at the Australian War Memorial, it would not have been possible to undertake this Study. Both their resourcefulness and patience were extraordinary. A valued friend, the late Pat Armstrong, set up the Access database that was used to manage the data extracted from the AWM Statements and other records that form the basis of this Study. His patience and interest were greatly appreciated. Both Professor Peter Dennis of ADFA and Arthur Hoyle read the completed draft and made many valuable suggestions. Staff at the National Library of Australia, the State Library of Victoria, the State Library of NSW, Mitchell Reading Room and, particularly, at the Academy Library, ADFA, were always patient and helpful. vii ABBREVIATIONS AND GLOSSARY A/ Acting (i.e. temporary) rank AAMC Australian Army Medical Corps ADB Australian Dictionary of Biography Admin Administrative (as in Administrative HQ AIF, London) AEF American Expeditionary Force AEMM&B Coy Australian Electrical, Mechanical, Mining and Boring Company AFC Australian Flying Corps (RAAF from 1921) AGPS Australian Government Publishing Service AIF (First) Australian Imperial Force (1914 to 1921) AIF Data ‘Australian Imperial Forces 1914-1920’, published by the Military Historical Society of Australia, ACT Branch, 1972 ALTM Australian Light Trench Mortar (battery) AMF Australian Military Forces: militia forces AMR&O Australian Military Regulations and Orders AN&MEF Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (raised in 1914 to capture facilities in German New Guinea) ANU Australian National University ARCS Australian Red Cross Society AROD Australian Railway Operating Division ATC Australian Tunnelling Company att Attached to AWM Australian War Memorial AWRS Australian War Records Section Bar Second/subsequent award of a decoration, eg. MM and Bar Bde Brigade, eg. 1st Brigade: four infantry battalions grouped together, reduced in all but four cases to three in 1918 Bdr Bombardier (Corporal in the Artillery) viii Bean Dr CEW Bean (1879-1968): War Correspondent, Editor of the Official History, wrote six volumes BEF British Expeditionary Force: the Allied force to which the AIF belonged on the Western Front in France and Belgium from 1916 to 1918 Bn Battalion, eg. 1st Battalion BRC British Relief Committee (body within a POW camp) BRCS British Red Cross Society (the Australian Red Cross Society was a part of this body) Bullecourt Battles: 11April 1917, in which many AIF were killed/wounded and captured, and May 1917 Butler Dr AG Butler DSO (1872-1949): Medical officer, editor/author of the Official Medical History Capt Captain CO Commanding Officer (of a unit, eg. 1st Battalion) Col Colonel commando Party of POWs sent from lager to work on a farm, in a factory, mine, etc. comp compiled by Coy Company, eg. A Company, 1st Bn Cpl Corporal CSM Company Sergeant-Major: the senior NCO in a company. The more modern ‘WO II’ has been used. DCM Distinguished Conduct Medal: other than the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry for an OR. Div Division, eg. 1st Division, shown as 1st Div, etc DSO Distinguished Service Order: decoration for middle- ranking officers. Prestigious when awarded to a lieutenant for gallantry in action. DVA (Australian) Department of Veterans’ Affairs Dvr Driver (Private soldier) ed/s editor/edited by eg. for example Engrs Engineers ix ersatz substitute (goods, of all types, in Germany) Fd Amb Field Ambulance Fd Coy Field Company ‘flu Pneumonic influenza: the pandemic in 1918-1919. Also known as ‘Spanish influenza’ or at the time as ‘(la) grippe’. fn footnote Fritz/es German/s. They were also called ‘Boche’ or ‘Bosche’ Fromelles Battle, 19/20 July 1916, in which many AIF were killed/wounded and captured Gen General Gnr Gunner (Private soldier in the Artillery) GOC General Officer Commanding, of a division (eg.