Part One – of Affairs Local

Darebin’s Great War

Part One – Of Affairs Local

A Tribute to those from the Darebin District that Fell in the Great War 1914-18

Compiled by Brian Membrey

Our cover illustration shows the Elvins family and friends outside the Grandview Hotel in Alphington. The two servicemen are John Martyn and William Leslie Elvins, the latter serving as a veterinary surgeon with the Australian Army Veterinary Corps as mentioned on Page 30. Their step-mother Emily, pictured in the fur stole, took over the license in 1903 as Emily Junkers, remarrying after the death of her husband to becomes Mrs John Elvins. Emily Elvins passed away in 1933, but the hotel remained in the Elvins and Junkers family until 1978. Courtesy Surviving the Six OÇlock Swill - A History of Darebin's Hotels, Gary Edge, Darebin Heritage

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Contents Introduction

The City of Darebin 1 "Of Matters Local" is the first and companion volume to the In Memoriam database section of The Whalley Brothers at War 7 our history of Darebin's Great War. The Leader Speaks 14 Today's City of Darebin encompasses Preston’s First Contingent 17 Northcote, Preston, Thornbury, Reservoir, Fairfield an Alphington, the latter two districts Women In Uniform 23 added to the original City of Northcote since the Great War. The Professional Men 30 In this, nominally Part One, we look as some of Uniform and Accoutrements 39 the local issues that impacted Northcote and Pay Day 41 Preston including a remarkable series of letters from the local Leader newspaper editors, Universal Military Service 43 Richard and John Whalley who were fortutiously when in Europe when war broke Sports Of All Sorts 44 out and provided the citizens of Darebin with a Those Bloodstained Letters 46 unique (if perhaps little belated) perspective view of the tumultous events. Soldier Songs From Palestine 71 As a balance against the histories of those that Sources Of Our Research 72 paid the ultimate price, Part One includes some pen pictures of others from the district that The First Casualty 81 served – in particular, women that volunteered Casualty Statistics 83 as nurses, plus others from the medical, dental, veterinary and teaching professions. 1914 The Ships 89 In comparion with most suburban newspapers, In Memoriam - A Summary 99 The Leader provided local readers with an excellent coverage of those that were volunteering, those overseas and, sadly, those killed, wounded, missing or a handful of prisoners-of-war. The Leader also printed many, many letters from those serving overseas covering a wide range of adventures from the sights in Colombo and Eygpt and later the Olde Country, the landings at Gallipoli, later battles on the Western Front and many on the conscription debates home in Australia. We have purposely steered away from most of the local issues not related to the war. Most of these are covered in Andrew Lemon;s Northcote – The Other Side of the River, Ian Rule and Brian Carroll's Preston – An Illustrated History, and Harley Forster's Preston – Lands and People – all available via the reference sections of Darebin Libraries. In reality, there were few major issues outside of the War, recruitment campaigning and the Conscription Referendums - the main interest being the plans for the construction of the Fitzroy - Northcote tramway through to East and West Preston.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

The City of Darebin

A Street Tour (1914)

From the Municipal Directory, 1914 NORTHCOTE – Flourishing city on Merri Merri creek with post, telegraph and money order offices and court of sessions. New “Carnegie” public and free lending library (5,200 vols) costing $3,590, maintained by Council. Six hotels, agencies of insurance companies, branches of three banks, two State and four private schools, patent brickworks, twelve churches, savings bank and home of Little Sisters of the Poor. Two bowling greens and cricket grounds. Picturesque views obtained from the hill Railway – Melbourne to Heidelberg via Collingwood passes through Northcote; with stations to Westgarth, 3 3/4 miles, fares 3d. and 2d, close to local cable tramway. Melbourne to Preston and Whittlesea passes midway between St. George's Road and High Street. Stations, viz.: Merri, 4 ½ miles, Northcote, 4 3/4 miles, fares both stations 3d and 2d., Croxton 5¼ miles, fares 3½d. and 2½d., Thornbury 6 miles, fares 4d. and 3d. Tramway – Melbourne Tram Co., two cable lines, fare 3d, by ticket 2d, also section from Johnston Street to Merri Creek, fare 1d. Municipal tramway – Property of Council, from the terminus of Clifton Hill tram line to northern boundary of Northcote, fares (two sections), from City end to Separation Street, or from the Town Hall to terminus, either way 1d., through fare, 2d. Population : 21,167 (26,394, 24.7%) PRESTON - Industrial and horticultural township between the Merri and Darebin creeks, with post and money order office, telegraph station, savings bank, State school, court-house, police stations, police station, eight churches, free library, six hotels, agencies of insurance companies, branch of bank, Bradford and Rechabite halls, fire brigade, brickworks, soap works, pottery, four ham and bacon curing works and six tanneries. Electric light and municipal quarries. Fruits and flowers grown extensively for market. Three public gardens; well-kept bowling green; cricket, football, tennis, rifle and two cycle clubs. Masonic, A.N.A., Rechabite, orange and I.O.O.F. lodges. Reservoir at Preston in connection with Yan Yean metropolitan water supply. Railway – stations at Bell, 5 3/4 miles, fares, 4d. and 3d; Preston, 6 ¼ miles, fares 4½d. and 3½d; Regent, 7 miles, fares 5d. and 4d; and Reservoir 7 3/4 miles, fares 5¼d. and 4½d; also via Fitzroy to Whittlesea. Population : 6,297 (7,901, 25.4%) FAIRFIELD - Improving township with telegraph and money-order office, telephone bureau, State school, three churches, Rechabite hall, branch of bank, hospital, public park, recreation reserve and hotel. Flat tableland, overlying basalt. Railway - 5 miles, fare 3½d and 2d. Population 3,632 (4,985, 37.3%) ALPHINGTON - Horticultural township with State school, three churches, post and telegraph office, branch of bank, police station public hall, tennis club, gasometer, three hotels and public park. Stone crushing works. Rail 5 ¾ miles, fares 5½d and 4½d. Population : 496 (680, 37%) EPPING – Agricultural and dairying district of Darebin creek with post office, two hotels, two State and denominational schools, three churches, public library (over 400 vols), shire hall, police station and cemetery. Railway – 13 miles, fares 11d and 81/2. Population, 605 (not given in 1919). THOMASTOWN – Agricultural township on Epping Road, with State school, two churches, post office and hotel. Railway – 11 miles, fares 9d and 7d. Population, 104 (283, 175%) The figures shown in parentheses are the population as shown in the 1919 directory and the growth percentage. See the table below a more detailed analysis if the comparative figures and growth rates for the two major local government area of today’s Darebin. The directories do not reveal how the population figures were calculated or whether servicemen normally resident in the district but serving overseas were counted. Again the directory did not disclose just who compiled the entries for Victoria;s cities, towns and shires. Given the local entries managed to place Thornbury station as six miles from Melbourne, and the next station up the line, Bell at 5¾ miles (although the fares were the same), we doubt that it may have been the local entities themselves; the latter is correct.

The Home Towns

Northcote Preston 1914 1919 Variation 1914 1919 Variation

Municipal Status City (1) City Shire Shire Acres 2,850 2,850 8,800 8,800 Population 21.167 26,394 24.7% `6,297 7,901 25.5% Dwellings 4,801 6,337 32.0% 1,198 1,757 46.7% Valuation £125,977 £178,637 41.8% £45,202 £63,209 39.8% Rate Revenue £21,390 £38,800 77.7% £8,696 £15,808 81.8% Assessments 8,839 10,044 13.6% 3,896 5.864 47.1%

Population per acre 7.43 9.26 24.7% 0.72 0.90 25.5% Dwellings per acre 1.68 2.22 32.0% 0.14 0.20 46.7% Valuation per acre £44 £63 41.8% £5 £7 39.8%

(1) Originally Town, upgraded by Proclamation to City, 27 May, 1914.

The 1912-13 Rate Revenue passed £20,000 for the first time and automatically enabled Northcote to apply for the upgrade in municipal status. The same level was still in place when Preston was proclaimed a City in 1926. The figures are from the Victorian Municipal Directories of 1914 and 1919. Valuations, rate revenue and number of assessments were based on completed 1912-13 and 1918-19 financial year figures.

Northcote did not include Fairfield or Alphington which were then part of Heidelberg Shire. The area for Preston was in both years was shown as 13 ¾ square miles, converted to acres for the purposes of comparison. What is remarkable is that the growth in the the number of dwellings far outstripped the population growth, perhaps suggesting the latter figures did not in fact include servicemen serving overseas. The increase in the number of Rate Assessments issued by the City of Northcote was substantially below the growth in the number of dwellings, suggesting most of the new construction was on land that had already been subdivided and previously rateable. In Preston, by contrast, the increase in the number of assessments and new dwellings was more or less identical, the buildings being erected as some of the large estate were subdivided. The population of Northcote also increased at around the same rate as Preston, despite the number of dwellings growing by a third less. “Bigger houses” may the obvious answer, but the Shire of Preston in the intervening years introduced a local by-law establishing the minimum size of land that could be used for building purposes, suggesting that many of the new dwellings in Preston were constructed by developers but were left unoccupied when the 1919 directory was compiled.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

And Today

The City of Darebin in the current form is a relatively new entity brought about by the amalgamation of the Cities of Northcote and Preston in June, 1994 (a Shire of Darebin existed some 140 years ago, it was largely to the north of today’s City). For the purpose of this Honour Roll, those districts covered by the Leader that lay within or overlapped the boundaries of the current City of Darebin are included, although some of these were not part of the City of Northcote or the Preston Shire in 1914. Fairfield was a separate Riding in Heidelberg Shire and elected its own representatives, Alphington was part of the Ivanhoe Riding of the same shire. Regardless of the political boundaries, the citizens of both districts gravitated much more towards Northcote, adopting the logical ang geographic division of the Darebin Creek. Certainly in terms of war news, they would have headed for the Northcote Leader which included news and casualties from both areas – their “local”, the Heidelberg Times carried little war news after the initial burst of fighting in the Dardenelles. In 1951, a poll of Fairfield and Alphington ratepayers voted a nearly two-thirds majority in favour of a separate city of Ivanhoe, but the State Government, at the time pressing for larger local government entities ignored the results of the poll. The two suburbs remained as part of Heidelberg until August, 1962, when pressure from ratepayers saw the area come under the control of the City of Northcote as from October of that year, adding 2.2 square miles, 12,342 new residents, 2,614 dwellings (along with substantial numbers of shops, offices and factories) and landmarks in the Yarra Bend Park, the Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital and the Fairlea Women’s Prison. The area became the new South East Ward of the City Of Northcote Alternative district names of Croxton and Westgarth are included, as is Thornbury, but it should be noted that the latter name did not come into popular use until the late 1920s and many addresses shown as Northcote during the war are now regarded as Thornbury. Reservoir did not exist as a defined area, but there are several addresses using the term “Preston Reservoir” or “North Preston”. Reservoir attained the status of a separate postal area (N.19) in 1929, Given the exact boundary of the Shire of Preston at the time is uncertain, Epping and Thomastown are included. Addresses given for servicemen in these areas are usually so vague that they may or may not been within today's perimeters - in reality the number from these districts is very small and do not materially impact the study. Both settlements were part of the Shire of Epping in 1914, but the shire amalgamated with Whittlesea the following year, the new entity assuming the later name. The Leader's reporting of war casualties also extended to Heidelberg, Ivanhoe, Morang, Mernda, Yan Yean and Whittlesea but these have not been included unless the serviceman had a direct connection to the Darebin district - there were probably around 30 deaths from the two districts to the east, perhaps half that from the areas to the north. And having used the term “serviceman”, we apologise to Amy Simpson and Vera O’Grady, the only women from the district included – but the gender neutral “serviceperson” is beyond us and our spell checker!

Guidelines For Inclusion

Just what are the guidelines for inclusion of a serviceman within our database? The sharp-eyed will immediately note “guidelines” rather than “rules” and there have been a number of cases where the decision to include or exclude an entry has been purely arbitrary. In general, entries have been included when the servicemen is known to have been living in the district at the time of embarkation, nominated a next-of-kin as residents of the district, are known to have been domiciled for a significant period, to have been born in the district, or in a few cases, known to have had close political, community or sporting links. Specifically excluded are those where a Death or In Memoriam Notice references a family member other than a parent, or a fiancée living in Darebin, but with no closer association with the district.

Falling Between The Cracks

The various memorials around the district without exception missed many of the men from the area that died in the conflict, as indeed did the Leader in its weekly reporting of casualties. The reason for this, and in part for other servicemen almost certainly missing from our list, is that the Defence Department issued official Casualty Lists with serviceman’s location listed as that of his next- of-kin (there are several examples of Englishmen living in Darebin who were Killed, but Casualty Lists invariably have them listed under "England". The Leader, obviously through some local knowledge and with some prompting from bereaved relatives recognised a few that were listed as from outside the area, but the reality is that some men born, raised or with next-of-kin moving to the area after enlistment may even now still not be known. The other gap is trying to identify those born in the district or who received their education at a local school. The place of birth was a standard question asked upon attestation, but to date the response is not searchable in any of the data sources mentioned. The Official History of the war fortunately listed the place of birth of those mentioned within most of the twelve volumes and that has helped identify a handful of men born locally and then moving elsewhere. Details of where a serviceman was educated was only requested on the circular sent to the next-of-kin of casualties some years after the war. Many of these were marked simply as “state school” with no hint of location, but fortunately the Leader published details of several honour rolls erected by some of the schools in the area. Just how accurate these rolls were is problematical; keeping track of ex-students must have been a hit- or-miss exercise at best, and even the contemporary lists are sometimes wildly inaccurate. One roll for the Helen Street State School published even as late as July, 1920 contains around 215 names and suggests “ * signifies dead ” – there are at least twenty asterisks missing!

Dead, and Sadly Forgotten

The other great unknown is how many servicemen that returned later died as a result of wounds, illnesses or the mental stress of up to four years of brutal fighting under at most times atrocious conditions. Official records include deaths within four months of being demobilised, but even then, many servicemen that died during the influenza epidemic of 1919 were not regarded as casualties of the war despite many of them contracting symptoms while in service.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

A handful of these have been uncovered through post-war notes in the Leader or in Family Notices, but there are undoubtedly many more for whom “peace” and “home” were fleeting concepts. Servicemen when they enlisted were obliged to sign an Attestion Paper confirming they were willingly to serve overseas" for the duration of the War, plus four months ". One estimation from the respected historian, Jonathan King in his volume "The Western Front" suggests that between their release and 1930, around 60,000 returned servicemen died from various causes.

Identifying The Dead

Dead servicemen were primarily identified by their metal identity discs which were engraved with the name, regimental number, regiment or unit, and religion - the latter to allow the rites of burial to be carried out by an appropriate member of the nominated Church. When identity discs could not be found on the body or within the immediate location, identification was based on clothing which was marked with the regimental number and rank. As a final resort, identification marks on a soldier's rifle or other accroutments were examined, but these were regarded as less reliable given that in the heat of battle, servicemen would grab whatever wepons or equipment was on hand if their own was lost or unserviceable. On occasions, a serviceman's pay book might be used, but these were rare given that it was most unusual that these would survive where discs or clothing could not be found or identified. Sadly, despite the best efforts of those assigned to the gruesome task, many graves simply bore a simple cross marker "Unknown Soldier" or "Unknown Officer" when remains could not be identified. And, of course, many that were killed were simply never seen again - literally blown to pieces, or buried during artillery in the mire and mud that characterised much of the fighting on the Western Front. Servicemen killed in action were normally buried on the battlefield or immediately behind the firing line with those remains that could later be located transferred to official burial grounds under the auspices of the Commonwealth Graves Commission. Many of those posted as Missing were those that were never sighted again, killed behind enemy lines, taken prisoner-of-war, or during some of the more furious attacks, simply separated from their comrades and too disoriented or otherwise unable to link back up with their units. The fate of missing servicemen could take several months to determine. Even within our small sample, there are cases of men being officially posted as Missing when in fact through understandable administrative omissions they were under medical care either well behind the lines or repatriated back to England. All "casualty" lists (killed, wounded, ill, missing) were forwarded to the British Expeditionary Forces and then to the War Office in London. Names of those believed to have been Australian were passed to the Australian Infantry Forces Head Quarters in Horseferry Road in London, then cabled to Australia. Records of those listed were checked and any close relatives in England were notified by telegram - however, no English casualty lists of Australians were published until notification was received from Australians showing local authorities ha received and checked the soldier's details. In the cases of those killed, a separate formal letter of regret on behalf of the King was also forwarded to families. Only a small percentage of casualities were posted as "Seriously Wounded". "Seriously" is a very subjective term at any term, but the reality was that in the mud and slush in the field, few that were critically wounded (especially in the stomach or chest) ever survived long enough to make it past a Field Hospital to an Ambulance Train and hence back to a behind-the-lines centre or repatriated back to England.

Just how casualties were reported back to their families in Northcote and Preston (and obviously other suburbs) remains a little unclear : in most cases, this appears to have been by telegram, the Leader simply noting relatives "have been notified", but in the case of some fatalities their local Minister of Religion is suggested as "having conveyed the sad news". From the research to date, the A.I.F. managed to get most of the notifications of casualties correct, but especially poignant was the case of Private John Alber Sanderson The loss of a loved son or husband was tragic enough, but the Army bureaucracy made it doubly so for Sanderson's parents! He was reported as Killed In Action in April, 1916, while serving with the 22nd Infantry and his parents duly informed. It wasn't until December, 1917, that it was is discovered that the casualty was actually John William Sanderson, at one time a Clifton Hill resident, but no relation. Some of the documents in Sanderson's file reflect the confusion, including a couple from the T&G Society in 1916 requesting his death certificate! After learning that their son was in fact still alive, his parents had a little less than three months of peace before they were advised John was for the second, and sadly last time listed as Killed In Action. Even after it became know Sanderson was still alive, his name was also mistakenly included on a roll of casualties taken up at a memorial service at Northcote Park early in January, 1918. The Leader noted the error, "subsequent information showed him to be alive and well'' - just twelve days before he was actually killed. Even after his death, there was more confusion after "Private J. Sanderson of Flinders Street, Thornbury" without checking out the full facts and were forced to publish a clarification the following week specifying it was John, rather than his brother James that had been killed. The news of the death of a husband or son must, of course, been shattering to the folks at home, but perhaps even more traumatic and drawn out were the anxieties of families of servicemen posted as Missing. There are no figures available to suggest how many of these soldiers were later found alive; some were found in hospital, others discovered to be prisoners of war, a few simply a case of mistaken identity, and probably a number who deserted and took their chances of never being detected. Many families of soldiers posted as Missing for an extended period of time conducted their own enquiries by contacting servicemen that had returned wounded, via the Red Cross in London and by writing to men still in the field. The Defence Department in extreme cases forwarded a standard form to families enquirying whether they had further information on a missing soldier. (Given our research has been into those known not to have returned, it is not clear whether the Army authorities ever discovered a missing soldier through information supplied by the family back home). Inquiries as to those who may have been taken prisoner-of-war were directed by the British Red Cross to Germany via their Swiss counterparts (and vice versa) and lists of prisoners were regularly exchanged between the warring parties. In examples noted, the identification of those actually taken prisoner took around six to eight weeks to be communicated back to relatives and loved ones in Australia. On average, this was probably just two or three weeks after similar notification of the soldier being officially posted as Missing - in some cases, even quicker as those captured were allowed to write to relatives even when en route to their new German "home". Despite the slaughter at the Front, some humanity prevailed and there were exchanges of wounded prisoners of war arranged via the respective Red Cross offices.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

The Whalley Brothers at War

The local Leader newspapers were established in 1888, the "La Dichiarzone di Guerra. Preston and Northcote editions being identical except for the front Della Germainia alia page masthead (although there are many examples where page one Russia. L'Italia Proclama la is headed "Northcote Leader", and due to a mishap in typesetting, sua Neutralita. Parigi -I later pages are shown as "Preston Leader" - and other issues vice giornal pubblicano il versa. segmente telegramma de At the outbreak of the war, the papers were published by the Pietroburgo. L’Ambasciator Whalley brothers, (John Stott and Richard James) and local e di Germania, a nome del readers were uniquely fortunate in that firstly, a local paper sua Governo, ha rimesto existed, and secondly in the Whalley's proprietorship. alle 7.30 di sera la None of the neighbouring suburbs of Clifton Hill, Brunswick and dichiarazione di Guerra al Coburg or the inner districts of Collingwood or Fitzroy had a local Ministro degli Esteri". newspaper of the war years that is preserved today in State Library The Whalley brothers first inkling of of Victoria – although, oddly enough, all of them except Coburg the outbreak of War, Rome, had earlier local publications that had fallen by the wayside many 4 August, 1914 years before the outbreak of the Great War. To the east, there was the Heidelberg Times, which purported to cover Ivanhoe, Rosanna and the far- flung villages of the Diamond Valley, but in reality, from around the end of 1915, the Times provided little information of the local serviceman and, in sadder cases, their fate on the Western Front. The Whalley brothers embarked for an extended tour of Europe in May, 1914, of course with no inkling of the dramatic turn of events that saw the world plunged into the most devastating conflict it had ever seen. Being newspapermen through and through, the brothers kept up a steady flow of copy on their travels and adventures, and by the time the news of the declaration of war reached Australia on August 5, 1914, the Leader had already carried several letters describing their time en route and in England, Scotland, Switzerland and northern Italy. With regular air mail still well over a decade away, mail by sea took approximately six weeks to arrive and it wasn't until the edition of Saturday, September 12, 1914 that there was any suggestion from the brothers of the crisis in Europe. In the brother's absence, the Leaer was eited by Mr. Theo. Ford, noted at the time as a long-standing employee (and who, in fact, remained with the newspaper until his retirement in the early 1930s). Ford, from many thousands of miles away, seemed to find it somewhat remarkable that the first of the brothers' correspondence was sent from Switzerland and dated 27 July, but gave no hint of the oncoming hostilities, or in fact any sighting of any military forces despite them travelling though the Alsace-Lorraine region of France. The Leader carried letters from the brothers for many weeks after they left Australia. While the pair were in transit, a weekly edition may have published nothing at all, the following week up to half a page when the brothers landed in Colombo or at Suez and could post off what had caught their attention in their travels. The Leader first pontificated on the war on 8 August and the following edition carried another of the brother’s travelogues :

Travelogues

Kingdom of Kerry (Ireland, June 30) "We went up to Liverpool by the Midland Railway and crossed from there to Dublin by steamer. It is an eight hour's trip across the Irish ea and fortunately we has a smooth passage. We went straight away to the Lakes of Killarney, a distance of 185 miles ... like the Lochs of Scotland and English lakes, they have a beauty all their own and I will to make a comparison between the three world-famed beauty spots" "... when the little jetty at the end of the Upper Lake is reched their is a stop for refreshment and Australians swap opinions and jokes with their fellow tourists from Canada and the States'. The Yankee twang prevails everywhere and the British public can, no doubt, suffer it very well seeing it is accompanied by the distribution of a good many millions of American dollars each year". "N.B. This is a real Irish letter, for it was started in Cork and finished in Dublin". The letter was followed by an editorial note - the reference to “Home” still reflecting the Australian connection to England : "A cablegram came to hand on Saturday from Mr. J. Whalley convoying the message "Safe, Italy". The wire was dated from Home - Ed." The mysterious cablegram started to make more sense a few weeks later, but in the interim, the brothers had an innocent exposure to what many by now believed to be inevitable trouble, although in nothing like the proportions that were to be played out over the next four years.

A Sight To Stir The Blood "Messrs Whalley brothers of Northcote were present at the review of the British fleet at Portsmouth last month, just prior to the outbreak of was. They write that it was "a sight to stir the blood" .... it may be noted that so little was known by the general public of the imminence of war at that moment that the Messrs. Whalley went afterwards to the Continent, on a sight-seeing bent, and a few days later cabled assurances of their safety from Rome, Italy, war having declared in the interim" With the continuing troubles in the Balkans, the British War Office decided on a sail-past of the Fleet at Portsmouth as a reminder that Britannia still ruled the waves, For once, the brothers put their reporter’s instincts to one side and the rest of the article published on August 29 was from an unnamed London newspaper that they had included. A separate column contained a number of other letters as they continued their travels. “We have taken up our position "a little to the south of the Nab End Buoy" to quote the Admiralty programme … looking towards Portsmouth, there appears , as it where, an assemblage of dusky pyramis upon the waters. Dusky hulls rise up and from there comes a dark smoke. This is the great Armada of England, ready to steam forth upon the seas to guardthe East and West and North and South …" "… three yachts lead the host, the Trinity House yacht, the Victoria and Albert with the King’s Majesty aboard, and the golden Royal Standaard flying from the mainmast. Behind comes the Enchantress. On the bridge of the Royal yacht, men with glasses say they see the King and the Prince of Wales standing to witness the passing of the fleet …"

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

"… the battle squadron of cruisers lead the way, ship following ship in single file with lazy smoke drifting from their funnels. Their sides are dense with the white lines of the men’s straw hats, and relieved by the scarlet coats of the marines. The bugles ring out, and as each ship passes the royal yacht, cheer upon cheer sounds shrill across the water …" "… To the cruisers succeed the Dreadnoughts, two abreast, tremendous rulers of the sea, black deck following black deck. All the colour of them is in the flags and ensigns, gay and gallant and flying in the breeze, and in the lines of scarlet marines drawn up in the foreparts of the ship …" "… then an angry humming high in the air and out of the smoke three planes appear and soar above us; then a sudden bang! One of the airplanes has dropped a bomb into the water, a hint of the warfare that is to be". "The Royal yacht gets under way, an airplane rushes at it fiercely, then dips and curves and sinks and rises above the Royal Standard like a dragon drunk with joy. It is away and out of sight in a moment, and the passing of the Fleet is over”. On 12 September, the Leader carried three more letters from the brothers describing their trip across Europe to Rome, including their first exposure to something called a “casino”. The first inkling of the horror about to strike came in a letter from the brothers, then in Rome and dated August 4, the eve of Great Britain’s first involvement.

La Dichiarzone di Guerra (Rome, 4 August)

Grand Hotel de la Minerve, Rome “We came down from Switzerland over and through the Alps on Saturday. It was a wonderful journey through the Simion tunnel, and as soon as we got into Italy, the weather was hot, hotter than we have felt it in Melbourne ...... we visited the Forum of old Imperial Rome this morning. In its very ruins, it is immensely impressive, for enough remains to show what a colossal scale everything was ..." "Among the English and American tourists here - there are over 50 – there is a deal of concern over rumors of war/ We can neither understand the language, nor read the newspapers, and we can learn very little that is definite. We are hoping, of course, that matters, grave as they they appear to be, will soon be settled and so allow us to get peacefully and sakely back to our homes”. “These are some of the big headings in an “extra” just issued – of which I post a copy to Northcote”- "La Dichiarzone di Guerra. Della Germainia alia Russia. L'Italia Proclama la sua Neutralita. Parigi -I giornal pubblicano il segmente telegramma de Pietroburgo. L’Ambasciatore di Germania, a nome del sua Governo, ha rimesto alle 7.30 di sera la dichiarazione di Guerra al Ministro degli Esteri". Perhaps as a reminder of the almost exclusive Anglo-Saxon background of the Australia of the day, the Leader seemingly could not find anyone to translate the two paragraphs (one wonders why the brothers bothered posting the copy back to Northcote) - but, with the aid of an Italian-English dictionary, a rough translation is ... "The Declaration Of War. The Germans to the Russians. Italy proclaims its neutrality. In Paris a journal has published segments of a telegram to Petersburg. The Ambassador of Germany in the name of his Government presented at 7:30 in the evening his declaration of War to the Minister of Foreign Affairs".

The Whalley’s letter continued with one of the great understatements of the entire conflict : “This seems to be something important, and we are just going out to find someone who is not too excited to put some of it into English”. Germany actually declared war on Russia on August 1, some four days before Britain and her Allies became involved. Italy had been allied with Germany and Austria since 1882, but in 1902 secretly signed a pact with France, effectively ending the previous alliance. Italy declared war on Austria in May 1915 and against Germany some 15 months later.

"Rumours of War" (Rome, 6 August 1914) The following week's letter, published 19 September, took backstage as the Leader in a precedent of some hundreds reported on the death of Australia’s first Great War fatality, William George Vincent Williams of 36 Beavers Road, Northcote. Williams was killed while serving in a permanent role with the Navy in a raid on a German wireless station at Rabaul in New Britain. The edition carried other earlier descriptions of pair’s adventures prior to their arrival in Rome, but the last, dated 6 August confirmed their confusion and undoubtedly hundreds of other caught up in travels in Europe … "When you are travelling in a foreign land and only have the chance of seeing newspapers printed in a language you don't understand, you are naturally very ignorant of what is going on in the outside world". "Rumours of war have reached us but we have not taken them very seriously. After dinner tonight, the man in charge of our tour called us together and informed us that the situation was very grave; that in fact France and Germany were at war with one another, and we could not get back to London (as we had intended to do during the next fortnight) through either of these countries”. “The Italian papers, I believe, are full of wild rumours that England has joined in, but of course, we hardly credit that, Fearing that similar rumours may be appearing in Australian papers and that you may be getting alarmed not knowing our whereabouts, I have decided to wire you letting you know we are safe in Italy, a neutral country. I have decided to wire you tomorrow letting you know we are safe in Italy, a neutral country".

The same edition carried several other letters written over the next four or five days, by which time the brothers had realised that there, was, in fact, a war going on …

Rome, 8 August "We have just experienced the first hitch in our tour. According to our programme, we should have gone on to Florence, but at a meeting of our touring party this morning, it was decided, after hearing what the British and American Ambassadors had to say, to remain in Rome for the time being. This of course is due to the war in the north of Europe. Very fortunately, we are in the south of Europe, in Italy, one of the few countries not engaged, or mixed up, in the war. Several of the women, and some of the men of our party seem to be panic-stricken, when, as far as I can see, there is not the least need for it ..." "... though we are just across the Alps from France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria, we cannot hear much of what is going on in those countries. We might as well be at the South Pole so far as getting news is concerned. Have sent a cablegram to Northcote - "Safe, Italy". Sincerely hope you may get it, though the Consul has some doubt about its passing through Malta".

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Rome, 9 August "We are still in Rome and do not know not when we shall get out. The British ambassador advises us to remain here until arrangements are made for our transport back to England. The uncertainty is having a very depressing effect on some of our tourists. All the week the temperature has been blazing hot. European news is very scarce, we got an English paper today, and it was eight days old. Being unable to read the Italian papers or speak the language makes it very awkward". Rome, 10 August "We leave tomorrow for Venice, on route to England, and do not anticipate much difficulty in getting through. We are returning to Australia, as arranged, by the Medina".

Finally readers had some context as to the cablegram printed on 8 August, and despite lengthy accounts of their travels arriving by letter post,, when it came to spending money on a telegraph message, the Whalleys were rather more frugal "Safe. Italy, Whalley". On October 14, the Leader published another two letters after the brothers had "escaped" from Rome and wound their way through Northern Italy, Switzerland, France and finally to London.

Not-So Gay Paree (Paris, August 28) Hotel Anglo-American, Paris There was a gap of some weeks before the next of the Whalley letters were published, the Leader in the interim publishing a report of the escape from Austria of a Preston resident, Matthew Drolz, whose experiences travelling alone and visiting a hostile country were rather more suitable for Hollywood material than the relative comfort of a large touring party in still neutral Italy. This was to be the last edition that carried their letters and the narratives of the return voyage to Paris obviously took on a more sombre tone that the light-hearted spirit of the earlier sight-seeing experiences. "There were many to tell us on leaving Venice that we hadn’t a hope of getting through to Lucerne but we went nevertheless. As we travelled along the tracks of Northern Italy we met trains loaded with Italian soldiers making towards the Austrian frontier ... everybody had to have a passport made out by either the British or American ambassador. We travelled via Geneva so as to escape passing through any German territory. The first hitch was at Berne, the Swiss capital. Here we had to stop to get our passports 'vised' by the French ambassador, a formality that cost us 10 francs apiece ... " "... when we told at the border town of Chiasso that we could go no further that day, we thought that it as just a kind way of telling us the Swiss lines were closed. But there was no need for alarm as there was a train starting for Lucerne at five the next morning and landing us there after a twelve hour journey". Every bridge, every culvert, every tunnel along the whole route was guarded by soldiers which shows even the neutral Swiss are taking the war very seriously ... we found Lucerne full of stranded English and American tourists with "Repatriation Committees" working very hard to get them out. The hope was that "Government trains" would take us away but after waiting a week these seemed no nearer, so on Wednesday the last 16 of the original party including ourselves decided to go independently ... " "... we got as far as Geneva on Thursday and left the next morning at 5:25 for what we thought would be the final stage of our journey to Paris. When we reached the border town of Bellgarde the need for our passports was seen as no one was allowed to pass from the Swiss to the French train without them, a posse of French soldiers with fixed bayonets seeing to that ... "

"… five train loads of soldiers with horses, and guns passed through Amberies while we were there. Further ahead we passed many train loads of soldiers on their way to the front. They all seemed in splendid spirits and the trains were decorated with flags, green branches and bunches of flowers ... it was all very gallant and thrilling, but the next picture we saw was of a very different sort ... " "... it was of a whole train load of wounded soldiers - some stretched out with shattered legs and others with arm or head injured. In some parts of the train there were two tiers of the poor fellows, who I must say, looked very game and smiling ..."

The brothers finally made it to the safety of London, and what was to be their last letter to The Leader despite a break of nearly three weeks before the Medina sailed appeared in the same edition ...

Back On British Soil (24 August)

Kenilworth Hotel, Bloomesbury Street, London "We are in London, back on British soil once again and very glad of it. A mail of about 50 letters and five weeks of newspapers awaited us there and after the famine in Europe, the feast was greatly enjoyed ... we had the issues of the "Leader" to devour from end to end and were awfully tickled with the illustrations in that "letter from home" ... Our return passage is booked for the "Medina" leaving on 19 September..."

The Whalley brothers arrived back at Port Melbourne on October 31, travelling with the prominent Preston identities, Colonel William and Mrs Louisa Braithwaite. The Braithwaites had also toured Europe, but had returned to England a week before the war broke out, leaving Paris on July 29, the day Austro-Hungary declared war on Serbia. They were to lose their only son William junior at the front in 1918, and in an ironic twist, William senior died in England in 1922 when the couple returned to visit their son’s grave.

Escape From Austria

Matthew Drolz, engineer, was Austrian born, and had lived in Bell Street, Preston for over twenty years, but he picked an inopportune time to plan a trip back to Austria to visit family that it was noted hem had not seen for 34 years. During a break in the arrival of letters with the Whalley brother, the Leader carried a lengthy report on Drolz’s trip and subsequent flight from Austria before the frontiers were closed. The report emanated from an interview and was written in the third person :

“... The holiday was rudely disturbed by tidings of Declaration of War between Austria and Serbia on July 28. On the Friday previous (the 24th) train loads of soldiers were despatched to Bosnia, and on the 28th, a proclamation was issued from Vienna under the signatures of the Emperor and Minister of War, calling in the first and second army reserves. Two days later, the third, fourth and fifth reserves were called in. Tidings of war between Russia and Austria, and probably France and Germany then reached Hohenmonthen where Mr. Drolz was staying, and all Austrian men between 20 and 42 were called to the ranks …

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

…Knowing that the war would interfere with his return to Australia, Mr. Drolz bid a hasty farewell to his people and on Sunday, 2 August left Hohenmonthen with the intention of getting to Genoa as quickly as possible. The trains were full of militia and delays frequent. On the stations, proclamations were posted that the railways were not available to civilin personnel, and goods would not be carried as all trains were required for military purposes. Mr. Drolz considers himself fortunate in getting through Austria as leter trains would have been closed to him. Arriving at Pontafel on the Austrian border, the trains went no further and he had to sieze his bags and walk over the Itlian border until the first railway town … On arrival in Genoa, Mr. Drolz went to the steamship agent and enquired re boats for Australia. The agent looked at him and said ‘Don’t you know there’s war?’and stated there would be no boats for three or four months, and said the best thing Mr. Drolz could do was to go back to his people in Austria … … there were 300 or more persons outside the English consulate’s office. Women were weeping and there was a general aspect of hopelessness and despair … Mr. Drolz was now in an awkward situation, he did not know what day Italy woukld declare war, he could not, evidently, get out of that country, and having no Austrian passport, he could not return there with the borders now closed … … thinking that the seamen would most likely know of any sailings from the harbour, Mr. Drolz enquired at restaurants and bars where the sailors mrrt, and late on the second afternoon, he learned that an Italian trading vessel was sailing from Naples to Alexandria the next day at 5 oçlock. He knew Egypt meant safety as he would simply have to wait for a steamer passing through the Suez Canal, but in the limited time, it appeared impossible to travel to Naples in time to catch the boat … … a dash to the station saw Mr. Drolz exhausted but safely seated with two minutes to spare … but delays prevented the train running to schedule, and it was 6 p.m. before Naples was reached. In rushing to the wharf, it was seen boat had (fortunately) also been delayed. Mr drolz was taken on board and within half an hour was sailing for Egypt … …After passing Stromboli, the vessel was stopped by a British warship, but was allowed to continue and reached Alexandria four days later. Mr. Drolz was very thankful to reach Egypt, but he says the memory of the voyage will always be a nightmare to him. The only food was meat and macaroni, and not a choice variety of either. Turks and Greeks on board made the night hideous with barbareous music, amking sleep impossible, even if anyone could have slept on the vermin-infested bags which served for beds … … Port Said was reached by train on the 14th August, and after a few days anxious waiting and watching, the Orient liner Ötway”slowly crept into port and Mr. Drolz thankfully climbed up the gang and three weeks later, and after being stopped en route twice by British warships the steamer touched Fremantle. Melbourne and home was reached on the 12th September, and a very hearty welcome was accorded to Mr. Drolz, who was the recipient of many congratulations of his return”.

Drolz’s 21 year-old son Frank enlisted in October, 1916 (when he was listed as having been born in Preston). He served with No. 4 Squadron of the Australian Flying Corps as a fitter and turner, returning home in April, 1918 after a forearm was shattered bya revolving propeller on an aircraft on which he was working.

The Leader Speaks

Before the Whalley’s letters started to arrive and bring some background to what was actually happening during the first four weeks of confusion in Europe, the Leader was one of many newspapers small and large expressing deep concerns over the crisis in parts of Europe which most Australians had only remotely heard of ...

The European Crisis (August 1) “Again that devil's cauldron, the European question is belching sulphorous fumes and the eyes of the world are turning in that direction … "...the present convulsion, in which Serbia and Austria are primaries, may yet possibly be legalised by the mediation of the Great Powers and every hour's delay in the progress of events affords a chance to chancelleries and people to recover 'poise' and beat back the ape and tiger instincts, which once set free might involve the blotting out of civilisation." "... and, though at last, it has been agreed to regard the Ottoman as a negligible quantity, it is apparently only that the Serbs, Bulgars, Montenegrins, Albanians and other territorial residents might be similarly set up in the place of 'the unspeakable Turk'. "While these little principalities engage in fighting among themselves, the concert of Europe seats itself around the arena, sword-rattling for the lessons of peace, or at least, of non-intervention, upon each other". “... the war obligations of Great Britain and France to Russia, and of Italy to Germany and Austria, are no doubt definitely laid down. These considerations have hitherto acted as restraining forces at momentous periods of international trouble such as the one now evolving". In the meantime every nation is straining itself to prepare for that eventuality which has been Europe's nightmare for the past half-century”.

The World War (August 8) “Five great powers are at war - Germany and Austria against Russia, France and Great Britain. The "burst" has arrived with sstartling suddenness, yet nevertheless we know that the preparations for the event have been the constant aim of the nations during the last quarter of a century. To be in a position to act when "the day" came has been of necessity the doctrine of all European governmentsss, and now "the day" has dawned. The earth may be deluged with blood before "the night" come ..." "it only remains for us to play the part of men, to concentrate upon the task before us, and while defending our own shores, if need be, to the utmost of our powers afford to Great Britain whatever material assistance as possible. Germany has bestridden Europe as a colossus of military efficiency and force, and the fact she has not hesitated, in choosing her own time to throw the gauntlet in the face of Russian, France and Great Britain combined is an impressive evidence of her belief in her own ability and preparedness..." "... Austria can do little to the southward beyond guarding hew own frontiers, because the massed Russian forces on the right and the turbulent peoples below will scarcely be kept in check by any forces Austria can mobilise. The attitude of the third partner of the Triple Alliance, Italy, is in doubt, but from the fact now known that obligations for mutual military assistance are dependent upon a war being a strictly defensive one, there is strong reason to believe Italy may preserve a neutral attitude ..."

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Little Belgium’s Brave Stand (August 15) "The war has furnished the topic of the hour for press, pulpit, platform and pathway in Northcote and Preston this week, as it has done, probably, in every quarter of the civilised globe. The general opinion outside of Germany and Austria is that those two powers named are the cause of the eruption, and will probably have no occasion to glory in the result. The stand made by the Belgians in defending their land against aggression is a matter of surprised rejoicing among the nations, as it has given time for concentration of forces, and imbued to defending soldiers with the confidence of victory".

The Australian Contingent (August 22) "Numbers of the districts young men have volunteered for service in in the Australian contingent and went into training camp at Broadmeadows of Wednesday. The march of the troops through the streets was witnessed by throngs of onlookers... the ordinary street traffic was stopped during the march, and the lad (for many of them were mere youths) were heartily cheered along the whole line of the route ... " "… the empire call has been heard and responded to in the most distant parts. Victoria is sending seven, and New South Wales six thousand of the cream of Australian manhood to take part in the struggle for national existence now being waged on the continental battlefield ..." "… all local troubles and disputes have been here, as elsewher, laid aside in view of the Empire call, and not only our soldiers, but all sections of our industrial forces have cheerfully responded to the impulses of Patriotism. Subscriptions to the Lord Mayor’s Fund are being ungrudgingly forwarded, the women of the community have banded tthemselves into working leagues to supply clothing, etc. for the use of soldiers, ambulance and nursing classes are being established in very direction …”

Soldiers of The King (September 5, 1914) Open Day at Broadmeadows Camp Just a month after war was declared, the first volunteers (including around 40 from Preston and Northcote) had already been in camp at Broadmeadows for over a week and Sunday, August 29 was declared Open Day at the training depot and the Leader was on the spot ...

"... all local troubles and disputes have been here, as elsewhere, laid aside in view of the Empire call, and not only our soldiers, but all sections of our industrial forces have cheerfully responded to the impetus of patriotism. Subscriptions to the Lord Mayor's Fund are being ungrudgingly forwarded, the women of the district have banded themselves into working leagues t supply necessary clothing, etc. for the use of the soldiers; and ambulance and nursing classes are being established in every direction ... " "No holiday camp is that at Broadmeadows where six thousand of Victoria’s young men are daily drilling and becoming inured to the hardships attendant on "the tented field" preparing to sail overseas to help uphold the empire’s flag …”. "Broadmeadows is a typical centre where an Australian protest is being prepared, to be presented presently with rifle and bayonet point; with the pluck and sinew of a people born of the sunshine of the south, whose nostrils have never drawn other than the breath of freedom, whose blood canals contain centuries of pioneering civilisation".

"These men have sprung forward at the empire call, and are now grimly preparing for men's work. Many of them are boys in years and light-heartedness, but the man-mark is upon them as they settle down to the intricacies of drill with oneness of purpose that speaks recognition of a stern time ahead, and a recognition that the shock of battle shall find them, at least, fitted to do their best to uphold everything the British mean when the Union Jack is raised aloft". "On Sunday, this camp was open today to Victorians and the roads leading to Broadmeadows were with white with dust and black with a convoy of all kinds, from motor car to banana truck, while thousands of people travelled by train. Every tent had its quota of friends and relatives and photographers were busy ‘snapping’ groups of soldiers and friends, pictures that may carry strange histories and memories later on. At not a few of the tents were to be seen wives with children in arms, at others, the soldier tossing his little ones in the air in perhaps a final spasm of home-life enjoyment. There was little or no foolish laughter among even the merry groups of boys and girls. for the shadow of war is upon us all. and a realisation of what that means was apparent amongst even the most feather-headed". "Despite the number of visitors, routine work went on as usual, squads of men marched with fixed bayonets to drill guards; others were stationed between the tent lines, confining the general traffic to the main avenues and on all sides, discipline was in full evidence ... The lads are being allowed to visit their home towns (where in the majority of instances they are being publicly farewelled), and later will tranship for England, whither their future will be followed with the utmost interest by the whole Commonwealth”.

On The First Landing After many months of reporting meetings of the Red Cross Society, local men enlisting, and many syndicated columns along the lines of "What Is Wrong With Germany", the Leader finally had something to get its teeth into. There is an old saying in the newspaper trade "Publish And Be Damned" - perhaps in the Leader's case (and it wasn't alone), it was "Publish and Damn The Reality".

"Our lads were disembarked on a strange land, difficult and mountainous, held in force by an enemy with generations of fighting history behind it".

"No sooner was the landing effected than the Turks made a hurricane attack and these fresh recruits from Australia, most of whom had never handled a rifle except by way of sport or at target practice gave such a vigorous account of themselves that the foe was rolled back, beaten, discomfited, leaving thousands of dead and wounded to attest the fighting quality of the khaki-clad men from the Land of the Southern Sun". "The proportion of our losses in the initial onset is very small indeed and while we sympathise with the relatives who have occasion to mourn the loss of loved ones, nevertheless there is the comforting assurance that these precious lives have been placed on Duty’s altar for the upholding of civilisation and all it stands for".

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Preston’s First Contingent

On 4 September, 1914, the Leader published its first list of local men that enlisted, suggesting most of them had been honoured at a function in the Shire Hall after entering camp at Broadmeadows. The exception “… Mr. G. Carson was unable to attend, already having had leave for the purpose of visiting his parents (Rev. Carson, late of Preston), but forwarded a letter in recognition of the honour done him and his comrades”. This was a group of young men typical of many small areas of population; they had trudged off to school together, chosen sides for a “Test match” after the bell went (or Collingwood versus Fitzroy in winter months), courted girls together, in other words, they were all mates. Whether it was a sense of patriotism, the potential adventure of a trip to Europe (although many local commentators believed the war would be over before the Australians arrived) or a rebellion against the humdrum of day-to-day life that prompted the men to enlist we will never know. Or again, perhaps it was because “my mate” had joined up. Certainly none would have any idea of the horror to be unleashed over the next four years; we may not know why they enlisted, but we can reveal what the future was to hold for this small, but typical group of young Australians that were first to take up the colours. (The first list from Northcote was not published until around five weeks later, by then close to 80 volunteers and too large a sample to investigate). Several of the history snapshots refer to “1914 Special Leave”. This was a a special six month leave for servicemen that enlisted in 1914 and had been in service for around four years. Like many of the local servicemen listed below, hundreds of the first volunteers were actually back in Australia on Special Leave when the war ended. Special ANZAC rosettes (right) were given to men returning on this special leave to wear on each sleeve so that members of the Australian public would recognise their previous early service and not accuse able bodied men of shirking service when recruits were still being sought to bolster the badly depleted fighting units of the AIF. The Leader mixed up a few spellings and initials, but the volunteers as listed and in the order presented were : W. C. George William Charles George, single, 257 Plenty Road, Preston. Boot Finisher. He enlisted at 20 years of age and was a younger brother of John George (below), Killed In Action, and Edward Leslie George, who enlisted from Northcote and also died in service. George returned to Australia in August, 1915 suffering from a cardiac irregularity and venereal warts and was discharged in February, 1916. In 1917, he was refused a pension for a new wife Myrtle (then at Regent Street, Preston) and three step- children, Greta, William and Joyce Holden, and himself on the basis of his incapacity to work was not proved. J. George John George, single, 257 Plenty Road. Boot Finisher. He enlisted at 27 years of age and was Killed in Action, 13 July, 1915 after previously being wounded. William and John were workmates at a boot factory in Collingwood, enlisted at the same time, embarked together and were allocated consecutive Service Numbers. Both brothers gave their father as next of kin but did not identify him by name and appeared to be unaware of his whereabouts. A younger brother enlisted in 1916 suggested his father was in Collingwood. But he is later noted as dying in South Melbouurne in 1917. Their mother died in 1906.

Cecil Hendricks Cecil John Hendricks, single, his address shown as c-o Mrs Bryant, Dundas Street, South Preston (his grandmother). Blacksmith. He survived Gallipoli unscathed but was wounded in the thigh near Etaples, France in April, 1918 and returned to Australia, arriving 8 October, 1918. W Chadwick Scores at the end of Day One of the after-school Test match. Us, all out, stumped, the Leader scoring 0. There is no trace of a W. Chadwick enlisting from Victoria. There was a Harry Thomas Chadwick, single, Elizabeth Street, Preston, noted as a Chemist and Clerk who enlisted at 23 years of age in June, 1915, nominating a sister identified only as “Miss H. J”. H Torrens Henry Wilson Torrens, single, Japanner. How or why he was in the Preston contingent is a bit a mystery. He appears to have been an orphan living with an aunt in South Melbourne, but he nominated a cousin, J. T. Hyde in South Street as his next of kin. Given his nominated occupation in the leather trade, it is possible he worked at one of the several tanneries in Preston. He served with the 14th Ambulance Brigade of the Australian Medical Corps and returned to Australia on Special Leave just a few weeks before the German surrender. A brother Edward also enlisted and returned safely. Thomas Brewer The first of a few cases of mistaken identity. He was John Harold Brewer, a 23 year-old Englishman from Cornwall living at 59 Spring Street and nominating his father in England as next of kin. Brewer had been in Australia four years before enlisting. Another leather Japanner. He was Killed In Action at Gallipoli on 8 May, 1915, just over two weeks after the initial landing. His body was never recovered. Bert Miles Another curly one. He seems to be Herbert William Miles, a 24 year-old baker who gave his address as Hodgkinson Street, Clifton Hill with his father in Violet Town (also listed as the serviceman’s place of birth) as next of kin. He actually served in a Field Bakery and embarked for return to Australia on Special Leave in September, 1918. Why he would have been part of the Preston Contingent is unknown. Leslie Dredge Leslie Lawrence Dredge, single, 19 years of 6 Clifton Grove, Preston. Salesman. His family had been in the district since the 1850s and included Joseph Dredge, the Superintedent of the Presbyterian Sunday School when it opened in 1856 and of Dennis Radford Dredge, a long serving secretary of the Shire of Preston. Dredge was wounded in the knee at Gallipoli and spent nearly 12 months recovering in Egypt and then England before returning to Active Service just after the first major Australian offensive on the Western Front in July, 1916. Like a few others who enlisted and embarked in 1914, he returned to Australia in October, 1918 under a Special Leave program, the war ending just a few weeks later. Leslie appears to be a brother of Arthur Dredge below. Will H Dyson William Henry Dyson, 46 Garnet Street. He was unique in the group as he was a 29 year-old widower, giving a brother, Richard in Thornbury as next of kin, later changed to a Mrs Pang of North Carlton after his brother enlisted. He embarked with the rank of Driver, but was promoted progressively to Company Quarter-master Sergeant and was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in an action at Herleville Wood, France in August, 1918. He was another to return to Australia in the spring on 1918 for Special Leave, His brother Richard was Killed In Action is August, 1918 Stanley Gilbert Stanley Harold Gilbert, Driver. Single and 20 years of age when he enlisted from 12 Seymour Street in August, 1914 but he was discharged as medically unfit in October, the reasons not disclosed, although it was noted he was missing the forefinger of his right hand. Following his release he married Myrtle May Missam and was living in Rathdowne Street, North Carlton when he re-enlisted in February, 1917. He was a son (brother Darcy below) of the long-established family that gave Gilbert Road its name, born in Preston and educated South Preston State School.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Archie MacDougall Archibald Robert McDougall, 24 years, single, leather dresser. His next of kin was given as his mother, Annie, in Dundas Street South Preston. An exemplary record saw him embark as a humble gunner but promoted progressively to the rank of Lieutenant, winning the Military Cross along the way. He was also extremely popular amongst his fellow troops, several letters from servicemen published in the Leader noting their pleasure at catching up with him. He was gassed in France in November, 1917 and was repatriated back to Australia in April, 1918. H. Marshall Harold Sydney William Marshall, Bent Street, Northcote, married, 27 years, leather dresser at Braithwaite’s Tannery. Marshall was raised in Preston and attended South Preston State school. He was wounded in the left foot at Gallipoli in May, 1915, the wound classified as slight, but just four days after returning to the front he was again wounded in the left leg. After being repatriated for treatment in England, he was returned to Australia in November and discharged. A regular contributor to the Leader, remarkably, Marshall's archives contain a letter from him which reveals that his father, Robert Alfred Marshall, one of two brothers that were well-known building contractors around the town managed to enlist in July, 1915 when he was 45 years and six months. He served more than three years and reached the rank of Sergeant before being returned in December 1918, senility one of the reasons quoted. C. Smith Albert Charles Smith. 26 years-old, a tanner and single with his parents at 72 Mary Street. He served in the Army Medical Corps and served at Gallipoli until hospitalised in Malta in December, 1915 with nephritis (acute inflammation of the kidneys). He returned to Australia on 1 May, 1916 and discharged around three months later. He was allotted a pension of 15/- per fortnight, cancelled in February, 1917 when he presumably was fully recovered. Din Horwood Edwin George Horwood, single, 329 High Street, Preston. Labourer. “Dinny” Horwood died at home around twelve months after being returned to Australia after being wounded and suffering from gas poisoning in France in July of the previous year. He does not appear in the official list of those that died in the service of his country,but is included on the Preston Cenotaph and his death was recorded in the Leader. Four brothers, Edwin, Robert, Leonard and Vincent enlisted, the family earning the title of "the fighting Horwoods". Robert was Killed In Action on 26/07/1916. M. Flynn Michael Joseph Flinn. Labourer of 144 Bell Street. His first enlistment shows him as alternatively Flinn and Flynn, and as Michael and Michael Joseph. First time round, he “did a runner” on his first leave from camp and was not sighted again and was discharged 10/10/1914. The following January, he re-enlisted as Joseph Flynn, his details identical except his place of birth moved from Colac to Camperdown. He embarked for Egypt, but shortly afterwards was returned to Australia with debilitating rheumatism and was discharged in July, 1916. In May, 1918, Joseph Flynn enlisted for a third time, now born in Geelong and declaring his previous military service and was assigned to the Naval and Military Expeditionary Forces responsible for guarding New Guinea and the islands to the north. He served around four months in Rabaul, but was discharged in October, 1914, the grounds “unlikely to be an efficient soldier”. Flynn died in The Influenza Hospital, South Melbourne on 14 July,1919 and a military headstone was erected in Burwood Cemetery. He was then married, but his wife died two years later. His father James was stationmaster at Preston for about eight years, the family at the time residing in a house in the south-west corner of the Cramer Street reserve, then leased to the Railways Department. W Keartland William, 23 years, Public Servant, 79 Cramer Street, Preston. Son of George Arthur Keartland. Keartland was discharged as medically unfit just 34 days after enlisting. The reasons are not shown in his National Archives, but the Leader reveals that when compulsory Home Service was introduced after the failure of the first referendum on compulsory conscription, Keartland applied for and was granted exemption on the basis that he had tried to enlist five times and was rejected on account of hispoor eyesight.

J.S. Hopkins James Stanley Hopkins, 50 Gladstone Avenue, Croxton. He was a 25 year-old plumber, single and raised in Preston. He served as a Sapper and later Sergeant with and Engineering Company and was awarded the Military Medal and Distinguished Conduct Medal for conspicuous gallantry. He suffered wounds to the head in action in October, 1917 and did not return to the front until July, 1918. He returned to Australia in September, 1918 under the 1914 Special Leave program. George Carson George Robert Carson, The Manse, Mornington. He was the son of long-serving minister at All Saint’s Church, the Rev. George Carson who had been transferred to Mornington a few months earlier. George junior was a 22 year-old bank clerk, two other brothers William and James also enlisted and survived the war. Carson suffered a gunshot wound to the foot just after the Gallipoli landings and served as a pay clerk and baggage guard before re-joining his unit in December. He was wounded again, this time in the abdomen, in July, 1916 and returned to Australia in February, 1917. Carson was educated at South Preston and then Scotch College. C Cameron Claude Harold Cameron, 537 High Street, Preston. He was 29 years old, married and listed as a farmer. 537 was then the corner of Olver Street, and the next property to the north was today’s Preston Hotel. His military career was somewhat bizarre. Cameron suffered gunshot wounds to a shoulder and arm during the Gallipoli landing and was transferred to hospital in England. In April, 1916, he was transferred to the Anzac Police Corps and later the Australian Provost Corps serving the rest of his time in England. He opted to take his 1914 Leave (some 75 days) in England. After the war ended, he was charged with being absent without leave and being in civilian clothing when being arrested. In his defence, he told the Court Martial he had absconded because he was due to return to Australia and did not want to go, that his "wife" lived in England, and that he had served 18 years with various military bodies without ever being charged with an offense. He was sentenced to 28 days Field Punishment, and on 9 October, 1919, he simply disappeared and was officially declared an Illegal Absentee. He was discharged in absentia in April, 1920, forfeiting nearly six months’ pay, all decorations to which he was entitled, plus the right to free return to Australia, leaving the Repatriation Department with a major problem as his real wife Bertha and three children in Australia were fully dependent upon him. Documents in 1923 when Bertha initiated divorce proceedings confirmed he was living with a woman in the U.K. and had told local authorities his wife in Australia was dead. Arthur Dredge Arthur Dredge is a real mystery. He was the 37 year-old brother of Leslie, but there is no record of him enlisting in the A.I.F. until January, 1917. The Leader on April 10, 1915, however, carried a letter from “Ä. Dredge, formerly of the Preston Tannery and now serving with the British Expeditionary Force in France” which in part suggests “I am the only one from Preston in the firing line at present, but there are several boys from Melbourne somewhere here”. Assuming Arthur was the correspondent, he must have paid his way to London to enlist in the B.E.F., but why he would return to Australia and enlist is, as we said, a mystery. Andrew A. Robb No Andrew A Robb enlisted and there is no Andrew Robb from the area. The “Returned” panel on the Preston Cenotaph has an entry for “Ä. J. Robb”, identified as Alexander James Robb, a 30 year-old an Englishman living in May Street with his cousin Mr. J. J. Jeanes. His history was unusual – he enlisted on 17 August , 1915, spent five weeks in camp, and was dischargd on 29 September on medical grounds, only to enlist againa fortnight later. He sailed just six days after being accepted the second time round. Robb reached the rank of Sergeant and opted to take his 1914 Special Leave of 75 days in England. He returned to Australia in June, 1919. Robb listed himself as a bootmaker and he appears to have worked as this while in France. A letter from his cousin notes he was in Australia two years before enlisting.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Darcy Gilbert Brother of Stanley Harold Gilbert (above). Listed as a 28 year-old butcher, single, and living with mother Elizabeth at 12 Seymour Street. Darcy Gilbert’s history is a little bit patchy. He served at Gallipoli, but in September, 1915 was admitted to hospital suffering from dysentery, later attributed to enteric fever. He returned to Australia for what was supposed to be a three months change, but the condition obviously did not improve and after a Medical Board Hearing, he was discharged in September, 1916. He was granted a pension of 31/- per fortnight, reduced to 15/6 from August, 1917. Vin Cashman Vincent Jerry Cashman. Listed as a carrier, Cashman was 22 years of age when he enlisted, single, and gave his mother in Dundas Street as next of kin. A cousin Thomas Vincent Cashman later enlisted, also suggesting Dundas Street, but it is not clear whether this was the same property. He was Killed In Action in September, 1917. Vincent Cashman had spent five years as a volunteer with the Australian Army Medical Corps before he joined up and was assigned to the 2nd Field Ambulance Corps. Other than a couple of short periods in hospital with bronchitis, Cashman survived the war unscathed and returned to Australia on Special Leave in October, 1918. Charlie Aitken John Charles Aitken. He was born and raised in Preston, attending South Preston State School, and the Leader published one or two of his letters to a brother, William living in Preston. He was the oldest of the original contingent at 32 years of age, and was with his wife in Smith Street, North Richmond, his occupation given as tramway employee. He had spent four and a half years in the infantry and another eight years with the Australian Medical Corp prior to enlisting and given the rank of Staff Sergeant, later promoted to Lieutenant, He was awarded the Military Medal in November, 1916 for conspicuous gallantry in bringing men from under fire at Gallipoli. He was downgraded following a Medical Board hearing in June, 1918 which found he had a number of problems including bronchitis, emphysema and arthritis. He spent time in hospital in England before being repatriated back to Australia in August. - Carlton No initial was shown, but the volunteer was William Herbert Carlton, to become the most decorated of the first group with a Military Cross and Bar, and earning promotion from Private to Honorary Lieutenant. He was 25 when he enlisted, his address 59 Spring Street where he lived with his mother, re-married as Mrs Morphett. He was alternately listed as a carpenter and wood machinist, as was his younger brother Ernest who enlisted in January, 1916. William embarked with the 4th Light Horse regiment, but was transferred to the First Anzac Cyclist Corps, a unit charged with the laying of communications lines. He returned to Australia in April, 1919, and his history is unique in the group in that he continued with the Army as a volunteer after the War, serving until 1928 when he was transferred to the Regimental Reserve Officers Register. He was still in Reserve at the outbreak of the Second World War and (at 50 years of age) served with the Home Forces before retiring in 1944. L Conroy Leo Adrian Conroy. Conroy was a 22 year-old State School teacher living with his family at 14 South Street and based at Victoria Park school when he enlisted. He was wounded at Gallipoli on 21 July, 1915, and sent to England. He returned Egypt in December and entered an Officers' Training School before being transported back to England and then the Western Front in May. Conroy was admitted to hospital in England in July, 1916, suffering from severe shell shock and spent over a year serving with a Bayonet Training School and Gymnastic and Physical Culture College before returning to the front line in November, 1917. He was promoted from Corporal to Provost Sergeant in April, 1915. He was Killed In Action at Rainecourt, France on 23 August, 1918, a time when he must have been close to returning to Australia on his 1914 Special Leave. A brother Thomas also enlisted; he was a teacher at South Preston at the time.

On The Average ... Of the 23 that embarked for overseas, four were killed in action and two died of wounds or disease after returning. Six fatalities from 23 to embark is higher than average (around 16%), but probably not significantly so given the group were first to enlist and spent more time on service than most. Seven of the remainder (ignoring Horwood included above as a fatality) returned early because of wounds and illnesses, six returned on the Special Leave granted to those wh0 enlisted in 1914, three, Gilbert (because of a break in service). Robb (leave in England) and Carlton returned in 1919. To the best of our knowledge, Claude Harold Cameron never returned. Of the 23 embarkations, just three, Conroy, Dredge and Carson were employed in what might be called “white collar” occupations (although William Carlton latter became an architect with the Civil Service), the rest tradesmen (with eight tannery or boot manufacturing workers), drivers or labourers. The average for “professional” occupations across Darebin is somewhat higher than this group, perhaps attributable to Northcote being a more settled area and those with better paying jobs a little more reluctant to enlist. Nineteen of those that embarked were single, marginally higher than the national average of about 80% - Cameron’s marital status may have been open to question. The distribution of decorations and promotions is probably about standard. Rank on conclusion of service assumed Private (Infantry or Medical Corps), Sapper (Engineers) or Gunner (Artillery), i.e. the rank of no rank! Military Awards are those other than those issued as standard Service Medals – the 1914-15 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. The summaries for the sake of brevity ignore many minor complaints and ailments, especially several cases of venereal diseases which the A.I.F. regarded as a self-inflicted ailment and servicemen forfeited pay for the time they were off duty. Fuller histories of those that died are included in the companion In Memoriam volumes.

And from Northcote

Given that Northcote was beaming with pride at just being declared a city, it was somewhat remarkable that no such similar list appeared for the early volunteers. Perhaps it was the foresight of the Shire of Preston in organizing a send-off function for the first Preston contingent that allowed the Leader to collate the names of the group. Most of the editions of the Leader after war broke out carried bits and pieces of news of those that had enlisted - whether this was even close to a full list is unlikely, the paper relying on families advising them of their son or sons "joining the colours" - but it seems no one in a position of civic influence ever thought of establishing a register of just who had volunteered. The first attempt that the Leader made at a Northcote "honour roll" was just before the first embarkation in late November; the accuracy and completeness of the list is uncertain, but by then there were over 80 names included, somewhat too many to track their individual fates.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Women In Uniform

The In Memoriam section of our archives includes two women from the district that died as a result of war service (the second, Amy Alice Simpson in fact the last entry to be made). Without exception, the enlistment of local women drew no attention from the Leader (although as we shall see later, there was a practical reason for this). This section outlines the details of around a dozen women from the Darebin area that enlisted, obviously given the times, exclusively as nurses. According to the Australian War Memorial, Australian nurses as part of the Australian Army Medical Corps served in Egypt, Lemnos, England, France, Belgium, Greece, Salonika, Palestine, Mesopotamia and India. In all, 2,139 served with the Australian Army Nursing Service, and 130 with the Queen Alexandra Imperial Military Nursing Service. The latter was the nursing arm of the British Army. There was such a backlog of registered nurses waiting to enlist in the Australian services that in the first twelve months of the War many paid their own passage to England where their experience was welcomed with open arms with the horrendous fighting on the Western Front. The Queen Alexandra option provided somewhat controversial - the local authorities initially refused to recognise the time spent in England by the Australian nurses and until later in the War, those serving in the Queen Alexandra Service were forced to re-enlist and lost any seniority that they had earned overseas. A further 423 nurses served in hospitals in Australia as part of the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS). Perhaps a couple of definitions may be appropriate here. The Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) was formed in 1902 as a volunteer force of nurses who declared their willingness to be called up in times of national emergency. It was substantially different from the later compulsory scheme established for the men - the nurses to be accepted into the Service had to have had three years training, and to have been suitable examined and certified - for the men, it was a system of basic training from scratch. The Australian Army Nursing Corps (AANC) was established as the nursing arm of the Australian Imperial Force and required registered nurses to enlist for overseas service - the same requirements as to experience and qualification applied, with the additional requirement that only single or widowed women between the ages of 20 and 45 were accepted. Resignation was mandatory if the nurse married while serving in the Nursing Corps. No. 2 His Majesty's Australian Hospital Ship (HMAHS) Kanowna made one return trip to England with 14 "probationary" nurses, but Army authorities were unhappy with the trial, although the Medical Officer on board rated the nurses' performance as excellent. For the first eighteen months of the war, all of the nurses who served overseas were taken from the AANS volunteers, but as the requirement for nurses skyrocketed and the original AANS volunteers were taken up, those working in home-based military hospitals were given priority. The AWM has no figures on the number of nurses that died, but other sources place the figure at 21 "on service or soon after repatriation". Given that many nurses served in hospitals or on ships during the influenza epidemic, the figure may well be higher if the likes of Amy Simpson, who never recovered from the impacts of disease before passing away some four years after the war ended are taken into account. The same, of course, is true of servicemen - one estimate suggests that as many servicemen that returned had passed away by 1930 as died during the official conflict.

While isolated from the ravages of the front line, conditions in hospitals were hardly ideal especially during the cholera epidemic in India (believed to have claimed two lives, our local Sister Vera O'Grady, and the Irish-born Sister Kathleen Power, plus two others after their return to Australia) and the influenza epidemic of late 1918 and 1919. The nurses that enlisted were across the board significantly older than the servicemen because of the three year training requirement, an it seems the more mature nurses took precedence when considered for overseas service. Probably half were over the age of 30 and the Darebin group was older still, the average age just a little over 36.5 years of age - the youngest 23, the eldest a little debatable, she was 46 when she enlisted in 1915 and 44 when she re-enlisted two years later after the upper age limit of 45 years was introduced! Because of their training, they were in fact substantially better paid than the average Joe Private - the first nurses embarked overseas in mid-1915 at a base daily rate of 7/10d per day more than half as much again as a humble Private on 5/- (although, unlike the nurse's rate, this was later increased and those in the ranks became the "six bob a day" servicemen). For those with the more senior rank of Sister, the per diem rate was 10/4d, fractionally more than that of a Sergeant in the infantry. There was obviously a shortage of suitable accommodation on transport ships - around half of the Darebin group travelled to Sydney to embark, and there was a similar mix of those that travelled by modified troop transports and commercial shipping, typically Royal Mail Steamers (RMS). Even the latter must have caused some concerns over discipline - one RMS collected around 80 nurses in Sydney and Melbourne, to be joined by around 350 servicemen in Adelaide! What is perhaps surprising (or perhaps not given their relatively mature age), just one of the local group (Amy Simpson) of about eight whose post-war records run through to the 1930s ever married. Nurses that had served in Home Service with the Australian Army Nursing service had to formally enlist to serve overseas. The process appears to have been much the same as for servicemen; an Attestation as to the persons willingness to serve overseas, but there were some subtle differences. Only a few of the nurses appear to have a medical examination, and their physical measurements were only rarely shown (perhaps in Amy Simpson's case, somewhat discreetly, a medical report had her standing 5'3 but weighing 13 stone). Given the nurses were highly trained and experienced in the care of patients, the nurses also embarked for overseas much sooner than their male counterparts. With a long list of volunteers, the women typically embarked within a fortnight of enlisting, hence the Leader perhaps not identifying their departure. There is some circumstantial evidence to suggest that either the recruiting office was thrown open when it was known transport would be available, or alternatively, women who had previously volunteered were advised that they had suddenly been accepted. Some of the embarkations noted in the Nominal Roll have 20 or 30 nurses listed with identical enlistment dates. Probably around half of the servicemen by contrast had some form of military training under the Defence Act of 1909 which came into force on 1 January, 1911 or with the earlier volunteer forces, but in contrast with the "hands on" experience of the nurses, their training (in some cases, little more than marching drills and fundamental advice as to which end of the rifle was the one to stand behind) had little relevance to the realities of war. Most men were stationed in camp for at least six weeks before embarking and with the prospect of another two months training in Egypt or England before they went into action. The other difference was that the standard for servicemen on Attestation was to agree to serve "for the duration of the war plus four months" - the four months does not seem to have applied to nurses, although in practice all of them remained in England until at least March, 1919.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Our list of nurses that served is taken from the embarkation roll "Nurses (July 1915 - Nov 1918)" where there is an obvious link to the Darebin district via the residential address of the nurse or next of kin. Some nurses shipped with the First Reinforcements for the 1 Australian General Hospital (AGH) initially stationed at Heliopolis, Cairo, and the 2 AGH in Alexandr, but none from the district were in their ranks. In the case of the latter, 40 nurses embarked and all were from South Australia or Tasmania, the A.I.F. adopting the same early policy as it did with servicemen, i.e. to keep volunteers from neighbouring residential areas together. This may not be ideal for locating women who may have been born or raise in Darebin, but the only practical approach; some of the potential candidates may have resided at the hospitals where they worked even although they may have had links to the district. The group is listed in roughly the order in which the women enlisted - although we have kept the crème de crème, Matron Edith Cornwell, perhaps the most outstanding nurse of the Great War until last.

Mary Elizabeth Jane Roberts Address : 114 Westgarth Street, Fairfield Next of kin : mother, Mrs Elizabeth Roberts, 114 Westgarth Street, Fairfield Mary Roberts enlisted 12 June, 1915 at age 42 and with some 15 years medical experience as a nurse, sister and theatre sister in both public and private hospitals. She embarked from Melbourne on board RMS Morea, 24 August, 1915 and served in Egypt until December, 1915 when she returned to Australia. She was discharged from the A.I.F. and transferred to the A.M.F and subsequently served (briefly) at 5 Australian General Hospital (AGH) in St. Kilda Road, and later 11 AGH in Caulfield. She transferred in September, 1915 to 14 AGH at Sydney and appears to have served there until the end of the war. Amy Alice Simpson Address : care of Mrs Walker, Patterson Street, Preston Next of kin : Sister in law, Mrs. G. Simpson, Geelong Hospital Amy Simpson was just the second woman and the last entry into the archive, and for all practical purposes, a fluke discovery when another project to match up names on the South Preston State School Honour Roll with their military history revealed an "A. Simpson" on the Roll; this some years later identified as Amy. On later investigation it was discovered that just the last page of 67 in her National Archive file gives a hint of her demise with notification that her husband, Mr Robert Coldingley was issued with a Memorial Scroll and Plaque. She first enlisted on 15 August, 1915, giving her address as care of Mrs Walker, Patterson Street, Preston, although she seems to have been based in Geelong for some years. Amy was a sister of Lieutenant Colonel James William Simpson, one of the highest ranking officers from the district to have been killed in action (see In Memoriam section). The Simpson family were based in Garnet Street, Preston for many years, their father Robert a wheelwright in Plenty Road and a prominent worker in the local temperance movement. Her early history in the nursing services is a little clouded. After enlisting in August 1915 and serving at the 5 Australian General Hospital in St. Kilda Road until April, 1916, and then at Caulfield Military Hospital from December, 1916. She re-enlisted on 21 February, 1917 in order to serve outside of Australia. Her military career was somewhat different than that of most the other local nurses that enlisted in that she appears to have exclusively served on the hospital ship HMAHS Kanowna from 21 March, 1917 and spent most of the next eighteen months serving on the hospital ship ferrying wounded servicemen back to Australia. On what appears to have been her seventh trip back home, Simpson was disembarked at Gibraltar with influenza and pneumonia. She was repatriated back to England and discharged. After spending six weeks in hospital, she was considered fit to travel, embarking January, 1919 for her final return to Australia. She was confined to hospital in Melbourne until late in, her condition described as "breathless on exertion, easily tired, unlikely to improve". Now Mrs Robert George Cordingley, Amy died in a private hospital in Camperdown on 22 October, 1922.

(On voyages back to Australis, HMAHS Kanowna originally carried 12 medical officers and nine nurses; after re-fitting in August, 1917, the nursing configuration was changed to a matron, eight sisters and twelve nurses - the number of medical officers was not revealed).

Gladys Nettska Sumner Address : 255 Clarke Street, Northcote Next of kin : brother, Claude Sumner, 255 Clarke Street, Northcote The London-born Gladys Nettska Sumner, aged 28, enlisted on 6 August, 1916 as a nurse with the Australian Medical Corps and was assigned to the British Indian Service following a request from the Indian Government for assistance in combating a cholera outbreak. She embarked as a Staff Nurse aboard RMS Mooltan on 26 August, spending around 10 months in India, before transferring to Salonika, tending British troops sent to support the Greek government against an advance by Bulgarian forces. She returned to Melbourne in May, 1919. Claude was also English-born, two years younger than Gladys, and a younger brother born in Australia, Roy Gordon Sumner enlisted and died of gas poisoning at the 53rd General Hospital, France on 26 March, 1918. Amy Veda O'Grady Address : North Carlton Next of kin : brother, Rev. James O'Grady, Roman Catholic Presbytery, Clifton Grove, Preston Amy O'Grady was the first of two women connected to the district to die in the service of her country during the War, and the link appears to have been marginal at best. She enlisted on 10/08/1915 at 38 years of age. Her attestation noted both parents were dead and next-of-kin (as noted by the Leader) was her brother, Father James Henry O'Grady of the Roman Catholic Presbytery in Clifton Grove, Preston. Her own address was listed simply as North Carlton. Her application to join the Nursing Service reveals she had 13 years medical experience, her mandatory three years training at the Melbourne General Hospital with later qualifications from the Queen Charlotte Street Hospital in London. She was one of the first batch of 49 Australian nurses sent to Indian at the request of the Indian Colonial Government after an outbreak of cholera. She died in the Sisters Isolation Hospital, Calaba, Bombay after contracting the disease, but no record remains of the period of confinement. One other Australian nurse, the Irish-born Sister Kathleen Power is known to have died in India the following day from the same disease; two others later after being returned to Australia. Elsie Longman Deakin Address : 114 Station Street, Fairfield Next of kin : mother, Mrs Janet Deakin, 114 Station Street, Fairfield Elsie Deakin enlisted on 19 August, 1916 at 35 years of age and embarked a week later with the same group as Gladys Sumner, but with the higher rank of Sister. She served at the Victoria Hospital, Bombay until January of the following year when she was transferred to England and a Military Hospital at Bagfield. In August, 1917, Sister Deakin transferred to the 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital (AAH). Auxiliary Hospitals were for treatment and ongoing recuperation of patients; they did not take in wounded directly, this was the role of a General Hospital. In January, 1918, she was transferred to 25 AGH in France but returned a few weeks later to England and the 1 AAH after suffering a strained foot. She returned to France post-war and served another four months before being returned to Australia for discharge in May, 1919.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Winifred Jeffreys Address : Methodist Parsonage, Regent Street, Preston Next of kin : father, Rev. John A. Jeffreys, Methodist Parsonage, Regent Street, Preston At 26 years of age, Winifred Jeffreys first enlisted on 30 October, 1916 after spending 16 months on local duty with 5 AGH in St. Kilda Road. She was assigned to HMAHS Kanowna and spent around eleven months travelling between Australia and England. She was struck off the ship's strength in October, 1917 and enlisted in the AAMC. On arrival in England in February, 1918, she was assigned to 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield where she remained unti February of the following year when she returned home. She had an elder brother, Leslie Gordon killed during the conflict. Leslie was a professional soldier based in Queensland when he enlisted. In one of the more bizarre cases, the Methodist Church had planned a service to honour eight of their congregation that had died in service with the Rev. Jeffreys to officiate, but he received notice of his son's death just a few hours before the service was to commence and understandably stood down. Another brother, John enlisted and returned safely. There is no indication of Nurse Jeffreys movements after the war - the Rev. Jeffreys was transferred to Clunes via Creswick in February, 1919; receipts for her war medals distributed in 1921 have his signature as witness to their receipt. Her name is included on the Preston Cenotaph and she appears to have been the only women acknowleged on a memorial in the Darebin district. Ruby Emily Olive Wilson Address : Kerrisdale, Victoria Next of kin : Mrs Catherine Wilson, 102 Rossmoyne Street, Northcote Ruby Wilson's address was given as Kerrisdale (on the Goulburn Valley Highway) when she enlisted on 31 October, 1917, with her mother as next of kin in Northcote. She was 31 and had completed her three years at the Melbourne General Hospital. Her time in the military was almost identical to that of Winifred Jeffreys - both had served around 12 months on hospital ships, they embarked at the same time, both were assigned to a AAH at Harefield in England, both returned via SS Lancashire in February, 1919, and, sadly, both lost a brother during the war. The only variation was the Ruby served at the Mont Park Hospital before enlisting. Ruby had a brother Norman Claude who served with the 8th Light Horse in Palestine, but after being wounded at Gallipoli, he spent most of the next two years in hospital with a variety of illnesses; diarrhea, dysentery, conjunctivitis, eczema and blepharitis (severe inflammation of the eyelids). His final admission was to the French Hospital in Damascus on 13 October, 1918 (despite the name, the hospital was briefly under Australian administration when Wilson was admitted). He died five days later, the rather unusual cause given as "malignant malaria". Ernestine Mable Edwards Address : "Hopetoun", James Street, Northcote Next of Kin, father Mr E J Edwards, 67 Grey Street, East Melbourne 32 years of age when she enlisted on 22 August, 1916, Staff Nurse Edwards boarded SS Karoola on 25 April 1917. After disembarking in England some two months later, she proceeded to join the 25 AGH in France, where she served more or less without incident until March, 1919 (the exception a spell in hospital in November, 1917 with severe asthma). She arrived back in Australia in mid-July, 1919, then as Sister Edwards. A letter in her files from an Isobel Arnold in Camberwell (who appears to have been her employer when she enlisted) dated February, 1918 revealed that Edward's father had died, that her only brother was on active service and that she (Arnold) was then administering Nurse Edward's affairs locally. This is all that is revealed by the AWM and National Archives, but she appears to have been awarded the 1914-15 Star for those who saw service in those years; her surviving Attestation suggests she had spent three months with the Australian Army Nursing Corps.

Elsie Lena Fahey Address : 32 Wood Street, Preston Next of kin : father, Mr Stephen Fahey, at 32 Wood Street, Preston Staff Nurse Else Fahey was one of the younger women to enlist at 26 years of age. She had spent her three years in training at Maryborough Hospital, and like Ernestine Edwards appears to have spent some time with the Army Nursing Corps before officially enlisting on 27 April, 1917. The lack of suitable transport meant she had to travel to Sydney to embark on the regular troop carrier HMAT Ulysses - of around 30 nurses that embarked, more than half were from Victoria, and around 80 servicemen were also taken on board. On arrival in England in July, she was attached to the Croydon War Hospital until February, 1918, when she transferred to the 2 AAH and proceeded to France a couple of months later. She served in England with 2 AAH until being repatriated home, arriving 1 August, 1919. Elsie worked at the Caulfield Military Hospital until at least 1921 when she applied for replacement for a lost medal. Her history then takes a quantum leap in time with a letter in 1936 from her in New York thanking Base Depot for supplying her Victory Medal "... no doubt you think I'm rather late claiming it, but being so far away, one is apt to become careless about such things ...". This was followed two years later by a request for official records of her time in the Australian Medical Corps - her address then 647 Madison Avenue, New York; the details required as she was seeking work in the U.S. Eileen Beagley Address : 2 Herbert Street, Northcote Next of kin : father, Mr Richard G Beagley, 2 Herbert Street, Northcote She was another of the batch of Victorians that embarked on 9 April, 1917 aboard HMAT Ulysses in Sydney and like Else Fahey, was also assigned to the Croydon War Hospital until January, 1918 when she was transferred to the 1 AGH in France. The hospital unit appears to have returned to London just a few days later and served there until the end of the war. Details are not clear but she spent around three weeks in hospital prior to leaving England in March, 1919. She had a brother William Charles who enlisted in October and who was in England when the armistice was declared awaiting his return to Australia for the six months Special Leave granted to men who had served four years. Minnie Knight Address : Murray Street, Thornbury Next of kin : sister, Mrs H. A. Hall, Murray Street, Thornbury The English-born Minnie Knight enlisted at 34 years of age on 26 April, 1917. She was another that noted Home Service with the Nursing Corp and like several others, travelled to Sydney to embark on HMAT Ulysses. She had three years training at the Austin Hospital and after landing in England followed a well-trodden path in being assigned to the Croydon War Hospital and from January, 1918 to the 1 AAH. She was one of the last to return after being granted two months leave, possibly to visit relatives in England. She also returned a sister, and was another that did not claim her medals for many years, in her case 1934, suggesting the reason she had not received them earlier was that she had been away when they were delivered. She was still at the Murray Street address at that time.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Thora McLennan Address : care of Mrs Jacobi, 91 Pender Street, Northcote Next of kin : mother, Mrs M McLennan, care of Mrs Jacobi, 91 Pender Street, Northcote Thirty-two years of age when she enlisted, Thora McLennan had completed her three years of training at Nhill Hospital. She embarked for Egypt via RMS Mooltan on 26 June, 1917, and after arrival in Cairo was transferred in August to Salonika where she serves at the 60, 66 and 42 AGHs. Late in May, she was herself admitted into hospital suffering from malaria and she was repatriated back to Australia, arriving 1 September, 1918 with a file note suggesting she would remain unfit for even light duties for at last thee months, although she did not require hospitalisation. There is a brief note on the bottom of her Medical History sheet suggesting she returned to duty in Melbourne on 9 January, 1919, but no further details were forthcoming. Edith Cornwell Address : "Cleadon", Westgarth Street, Northcote Next of kin : brother, Alexander Cornwell, "Cleadon", Westgarth Street, Northcote As Matron Edith Cornwell and at 46 years of age (possibly 48 when she joined a second time), she was the most senior of the women from the district to enlist, both in terms of rank and age. She first enlisted in January, 1915 and embarked from Sydney with the 1 Australian Medical Corps on HMAT Kyarra. Her next of kin was then given as a sister, Mrs H. Norman in Waverley Road, East Malvern, also shown as her own address. For some reason, there nothing remaining other the basic embarkation details to reveal her activities over the next 26 months other than she appears to have served in Egypt before returning to Australia in February, 1916. On 27 April, 1917, she re-enlisted (perhaps a little coy about her age, she was now 44 years), with her brother in Westgarth Street as next of kin and as her own address. This Attestation simply noted her three years mandatory training at the Alfred Hospital, but an alternative form specifically requiring details of earlier medical expericience reveals she had held positions of Sister and Matron for 14 years, had been superintendent of the Royal Women's Hospital and in charge of other private and public hospitals where no surgeon was resident. She was another that embarked in Sydney on HMAT Ulysses, and like several others in the group was first assigned to the Croydon War Hospital and then 1 AAH, although the latter transfer was delayed until February as she spent in Southwell Hospital with an unknown illness. In February, 1917, she became the only woman from the district to receive an official award, the Royal Red Cross (Second Class). She continued as Matron of the 1 AAH until April, 1919 when she embarked to return to Australia, another R.R.C ., this time First Class awarded to her in February. Her contribution to the nursing profession continued for many years - a letter in 1936 requesting replacement of a stolen Returned Serviceman's Badge is on the stationery of the Edith Cavell Trust Fund and reveals that as well as being the incumbent secretary of that fund, she had previously been the founding President of the Returned Australian Nurses Club and also been awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal. The Medal was awarded in 1933 for outstanding services to nursing in both war and peace time and was presented by Lady Isaacs, wife of the Australian Governor General, Sir Isaac Isaacs. The medal was lost in when a robbery took place while she was Matron of the Red Cross Sanatorium at Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains - trunks containing war bonds to the value of £195 and deposit slips for other investments held in various banks in Melbourne, but it was the loss of the Badge that appears to have cause her the most distress. Matron Cornwell died in 1955, a letter from the Imperial War Graves Commission requesting details of her service before her ashes were inserted into a memorial wall.

The Professional Men

The Tooth Fairy

There were also a few men that enlisted as nurses, but from a quick check of the embarkation rolls, none where from the Darebin area. There were many men from Darebin that served in the hospital divisions and with an amazing variety of civilian backgrounds. For example, the first batch of reinforcements for the No. 1 AGH in Egypt left Australia in April, 1915- two medical practioners were included in the fifth group to embark, but were preceded by a labourer, four clerks, three farmers, a Camp Secretary (?), a Presybyterian missionary, a warehouseman, a tailor's assistant, a painter, miner and gas fitter! There were several local qualified medical practitioners that enlisted, and, and although a doctor entering the A.I.F. normally was automatically given the rank of Captain, the first of those served as a humble infantryman. Private Thomas Webster Address : Arthur Street, Fairfield Webster was one of the early casualties at Gallipoli, killed on 28 April, 1915, just three days after the landing. The 36 year old Webster was a fully qualified dentist and had a successful practice in North Fitzroy and later in Queens Parade, Clifton Hill for a number of years before enlisting in the infantry. Given his professional qualifications, his rank as a private in the Medical Corps on the standard rate of just five shillings per day may superficially appear a waste of extensive and specialised training, but in fact, unlike the New Zealander forces, the A.I.F. during the early part of Dardanelles campaign did not have aDental Corps. William Leslie Elvins Address : Grand View Hotel, Heidelberg Road, Fairfield. The first dental unit did not embark for Egypt until July, 1915, nearly three months after Webster's demise, but it did include Elvins, the only other qualified dentist from the area to enlist. He was 32 years of age and gave his next of kin as his wife at the hotel. He was appointed to 1 Australian General Hospital in Alexandra and later transferred with the hospital to England, was soon after arrival was admitted with malaria and severe rheumatism. Elvins was returned to Australia in October, 1916. He had a brother who enlisted, John Martyn Elvins, listed as a manager, also married, and who gave his wife Emily at the hotel as next of kin. His step-mother, also Emily was the long-term licensee of the Grand View (see inside cover).

The Mechanics Unlike the medical corps, the units were almost exclusively made up of qualified dentists or dental mechanics. The egalitarian nature of the corps saw the 32 year old Elvins embark in 1915 as a Private on the standard five bob a day (although he was later appointed Staff Sergeant), but the three non- qualified men from Northcote that later served in the Dental Corps; Harry Moore, 28, of 79 Harold Street, listed as a mechanic (seemingly of the motor engine variety), and two dental mechanics, Ernest Norman Barry, 22, from Wardrop Avenue, and Edwin Norman Greenwood, 25, of Shaftesbury Avenue all embarked as Staff Sergeants at over twice the daily rate!

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Medicos

There were six qualified doctors from the area that enlisted. Unfortunately, the remaining records do not detail exactly where there were practicing prior to joining the A.I.F., nor whether they were in private practice or working within the hospital system of the time. None of the names were noted amongst the handful of local doctors that advertised in the pages of the Leader, but given most of them were fairly young and potentially only a year or two out of medical school, it is probably understandable that would not have had the time or the experience to have established their own practices. Qualified medical practioners were automatically assigned a rank of Captain, and in some senior roles as Major. The standard daily rate for a Captain in the Medical Corps was 22/6 per day. Captain David Moore Embelton Address : 'Éldner', 75 Westgarth Street, Northcote Embelton was 27 years of age when he embarked as a Captain of the 2 Australian General Hospital with the first shipment of troops on 28 November, 1914. He was promoted to Major in November, 1916, and his outstanding service saw him twice Mentioned in Despatches, firstly in November, 1916 and again in April, 1918, before had the honour of being made a member of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E) on 1 January, 1919. At the time he enlisted, he was with his parents Robert and Elizabeth at 'Eldner', 75 Westgarth Street, Northcote. He had a brother (see In Memoriam) who resigned from the Navy Pay Corps to enlist in the A.I.F., but who died in bizarre circumstances after falling from a horse in Epping Road, Preston before he actually joined the colours. Major Charles Halliley Kellaway Address : The Vicarage, Cunningham Street, Northcote Charles was a son of Rev. Alfred Kellaway of the All Saint's Church, Northcote and embarked with the AAMC in December, 1926 at 26 years of age. He was later promoted to Captain and was awarded the Military Cross in April, 1918 after he worked non-stop for over 24 hours treating the wounded of five battalions other than his own. At the time of his enlisting, it was noted he had graduated at Melbourne University "with the highest degrees available in medicine and surgery". After a brief visit home in 1919, he returned to England for four years further study as a prelude to a remarkable career in the medical profession. http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/kellaway-charles-halliley-6910 Like David Embelton, he also suffered the loss of a brother during the war (see "Men of The Cloth" below). Major John Victor Hume Guest Address : Fulham Road, Alphington Guest was 24 when he enlisted as a Captain in May, 1916 and after embarking a month later, he served briefly in Egypt before transferring to England in August. He initially served at the 3 AGH before being assigned to 8 Field Ambulance in France. He was promoted to Major in January, 1918. He remained in France until April, 1919 and studied in London before arriving back in Australia in October. Following the cessation of hostilities, Guest was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the Belgian Government, but unfortunately no details were ever revealed of the background to the honour.

Captain David Dorey Browne Address : 90 Westgarth Street, Northcote Browne was 23 when he enlisted in September, 1916 while working at the Royal Park Clearing Hospital and embarked for England in December. In the interim period he married, his wife initially shown as Mrs Laura M Browne, care of the Nurses' Club, Melboure, later in Westgarth Street. Browne served with the 3 AGH in France, but his appointment terminated in May, 1918 when he listed as suffering from fibrosis of the lung and malnutrition, the report suggesting he had had to give up work as a medical student in 1914 also on account of malnutrition. Despite his health problems, he later served with the AAMC Reserve Corps for many years an re-enlisted in World War 2 with the rank of Major while running a practice in Wangaratta. A son of the same name also served in the 1939-45 War. Captain Donald Greig May Address : 5 Membrey Street, Northcote May enlisted May, 1918 and embarked in July, 1918, arriving in England around ten weeks before the cessation of hostilities. He served briefly in France with various Field Ambulance units, and after returning to England, he spent three months on study leave. In September, 1919, he joined the British Army Medical Corps with the rank of temporary Captain. His time with the British forces is not noted, but there is a record of his application to the War Homes Commission in 1924 for assistance to purchase a house at Barham in New South Wales. William Richard Trembath Address : Station Street, Fairfield Trembath's history was similar to May's - he was 24 and also married, seemingly to a nurse, with his wife shown as Mrs Mary E Trembath, Geelong Hospital, Geelong. Again he did not enlist until July, 1918.He served with the AAMC in England briefly, and then with 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance until July, 1919 when he was discharged for return to Australia. He is noted as having a general practice in Hamilton when medals were distributed in 1924.

Up and Coming While there were dozens of other locals who served in the various hospital and ambulance units, ther were a also handful that worked in lesser medical positions. Two men listed as medical students joined the colours - Private Charles Stanley, 25 years of Merri Street, Northcote served with the 1st Field Ambulance, and Private Hartley Rowland Walker, 20, Cramer Street Preston, who served on various hospital ships before returning to Australia and completing his studies at Melbourne University and establishing a practice in Bell Street. Preston. Private Arthur Irvin Collings, 26, of 10 Gillies street, Fairfield was in civilian life a dentist's assistant who also served with the 1 Field Ambulance, Two other locals enlisted as masseurs, Staff Sergeant Arthur Norman Miller, whose address was simply given as Northcote and who did not embark until March, 1919, and Staff Sergeant David Patience Murray of 52 Bridge Street, Richmond. There were also three deaths of servicemen closely associated with medical families around the district. All three fatalities are detailed more fully in the In Memoriam volumes. Lieutenant Percival Denton Fethers, killed at Bullecourt, France on 3 May, 1917 was the son of a well known Preston identity, Dr Percy Denton Fethers, who was the local Health Officer and involved in a number of local community organisations as well as running a medical practice on the corner of High Street and Murray Road after previously being based in Northcote. Gunner Sydney Donohue was a son of Nurse Kathlee Donohue who ran a private nursing home at 18 High Street, Northcote for many years. Donohue was killed near Vauix, France on 7 April, 1917. The On his enlistment in 1915, the Leader noted "Nurse Donohue of High Street, South Northcote has given up three brothers and a brother-in-law to the war, and is now giving up her only son".

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Following the death of Flight Commander Robert Alexander Little (D.S.O. and Bar, D.S.C., Croix de Guerre with Star), the Leaer noted that he was a brother of "Mrs Dr. Webb" of Northcote. Sylvia Susan Little married James Webb in 1916 - the use of "Dr." purely was through her husband's calling as a physician at 160 High street, although Sylvia Webb had an unique calling of her own, the 1916 Electoral Roll noting her as "playwright".

Horse Sense

Some 330,000 servicemen and women embarked for overseas and (almost) invariably had their names recorded on nominal and embarkation rolls. Sadly, no one recorded the names of around 136,000 horses that were sent overseas, some 39,000 to the A.I.F., and the rest primarily to the Indian Calvary. Generically they were they known as "Walers" - they came from all over Australia, but most of them were bought (at an average of £16, or just over two months' pay for a Private) and loaded in New South Wales. Sadly, quarantine restrictions prevented all but one of the animals from returning to Australia - at the end of the war, the A.I.F had 13,000 surplus horses. Around 11,000 were sold, mostly for the British Army in India, the balance were put down because of age (over 12 years) or infirmity deemed incurable by time spent in a veterinary hospital. The one horse allowed to return was Sandy, a charger ridden at Gallipoli by General William Throsby Bridges, an immensely popular leader who coordinated the formation of the Australian Imperial Force and insisted upon it being an independent entity rather having the local volunteers fragmented across British units. Bridges was severely wounded on 15 May, 1915 and died at sea en route to hospital in Egypt on 18 May. Sandy travelled back to Australia with Bridges' body and followed the gun carriage at his funeral following a memorial service in St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne. Sandy finally returned to Australia at the behest of the then Minister for Defence, Senator and after spending three months in quarantine was sent to pasture at Duntroon Military College in Canberra, an institution largely established through Bridges' efforts. He was humanely put down in 1923 because of increasing debility and blindness. His head and neck were preserved and were on display at the Australian War Memorial for many years - the AWM retains the display, but it is no longer shown to the public because of its age. With so many animals to look after, there was a specialist Army Veterinary Corps. Like the Medical Corps, it consisted of a few specialist veterinary surgeons, plus a rag-tag collection of servicemen from all calls in civilian life. Typical of the odd assortment assigned to the Corps were the three from Northcote - Howard Vernon Devenport, from 40 Raleigh Street (painter), William Dickson, 280 St. George's Road (driver), and Alexander Johnson, 17 Station Grove, (carpenter). All three enlisted in 1914 and being in a relatively comfortable billet behind the lines, all three survived and returned to Australia late in 1918 on Special Leave. Johnson served with the 8th Mobile Veterinary Section, Dickson primarily with a Veterinary Hospital in Calais, and Devenport was attached to various Field Artillery Brigades in charge of horses and mules used to drag guns into position. He seems to have left a broken heart behind, after embarking for his return in October, 1918, his archives contain a letter from a Mademoiselle Laure Sencè some four months later seeking his whereabouts as she had not heard from him for several months (by the time authorities replied in May, Devenport was living in St. Kilda). George Gordon Heslop, Veterinary Surgeon and a a Major in the Army Veterinary Corps was the son of former Shire of Preston Councillor Robert Heslop, who was then living in Wonthaggi. George Heslop was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the Distinguished Service Order. The Heslop family lived in Bell Street between High and Mary Streets, and also had an extensive property to the north of Bundoora Park, father Robert listed as an auctioneer. A brother Robert junior also enlisted with the Royal Flying Corps and was shown as residing at Wonthaggi.

Again there was a serviceman with local credentials that could have contributed to the cause, but whose specialist skills were overlooked. Alexander McKinley was nominally living with his wife at 4 Grosvenor Street, Brighton on enlistment but family had lived in Ross Street, Northcote for many years in the late 19th century. McKinley was a qualified veterinary surgeon but was farming in the Rochester district when he enlisted, He trained at the Duntroon Military College and was killed on 27 September, 1917 at Polygon Wood, Belgium.

Men of the Cloth

Those of strong religious convictions must have suffered a moral dilemma during the war - their commitment to the sanctity of life and goodwill toward fellow humankind on one hand versus a patriotic fervour to serve King and Country on the other. A surprising number of men with close connections to the church enlisted, although only two served as Chaplain with most of the rest as infantrymen. Several paid the ultimate sacrifice, including close relatives of the sons of well-known churchmen of the district. We have already mention the losses of the son of the Rev. John Jeffreys of the Preston Methodist Church and the sister of the Rev. Father James O'Grady of the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, also in Preston. The Rev. William Hodge was the Minister of the Alphington Methodist Church and was prominent in many local welfare and fund-raising groups during the war, as well as bearing the heavy mantle of having to convey the news of the loss of a beloved son or brother to a number of his parishioners in this district. One of his four sons, Cleveland was killed in action at Ginchy, France on 10 July, 1916, some nine days before the vast majority of Australian servicemen first saw action on the Western Front with the attack at Fromelles on 19 July. The Rev. Hodge had two other sons that served: Wilfred (1882), who was severely wounded three days after the first landing at Gallipoli and had been demobilised and returned to Australia due to the effect of the wounds and enteric fever, and Percy (1890), who served as a Sergeant with the New Zealand forces. One of Northcote's best loved and longest serving Ministers, the Rev. Alfred Charles Kellaway of the All Saint's Church, Northcote suffered the loss of his other son, Lieutenant Francis Gerard Kellaway who was killed near Zonnabeke, Belgium on 4 October, 1917. Frank Kellaway enlisted as a Private and was promoted through the ranks to Lieutenant and was awarded the Military Cross in August, 1916. He was studying Law at Melbourne University when he joined the colours. As well as Charles above, there were also two sisters, Kathleen and Gwen, the latter noted as a missionary in India at the time of her father's death in 1930 after 29 years at All Saint's. One other Minister living locally lost a son, but he does not appear to have served in a Church in the district based on the many reports of denominational activities reported by the Leader. Staff Sergeant Alvah Henry Uglow was a son of the Rev. Amos Uglow of 42 Jenkins Street, Northcote and after enlisting as giving his denomination as Methodist, he was killed at Villers Bretonneux, France on 8 September, 1918. Amos Uglow died in Preston in 1924 at 82 years of age, hence it is more than likely he had retired before Alvah enlisted. Walter Benjamin Beaver died of meningitis in the Alfred Hospital on 25 August, 1915, just ten days after enlisting as an infantryman and after having an application to serve as a Chaplain with the Medical Corps turned down. He was listed as a Church of England clergyman and probably in the Footscray or Yarraville district where the family lived after being in Northcote during the 1870s when he was born. His younger brother Frederick later became the Reverend at All Saint's Church, Northcote following the death of the Rev. Arthur Kellaway in 1930.

There were several deaths in action of sons of local residents that were shown in administrative roles with churches, usually as supervisors, but none seem to have held official positions within the church hierarchy.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

The status of one fatality, Private William Arthur "Paddy" O'Brien of 26 Seymour Street, Preston is a little unclear - he nominated himself as a butcher with J. C. Hutton's, but his mother when returning family details post-war declared he was a Methodist Minister (his father Francis was superintendent of the South Methodist Church) - the Leader had a shilling each way, suggesting "when he enlisted, he was a minister in training".

Oddly enough, the three local men who actually embarked as Chaplains were almost unknown around the district at the time they enlisted Chaplain 4th Class Benjamin Orames Address : 20 Kemp Street, Croxton Benjamin Orames was a 39 year old married Salvation Army officer who first embarked in November, 1915 and served briefly at Gallipoli. Following the evacuation, he returned to Australia, but re-embarked just a month later as Chaplain, 4th Class with the Fifth Division. He was promoted to 3rd Class in March, 1918 and appointment was terminated in some four months later; his archives suggest he later served the Salvation Army in Sydney. His service was however recognised in a letter published in the Leader from Colonel Carter, Commander, 5th Pioneer Battalion to Commissioner Hay of the Salvation Army: "I would like to express my appreciation of the great service that Chaplain-Captain Orames has been to this unit. We have designated him Officer-In-Charge, Comforts ... he has established a canteen in our present position and it is quite impossible to overestimate the value of his services". The Leader went on to add that there was a great need to keep up the supply of comforts and the Chaplain's wife at 20 Kemp Street "would be pleased to hear from anyone who could in any way contribute". Captain Norman Francis Hoare Address : Catholic Presbyery, Westbourne Grove, Northcote The 26 year old Roman Catholic priest Norman Francis Hoare first embarked in November, 1916 with the rank of Captain, even although was sub-classified as Chaplain, 4th Class. He appears to have been a recent arrival in the district; there are alternate attestation papers, one with his address as St. Patrick's in Eastern Hill, others as the Catholic Presbytery in Westbourne Grove, Northcote, the address shown on the embarkation roll. He also returned briefly to Australia, in his case in May, 1917 before re-embarking in August. After spending time in hospital with influenza immediately following the Armistice, he continued serving in England and France until November, 1919. Private Joseph McIlroy Address : St David Street, Thornbury McIlroy was just 24 years old when he enlisted, then based (although only for at most for a couple of years) at the Thornbury Methodist Church. He enlisted as a Private with the 14 AGH after serving as a Private at the Base Hospital in St Kilda Road A few months after arriving in England , McIlroy suffered a severe back injury in what seems a rather bizarre incident for a man of the cloth "while engaged in bomb throwing practice". He was in and out out hospital several times as a result, and was ultimately returned to Australia in February, 1917 and discharged a month later with a pension. His background is unclear from this point - although he was discharged as a Private, in August he was shown as Captain Chaplain McIlroy of the Methodist Institute at the Broadmeadows Camp. He was still listed as as that when he and other local churchmen organised a Memorial Service early in 1918, where perhaps for the first time the real impact of the war was recorded with nearly 200 names from Northcote alone listed as having died in service - McIlroy adding that he knew many of them from his time in England.

Civic Leaders

Northcote took great pride in being declared a City just a few months before war broke out. Preston was to carry on a Shire until a rapid burst of growth saw the area upgraded to a Bourough in 1922, and then a Town and City within a few months of each other in 1916. Our civic fathers were to pay a high price in the loss of sons during the conflict, perhaps surprisingly more so in Preston than Northcote. Private Claude Membrey of Merri Street, Northcote, killed at Pozieres, France, 18 August, 1916, was the eldest son of The Hon. James George Membrey, the local M.L.A. and a Government Minister for many years after being appointed to Cabinet in July 1914. James Membrey amongst many other roles was Chairman of the State War Council for the duration of the war and spent much of his later political life championing the campaign for recruitment despite the loss of his eldest son. Claude was the Municipal Clerk at Northcote Town Hall but resigned to take up a similar position with the Shire of Heidelberg not long before he enlisted. Private Reginald Norton Swift, Prospect Grove, Northcote was a son of the long-serving Northcote Town Clerk, and later author of the first history of Northcote, William George Swift. Swift died from a fractured skull and burns after a shell explosion on April 17, 1917. He had been educated at King's College, Clifton Hill and the Burbley Agricultural College before enlisting and was employed as an orchardist. Driver Talbot Preston Robertson, who died of wounds at Etaples, France on 7 October, 1917 was a son of three-time Shire of Preston President, Cr. Albert George Robertson. Driver Robertson had been in action for less than amonth before he suffered gunshot wounds and a compound fracture of the right leg, dying six days later. By coincidence, Robertson senior, also a prominent estate agent, retired from local politics after a career of over twenty years just a few weeks before his son was Killed In Action. Captain William McCarthy Braithwaite, Military Cross, was the only son of Colonel William Braithwaite, for many years a stalwart of the Victorian Mounted Rifles volunteers, Shire of Preston Councillor and Shire President 1913-14. The Melbourne University-educated Braithwaite, manager of his father's tannery when he enlisted was killed at St. Quentin, France on 3 October, 1918. Ironically, Braithwaite senior died in England in August, 1922 while on he and his wife Louisa were on trip to visit their son's grave. He had visited the grave previously, but Louisa had been too distraught to make the earlier trip. Lance Sergeant George Frederick Howe of 12 Hotham Street, Preston was a son of long- serving Shire of Preston Councillor, and President (1910-11), James Peter Howe. George Howe died of wounds at Messines, France on 28 May, 1917. Howe senior died in Northcote just five weeks after the death of his son and possibly unaware of George's demise. He was a co-founder of Howe Leather in High Street, Preston and was a Member of the Legislative Assembly in New South Wales before the family moved to Victoria. Major Harold Charles Howden was a son of Charles Alexander Howden, Shire of Preston Councillor for the Central Riding for many years and a successful real estate agent in High Street before removing the business to Collins Street, Melbourne. Howden was an exemplary serviceman, enlisting as a humble Private and promoted through the ranks to Major, along the way being awarded the Military Cross and Bar for bravery before dying of wounds at Steenwerck, France on 5 July, 1917. His death attracted more attention in the Leader than any other, almost a full column of tributes. Private Robert Thomas Johnson was killed in action on 4 September 1918 near Peronne, France. He was a son of Benjamin Easter Johnson, who as well as establishing Northcote's largest bakery in the 1890s also served as a Councillor from 1910 to his death in 1939, including two stints as Mayor in 1912-13 and again in 1928-29. Robert was educated at Wesley College and a brother George served in the Australian Flying Corps. Corporal William Fennell Bray was a son of the hall keeper and caretaker at Northcote Town Hall, Charles Swinton Bray. Corporal Bray was killed at Bapaume, France on 20 March, 1917. A cousin, Albert Victor Bray's career and ultimate death at Flers, France on 9 November, 1917 were also reported by the Leader.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

As Assistant Shire Secretary at Preston, Alan Neill McEachen was actively involved in recruitment of volunteers during the first 12 months or so of the war. His enlistment of 27 years of age in June, 1916 prompted the Preston Shire to pass a resolution that the Council would make up the difference in wages between what employees would have earned in their peacetime jobs and their army pay. Private McEachen was killed at Harnel, France on 6 July, 1918. He came from a British military background - his father served in the New Zealand Maori wars and his uncle in the Crimean War and Indian Mutinies. McEachen appears to have been the only municipal employee of either Northcote of Preston who died in service - one other, Private Percival John Aldous was noted as a gripman with the Northcote Tramways, then run by the Northcote City Council, but he was working as a sawmiller in Gippsland when he enlisted.

Teacher's Pet

There were three or four honour rolls compiled by local schools that identified several hundred former students that enlisted in the service of their country and in sadly too many cases gave their lives as a result. In this section, we outline the backgrounds of those employed by the Education Department that, firstly, gave their lives, and secondly, are known to have enlisted, As well as the normal sources, for much of the information in this section we must acknowledge a remarkable publication issued by the Victorian Educational Department, "A Record of War Service 1914-1918". Sergeant Leo Adrian Conroy Address : 14 South Street, Preston Conroy was a teacher at Victoria Park State School when he enlisted with the first batch of Preston men to enter camp. He was wounded at Gallipoli and again in France before being killed near Peronne, France on 23 August, 1918 when he would have been entitled to his 1914 Special Leave. Leo Conroy was immensely popular with both his fellow staff and students, a number of In Memoriam notices appearing over the year or two after his death from both the teaching staff at Victoria Park and from students that he had taught at the school. A brother, Thomas Francis was also enlisted as a schoolteacher, in his case at South Preston. Lance Sergeant Frank Jubilee Olle Address : Albert Park Olle was wounded in the knee at Gallipoli on 30 April, 1915 and transferred to hospital inCairo where he died from infection of the wound on 31 May. Olle was teaching at the Montague Street State School in South Melbourne on enlistment after spending several years at South Preston State School, where he was included on their 1919 Honour Roll. His name was also included on a list of Preston's dead at a memorial service in April, 1918, but he was not included on the Cenotaph. Lieutenant Edward Henry Richardson Address "Worthing", 155 Clarke Street, Northcote Richardson was just 22 when he was killed on 22/06/1918 at Mericourt, France, but he had packed plenty into a short life. After completing State School, he attended at the University High School. On completing his course, Richardson spent three years in the Australian Navy and was one of the crew of H.M.A.S. Australia when she first came out to this country. He left the service when his time expired in March, 1914, joined the Education Department, and taught as a junior teacher at school 1401, Helen Street, Northcote until he enlisted in June. 1915. After serving as a Corporal at Gallipoli, he was promoted through the ranks to Lieutenant in France. Richardson was the son of Mr. F. G. Richardson, A.C.P.A., Public Accountant, of Norwich Union Chambers, Queen Street, Melbourne.

William John Bartley had been head master at Northcote State School for several years before transferring to Box Hill in 1921. His married son, Second Lieutenant Thomas James Bartley enlisted in Queensland shortly after moving fron Northcote. Thomas Bartley was killed at Messines, France on 10 June, 1917. A brother John, also a schoolteacher, served with the Army Medical Corps was shown on the South Preston Honour Board, suggesting the family grew up in the district. Private Leslie Fairbairn Sangster of 20 Railway Place, Fairfield was killed on 18 August, 1918 at Harbonnieres, Frances. He had been a star pupil at the King Street, West Melbourne State School, winning two "Percy Walker" scholarships valued at £7 each and being dux of the school at age 13. He later studied with distinction at Melbourne High School and then Teacher's Training College at just 16 years of. He was awarded a Diploma of Education, specialising in Arts. He taught Science at Hamilton High School at 19 years of age and after one year was transferred to Stawell High School, but he enlisted prior to taking up the new position.

As with the other professions, there were others in the educational field that suffered from the loss of close relatives, although the serviceman himself may not have been directly connected to the Darebin area. Private Francis Henry Sebire, killed at Flers, France on 20 November, 1917 was the husband of Flora Margaret Sebire, a teacher at the South Preston State School, and a nephew of James Sebire, who lived in Alphington and who had been the head-master of the Alphington State School for several years. Francis Sebire himself was also a teacher at the small country town of Taggerty near Eildon. James Sebire in 1918 transferred from Alphington to become head-master at South Preston, where one of first tasks was organising an Honour Roll of over 250 ex-students and teachers that served and unveiled in a ceremony over which he presided in July, 1919. (The school was also largely rebuilt a year later).

There was a strong tradition in the Sebire clan (and still is as a web search on "sebire university" will reveal) - Francis's father, John was head teacher of the Flinders School in Geelong when his son was killed. Lieutenant Robert John Leslie Kerr, killed on 23 April, 1918 at Villers Bretonneux, France enlisted while a public servant with the Forestry Department, but he had previously worked as a teacher, firstly at Victoria Park and then at Armadale. Kerr was the eldest son of Robert Kerr (senior), the assistant head teacher at the Prince of Wales State School in Thornbury. Signaller Lionel Asher Heffernan was killed at Merricourt, France of 6 April, 1918. He enlisted in May, 1916, as a single man and giving his occupation as farming and next of kin his re-married mother Mrs Sarah Beagley of Dundas Street, Thornbury but was released at his own request. He re-enlisted in November, now married with a wife in Dundas Place, Thornbury and listing himself as a school teacher. Education Department records confirm he was a teacher, but not reveal at which school. Hiss death was never reported in the Leader, but he does appear on the Preston Cenotaph.

There are two other casualties with less direct or older connections to the district and the Education Department list in the In Memoriam volumes, in brief, they include: Private Frederick Thomas Hills, a schoolteacher at Glenlee, was born at Northcote in June, 1895 when his father Richard was teaching at the Northcote State School in Helen Street. Corporal George Thomas Jones was teaching at Rostron via St Arnaud when he enlisted. He does not appear to have ever lived in the district, his next of kin his father in Port Melbourne, but research on a death notice reveals his parents were separated, his estranged mother at 128 Flinders Street, Northcote.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Uniform and Accoutrements

In April, 2005, The Herald Sun published a special feature commemorating the 90th anniversary of the landings at Gallipoli Part of the features were illistrations of both Australian and Turkish infantrymen with a description of the addition kit that they carried.

Australian Infantryman (from top down)

1. Hat : depending on the man's unit, either a flat peaked cap or rabbit fur/felt slouch hat. On active service, a woollen band was worn. The side of the hat was clipped with the A.I.F. rising sun badge. 2. Undershirt : greyback cotton beneath vest. 3. Tunic : Olive/khaki wool, a larger cut than that worn by British trrops. Two big front pockets, normally used for carrying grenades. Two breat pockets, no side pockets. In-belt fabric belt with adjustable buckle. Leather or blackened brass buttons with Commonwealth symbol 4. Lapels : Blackened, non-reflective brass. Rising Sun badge stamped ith Australian Commonwealth Military Forces. 5. Epilettes : semi-circular Australia shoulder title of brass and oxidised bronze. 6. Webbing : British 1908 patter of cotton to prevent stretching. Eight to ten ammunition pouches each containing two clips of four .303 cartridges. Extra ammunition was carried as a bandolier. 7. Trench tool: wooden handle and steel blade kept separate 8. Flat entrenching tool : a flat pick and shovel head carried in a bag hanging frob webbing 9. Bayonet : 17 inch stainless steel sword with hooked crossguard (discarded later in the war) 10. Canteen : 1.1 lite blue enamel with rubber stopper 11. Mess tin : folding handle, often carried on the back 12. Blanket : wool, grey, rolled up over pack 13. Calico bag : white, with two days rations of bully beef and biscuits. Servicemen often stained them with tea to make them less of a target for the Turks. 14. Kindling : a small bundle brought from Egypy to facilitate lighting of fires on barren surface 15. Backpack : the home away from home. Made of cotton, it contained a greatcoat, spare shirt, socks and underwear, and personal items including a diary, shaving kit, utensils, knife, flat cap, "housewife" (a rolled up pack containing needles, thread, spare buttons and bootlaces, etc.) and comforter (a knitted woollen balaclava) 16. Breeches : khaki or grey corduroy. The Light Horse version were a looser fit than the infantryman's. Two slash pockets. 17. Puttees : a two to three metre strip wound around the ankles and calves. Of little practical purposes except for decoration and possible use as an emergency bandage, their disadvantage was that they shrank when wet 18. Boots : brown leather, Australian Army patent. Studded leather soles for grip on rocky surfaces. 19. Rifle : Lee Enfield .303 calibre. Heavy, but reliable. The whole kit and caboodle that the serviceman had to carry while dodging enemay bullets and hopefully firing off a shot or two himself was around 60 pounds, roughly half the weight of the average jockey at Flemington at the time.

Turkish Infantryman

For the urkish infantryman, (often of conscripted local peasants), the uniforms themselves were usually rarments of rough wool. Several pieces of the additional equipment were supplied by the Germans to their Turkish allies. 1. Headgear : a folded, coarse woollen cap that fitted down the ears 2. Pack : German supplied with large cow-hide cover, carrying rations, usualy locally grown rice or grain, but no meat. 3. Blanket : Coarse wool, Turkish made. 4. Mess tin : of German design, grey metal of 13 pieces with the bottom half used as a billy 5. Canteen : again of German design, aluminium with a corduroy cover, plastic cup and cap 6. Tunic : coarse woll, grey-green, No pockets. 7. Webbing : leather with six German-patented ammunition pouches each containin four clips of four of five cartridges 8. Entrenching tool : full shovel with handle, hanging from belt 9. Bayonet : standard German Mauset steel, up to 20 inches with hooked crossguard 10. Knife : in straight leather scabbard 11. Trousers : wool, grey/green. Fine wool for officers, much coarser for soldiers. In both cases strengthened with leather knee patches 12. Puttees : of the same style and of as much help or hindrance as the Australian version 13. Boots : for officers, non-standard leather, for infantry, pointed, curved leather slip-on or sandal 14. Rifle : German Mauser, manufactured I Germany or under license in Turket. Lighter and more accurate than the Australian's .303, but not as sturdy until battle field conditions.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Pay Day

For most of the War, the standard pay rates were :

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) A.I.F. Private, Gunner, Sapper 5/- 5/- 4/- 1/- 1/- Lance-Corporal 5/- 5/- 4/- 1/- 1/- Driver 6/- 6/- 3/- 3/- 1/- Lieutenant-Colonel 37/6 30/- 22/6 7/7 7/6 Major 30/- 25/- 20/- 5/- 5/- Captain 22/6 19/- 12/6 6/6 3/6 Captain (Medical Officer) 22/6 19/- 15/- 4/- 3/6 Lieutenant 15/- 14/6 12/- 2/6 3/- Sergeant 10/- 8/6 7/- 1/6 2/- Warrant Officer (R.S.M) 12/- 10/6 8/- 2/6 2/6 Corporal 9/- 8/6 6/- 2/6 1/6 Colonel 45/- 37/- 37/6 8/- Australian Flying Corps Private, Mechanic 8/- 7/- 5/0 2/- 1/- Captain 22/6 22/6 15/- 7/- - Lieutenant 15/- 14/6 9/- 5/6 3/- Lieutenant (Aviator) 15/- 13/6 9/- 4/6 3/- Sergeant 10/6 9/6 7/- 2/6 2/-

Legend: (a) Rate per day prior to embarkation (b) Rate per day after embarkation (c ) Rate per day allocated in Australia (this was an optional amount allocated to any person, usually the next of kin in Australia. Most embarking as Privates allocated 4/-, others however 3/-), thus ... (d) Net rate per day retained by the serviceman (e) Deferred daily pay after embarkation. This could only be collected on satisfactory completion of service with the A.I.F. or, in the event of death paid to the next of kin.

Australian servicemen are generally regarded as being the highest paid of those that fought during the Great War, earning from British troops the somewhat derogatory nickname of "Six-Bob a Day Soldiers". (The British "Tommies" or Privates were paid just a shilling a day, but it is not clear whether additional payments were made to next of kin). Of course, a comparison based on straight pay rate given the servicemen were accommodated, fed and clothed by the Army (albeit of a quality that could perhaps best be described as "variable") may not be totally realistic, but by comparison, the Shire of Preston in January, 1919, agreed to a pay rise for its labourers, up eight-pence per day to 10/8 (cartage labourers 14/2 if supplying horse, dray and harness). The basic wage for unskilled labourers when war broke out was 8/6 per day based on an estimated cost of living. By 1918, it was estimated that the cost of living had increased by 12% despite a number of price fixing mechanisms being introduced; the basic wage in turn rose by just 8%.

Despite an unparalled wave of national patriotism, 1917 (along with 1919) was one of the worst on record, with an estimated 4.6 million days lost through industrial action, nearly a third more that 1914- 16 combined. Fortunately the impact on the Darebin area was minimal - most of the problems where in the railways and coal mining industries of New South Wales which then produced 70% of Australia's coal, but it did not stop a few of thelocal servicemen putting their views on the strikers in letters to the Leader! Both in the Leader and in broader terms, there were a number of debates as to the future careers of returning servicemen - both Northcote and Preston councils agreed to make the positions that they had occupied prior to enlisting available to returned servicemen. However, it was noted that the Northcote Council, who operate the cable tramway from Clifton Hill to Dundas Street had passéd the resoponsibility for hiring employees directly to the manager and refused to intervene when a returned serviceman was dismissed after being unable to furnish a doctor's certificate after an operation. This did of course represent a very small minority of the those that volunteered and many that worked as labourers and tanners and in the boot factories of Collingwood and Fitzroy had no immediate prospect of returning to their original jobs after serving in the A.I.F. Certainly one of the more controversial debates in Preston Council was over the dismissal of a long- time employee, Knud Schou. A resident and ratepayer of Preston for over 30 years and despite there being no apparent reason to doubt his loyalty to Australia, Schou was classified as an alien as Germany had for several years occupied Holstein, the province of Denmark from which he emigrated to Australia. His 28 year son, Elias, born in Preston had already enlisted and was serving in France at the time of the decision, largely pushed by Col. William Braithwaite. The family suffered a double blow post-war with the deaths of two of Elais's brothers, Johannes at 19 years late in 1918, and Christian in 1919 at 27, possibly as a resullt of the influenza epidemic.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Universal Military Service

Many of the local servicemen that listed had at least some fundemental military training under what was known as the Universal Military Service scheme before they went into camp. The Defence Acts of 1903 and 1904 gave the new Federal Government the power to call up unexempted men in time of war, however, there were concerns that the level of fighting capability in Australai was well below what would be required in the event of an (unknown) enemy attacked. Following a visit to Australia at the invitation of the Government, Field Marshall Viscount Kitchener of Great Britain prepared an extensive report on the state of defence readiness of the recently formed Commonwealth and recommended a system of compulsory military training. Kitchener visited military camps in every state, and while expressing admiration for the physical quality of the troops (some of whom had served under him during the Boer War), he expressed concerns over the training methods in place and not surprisingly came to the conclusion "... that the present forces are inadequate in numbers. training, organisation and munitions of war to defend Australia that are due to the present conditions that prevail in Australia, as well as its isolated position". Kitchener's report of February, 1910 recommended a citizen's force of 80,000 men, half of which he suggested should be deployed to defend larger cities and ports from attack, while the other half would be free to operate as a mobile striking force. To this end, he suggested compulsory military training for all unexempted (by a Court ruling) youths from the age of 12 upwards : Ages 12 to 14, junior cadets, 120 hours per annum, Ages 14 to 18, senior cadets, the equialent of 16 days per annum, Ages 18 to 19, recruit training, 16 days, 8 of which were to be in a military camp, Ages 19 to 20, trained soldiers, 16 days, 8 of which were to be in a military camp, Ages 20 to 25, trained soldiers, 6 days in camp. Kitchener's report established general guidelines for exemption - that the welfare of the family should not be prejudiced, hence youths or men who were the whole or main support of their families should be exempted, and secondly that the State should get the best men available, The first scheme of universal training came into operation on 1 January, 1911 after being passed without amendment, the opposition Labour Party have adopted most of the principles in 1908. Three levels of service were established - Junior Cadets between the ages of 12 and 14 were required to serve 90 hours annually, Senior Cadets (14 to 18), four full days, 12 half-days and 21 drill sessions, and the Citizen's Forces for those over 18 as per Kitchener's recommendation had to serve the equivalent of 16 full days, including eight in camp. Schools were required to take part in the scheme and one estimate suggests around 636,000 boys and young men were enlisted under the scheme, and some 34,000 were prosecuted for not complying, of which around 7.000 spent time in confinement for repeated offences. The Northcote Drill Hall coincidentally was opened just a couple of weeks before war broke out. Later to become the headquarters of the 54th Merri Regiment, the hall was constructed on the western side of Simpson Street on land originally purchased in the 1880s for construction of the planned Melbourne to Heidelberg railway. The junior cadets were abolished in June 1922, and universal military training and the holding of military camps was suspended from 1 November 1929.

Sports Of All Sorts

Given the bulk of recruits came from young men between the ages of 18 and 30, just what was the effect on the sporting fields of Northcote and Preston? As there was again in 1939 and 1940, there were two schools of thought over whether competitions should continue - many thought that it was somewhat unfair if not immoral that sporting events were held for the enjoyment of spectators and players while other young men were giving their lives at the front; the alternative view was that encouraging the men to participate on the football and cricket field was essential in maintaining their fitness should they later enlist or even be conscripted into the A.I.F. The war in fact curtailed sporting activities far more in Northcote than in Preston, yet perversely, it was to be the smaller Preston clubs that paid a significantly higher price in terms of losing teammates at the front.

In Northcote

Both the Northcote football and cricket clubs were in senior competitions. The cricket club played in the Victorian Cricket Association District competition where it had been Premiers in 1911-12 after being runners-up the year before. The V.C.A. ultimately decided to close down the "official" District cricket (along with interstate matches) after the end of the 1914-15 season and did not resume until the spring of 1919, but the clubs organised an extensive series of "friendly" matches and Northcote in particular still seems to have taken the field most weekends. Few of the regular players seem to have enlisted, but the rising star of the club, Frank Lugton, who had played four matches for Victoria as an all-rounder in 1914-15 was killed near Poziers in France during the First Battle of The Somme in July, 1916. He is believed to have been one of only two cricketers to represent Victoria to have been killed during the conflict. The football club played in the Victorian Football Association and had spent most of the 1915 season in turmoil in a dispute over where it would play matches. The club had played behind the Croxton Park Hotel since 1909 (although vehemently denying there was any connection between the two), but the cricket club through a series of fund-raisers had built a new grandstand at Northcote Park. The football club committee insisted it would continue at Croxton against the wishes of most of the Council and the V.F.A. Executive who were concerned about a number of problems with crowd behaviour at the hotel ground. The V.F.A. eventually sacked the Northcote committee en masse and installed another group favourable to playing at Northcote Park and headed by long-serving cricket club president, Walter S. Stott. Again the only casualty known to have been associated with the club was Lugton, although he had been with Melbourne in 1913-14. With the senior club in recess, Northcote's main interest on the football field (excluding Fitzroy and Collingwood who continued in League ranks) was the first grade Victorian Junior Football Association club City Of Northcote, rapidly formed prior to the 1915 season by the Randall family of the Croxton park Hotel after Northcote's move to Westgarth Street. The City club lasted just the one season despite finishing a creditable fourth, but the following year, Fairfield, the winners of the Heidelberg District Association premiership in 1915 also joined the V.J.F.A. before returning to the Heidelberg competition post-war.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Certainly for one section of Northcote, the curtailment of some sports proved a boon, with the State Government deciding in 1916 to drastically reduce the number of horse racing meetings; the first casualties of which which were the proprietory pony racing tracks including the "Fitzroy" course in Croxton about which local resients had been complaining for some years.

And Preston ...

Both Northcote and Preston had struggled through the 1910 and 1911 Association football seasons and the V.F.A. had made it known that it would force the two clubs to amalgamate before 1912 with the one recording the best result in 1911 as the senior partner. As luck would have it, both won just one game - Preston defeating Northcote, Northcote defeating Preston in the return match, but Northcote managed a draw and with over three times the population had attracted bigger crowds. Under the terms of the amalgamation, each club were entitled to seven committeeman - from what cab be gleaned, just one official from Preston took up a post with Northcote; the rest transferred their allegiances (along with the funds and their modest assets) to Preston District, a club which it had supported for some years as a Seconds team. With the cancellation of the Association from 1916 and the League reduced to just four teams (Fitzroy were premiers after finishing in fourth and last place), Preston District were able to attract the services of former player Percy Ogden who had become a start with Essendon and there was a massive resurgence of interest in football in the town. Sadly, at least four playing members of the club - Herbert "Vic" Punch, Colin Campbell, John Hopkins and James Lucas were killed (the 1917 Annual Report also refers to the loss of a Private H. White who has proved untraceable). A number of former players were also killed. The Preston Cricket Club played in the Victorian Junior Football Association which continued during the war years - again, few active players appear to have enlisted, but the incumbent captain Thomas "Carey" Robinson was among those killed in France.

And After The Game

The conflict in the Middle East and Western Europe saw a clamor for the reduction of drinking hours and even for the removal of all licensees, many citizens feeling it unfair that while volunteers were giving their lives for King and Country, other young men (or men of all ages) could still live relatively care free lives back home. Both Northcote and Preston had active ant-liquor groups; both were perhaps a little optimistic in promoting the "no license"option which would have seen the closure of all hotels in their respective districts. The Victorian Government introduced in 1915 the Intoxicating Liquor (Temporary Restriction) Act which reduced the standard hours in which hotels could operate to between 9 a.m., and 9.30 p.m. (for premises with licensed billiard rooms, closure was extended to 11.30. On 9 October, 1916, closing time was reduced to 6 p.m., and the "temporary restriction" saw the infamous "six o'clock swill" as men just off work ordered multiple rounds in the frantic few minutes before cut off time. Even worse, hotels had to close their doors at 6.15, the subsequent rapid downing of drinks having a predictable unpleasant effect on both state of mind and the bar room floor. Just what "temporary" means is of course a highly subjective term - in this case, the "temporary" measure of 1916 lasted a mere 50 years, doing much towards Victoria becoming known as the "wowser" state before the restriction was lifted on 1 February, 1966 and drinking time was extended to 10 p.m.

Those Bloodstained Letters

The return of the modest personal effects of servicemen killed in action was of a high priority and included letters, both and to and from the men at the front and relatives at home. Much of the correspondence between Base Depot and the families of deceased service-men related to the return of personal possessions - authorities obviously tried to return whatever was possible, but perhaps were a little over-zealous in the case of Private Thomas George Nicholson. The receipt for his effects carries a heart-wrenching notation from his wife "… you might have spared me those blood stained letters …". Although certainly not of the bloodstained variety, the Leader published numerous letters from servicemen overseas, some written to the newspaper itself, others passed on by family members. Letters were of course subjected to censorship and in most cases any reference to place names, superiors officers or battalion or unit names was strictly taboo.

Censorship, A Statement

… by Colonel Legge to the Minister for Defence, Senator Pearce on the need for censorship … "…War Precautions Regulation 10 prescribes that no person shall, without lawful authority, publish ant information with respect to the movement or disposition of any of the forces, ships, etc. of His Majesty or the Commonwealth or any of the Allies, etc". … "…Letters and interviews may state what Private Brown, of the 125th Regiment has seen, and describe the incidents of the war, but names of places, dates, names of other units or ships, or of senior commanding officers must be left blank unless actually passed by the censors". It is no excuse to say 'the incident happened some time ago … many letters will shortly be arriving from our soldiers and sailors overseas, and it is therefore request that all will support the censors, a body of very hard-working citizen officers who are doing their best in a difficult task for the safety of the Empire".

The Colonel’s response to the question of censorship was was published by The Argus on December 29, 1914. The prominent Melbourne daily went on to add an editorial opinion …

"The worst feature of the censorship, speaking generally, is that is has been placed in the hands of a staff of men whose only recommendation is that they are, or have been, militia officers. For some unaccountable reason it seems to be considered necessary that this work should be done by military or naval men, and the consequence is that gentlemen who in their own sphere are doubtless not unworthy of respect are pitch-forked into positions for which they have no training and possess no aptitude …" "…The Minister of Defence in endorsing the statement by Colonel Legge says, in effect, that he will permit the publication of incorrect news … but how does Senator Pearce or Colonel Legge know when news is incorrect. They cannot pretend to have anything like the skill of a journalist of long training in detecting untrustworthy news when they see it".

Even with the censorship restrictions, what is striking about the letters some 95 years afterwards is the lack of any anger or antipathy towards the enemy they were fighting – the “common lot” of the private soldier seems prevailed and the Australians perhaps realised that the Turks and Germans in the opposite trenches, often no more than a hundred yards were pretty much in the same situation as they were.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

The letters included are just a small sample of those that were published, but represent a cross-section of what affected the average Australian infantryman during the war – embarkation, the wondrous sights of Egypt, landings at Gallipoli, in training in “the Olde Country”, on the Western Front, etc.

En Route

Message in a Bottle Published in The Leader, May 29, 1915 The censorship regulations expressely forbade servicemen from writing while on board ship, hardly necessary given there was no method of posting a letter anyway. Or perhaps there was a way … “While aboard a transport conveying troops to Egypt it occurred to Piper D. McCall to write a note to his mother in Elm Street, Northcote. He placed the note in a bottle, sealed it, and threw it overboard into the Indian Ocean on 8th February 1915. It was picked at Manjimup in Western Australia on May 12" … "Should this note be picked up please write to Mrs. J. McCall telling her that her son Dave is well and tell her where this note was picked up. She will write to the finder, I'm sure, and probably give him my address if he cares to write. Write to Mrs. J. McCall, 48 Elm Street, Northcote, Victoria" "The Woodlands, Deeside Road, Via Manjimup, Western Australia

May 12 1915

"Dear Madam,

I was down by the Gardener River when I picked up this note in a sealed bottle so I am forwarding it on to you.

I am, yours respectfully, J. Archer"

A footnote to the letter revealed “Piper McCall’s name was in the list of wounded last week”. In a later a report, it emerged that he had been hit nine times in the Gallipoli landing and lost the sight of an eye, but it didn't stop him writing from Harefield Hospital in England …

"I have volunteered to make munitions of war till the war is over, for I know what it is like to be in want of shells on the battle field. I will have no shame working in the factory after what I have been through. Don't worry about me. I think in time I will get the full use of my hand again, if the operation is successful ... I want to do in my power to bring this war to an end".

“Pathetic this, but extremely brave" added the Leader. McCall was repatriated back to Australia and was registered as a Munitions Worker in 1917-18. Despite his injuries, he managed to join the fledgling R.A.A.F. in 1921. The Leader article that quoted the second letter noted Dave’s 18 year old brother, Thomas "is one of the latest to enlist”. Thomas McCall died just a week later from meningitis contracted while he was in camp at Seymour.

On Board H.M.A.T. Omrah

“On November 1st we left Albany with the New Zealanders. After passing the heads, the troopships formed columns of three, making nine vessels in each column with the New Zealanders in our rear. The convoy was posted all round us – the sight was one never to be forgotten … we passed the mail boat Osterley bound for London off Capricorn on the 5th, the passengers giving us a splendid reception. Measles have broken out on board and great precautions are being taken. Flying fish are very plentiful in the Indian Ocean …"

"… a German vessel was sighted on the 8th, the cruiser Sydney being sent after it, and after a fight, put out of action. From a report received, the German boat was the Emden. The Sydney's first shot missed, the second hit the engine room, the third shot hit the conning tower, and the fourth shot cleared the Emden's deck of everything including men …"

"… on the 15th we arrived off Colombo – a lovely place with its large and fine lawns. Hundreds of natives in fishing smacks are sailing around the ships selling fruit, etc. and diving for money. They are champion cadgers ... the German prisoners [about 30 of the Emden's crew were taken on board the Omrah] boasted to the guard that the day they were captured arrangements had been made to attack the British troopships from the rear, hoping to account for at least six of the boats. Pretty fortunate for us they were captured in time as our boat was amongst the last six … they also boasted that we will not arrive in England because we will get "larry dooley" from their vessels on the way …"

The 27 year-old Harold William Sidney Marshall was married and living in Collins Street, Northcote, when he joined the first bunch of Preston men to enlist on 17 August, 1914. He was wounded in the left calf and on his way to hospital in England when the letter was published. After recovering, he served in France and returned to Australia in September, 1918 on Special Leave granted to those who had seved since 1914. Marshall was a regular contributor of letters to the Leader.

The Conway Castle Letter from Norman Baker, Charles Street, Northcote, a seaman on the barque "Conway Castle"

"The Mission for Seamen Institute, Valparaiso, 23 Feb 1915" "... We were only ten days out from home, laden with grain for Liverpool. It was on a Saturday afternoon about 2:30 when we first saw smoke and at 4 o’clock, they sent a boat alongside. We had plenty of time to get everything, several hours in fact. They took most of our stores and sent us across on our own boats ... they were very friendly and no restrictions were placed on us in any way. "They sank our ship with bombs, we saw nothing, only the bow had dipped, the after port gone up in the air. With that, she took her last dive, sails all standing just as they were ... on the seventh night, we heard bells rings and before they ceased the men were at the guns with shells laid out alongside them. It turned out to be the Peruvian barque "Lorton" bound from Callao to Valparaiso ... we thought it was a British man-of-war and we got a good scare. Next morning we were put aboard her and reached home again six days ago".

"Barque, Conway Castle, Capt. T.R. Evans" (University of Washington Library)

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

The Conway Castle was sunk by the German raider Dresden on 17 February, 1915. Baker sailed for Liverpool a week after arriving back in Valparaiso, his letter noting that the "British Consul paid for everything", but that they refused to send him back to Australia. Soon after arrival in England, Baker enlisted with the King Edward Light Horse but nothing more is known of his fate.

Those Horse Ships Letter published in the Leader on May 15, 1915. The letter carried no signature and was noted as simply from "a member of the A.I.F." and whether it was specifically written for the Leader or reproduced from another source is not clear.

"The transport by sea of thousands of horses - the capital value of which is about £200,000 - from one side of the world to the other presents a problem the answer to which is X - an unknown quantity - as it has never hitherto been worked out. Take for instance a transport of the Australian Imperial Forces carrying three hundred horses, which is a moderate number as things go, for some ships have five and sometimes even seven thousand. There are horses everywhere. There are horses on deck, the stalls occupying all the available space, and there are those under the decks, or in nautical terms, ‘tween decks ... the horses occupy every nook and cranny or wherever it is possible or apparently impossible for an animal to be put. ... it seems impossible that horses could survive under such conditions for the seven or eight weeks of the voyage. Every horse is placed in a stall exactly two feet and five inches wide, and separated from its neighbour on either side by two narrow slip top and bottom rails. The animals can never lie down during the voyage - this is his home all the time he is on board and when it is remembered that very few of these creatures have even seen a stable of any kind because they are station ‘born and bred’, one can only look aghast at the size of the exercise ... The horses are watered four times a day any fed three times. Feeding time is always announced by a trumpet call and the animals soon get to know the call and announce their readiness by loud stamping, whinnying and stretching their heads out of their stalls … grooming at sea differs entirely from the methods employed on land. Their skins are tender and curry-combs and brushes are therefore taboo, a wet cloth in hot weather and a dry one in cold being all that is needed to keep them clean and to remove their winter coat. In hot weather the salt water hose plays an important part. Then comes the important question of exercise and once more the difficulties from having to remove every horse from his stall to give it a ten minute walk are exceedingly great, but it must be done somehow. Cocoanut matting is laid down on the deck to prevent slipping and on this they are led ...

"Stables, stables, stables, bally well stables, From reveille to lights out, it's stables all the time, Stables, stables, stables, bally well stables, When we're dead and in our graves, we'll hear that call no more"

The Exotic Middle East

The sights and sounds and smells of Colombo en route and thenCairo after the first ships arrived in Egypt must have been a revelation to Australian servicemen, most of whom had probably never ventured outside their own state, let alone overseas,

On Niggers and Natives Private Reg Moulden, "Leamington", Preston Reservoir, to his father (published 17 April, 1915) Mena Camp, Egypt 27 February, 1915 “As regards to that account of the Australian's conduct in Cairo, a good deal of it I must admit is true; but the press correspondent cracks up the camp at Ma-adi (now at Heliopolis) and virtually condemns Mena Camp. Well, he is altogether wrong on that point, because to begin with, I have seen a fair number of Light Horsemen disorderly as well as Infantrymen, but one must remember that there is perhaps four times as many Infantrymen as there are Light Horse”. “Then because a few of the Infantrymen get drunk and disorderly, why should the A.A.M.C., signalers, engineers and other units be condemned for what the infantry do?” “I have seen infantrymen, coming out and going in on the trams, hit the niggers and get them to clean their boots, and if the asked for (Bucksee) money, they would give them a whack with a stick”. “Although a few of them treat the natives bad, there are a lot, I'd say 99 men out of a hundred are kind to the natives. Christmas time a few of them went mad, pulling down flags, etc., but when one comes to think of the number of troops here, I think we may be classed as an orderly contingent, and not as the press correspondent puts it “a lot of wasters”. This is very hard on men who are guilty of any bad behaviour. To be put down as “wasters” by our own people who we left our homes for is hard indeed””. “Let a native give his opinion as to who he likes the best of all the troops here, the English Tommies, New Zealanders, Ceylon Tea Planters, or the Australians, the answer would be be Australians every time."

Moulden’s letter was in response to a article written by war correspondent and later official historian for the Great War, Charles W. Bean. Moulden contracted malaria in Egypt and was hospitalised several times with debilitating headaches made worse by exposure to bright sunlight and was repatriated home to Australia in November, 1917 to carry out nursing duties locally and discharged around a year later. He was nursed by his family, but in a weakened condition contracted influenza and was admitted to the Base Hospital in St. Kilda Road, the Caulfield Military Hospital and finally to what his father termed "the Exhibition slaughterhouse", an Emergency Hospital set up in the Exhibition Buildings during the influenza epidemic of early 1919. He died there in April. 1919.

Contrasts in Cairo “In a letter to Lieutenant P. Fargher,of Northcote, secretary of the Victorian Rifle Association, Lieutenant-Colonel Semmens, commanding officer of the 6th Battalion of Infantry in the First Australian Expeditionary Force (who has since been invalided home), gives vivid sketches of scenes in Egypt ...” ( The Argus, 12 April, 1915)

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

“Cairo is a city of great contradictions and extremes. The wonderful Nile Valley, with its fertile soil and teeming population runs through hundreds of miles of bare, parched, thirsty desert on interminable sand, fabulous wealth lives side by side with low poverty and filth ..." "We are still anxiously waiting for orders for Europe. This ia a lovely winter climate, but evidently not healthy for large number of troops camped and training on the sand. The sick list is too big altogether, the most prevalent trouble being a sort of influenza with septic throat called Nile fever ...we have had nine or ten cases of smallpox with two deaths”. “We are afraid it will delay our departure for Europe, but it should not spread. Great stress is placed on vaccination, but large numbers of men who did not "take" on board ship (some of the lymph was apparentlt very weak) have been treated again this week. I was done twice after arrival here with Victorian lymph, but with little success, but this fresh local stuff must be very strong ...” “… it is interesting that the two died had never been vaccinated. The camp has been practically free of typhoid, although Cairo is a great place for it. Our freedom from it is ascribed to the inoculation which is evidently a splendid thing ...”

Semmens enlisted at 46 years of age after spending around 19 years with the Volunteer Defence Forces in Australia, but like a few of the senior officers, he was repatriated back to Australia in March, 1915 after a Medical Board suggested he was "physically weakened and in a generally debilitated condition”. His letter is interesting in that even in March, he as a senior officer still believed his battalion was designated for Europe - they shipped out some five weeks later for the landings at Gallipoli).

Mosques, Sultans and Deserted Wives Private Will Saunders, 369 High Street, Northcote to The Leader “Mena Camp, Cairo “ “I have inspected several of the mosques around Cairo and some of them are very beautiful. One has four large domes, each as large as the one over the Exhibition. The roof is supported by four great pillars ... the whole of this place is built of pure white alabaster. It as almost transparent and is inlaid with different metals and precious stones. I saw a beautiful specimen of turquoise, six feet long and three inches wide, in this white alabaster, it looked lovely ..." "The lamps and chandeliers contain 50,000 lights. The centre chandelier alone has 1,000 lights and thousands of pieces of crystal hanging from it ... a glorious carpet covers the whole floor. You are not permitted to walk in this place with your boots, slippers being provided for visitors. The carper has a pile on fully 1½ inches thick ... I also saw the tombs of the last sultan and his wife. The tomb is made of gold, silver ebony and pearl and it is eight feet high”. "... I have been attached to the military police, nothing very much to do but ride about on horseback and see that all is well".

William Henry Saunders gave his next-of-kin as his father “Bert”” at 269 High Street (where he operated a tailoring and clothing store for many years) and Will’s time with the A.I.F. was colourful to say the least! Single on enlisting, he married Grace Jerrum, an Englishwoman working at the British Consulate in Cairo in 1915. Saunders worked as a clerk in the Pay Corps and was returned to Australia in August, 1918, after facing a Court Martial after being absent without leave for over a month. Grace came to Australia in 1919 under a Repatriation Act that allowed free migration for wives of servicemen, but Saunders abandoned her and an eighteen month old son soon afterwards.

She later returned to Egypt believing Saunders had died in 1919, only to discover in 1942 when she sought to remarry that her husband was still alive . Saunders died in 1953, Grace’s fate remains unknown.

A Prestonite In Egypt The letter carried no indication as to who the author was, but it was one of the first to appear in the Leader and gave an early inkling of the conditions that servicemen faced in Mena Camp, Egypt : "... After breakfast dust began to blow. At first it was very slight, just like it blows along our streets nearly every other day of the week. Before long it commenced to blow in clouds and orders were given that the horses, which were tied facing the wind were to be changed around as the sand was blowing so hard it was cutting them in the eyes. "Most men not on duty returned to their tents, which one expected to be over as a fierce gust came along carrying sand enough to blind you. Everything was either full of, or covered, in grit. Dinner time came but the sand was blowing into the mess halls just as bad as into the tents. You put your "dixie" full of tea on the table and in less than two minutes it was covered in a thick layer of fine dirt and straw ..."

That Fateful Day, 25 April, 1915

Sunday, April 25, 1915 saw the fateful landings in the Dardenelles. Compared to later years of the war, the number of Australian troops engaged was moderate, and given the chaotic conditions under which they fought and an administration totally unused to a modern war, it is probably surprising that quite a few letters appeared, virtually all of them some months after the fighting.

A Beach Like Sandringham Colonel H. E. Elliott, 7th Battalion, writing to his wife and family, who live in Northcote, from Heliopolis Hospital on May 3 and 7 sends the following description of the landing at the Dardenelles” (The Argus, 9 June, 1915) “We stayed in Lemnos, an island about 50 miles from the Dardenelles until Saturday, April 24, and then at daybreak on the Sunday, we commenced to land under a heavy shrapnel fire from the enemy's guns. Practically all of the battalions had little steamers provided by the warships, but the 7th Battalion, which was the head of the main body to land, had to row ashore. Some of the boats, particularly those belonging to Major Jackson's boys, the Essendon boys, were fired on while the men were in the boat by machine guns and many were killed or wounded ...” “... the formation was something like Sandringham. There was a narrow strip of beach and high cliffs which rose in successive ridges to 400 feet or more. What a scramble it was to get to the top! We were weighed down with three days rations and packs. We threw the packs on the beach and left them there ...” “... shortly after, I got a bullet through the right foot below the ankle. Fortunately, it broke no bones, but it laid me out for a while. Afterwards I heard of other officers being killed or wounded and about 200 or 300 of the men wounded ...” “... we were very fortunate in being hit close to the beach and in being sent back at once. Afterwards men sometimes lay for a couple of days in some cases. They did not seem to have sufficient doctors aboard the ships, in some cases, only three doctors and no nurses and the men suffered dreadfully ...”

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Harold "Pompey" Elliott was one of Australia's highest ranking and most decorated soldiers of World War One. A prominent solicitor, he was living with his wife (a Northcote resident of some years standing) and two children at 73 Darebin Street, later Road, Northcote when he enlisted. He was wounded on the first day of the landings, but had returned to the front by the time the letter was published. Of seven Victoria Crosses awarded for Lone Pine, four went to his battalion but his own work was not recognized despite his commanding officer placing Elliott's name at the head of his list of recommendations - this was an irritation for Elliott, which, post-war, become an obsession. Early in 1931 he was in hospital under treatment for blood pressure. Soon afterwards he was found with a wound in the arm and was rushed to hospital where he died on 23 March. An inquest returned a verdict of suicide.

Every Man A General Sergeant Harold Charge to his family at 29 Gooch Street, Northcote “… we landed in a boat from a transport with the second lot. Some of the boats were under a rain of shrapnel and got hit pretty often ... one of them was being rowed hard when sinking, with gunwales awash. We could not shoot back, and on getting ashore it was a rush, and for a time every man was a genera;'. We had a hot time all Sunday and that night, and there wasn't any time to eat or drink. After leaving the ship I didn't get anything till about 3 o'clock Monday morning, when I had some biscuits I had in my haversack". "We had another big night on Tuesday, when the Turks tried all they knew to “kid” us out of positions' The German officers were shouting orders in pure English ... they clipped me on the head and jaw about 5 o'clock on Wednesday morning. i was taken back to Egypt, but didn't land, being transferred to the ship that brought us here. The Queen Elizabeth's 15 inch shells are bonzas! When they come, it's 'Look out for Lizzie!'! I'm getting along fine and hope to be out of here on Tuesday”.

Harold Charge was one of the first from the district to enlist and embarked with the rank of Sergeant. His hopes of getting out "on Tuesday”was a little optimistic, but he was repatriated back to Australia, arriving 8 October, 1915 after from a badly damaged right knee, originally damaged in a football match about three months before he enlist and aggravated by a fall of around fifteen feet down a cliff at Gallipoli.

Would Rather See a Football Match Private Charlie Young, 10 Plow Street, Northcote, writing to his brother, William. Published in The Leader, 3 July, 1915 “I suppose you have read about the attack. It was good – bullets and shells everywhere. I got an explosive bullet in the mouth. I wasn't hit till the following Sunday. I was standing in a trench with my chums when a bullet hit me on the hand, just making a gash, so I said to my mate, “I can see a man being dropped here”, I shifted about ten yards, then the next thing was a whack in the jaw. That was enough for me, I fell . You don't know what it is at first, but you soon find out." "I was lucky to get medical aid so soon. I was carried to the field hospital first, but the medico shook his head and said, “Good God! Put him on the hospital ship” and I was taken to Alexandria”. I would rather see a football match, it is not nearly so rough”.

Like Harold Charge, Driver Charles Edward Young’s wounds saw him returned to Australia, in his case arriving on 15 August, 1915.

They Gave Us Shrapnel All The Way Private Reginald O. Allen, 48 Darebin Street, Northcote describing the first morning of landings at Gallipoli "... I'll try and describe to you the battle last Sunday as far as I was in it. We left Mudross Bay where we had been for about a fortnight at 11 a.m. Saturday 24th for Gallipoli Peninsular. We arrived there just before dawn on Sunday to hear rifles and machine guns cracking on shore. The 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Battalions were the first to land (the lucky ones). They left the ship about 4 am for the shore. They just got within touch of the shore when the Turks who were lining the ridge opened fire ..." "My battalion got on shore about 8 am. They gave us shrapnel all the way in the boats which just missed us two or three times. We jumped out, up to our waists in water, formed up and hurried straight up to reform the first line who were getting it pretty hot. The Turks had scores of machine-guns and field pieces while we had only two or three machine guns and no artillery up to 5 pm. ..." "I got hit in the left forearm. The bullet entered standing up and turned over and was about half an inch under the flesh on the other side of the arm. It was like getting hit with a sledge hammer; no actual pain until a few hours after. Our 4th Company officers were routed - one killed, the others wounded. Two of my pals were blown to bits, others were badly hurt. My rifle was hit three times and finally knocked out of my hand altogether ..." "After we got hit we had to lay there for about twenty minutes before we could get out so did they pour it into us. Then we dashed back a bit - down again then on again till we got to shelter; bound one another up, then started back to the beach, those that could ..." "It was an Indian hospital ship, but from the captain down to the Indian orderlies they did everything possible for us. The nurses were glorious women, worked day and night, the doctors also. We had 500 odd on board. They cut the bullet out on Tuesday. It hurt a bit but not as much as the disappointment of being out of it ..."

Private Reginald Ormond Allen was hospitalised briefly, but not long after returning to Gallipoli was returned to Egypt and then England with enteric fever. He served on the Western Front and was wounded again in August, 1918 and returned in December of the same year.

Protecting the Folk Back Home

Most of the letters home that made it into the Leader very much expressed the "I'm fine, don't worry"sentiment, but one or two obviously were written to protect loved ones back home from the writer's real situation

Minus A Leg A letter and a brief summary from an accompanying postcard appeared in the Leader on 28 April, 1917 from Private William Charles Barry to his mother Eliza in Raleigh Street, Croxton. Barry was known to have been a prisoner of war, but under what circumstances ...? "... last Wednesday I was sent away from the Kempton Lazett where I had been for nearly six months. I left at 3 a.m. and as it was snowing heavily, I was taken to the station on a stretcher. ... I saw a number of French and Russian prisoners of war working on the railway line. We we arrived at our destination I started to walk to the Lazarette and as the ground was slippery I had a fall, but did not hurt myself. The escort that was with us (myself and two other Australians) borrowed a sleigh and put me on it ... the first chap I spoke to was a corporal in the Seaforth Highlanders. He has been a prisoner for two years, and in less time than it takes to write, I had half a dozen Englishmen in to see me.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

They gave me some dinner and seemed as though they could not do enough for me ... The next day I was shifted to the hospital about ten minutes walk away and you cannot imagine my surprise on being greeted with "What ho, Bill". It was my pal ----; we were together in Egypt and France. This poor fellow had his arm blown off the same night as I was wounded. There are three Australians minus a leg in this ward and all are waiting patiently to be sent to London. I don't think you need answer this letter, for by the time you get it, I expect to be on my way home". In the accompanying postcard, Private Barry, a 31 year old gasfitter when he enlisted, suggested he was on his way back to England as part of a wounded prisoner exchange along with three other Australians and that there was no point trying to write to him in the German prison via the Red Cross. His original message, dated five days after his capture suggested "I am a prisoner of war and and am wounded slightly in the lower parts of both legs. Am in hospital and being treated well". The Reality Barry was reported Missing on 19 July 1916 after the Australian advance at Pozieres and confirmed being held a Prisoner of War in Bavaria in November. The journey referred to appears to be a transfer to to Lagensales, Bavaria in December, 1916. "Slightly wounded" was sufficiently serious for his right leg to be amputated at Kempton Lazarette (a hospital, although usually specialising in contagious diseases). He was one of the three Australians "minus a leg" in the letter, and despite the comments that he was on his way back to England, he was not released until December, some eight months later. He returned to London via Holland and after further treatment Barry embarked for Australia on 24 January, 1918, arriving back in Melbourne on 10 March. Just when his mother and family were advised of his true condition is not recorded.

To all my Friends in Preston Hedley Tompkins was a star of the Preston Football Club in 1907 and 1908 before he joined Melbourne where he earned the nickname "Bobby Dazzler" as a rover and wingman. He moved to Western Australia in 1913 and won an award for the best player in W.A. He maintained a close connection with Preston club, a couple of reports on finals matches in the early 1930s noting telegrams of best wishes from Tomkins in Perth. He enlisted in August, 1915, and his acquaintances in Preston and Northcote must have received a rude shock when one of his letters appeared in the Leader on 6 January, 1917. "To all my friends in Preston" "I got five wounds in the right leg beginning from the ankle to the knee, five in the abdomen, two to the right arm and a piece of shrapnel in the left wrist. The leg was much the worse. Septic poison set in and although they had the leg in hot baths and syringed twice a day, and also made incisions which meant five operations and put in a tube to drain out the pus, it was no good". "The pain was terrible and the swelling was getting worse so I told the doctor to go on with the business, with the result that I am now minus a leg. It is amputated about a foot below the knee. Since having it done my temperature has gone down and I feel much better and am going to England. They say they can fit me up with a leg which will do away with the crutch".

The same edition of the Leader carried another letter from a Private Ben Wallish, a Western Australian in the same unit as Tompkins, but with no apparent connection to the Preston and Northcote districts :

"I am as sound as a bun but I am very sorry I cannot say the same of poor Hedley (Hedley Tompkins). He has suffered great pain since he got knocked over, the poor little beggar. He has got a heart like a lion to have lived through it after all the agony and going through six operations. He has had the bad luck to lose his right foot - it had to be done to save his life". "Things are pretty willing here. I am not playing full-back over here, I am right forward, kicking goals like a treat. We have got the Hun on the move and we are giving them no peace - crack, crack all day until we crack them right up".

By an odd coincidence, "Booby Dazzler's" number 17 jumper at Melbourne was taken over by a young Northcote player, Frank Lugton, who was killed in action at Pozieres, France on 29 July, 1916 (In Memoriam).

The Olde Country Australia was, in 1914, an almost exclusively Anglo-Saxon nation with strong links to the "Old Country" and by around April, 1915 those evacuated from Gallipoli and reinforcements from training camps in Egypt were arriving in camp in England for further training prior to shipping the France and Belgium. Several letters appeared in the Leader from local men expounding the sights of the country that many still called “Home” and describing a peaceful life in England that was to be rudely shattered a few months later.

Roast Beef and Mutton Signaller Norman O'Neil, Wooltan Avenue, Northcote to his father Denis ... Plymouth was our port. Then we entrained and after several hours journey to Salisbury ... we are about 50 miles from London and we live in huts with straw mattresses and five blankets, we need them, too! The food is all that can be wished for. Porridge, bacon, toast and butter for breakfast, we buy the butter at 1/9d per pound. Then for dinner, roast beef or mutton, roast and boiled potatoes, also onions and peas, jam every meal, tea, sago or rice and different other dishes. About 9.30 we buy a dixie of tea from the Y.M.C.A. and make more toast – you would think we were kings! We have a football and a cricket set here, so we are not wanting in games”.

Signaller Norman Denis O’Neil enlisted in September, 1915 just after his turned 18 and was one of those first that sailed directly to the Western Front. He survived nearly two and a half years in action without being wounded and returned to Australian in May, 1919.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Put Me In The Trenches Tomorrow Private Leslie Grattidge, 125 Gooch Street, Northcote to his mother. "... the country between Devonport and Salisbury Plains is beautiful. The camp huts are lovely and the weather so keen that when we landed, we each drew three blankets and use every one of them! The tucker is great - breakfast, rice and bacon, dinner roast beef, potatoes, cabbage and peas, tea, bread, margarine and jam and plenty of it. There is plenty of drill and park marching. All the same, I like the old life and nothing will turn me back, I would not care if they put me in the trenches tomorrow ..."

Perhaps he should have cared! Private Leslie Grattidge around four months was Killed In Action on 6 January, 1917. His twin brother, Stanley is noted as winning the Military Medal and two other brothers, Edward and Joseph were also on active service

Cocoa and Chocolates This letter from Private E. A. Brown describing a visit to the Cadbury factory at Bornville in England appeared in the Leader on February 1, 1919, but there was no indication given as to whether he was from the district or whether the letter had been reproduced from elsewhere. The text of the letter mentions 500 typists in the office, and 2,000 women on the factory floor.

"We had a great outing yesterday. An Australian lady who working at the hospital (No. 1 Southern General) took a party of "Aussies" (eight of us altogether) to inspect the Cadbury Bros. chocolate works at Bournville. It was a sight! Only soldiers are allowed to inspect these premises. One of the staff took charge and off we went amongst the chocolates and cocoa ...... We were then shown the covering or dipping rooms where the girls flavour and dip the chocolates. Trays of chocolates were handed us and we were told to help ourselves which we did with gusto! After this we were taken to the swimming bath, which is 80ft by 46ft. Every girl up to the age of 18 is compelled to learn to swim and they are taught during working hours ... at 3:30 we were taken to a beautifully furnished tea room. Every table (about 20 in number) was copper-plated and engraved and the chairs were fit for any palace. We were served a cup of cocoa, and I can say it was a cup of cocoa! ...... last of all to the despatching station. One would have thought he was on Spencer Street Station Melbourne by the trains that were being filled with goods. To finish up we were taken to the recreation ground, gymnasium, tennis courts, lawns, etc., all of which are free to the employees. The men, of course, have their own recreation rooms although there are not many men here now owing to the war. There is a doctor, dentist and First Aid man always in the factory. The name given to the works is "The Factory in a Garden". The factory covers 40 acres and there are 3 1/2 miles of railway in it. The grounds for recreation etc. cover 90 acres. The men have a huge oval with a grandstand, pavilions, lawn bowls etc. The girls are all in uniforms, spotlessly clean and neat ... I am more than glad I got the opportunity to see such a place"!

Small Comforts From Home

Most families kept up a constant supply of letters and parcels to their men folk at the front. Just how may articles were lost under the trying conditions will never be known, but those little treats that go through brightened many a serviceman's day.

Any Leaders Lately?

Letter from former Northcote newsagent and land and estate agent, Private R. H. "Bob" Taylor. It was dated 5 October, 1918, just three weeks before the war ended and was published on January 11 1919, by which time most of the Leader’s coverage was focussed on those returning home.

"... was lucky to receive a Leader yesterday from a person in Blighty. Had not seen one for the last 18 months. It makes me feel quite happy to get it and I even devoured the ads".

"I often meet some of the old boys and almost the first words we ask one another are "did you get any Leaders lately?" We are all out of the line now and spending a quiet time in the village well back ... Glad to see the old town - or at least city now - is still going ahead. We have seen a little since we left home but I think we all agree that the further we travel the more we are impressed that they cannot teach us too much in bright, bonny Australia".

"Soldiers And Their Parcels"

A letter from Corporal Cliff Wardrop writing from camp at Salisbury Plains, England to his parents in Wardrop Grove, Northcote, Wardrop has just turned 18 when he enlisted in December, 1915. His parents were then living in Collingwood; the founders of the Wardrop The Tailor chain of shops. Just how the family managed to get the (very short) street named after them is a mystery, but notes in the Leader in the early 1930s reveal that the house was at some time in the intervening years was converted to a Y.M.C.A. Hostel after being donated by Wardrop senior in memory of his daughter, "Mrs. Crosbie".

"I will try and describe it. I might first explain that we live in huts here – about 30 to a hut – and there is a small room at the end where the NCO in charge sleeps – that's me.

"Act 1, Scene 1" "N.C.O in charge of hut in his room seated on his bed, surrounded by letters and proceeding to open parcels from home".

"NCO (myself) "Hi! Frosty, Kate, Triff"! They enter. "What in the deuce do you have there?"

"Well, they did not wait for a reply, for they saw the nuts and there was a blind rush. We eased our excitement by polishing off the nuts and then took stock – two tins of biscuits, a tin of condensed milk, tin of blackcurrant jam (cheers from all), two tins of butter- scotch, 'Wrigleys', tin of cheddar cheese, small tin of jam, stick of shaving soap, pair of mittens with school colours, two pairs socks, sea soap, several other dainties and a pot of marmalade jam".

"When we see this there was a roar and one of the fellows said we had been grossly insulted.– you see, we had lived on this while in Egypt. However as I like it I put it away for myself …

… After taking stock of everything, we started our banquet. We toasted everything, folks at home, school, all our girls and "The Day". Our "Day" was the day on which we would reach home again. Anyone passing our room during the next half hour would have thought bedlam had been let loose…"

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The Australian Comforts Fund

Letter from Sapper David McGregor, Emmaline Street, Northcote to his father, John.

“... there has been a deal of improvement in the comforts for the troops since the last time I was over ... another convenience is the Australian Comforts Fund. They have stalls well up the line and there is a drink of cocoa or soup, biscuits and cigarettes, of course free to the troops passing. They are only open at night though, which is necessary, as one cannot afford to light fires and make smoke there in the daytime”

The Comforts Fund raised a huge amount of money from public donations for the benefit of the troops in France, but occasionally their fund-raising efforts raided a few eyebrows. The conservative Argus newspaper lauded a carnival in Swanson Street in July, 1918 for raising £ 28,679 for the fund, but has concerns :

"Excellent business was done but fault must be found with gambling for money on the 'spinning Jennies' - usually these machines are permitted where it is desired that goods on the stalls shall be cleared, but yesterday, as on Anzac Day, money was openly offered as prizes on at least 12 of the machines"

Would not have pleased the eye of an Essendon Barracker ...

"The Argus" on May 10, 1917 published a lengthy letter attributed to Lieutenant L. G. Short. Short worked for The Argus before he enlisted, although it was not revealed whether he was a journalist with the publication. The article described a football match behind the lines … “The playing field was within shell range. Every inch of it had been won from the enemy in some of the hardest fighting, evidence of which lay all around. The centre was marked by two enormous shell holes, with two 5.9 shells (unexploded) lying beside a hand bomb at the bottom of one. Other shell-holes lay towards the goal posts … some damaged wire entanglement, a small mound, and a few half-filled sandbags assisted to complete the picture of warfare, but the saddest and most realistic touch lay behind the goal posts on the southern end. It was a small heap of earth – the grave of dead soldiers – with the simple but sublime inscription “To Unknown British Heroes” … … The look of the players of the field would not have pleased the eye of an Essendon barracker, but they were just out of the trenches, where it is hardly possible to buy the shorts, shirts and stockings that would make up the uniform of a footballer. Instead, the officers wore sheepskin jerkins, with socks over their puttee-less legs, the N.C.O.'s had their issue cardigans … … although there where some good men amongst the players, even League and Association members, they had little chance of showing their one-time prowess. The melting snow made the ground as slippery as a banana skin, the obstacles prevented rushes and the players themselves sadly lacked practice ... the first quarter was carried through with great dash, but the non-commissioned officers quietly asserted their superiority over the commissioned … when the score had risen to six goals against two goals, the whistle saved the officers from further ignominy. They showed their sportsmanship by giving three cheer for their opponents. The match broke up to the familiar cry "keb, keb" from some wags amongst the assembled privates. That night saw officers and sergeants again in the front line on a tour of inspection prior to another term of duty in the trenches".

The Battle For The Somme

After several months of relative quiet in France and Belgium, the night of 19 July, 1916 saw the first involvement of Australian troops in the major offensive on several fronts that collectively became known as The First Battle Of The Somme. Over 1200 Australians died on the first day of fighting alone, hundreds of them posted as missing and their bodies never recovered.

Living Like Goats Letter from Driver Charles Griffith to his parents in St. George’s Road, Northcote (published 4 November, 1916).

"We have been living like goats but feeling like toffs – I am often under shell fire and have been very lucky, shells have burst within 20 yard of me, but it is nothing like what the men in the front trenches have to go through. Verne Marshall has been in the thick of it and come through without a scratch, but his mate Bert Lewis was killed ...

... if Australia could only realise the awful crimes of the Hun have perpetrated, and are still doing, they would not need asking to do their bit to rub these German swine off the face of the earth. I’m only a youngster but I’ve done my whack in putting "paid” to some Germans and will go on doing so until I’m settled or they are settled”

"Bert Lewis" was Albert Edward Lewis of 50 St. David Street, Northcote, Killed In Action 5 August, 1916 (see In Memoriam). Griiffiths, a mechanic by trade was wounded in the left hand in August, 1918 and spent the rest of the war in England.

One Narrow Squeeze Letter from Private Cecil Wood to his parents in South Crescent, Northcote (published 7 October, 1916)

"I had one narrow squeeze. We were camped about two to three miles from the firing line for a few days. There were about a half dozen of us sitting on the parapet of an old trench. We heard a couple of shells coming over and I hopped into the trench. No sooner had we got down than one shell landed on the parapet and buried me, but I got out all right. The only mark I got was a scratch on the side of the nose. I saw Ettrick Dimmick the other day we were relieved at the trenches. He is looking all right and said he felt just fine”.

Cecil Wood survived nearly two and a half years of fighting unscathed. The same edition of the Leader reported Dimmick ("he will be remembered as a brilliant young footballer”) as listed as Missing In Action, a status that remained for around eight weeks before he was officially listed as a prisoner-of-war.

A Prisoner of War Letter to his family from Private Frank Ettrick Dimmick to his parents in Westbourne Grove (published December 2, 1916)

“I am now a prisoner or war and on my way to Germany. There is no need for you to worry for there a few others of us out of my battalion with me and we are being treated very well. I suppose by the time you get this I will have been reported Missing. I am as right as rain. Will write again as soon as possible and let you know where I am ...”

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Around a month later, the Leader ran a second-hand report on another letter that Dimmick had written to his mother that revealed that she believed he was returning to Australia when he was wounded and captured and adding “I was on my way home, but not to Northcote” ... “am in fairly good health again” and was “entertained with a concert on Christmas Day, which was not too bad”. Dimmick also wrote of getting a parcel through Miss Clark for which he was very thankful and also noted he was allowed by his German captors to write two letters and ten postcards a month ... “a good many of these went acknowledging parcels and letters from England. Don't worry, I'll be home soon". In general terms, it took about six weeks for the few prisoners-of-war on either side to be reported back through the respective Red Cross divisions. Dimmick had shrapnel wounds to the right thigh when captured and was originally interred at the Lazarett Ohrdruf prison in Belgium and later transferred to the Langensalza camp in Germany. At the cessation of hostilities, he was repatriated to England, arriving at Dover on Christmas Eve, 1918, but his return to Australia was delayed was delayed when we went A.W.O.L for nine days. Dimmick arrived back in Australia on March 28, 1919 and although records are not clear, he may have become a professional soldier, later serving in the Second World War with the rank of Captain.

Bloodstains and Ruins

Letter to the Leader From Private Allan Newell to his mother at 64 Pender Street, Thornbury (16 September, 1916)

"All is well with me. In Egypt it was all desert and shifting sand. In France everything is bloodstains and ruins. It rains every day in Flanders and although it is mid-summer, one can only compare it an Australian winter. I have met a lot of mates who were in the Citizen’s Forces and a number of Northcote lad. I am looking forward to getting leave to visit England and Scotland and to see place like Loch Lomond ... Grandfather will be pleased that I have kept a clean slate”.

By the time the letter was published, Newell had died of gunshot wounds to the spine in the 2nd Eastern General Hospital, Brighton, England. He died on August 26, 1916 after being wounded on August 1. The letter was not dated, but given mail took somewhere between six and eight weeks to arrive in Australia, the letter was probably written in the week before his death.

Empty Champagne Bottles

Letter to the Leader from Private Claude Membrey, published on September 23, 1916. "… a few of us strolled for some distance along the trench where we came into contact with many dead Germans and innumerable small crosses bearing the inscription "To the memory of an unknown German soldier. ... It was in this trench that we made our first examination of the elaborate dug-outs that Fritz is in the habit of making for himself when he has the time. They are from 30 to 60 feet down in the earth, secure from any shells and large enough to hold dozens of men. Tables and chairs (certainly of a rather rough kind) form part of the furniture, whilst the beds are quite fit for any one of our seaside camps. Empty champagne bottles lying around everywhere and cakes, etc. found in some of the well-built cupboards tell their story ..."

The Leader acknowledged the author as the late Private Membrey and the letter "as one of the last he penned". Claude was the son of the M.L.A. for Bourke, the Hon. James George Membrey who acted asChairman of the State War Council for the duration of the war. Both father and son had worked for Northcote Council for several years, James as Rate Collector before he entered politics; Claude as Municipal Clerk before he resigned to take up a similar position at Heidelberg.

The Red, White and Blue Ribbon

Letter from Pte. Albert A. Madden to his parents in Flett Street, Preston, published in the Leader 9 December, 1916.

"We came from the Somme front to Belgium two weeks ago and are now camped in huts and tents only a few miles from the firing line at Ypres. We can buy all sorts of goods here – grapes, 1/6d per pound, tomatoes, 10d. per pound. we have a big canteen and a Y.M.C.A. tent for holding concerts in ... The red, white and blue ribbon for the medal I am to get later was presented to me at or 13th Brigade church parade last Sunday by General Birdwood, who made a speech and shook hands with me and a few more of the boys ....

I am now keeping in real good health and in a month or six weeks expect to go to England. "Treacle” MacFarlane went on his leave yesterday ... I met Jack Deacon the day before I went to the firing line; also Vic Yann and Jack Sutton. They are dressing down in the First Division. I also met Charlie Forrester at our dressing station on the firing line and I met him in town again last night and we had tea together in a cafe”.

Albert Madden was awarded a Military Medal and Bar and his letters appeared with some regularity in the Leader. He later became a prominent official with the Preston Football Club and was awarded a Life Membership. The Jack Deacon referred to was also a long-serving member of the club and father of 1947 Brownlow Medallist Bert Deacon. The letter referred to the initial award of the Military Medal.

Full of Dead Letter from stretcher-bearer Private Fred. Groves to his father in Northcote, published in the Leader, October 14, 1916

"... the trenches are so narrow and full of dead that we had to get up on top to get the wounded away ... " "... I was coming back to get another wounded man when they got me, so then I had a ride on the stretcher myself. They counter-attacked while I was at the dressing-station getting fixed up and as the station was only about 200 yards from the line, we got it pretty hot. We had to wait about two hours there then we started off for the rear. They made me walk and I had to use a Hun rifle and a piece of board for crutches, but I had to drop them so some s-bs came and carried me out. We were taken to Albert by horse- ambulance where they operated and took the bullet out of my leg ..." "... the big gun fire was awful at first, it gives you a nasty feeling, but as soon as you are doing something you take no notice of it, only duck your head when one comes along ..."

Groves was married and living at 54 James Street, Northcote and survived the war after being wounded in the right leg in July 1916.

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1917 - A War of Attrition

1917 is not remembered for any of the three great battles in which Australians were prominent - the Dardanelles and the First and Second Battles of the Somme, but it was in fact the worst year of the war for casualties. Just under 22,000 Australians died, roughly 50% more than in either 1916 or 1918 - and for virtually nothing in terms of ground advanced. It was also the worst of many years weather-wise for the battlegrounds and some of the letters to the Leader were started to show some of the frustrations of the men at the front, many of whom had been overseas for over two years fighting a war that most in 1914 would "be all over by Christmas".

Mud Up To Their Bellies

Private Richard Harold Clay, 14th Field Artillery Battery to his uncle, W. G. Swift, Town Clerk, Northcote.

"... At daybreak the country looked lovely - everything snowy white - but I didn't appreciate it quite as much as I would have done had my feet and fingers been anything like normal ... Everything has to be taken to the gun pits by pack horses. The first night I had to go up with ten drivers (two horses each) to take up the gunners gear, ratios, etc. I expected to strike bad roads but I never dreamt I'd have such an experience! The horses had to wade through water and mud up to their bellies ... To make matters worse, the packs on the saddles kept slipping around and I, having only one horse, had to get off and fix them in mud up to my knees - gee, it was awful. I fell over a couple of times and I'll bet my trench coat weighed 60 pounds with the mud on it ..."

Clay lived in and enlisted from Doncaster, but he was a nephew of long-serving Town Clerk and later author of the first history of Northcote, William George Swift and as such, local Leader readers were kept in touch with his activities in France. He died of wounds on 4 August, 1917, his death featured in the Leader.

Don't Think I Can Stand The Strain

Letter from Staff Sergeant J. C. Aitken, 2nd Field Ambulance, to his brother Walter , South Street, Preston. “We have been kept been kept very busy lately running a hospital near the front line. We had a bad time down on the Somme and rumour has it we are going there again. I hope not, as I don’t think I can stand the strain. My nerves are all run down after the sights I have seen lately. I think it’s up to them to give us a rest. It is now two years since we started and out of that I have not missed a day, except for eight days leave in England which seemed to pass too quickly ... "... down on the Somme we took over a dressing station – an old chateau – it was battered around a bit. I kept 30 men there for dressing and feeding the wounded. Besides, we had our own wagons there too. Then we had our stretcher bearers of 110 men and bearers for other field ambulances bringing the total up to 600 men I had to look after ..." "... I had to work the battlefield from Castel Maison to the main dressing station, which was called “Casualty Corner” and also from Pozieres, one hundred bearers being on at each post for 24 hours and 12 off, the wagons working from Casualty Corner to Beacourt Chateau, and from there by motor ambulance to a place called Worboy where the patients were dressed again and sent on to a Casualty Clearing Station ..."

Although his letter gives the impression that he was close to breaking point, John Charles Aitken, was later promoted to Lieutenant and was awarded the Military Medal in 1918. Born in Preston, he was living with his wife inNorth Richmond when he enlisted and was discharged in mid-1918 suffering from emphysema and bronchitis.

Conscription and Shirkers

Although war news dominated the daily newspapers, life still went on for those in Australia and servicemen at the front still had their view on events in Australia, especially the referendums held in October, 1916 and again fourteen months later on whether Australia should follow Britain in introducing compulsory conscription. July and August, 1916 saw some of the heaviest fighting on the Western Front in the First Battle of The Somme and coincided with strikes at home by railway workers, miners and waterside workers as well as an uprising in Ireland, all designed to raise the hackles of servicemen in the trenches.

A Squabbling, Selfish Country

Sapper David Fyfe to his father Wallace in Preston, published in the Leader, October 14, 1916

"By jove I was disgusted when I read about those strikers in Australia. It has been nothing but strikes since the war began. It makes me wonder what we left home for at all. Strikes all over Australia, cranky anti-conscriptionists and ‘cold-footers’ abound and on top a revolt in Ireland. Are we out here for our country’s sake or for the sake of a squabbling, selfish country of strikers and conscientious objectors ... how could a cricket team win a match if half of them refuse to play because the remainder haven’t cleaned their boots? Can an Empire win a war if so large a number refuse to help but would rather hinder because some others don’t happen to think the same way they do?"

Fyfe was a regular contributor of letters to his father that were subsequently published in the Leader, many of which expressed frustration at the failure of authorities to increase recruitment and of what he considered the apathy of his contemporaries in Australia towards the troops serving on the Western Front. His grandfather Alexander (who died in Preston in 1907) was the first M.L.A. for Geelong after Victoria became a separate colony in 1851 and was also an early officer in the Geelong Volunteer Rifle Corps, the first volunteer unit to be formed in Victoria circa 1852 and nearly two years before such units were officially sanctioned.

Little Willie

Letter Q.S.M. Edward Walker of Jenkin street, Northcote.

... looking at the Anzac news in the mail, I noticed Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania stood by "Little Willie" but those other states who have turned him down seem to have upset him altogether. The releasing of those men in camp seems to me to be a Pilate-like position "I wash my hands of the whole affair". Over here the folk do not say much about the answer of Australia, but I guess they are thinking some ... “

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“I saw a “Table Talk” the other day showing pictures of the final football match and any amount of men looking on. You know this is the part that stings. Not that anyone of us wants to make greater sacrifices than we have done. But why print pictures like these? This is the sort of thing that makes us “fed up” and please tell and of the blighters that you know that the lads in England and France can't look at these pictures and use polite language. On another page I saw a picture of a big swank dancing turnout, more blighters prancing on polished floors whilst many better men slip and slide in mud, slush and snow and glide over icy roads ...”

Walker’s letter appeared after news reached the front line that the first Australian referendum proposing compulsory conscription was narrowly defeated (and was one of a few along the same lines). "Little Willie" was Australian Prime Minister William Morris Hughes, more commonly known as "Little Billie", who pressed the case for compulsory conscription and was astonished when serving soldiers themselves registered a strong "No" vote - the Leader suggesting the reason being the servicemen's “... desire to fight shoulder to shoulder only with the “fair dinkums". Walker was admitted to the Fargo Military Hospital in England just six days after the letter was published and died of pneumonia on March 4, 1917.

Hurts More Than A Red-Hot Bayonet

Dave Fyfe on the second Conscription Referendum in December, 1917, the Australian public again voting “No” and by a slightly increased majority.

“I feel now that when I return to Australia after the fray I will not know who are my friends and who are my enemies, The latter term I can only apply to those who, when we left our native land to fight for them and their children, not to mention the liberty and justice they now enjoy, turned around and deserted us in our need, practically asserting that they want us to stay here and be killed, not caring a hang whether we are reinforced or not. It requires very little imagination for us to think that the majority of Australians in Australia at present do not want us to win this war ...

The Final Push

Villiers Brettoneux (From One That Was There)

Excerpts from a long letter to the Leader from Lieutenant Lyle Christian of Clarke Street, Northcote

"... The attack was on a 30 kilometre front with unlimited objectives ... French, Canadian and the whole of the Australian Corps. The date was 8 August 1918. Great preparations had been in progress for some days. Each left nothing to chance, all movement of troops, guns, etc. was made under cover of darkness ... we had just come in for a rest when we were suddenly called to move for Villers-Brettoneux This we did in the dark, walking nearly all night and got into shelters and dug-outs where we stayed for nearly two days ... taking two men with me, I went forward towards the front line and got into a trench and waited for the dreadful hour ...... at 4:20 a.m. as if worked by one electric button, all the guns on the whole front opened up like magic - one blast of fire. The noise was dreadful ... a very heavy fog made our work most difficult and for a moment I thought the whole show would be a failure . The fog was intensified by smoke shells and powder. All of a sudden I stumbled on some Fritzs coming in, prisoners by themselves, as we had no time to spare to let men take them back, besides we wanted all our men for the job ahead of us …

... we had casualties but they were left behind where they fell, a rifle being rammed in the ground beside them to protect them against being forgotten or run over by tanks. You cannot spare men to take back wounded in a big advance for if you did you would have no battalion to carry on and one fit man is worth thousands of dead and wounded ...... We rested all night and started back for this village for 56 hours rest and re-equipment and to get the reinforcements, which were not forthcoming, because the cowards in Australia don't love their country or give a ---- what happens over here. I notice by your letters and papers that you are all having a great time out there with races, carnivals, dances, theatres etc. What a terrible shame it will be when the war finishes for those people who under a cloak of patriotism are enjoying life to the utmost ..."

And again from Lieutenant Lyall Christian (The Leader, June 22 1918)

"On the morning of ------, I was awakened out of my sleep at 3.45 by the sound of a most terrible bombardment and cries of “Gas!”. Immediately the whole battalion stood to and awaited orders, for we were in reserve. Suddenly I was ordered to take an officer and 22 men out on patrol to Villers Bretonneux and reconnoiter. Off we started and before arriving there, I saw the Tommies retiring. They informed us that the Huns had broken through and we coming on us with 'tanks'. The bombardment was intense. It's a wonder any of us lived through it. As we reached the village, we could see the Bosche had entered from the other side, and as I only had a few men, I ordered the Tommies, with my own men, to form a line of defence. Then started a day's hell. He sniped us with machine guns, bombs and artillery, and I lost half my command. Our right flank was well in the air and but for a railway cutting we should have been non est; but this good God was with us and I still live to tell the tale. At 10 o'clock we (Australians) counter attacked and carried out the most wonderful moonlight stunt ever attempted in this war and fortunately came through, although it was wholesale murder. I never saw so many dead in my life; we simply caught the Bosche napping and he paid dearly for it. We took 1000 prisoners and killed as many more ..."

Christian went under the name of Lyle although he was actually John Carlyle Christian, perhaps adopting the more glamorous name given his listed his occupation as "actor". He was a regular contributor of letters and survived the war.

A brother, Kenneth, was drowned in a submarine attack while serving with the British Merchant Navy as Second Mate on board the S.S. Glengyle. It was as a result of the action described over that Christian was awarded the Military Cross. Following his rather graphic letters where wounded seem to have been regarded as the equivalent of dog turds on the footpath today, the Leader was moved to add :

“We must admit that it requires an effort to visualise this refined and once seemingly delicate lad as a leader of men through the terrible hell of a modern war. He had adopted the stage as a profession at the time of his enlisting".

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Rushed Off In Motor Lorries

Letter from Private A. A. Madden (M.M. and Bar) to his parents on the same battle (The Leader, June 29 1918)

“We were in Belgium when the Germans broke through and were rushed off in motor lorries, travelling 50 miles in eleven hours. then we marched off from 9 p.m to 4.p.m the next afternoon – 19 hours – on one meal of a cup of tea and a slice of bacon and a rest of two hours; and on top of that we went straight into action ... we charged down on the Germans in a gully and along a railway line. it was terrible to see the men falling on both sides of me. I was a runner with despatches and just took my last message from my captain when he was killed. Two other officers of my company were killed and one wounded ... the shells, including gas and mustard shells that Fritz sent over us day and night were awful. The French papers are full of the Australian's doings. They are classed as some of the finest fighting troops in France ... I came out safe, but was lucky as a machine gun bullet skidded off my steel hat --- don't worry about me, I will pull through all right”

The Allied repulse of the The popularity of the Australian troops with the French was amplied by a further letter in the same edition, Sapper F. J. Frawley in a letter to his parents sugesting the troops were “getting great credit”, one Paris daily “in bold black headines acclaiming them, “the Saviours of France”. The Leader in publishing Madden's letter noted he had been recommended for a Bar to his Military Medal.

Out and Into The Front Line

Letter from Private S. J. McClure, published in the Leader, November 10, 1917

"When we are out of the lne, our time is mostly taken up much the same as a training camp in Victoria. We have our physical training before breakfast and morining and afternoon parades to follow ... it is rather a hard job getting Australians used to discipline and many a man who is a real good fighter in the trenches gets into trouble out of them ... for amusements we had football and boxing last winter and now we have a sort of cricket. ... as a rule, we march and take our packs with us to within ten miles of the lin when we dump them to aait our return. Once or twice we have been taken up fairly close in motor lorries but that does not happen very often...... there is always the tragic side, bt it is funny how often the comical crops up and it is no unusual thing to see men laughing over some joke just a few minutes after some of their mates have just been knocked over ... it is not because they have no feeling, but they know they can do nothing, and everyone gets used to sights that in peace time would make us feel very depressed ...". Private Samuel James McClure enlisted at 36 years of age from 62 Bent Street, Northcote where he was living with his wife, Adeline. He reached the rank of Lance Sergeant and escaped the war largely unscathed, returning to Australia erly in 1919.

The Paper Work

Not exactly "Letters to The Leader", but of course there was a considerable level of correspondence between families typically seeking news of missing or wounded sons and ither the Base Depot in Melbourne or the Red Cross Bureau in London. A few of the examples are included.

Missing - the London Red Cross Bureau

The London Red Cross Bureau's reply to an enquiry on one of the hundreds listed as missing after the start of the Battle of the Somme on 19 July, 1916 ...

"We have been obliged to close our enquiry now, as over two years have elapsed since the casualty occurred. The action in which they were missing was of such a confused and indecisive nature and the ground was fought over so many times that unfortunately it was impossible to recover the bodies of many hundreds of men and we fear that we could not now obtain any reliable or definite information. We much regret that we are obliged to send you such unsatisfactory and distressing reports about your relatives/friends and assure you that should we ever receive further particulars we shall advise you".

The text is quoted from a letter written by a Red Cross volunteer - the signature appears to be from a Miss Stanfield of the Red Cross Bureau in response to a relative of one of the "many hundreds" listed as Missing. The Australian War Memorial lists 1216 Australians who died on 19 July alone.

Desperately Seeking .. Letter from a missing soldier's mother to London Red Cross Bureau

"I hear from a friend about your valuable "Information Bureau". I have a son who is missing since the 19th July 1916 and I have not had any word since. I would be very much obliged if you could find out if he is a 'prisoner of war' or where he is. His last address was No. 2833, Pte A. B. Wood, "D" Company, 15th Platoon, 60th Battalion, Australian Imperial Forces (abroad)"

Sadly, the 25 year old Arthur Beaumont Wood was one of those that were simply never seen again. His mother wrote several letters to the Red Cross via the YMCA, but nothing was ever discovered of his fate. Her problems extended beyond worrying about Arthur's fate - his attestation shows his father as in the Receiving Home (Mental Hospital) in Royal Park and later correspondence reveals he had been in the Asylum since 1913.

And the reponse from the Red Cross …

"Dear Madam, We are in receipt of your letter of inquiry for your son - 2833 Pte A. B. Wood, D. Coy. 60th Battn, A.I.F and regret to state that his name has never come through on any lists of the Prisoners of War that we have received. However, we shall continue our enquiries and should we learn any news, it will be sent immediately to our Melbourne office, Colonial Mutual Chambers, 60 Market St., Melbourne. It will be better and quicker for you to apply there for information as we are in constant contact with that office. Assuring you of our sincere sympathy in your anxiety. Yours sincerely, Miss Craig, Secretary"

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From The Heart

Sometimes the letters were from simple souls who may not have had the benefit of much schooling or perhaps had not taken in a lot of what they had been taught, but grammar and spelling mattered little when it came to the raw emotion of losing a loved son. A letter from mother of Charles Spencer of Alphington to Officer I-C, Base Records, Melbourne dated January 8, 1919, just under twelve months after Spencer was Killed In Action. (Verbatim from National Archives) … "Dear Sir, I now asking you will you do me a turn that if you will take a notice of me. Well sir I give my twins boys for the front and I also give myself for the front to go when men would not stand their ground but they were not taking women. What am I thought of now for got one killed at front on 31 first of this month. I cant even get a word about his Grave an also what belong to him not even a card out of his pocket. This how you treat the Poor Mother also give 7/- week an I had him insure for 20 Pound then they turn around an give me five Pound. What do think of them sort of People that get for what giving sons to fight for the likes of them sort of People. We got to put up with them an then to give a pension of 7/- week after my boy in Yepres in Belgim and an the other twin boy fight in France. We even don’t get a bit of ribbon to show how our boys done there bit, It would been nice for a Mother to show an say that is the Medle he got when lost his life for you who would not an go do there bit. But same time I am proud of my twins boys if had twenty more boys there would do there bit for there country. I want to get a Medle for ! offered my service for the country to as well as my sons Medles. I hope you will excuse the Pencil for I am short of ink. Don't forget this Poor worried soldiers Mother for I am a British born woman. I feel the loss of my son very much especlly when they are all coming home. How would you like that feeling. Now sir don’t forget me.

From a Soldiers Broken Heart Mother Mrs J Spencer" "My Dear Son No. 5218 14 Battilon"

There was some good news for Mrs Spencer: the unnamed twin brother Hugh Bailey Spencer returned to Australia wounded in January, 1918.

Doing No Favours

Letter from Private W. O. Farrell to the wife of Private James Long, 94 Bell Street, Preston (National Archives)

"I am writing this letter to tell you how sorry I am that Jim should be a prisoner of war". "It was an understood thing between your husband and I that should anything happen to either on the field of battle and should one of us survive that one was to write to his comrade's wife and give her whatever information he could about his comrade".

"Well, Dear Mrs Long, your husband was one of those gallant soldiers who made such a glorious charge through the Hindenburg Line on April 11 and after gaining their objective were forced to retire again being opposed by overwhelming number of the enemy. Many of our men reached our lines in safety but some were forced to surrender, amongst the latter was your husband and my comrade". "It is bad news that I am sending you but remember there is a silver lining to this very dark cloud. Had worse befallen your husband you and your children would have seen him no more in life but now that you know through the separation may be a long one you will one day see him again. I do not know if it will lighten your burden by knowing you have my greatest sympathy". "It seems such an empty phrase but believe me, dear friend, I as a married man can feel for you and your family, I would ask you as Jim's comrade to bear patiently your burden knowing that in God's good time your husband will be returned to you and your family". "Once again, expressing my heartfelt sorrow at having to write to you in such a strain". 6333 Pte. W. O. Farrell

As well-meaning as Farrell's letter may have been, it was somewhat foolhardy for a soldier to communicate with other men's families without knowing the facts. Long was posted as Missing on 11 April 1917 and confirmed Killed In Action at an Enquiry early in December. There was never any suggestion that he had been taken prisoner and Farrell's account was contradicted by several other eyewitnesses who suggested (second hand) that Long had been killed. He was certified Killed In Action at an enquiry on December 5 after no trace could be found of him in German prisoner-of-war records.

After The Shouting Died

"War's Bright Side" Letter from Gunner Cliff Wardrop to his father George in Wardrop Grove, Northcote, published October 5, 1918.

“How changed are we since we left. Perhaps we are sorry, but no; we would not haved missed it for anything, for will we not drop into the same peace time groove when we return, and with greatly broadened minds. Most decidely. “And so life mooches on”.

"I am sorry for the chaps who have not come away; they have missed the chance of a lifetime. At times we have found things very hard, at times we have been very hungry, at times we have been very hardly worked, but there have been times that we have had the greatest possible enjoyment ... our experiences at Colombo, our first thoughts of Egypt upon arrival at Suez, the awe- inspiring sights of the Pyramids and the Sphinx, mysteries of Cairo, our glorious holiday at Marseilles, our many pleasant trips in England and our fun in France. Why, Dad, when we return and are speaking of our many adventures, the man who has not enlisted will be the most miserable man alive. Surely this was has wrought some good in us”

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Soldier Songs From Palestine

William Michael McDonald

3192, Private, 1st Australian Camel Corps William Michael McDonald enlisted at Preston on July 16, 1915, giving his father, William senior at the family home at "Glen Roma", 12 Regent Street as his next-of-kin. The home was shared by his father, mother Ellen, and three brothers, noted as "Joe, Leo and Peter" all enlisted. He was 21 at the time, an agricultural student specialising in cheese making, and embarked from Melbourne with the 22nd Infantry Battalion on board the HMAT Commonwealth on November 26. The convoy reached Egypt late in December after the evacuation of Gallipoli, and McDonald was transferred to the 1 Anzac Battalion Imperial Camel Corps before the 22nd headed for the Western Front. McDonald suffered a minor wound to the left shoulder in August 1916, rejoining his unit some two months later. He suffered a gunshot to the knee on April 20 1917, and was transferred firstly to a hospital train and after the wound became infected, to the 14th Australian General Hospital in Cairo where he was admitted "dangerously ill" on April 27. He died eleven days later on May 8 following a septic haemorrhage of the wound and was buried in 9 Cairo War Memorial Cemetery. He was a a keen amateur poet and his name gained fame as the author of a book, "Soldier Songs from Palestine" that was published post-humously (circa 1918) , several appearing in the Leader, March 15 1919. The Leader suggested "... in the falling of Private McDonald at the age of 23, a very bright and heroic spirit passed away".

"The Call" "Dead-Heads" "Have you never felt it comrade? There's a dead-head here and there, Have you never heard the call? Of a voice I hear so often, There are men that do not care, When the shades of evening fall" To do the work they're sent some

thousand miles to do, "Tis the voice of old time memories, Them who pick some easy jobs, Loves and hates of long ago, Like cleaning leggings for the "nobs", 'Tis the clan call of my people, While their comrades do the work that's That I hear wher'er I go" hard and new

"Now I hear it over the ocean, They have come some thousand miles, With its phantom mystic lures, But the true man often smiles, The call of blood that through the ages, At the schemes they scheme to find some Still will sound while life endures" women's work, Such as cleaning up the straps, "The call of blood from kinsmen living, Owned by Captains and such chaps, The voice from the buried past, While the sterner soldier's toil they shirk, Has blazed the long, long trail of freedom, They are fighting for the King, The soldier hears it to the last" But their metal does not ring,

And our uniform looks ill upon strong "Oh ye have heard the call my comrade, men, Freedom's sword is in your hands, Who unashamed stand in the light, And our sire's old dauntless spirit, Of our weary wounded's right, Throbs in the lifeblood of our land" To the softer jobs that offer now and then

Sources Of Our Research

In this section, we have included descriptions of the source material from which our local casualties were identifiedand their backgrounds. Their deaths, as in life itself, reveals an astonishing disparity in what is known of those that died in the conflict – for some, two or more pages would be required for their life story, for others, just five of six lines remain. Thes details are included with two purposes in mind, firstly as a guide for those who may wish to conduct more research into a serviceman (most resources are equally applicable to those that survived), and secondly, as an introduction to some of the documents and paperwork which made up an integral part of a soldier’s life within the A.I.F. and which are in many cases referred to in the In Memoriam volume.

The Leader

The first port of call in our research was “The Leader”. Across the Darebin area, there was the Northcote Leader and the Preston Leader – but in reality, from time they were first published in 1888 until the late 1930s, the two papers were exactly the same exceprt for the masthead, hence we use the generic term, the Leader. Editions from 1888 to 1908 are available on-line on the Darebin Encyclopia website. Editions for the period covering the Great War are available electronically at Library branches and hopefully will be included as a Web resource at a not-too-distant date. The Leader, like many publications, started out with a weekly honour roll of that featured in the official Casualty Lists as Killed, Died of Wounds, Wounded or Missing, but the reality was that as the conflict increased and the true nature of the disaster at Gallipoli began to become known, the paper resorted to a weekly column “Gallant Australians” devoted to those that had enlisted. “Gallant Australians” reported on the casualty lists, often with local details included, the latest batches of recruits and the send-offs organised in their honour and updates on recent promotions or awards for gallantry awards (usually provided by the families). The Leader also carried a rich supply of letters from servicemen at the front on all manner of subjects, although any details of their exact whereabouts or descriptions of battle had long since been cut by the censors. The Darebin area was fortunate in having the Leader. By the start of the war, most of the Collingwood and Fitzroy papers had ceased publication, if any existed in Brunswick or Coburg, they were never preserved by the State Library, and the Heidelberg News from the end of 1915 rarely carried details of casualties, even though they were covered by the Leader. Note in the sections following, both hyperlinks and appropriate web addresses are given in the anticipation that the publication of the volume will ultimately comprise both hardcopy and electronic media.

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Australian War Memorial

Web link : http://www.awm.gov.au The Australian War Memorial (henceforth “AWM”) provides a world class site devoted to those who have served in Australia’s armed forces as well as a remarkable Australian military history. Let's take a quick tour of the different material available relating to a serviceman at the AWM :

Research a Person http://www.awm.gov.au/research/people/

Enter the serviceman’s name : Harold Howden

Select Conflict : First World War We use this example for convenience – there is only one Harold Howden recorded and his results include all the relevant material. Hence we have returned :

Roll of Honour - 1 record found Details of members of the Australian armed forces who died while on active service.

Nominal Rolls

First World War Embarkation Roll - 1 record found Details of approximately 330,000 AIF personnel, recorded as they embarked from Australia for overseas service during the First World War.

First World War Nominal Roll - 8 possible records found Details of approximately 324,000 AIF personnel, recorded to assist with their repatriation to Australia from overseas service following the First World War. The nominal roll is held in alphabetical sequence and better results are actually obtained by entering just the surname; the roll doesn’t provide information over and above the Embarkation Roll, but is sometimes useful if the exact spelling of a family name is not known

Honours and Awards - 4 records found Details of military honours and awards to Australians (including recommendations). Howden was recommended and awarded a Military Cross and Bar, hence four records are available.

Red Cross Wounded and Missing - 1 record found Details of Australian personnel reported as wounded or missing as recorded in Red Cross files. These records provide much of the “eye witness” reports of a serviceman’s demise shown in the In Memoriam volume.. In many cases, there are wildly differing accounts, some swearing that they saw a soldier’s blown apart by a shell blast, the next declaring with equal emphasis that they had seen him in hospital in England. Sadly, for most of those posted as wounded or missing at Gallipoli, there are no Red Cross reports available and the Courts of Enquiry established to determine the fate of those posted as Missing were forced to base their decision on the fact that a serviceman had never been seen again, and perhaps equally as decisive, had not drawn his pay since his last known whereabouts.

Circulars Some years after the end of the war, a form known as a "circular" was sent to the familiies of deceased servicemen seeking information from which parts of the Official Histories of the was were compiled. The circulars comprise part of the Australian War Memorial files on deceased serviceman. As a rough guide, around 65% of the fatalities had circulars returned. Over and above the rest of the data provided by the AWM and National Archives, the circular provided details of the district within Australia that the serviceman was most closely associated with (the Roll at the War Memorial was originally planned to be ordered by place, and not Unit as implemented), his educational background, length in time in Australia if not locally born, and details of any other family that may have served with the A.I.F. Links to the circular (if returned) are on the Roll of Honor page for the serviceman. view a typical circular http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/awm131/034/034491.pdf

Commemorative Roll

The Commemorative Roll is an alternative to the Roll of Honour and provides basic information of Australians that died while serving with Allied forces in major conflicts. In our case, it has provided details of a handful of servicemen that died while serving with the New Zealand forces, but unfortunately it does not provide any information as the where a serviceman may have originated from and there may well be others from the district whose demise was never mentioned in the Leader or in Family Notices in city newspapers.

View a typical Commemorative Roll entry Links The AWM site also has an extensive number of links to other reference and historical sites.

Australian Defence Academy (ADFA)

Web link : http://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/search Some years ago, the Australian Defence Force Academy commenced a project to consolidate details from various sources of those who served in the Great War into a single database. All of the material is derived from the AWM and basic National Archive details, but it only includes servicemen that actually embarked for overseas. The site is extremely useful in it consolidates the history of a servicemen where accessing the AWM requires two or three pages to be downloaded. Once upon a time, it also was invaluable as it allowed searches by location of both the soldier and his next of kin, but for some obscure reason, this has been withdrawn.

Victorian Immigration Records

(Public Records Office of Victoria) Web Link : http://210.8.122.120/indexes/index_search.asp?searchid=23 Sadly, the functionality of this database of unassisted immigration into Victoria is aomewhat limited because of the data originally collected. Many entries do not carry given names, instead just an initial or in many more cases just “Mr Smith”, sometimes with age, sometimes not.

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The Argus via Trove

National Library of Australia Web link : http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/search?adv=y Around mid-2009, the National Library of Australia commenced implementation of a project to digitally scan many of Australia’s newspapers when comprehensive seach facilities against the scanned text. Included in the publications is the Melbourne Argus, during the war years Melbourne’s largest daily newspaper. Its availability has proved a boon in identifying dozens of local men that were never noted by the Leader, typically through Family Notices. Many other Victorian and interstate newpapers are digitised; sadly the Leader is not one of them at this stage. Note the links are the Advanced Search page - the home page provides some other interesting options.

Probate Records

Public Records Office of Victoria Web Link : http://210.8.122.120/indexes/index_search.asp?searchid=54 A valuable resource discovered late in the research was a database held by the Public Records Office of Victoria of deceased estates that underwent the probate process in the Supreme Court of Victoria (these include a relatively small number of servicemen that lodged Wills before leaving Australia).. A simple search with Occupation of Soldier and Residential location set to the various sections of Darebin revealed at least half a dozen previously unknown servicemen, almost all of whom were British men boarding in the area, not well known in the district, and with next-of-kin their families “back home”.

Auckland Museum

Web link : http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/130/cenotaph-database Although the recorded details of servicemen are not extensive, the New Zealand Cenotaph database held by the Auckland Museum provides information on a handful of local servicemen known to have died while serving in the New Zealand Forces (as well of course as thousands iof records of Kiwis who serfed). For Alphington's Harry Curline, view

The Cenotaph entry http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph/3563.detail?Ordinal=3&c_surname_search =curline&c_warconflict_search=world+war+i,+1914-1918 and the Commemorative Roll at the AWM http://www.awm.gov.au/research/people/commemorative_roll/person.asp?p=566033

National Archives of Australia

Having identified a potential local casualty, the final step is to both confirm the relevance to Darebin and what is still recThe National Archives of Australia contain the Service Records of every serviceman or servicewoman that embarked for overseas service during the First World War. Each archive usually consists of an attestation paper (name, next-of-kin, employment / trade details, marital status, age, place of birth, physical description and prior military service), a service and casualty form "Form B103" (this record details when and how a soldier was injured, where treatment was received, and movements and transfers between units), military correspondence and other information. Especially of interest in tracing the personal backgrounds of many of the casualties are letters between the families and the Defence Department’s Base Depot, and in these exchanges we discover many of the conflicts within the serviceman’s domestic background. To fully understand how the data for each serviceman has been compiled, we recommend spending a few minutes online to familiarise with some of the key documents within the archives – especially the Attestation paper and Service and Casualty Form. Note the pages below link directly to scanned images on the National Archives site - the Next and Previous buttons shown on the screen have no effect. Full details of those that served can be viewed at the link above, Search Now and including B2455 as part of the keywords to access First World War archives. Application to Enlist Logically, the first piece of paperwork was required to complete was an Application to Enlist. Surprisingly, very few of the servicemen's files at the National Archives contain copies of the Application, somewhat frustratingly so as this was the only document within those files that recorded the man's residential address at the time of enlistment. view Application To Enlist http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=1794945&S=29&T=R Attestation The Attestation form was completed by a recruiting officer in conjunction with the serviceman and as well as recording basic details as to place of birth, occupation, next-of-kin and previous military service (but oddly not an address), it was the certification that the man was prepared "... to serve in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia within or beyond the limits of the Commonwealth" until the end of the War and for a further four months following the cessation of hostilities. The form comprised three sections - general identification, the attestation, and a Certificate of Medical Inspection. view Attestation Form - Page 1 http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=1953367&S=1&T=R view Attestation Form - page 2 http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=1953367&S=4&T=R view Attestation Form - page 3 http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=1953367&S=6&T=R Application for Commission For those aspiring to be commissioned officers (i.e. above the rank of Sergeant), an addition form was required. as well as duplicating some of the personal details from the Attestation, the Application needed separate medical certification and a recommendation from the applicant's Commanding Officer. (Note this was only used for applications within Australia - in realit, most of the men that

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finished with Commissions were promoted in the field often the restore the rato of officers to ranks afer other officers had been killed or wounded. view Application for Commission http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=3111842&S=15&T=R

Service and Casualty Form This was the day-to-day record of a soldier's life in the A.I.F. - his movements, promotions, wounds, transfers and misdemeanours (of which there were many, men out of action due to venereal disease were docked their pay on the basis it was a self-inflicted affliction). The forms were updated in handwriting in the field and for most men, the National Archives also have typewritten copies, but it is not clear exactly when, where or why this exercise was undertaken. There appears to be slightly different forms for commissioned officers and the ranks, but the general detail is the same. view Casualty & Service Form - Part 1 http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=3111842&S=13&T=R view Casualty & Service Form - Part 2 http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=3028631&S=11&T=R view Casualty & Service Form - Part 2 (more) http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=3028631&S=12&T=R Acknowledgment of Medals and Awards

Men who were awarded medals for bravery or outstanding service were issued with acknowledgments of the award as well as the medal itself (which in most cases wasn't presented until several months later after it had been officially gazetted, firstly in London and then in Australia). view Acknowledgment of Medals and Awards http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=3111842&S=41&T=R

Receipts acknowledging service medals (post-war)

A number of medals were issued to virtually all men who had served overseas during the War including the 1914-15 Star for those that had enlisted and served in a theatre of war during those years. The medals were forwarded via registered post or could be collected personally and the Base Depot was meticulous in collecting signed receipts for any property that left its care. view Receipt for Service Medal

For those who paid the supreme sacrifice

For those that died in the service of their country, a little additional paperwork was obviously required.

Death Certificates were issued by the A.I.F. Base Depot (not retained in the National Archives) and other correspondence between the authorities and the next-of-kin was more or less routine in each case. The A.I.F.'s official notification of the death came as a Field Service Certificatie - there were slight differences between those issued for enlisted men and commissioned ranks, although the content was effectively the same. view Field Certificate - enlisted men http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=3103508&S=58&T=R view Field Certificate - commissioned officer http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=3103508&S=58&T=R

Men listed as Missing and later confirmed Killed In Action were usually certified as Dead by a Court of Enquiry

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view Field Certificate - Death confirmed at Enquiry

Inventory of Personal Effects The personal effects of servicemen were despatched through London back to the next-of-kin in Australia, normally as two shipments. The first was usually the few possessions that the soldier had in his possession when he was killed (although, of course, many bodies were never recovered), and a later consignment of the articles that were held back at the divisional base. The example shown for Captain William Braithwaite is certainly one of the larger shipments - for many, it was usually a few coins, photographs and minor personal effects. Many officers carried revolvers which were regarded as personal items and these were returned to relatives in Australia. Pay Books remained the property of the A.I.F. view Inventory of Personal Effects : Captain William Braithwaite http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=1970231&S=35&T=R view Inventory of Personal Effects : Sapper William Auhl http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=3041391&S=10&T=R

Receipt for Consignment from Defence Department The receipt was to be signed by the next-of-kin acknowledging that they had received the shipment(s) of personal effects and had confirmed that the contents as described were intact. view Receipt for Consignment from Defence Department http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=3111842&S=16&T=R

Pension Entitlements Pensions were available for dependent relatives of the deceased soldier - "dependent" appearing to be widowed mother, wife, sons to the age of 13 (at which time they were regarded as capablle of earning their own living), and daughters to an unknown age. pensions were paid via the Post Office and varied from time to time. For reasons unknown, there are a limited number of pension records still held within the archives, even in cases where a gratuity would have been payable. view Pension Record http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=1970231&S=46&T=R

Enquiry re Missing Soldier If a soldier was listed as Missing, the A.I.F. Base Depot updated relatives as to the progress of enquiries, and at the same time solicited any information that the relatives themselves may have heard of their loved one's fate from other servicemen or family members. view Enquiry re Missing Soldier http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=3126158&S=42&T=R

Miss Vera Deakin

Perhaps this is an appropriate time to introduce into our history Miss Vera Deakin, whose name appears in hundreds of servicemen’s archives. Undoubtedly one of the great unsung heroines of the Great War, she was a daughter of three-time Australian Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin, Educated at Melbourne University and the Conservatory of Musics, Vera Deakin headed up the Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau in London and personally corresponded with hundreds of anxious relatives seeking news of loved ones, perhaps holding out a last, flimsy hope of the survival of a son listed as wounded, missing or a prisoner of war. (The AWM suggests aroun400,000 reports were returned to Australia as a result of enquiries). Portrait of Mrs Vera Deakin was just 23 when sho volunteered to serve at the Australian Red Cross Thomas Walter operation in Cairo in August 1915, although at that time, it was uncertain exactly White OBE (nee Vera how she and an aide, Winifred Johnson could help the war effort. Deakin), by Robert Hofmann Red Cross commissioners, feeling that enquiries into the fates of missing soldiers was of a high priority, introduced the pair to Lady Barker, who had operated a AWM P02119.002 similar bureau in France and Belgium before travelling to Egypt to help the British Red Cross with a similar service during the Dardanelles campaign. The Australian Bureau was opened in Cairo with Miss Deakin as Secretary and Miss Johnson as Assistant Secretary before moving to London when the A.I.F. was transferred to the Western Front in May, 1916. The Bureau used agents, mostly Bureau employees in Britain, France and Belgium to scour official lists of the wounded and missing, to communicate with soldiers on active service, and to interview comrades of missing soldiers in various camps and hospitals, the results of which make up much of the Eyewitness reports in our In Memoriam section. Although many of the reports were conflicting and in some cases obviously wrong, it was considered crucial to provide as much information as possible to kinfolk back home, even if, as so frequently happened, the news confimed the tragic loss of a husband or son. The Red Cross Bureau also established a Prisoner of War Department in July, 1916 which became the official link between prisoners-of-war and their families with information on prisoners of war gathered through sister organisations in enemy and neutral countries. Vera Deakin was awarded an OBE in 1919 for her services as head of the Bureau. During the Second World War she was Director of the Wounded and Missing Inquiry Bureau of the Victorian Division of the Australian Red Cross and later was Vice Chair of the Australian Red Cross.

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The First Casualty

Details of over 700 servicemen and women with close links to the Darebin district are documented in the companion In Memoriam volumes, but perhaps one should be promoted to this section as being the first of 61, 520 Australians listed on the Australian War Memorial as dying in service during the Great War.

William George Vincent Williams

William Williams was an Able Seaman (no. 294) in the Number 4 Company of the Naval Reserve and and had a week left before completing his time in the Reserve when war was declared and he was commanded into full service. When not at sea, Williams lived with his mother, Mrs. Victoria Robinson and sister, Mrs Martha Anthonsen at 36 Beavers Road in Northcote. Williams was part of a raiding party from H.M.A.S. Una that disembarked near Rabual, New Guineau on September 11, 1914 on a missin to destroy a German radio station operating some five miles inland. The advance section came across a group of natives in a coconut plantation on the Bita Paka Road.

Williams covered another sailor, Stoker Kember, who returned with the information that the natives were just gathering coconuts, but after the pair advanced about ten yards, Williams was shot in the stomach by German soldiers hiding in the plantation huts. The group’s medical officer, Captain Brian Pockley after hearing Williams had been wounded went to his aid, and after applying what first- aid that the conditions allowed, gave his Red Cross armband to Kember to carry Williams to the rear.

No longer under the nominal protection that the Red Cross gave, Pockley was shot shortly after. Williams and Pockley were were later picked up by a party with an ambulance cart and taken back to H.M.A.S. Berrima, one of the ships that had carried the Australian force to Rabaul and they both died on board that afternoon, Williams died about an hour before Pockley. Six Australians were killed and four wounded in the battle of Bita Paka. Pockley became the first Australian commissioned officer to die in the First World War.

As a Naval Reservist, Williams required neither an embarkation record or attestation paper. His transfer to full service was so sudden that according the The Argus, his mother and sister had no direct contact with him before he was killed and had no idea he was in a war zone – the only indication of the Naval exercise being a letter to a friend in Northcote in which Williams apologised for not keeping an appointment, and although not mentioning the vessel or destination, added “he would be glad to get ashore and have a jolly good feed”.

His parents were married in Brighton, England in 1884 and migrated to Australia almost immediately, William, their only son, born in Richmond in 1886. Williams senior later died (date unknown) and his mother (nee Boundy) re-married, to Joseph Victor Robinson at Castlemaine in 1906.

Both The Age and The Argus gave Williams address as 36 Beaver’s Road and therein lies a mystery – the property was for several years in directories (unnumbered in many cases) listed under the name of Joseph V. Boundy, seemingly a combination of Mrs. Robinson’s original maiden name and her second husband's given names.

Williams was noted as being well known around the area, and a prominent member of the Loyal Orange Lodge and Richmond Rifle Club. In civilian life, he had worked for several years in the engine room of the Melbourne Electricity Supply Co.

Authorities carrying the news of Williams death were greeted by his sister, Mrs. Thelma Anthonsen who lived at the Beaver's Road address. His mother was away for the night visiting relatives in Richmond and Mrs. Anthonsen was left with the sad task of conveying the message to her mother "who was prostrated by the news".

"... when one realises that this was the first fight in which the Australian Naval Force has been engaged, one realises the significance of his sister's words when news was broken to her yesterday - "It is great honour for him to go in that way and father would have been proud of him". The Argus, September 14 1914

Mrs. Anthonsen also added "mother's one hope is that her son will be buried with his father" (he was buried in a cemetery in Rabual along with the other five servicemen killed in the battle,

Just before the action, The Argus published a list of around 100 servicemen heading into action with the Navy's New Guineau Expeditionary Force and for a town nowhere near the ocean, the Northcote district remarkably provided five of the group.

As well as Williams, the other four were : Midshipman Charles William Hicks (11 Mitchell Street, Northcote), Ordinary Seaman William Nathaneal Gothard (C/- Mr. Jenkins, Fairfield), Able Bodied Seaman Rupert Leslie Burne, ("Roseville", Speight street, Northcote) and A.B.S. William Robert Hartwell (c/- Parsons, Brooke Street, Westgarth).

The graves of Able Seaman W G V Williams (left) and Captain Brian Colden Antill Pockley, Australian Army Medical Corps. In the back row, right, is the grave of AB Henry William Street, killed in action on 11 September 1914 (buried on the road where he was killed). The iron railing fence around the grave of Captain Pockley was provided by a family member. The original burial place of Pockley, Williams and Street was at Herbertshohe, reinterred in another cemetery at Herberthohe around c 1915-1916 and in 1919 they were reinterred in the Rabaul military cemetery. Note: Postwar c 1950 these three graves were transferred to Bita Paka War Cemetery.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Casualty Statistics

Conscription Referendum 28 October, 1916

Yes No Yes % N.S.W. 356,805 474,544 42.9%

Victoria 353,930 328,216 51.9%

Queensland 144,200 158,021 47.7%

South Australia 87,924 119,236 42.4%

Western Australia 94,069 40,994 69.6%

Tasmania 48,493 37,833 56.2%

Federal Territory 2,136 1,289 62.4%

Total (1) 1,087,557 1,160,133 48.4%

Servicemen (2) 72,399 58,894 55.1%

Seat of Bourke (3) 18,196 23,499 43.6%

(1) Despite the Referendum requiring a simple Yes or No answer, there where 61,013 informal votes, obviously the typical “protest” vote still apparent in today’s elections. (2) Servicemen's votes were recorded against their home state, but were also reported separately (3) The Legislative seat of Bourke included Brunswick, Brunswick North, Northcote, Preston, Alphington, Ivanhoe and Heidelberg. These figures shown represent about 80% of the total vote - no later breakdown by electorate was published.

Locally, the Referendum sparked what the Leader called “the most disorderly meeting that ever took place in Northcote in connection with any movement” after wild scenes at the Town Hall. Tensions had been builing for some time between the pro- conscription campaigners and two outspoken critcis of the move, the newly elected Cr. John Cainn and Cr. Angus McDonnell, a long staning and self-confessed Socialist. The meeting, called by the Mayor, Cr. William Williams, was for the purpose of supporting the campaign for conscription, Such was the division over the issue, the local member for Bourke, Frank Anstey was the first Labor parliamentarian to speak on behalf of the Australian Peace Alliance and had in fact addressed an audience of around 800 in the same hall just two evenings beforehand. (Anstey's position, which he reiterate several times during the campaign was not that he was ant- conscription per se, but objected to compulsion because he considered the potential numbers that would be recruited if the scheme was successful was far in excess of both military requirements an the capacity of the A.I.F. to train them.

The key speaker was Senator Patrick “Paddy”Lynch, a Western Australian who was the first Federal Labor parliamentarian to advocate conscription. On taking the stand, there was a mixture of cheering mingling with a loud booing from a significant section of the packed audience. His speech was consistently interrupted, the chairman ordering the ejection by police of a number of the demonstrators. After several pleas for a fair hearing (including one from a leading “No”campaigner, Mrs. A. K. Wallace, Lynch attempted to complete his speech six times, at one stage comparing the crowd to “human dingoes”,. As pandemonium continued, Lynch was “counted out”by the crowd, his last audible comment “You cowardly dogs, you’re letting the Socialists of Europe fight for you”. A couple of other parliamentatarians fared little better, but the crowd allowed two ex-servicemen, including one who had lost three brothers to speak before the uproar broke out again and after repeated calls for order fell on deaf ears, the mayor was forced to declare the meeting closed. The bitter feelings were rekindled a couple of weeks later when Northcote Council refused permission for the local branch of the Political Labour Council to hold an anti-conscription rally at the Town Hall. The PLC claimed it had been unfairly treated as the group was composed of ratepayers and residents and the council had no right “to abrogate to itself the position of judge and jury”; the mayor claimed that when the application had come before council, there had no seconder for the motion. John Cain then resubmitted the application which was subsequently approved. Leading the "No"campaign was Frank Anstey, the Federal Member for Bourke, who in 1915 published The Kingdom of Shylock, the circulation of which was suppressed, in which he argued that 'this war makes the living worker a slave, and fills the treasury of Shylock to overflowing'. The Leader declared itself in favour of conscription, although without exhibiting any zeal over the issue, and despite many columns covering meetings and campaighs leading up to the referendum, there was not a single word forthcoming over the result. It was probably no surprise that the predominantly working class electorate of Bourke returned a 43.6% YES vote, about 5% less than the national average and probably due in no small part to Anstey's campaigning.

No breakdowns per suburb were published for the 1916 Referendum, but the following year when a second vote was taken, Northcote returned a 41.2% YES vote, identical to the electorate of Bourke as a whole.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Conscription Referendum, 20 December, 1917

Yes No Yes % 1916 Move N.S.W. 329,772 487,774 42.9% 41.2% -1.7%

Victoria 329,772 332,490 49.8% 51.9% -2.1%

Queensland 132,771 168,875 44.0% 47.7% -3.7%

South Australia 86,663 106,364 44.9% 42.4% -2.5%

Western Australia 84,116 46,522 64.4% 69.6% -5.2%

Tasmania 38,881 38,502 50.2% 56.2% -6.0%

Federal Territory 1,700 1,220 58.2% 62.4% -4.2%

Total 1,015,159 1,181,747 46.2% 48.4% -2.2%

Servicemen (Total) 103,789 93,910 52.5% 55.1% -2.6%

In service overseas 91,363 89,742 50.4%

Returned or in camp 12,078 4,051 74.9%

Seat of Bourke 11,477 16,367 41.2% 43.6% -2.4%

Alphington 1,103 1,087 50.4%

Brunswick 841 2,177 27.9%

Brunswick North 2,705 4,630 36.9%

Heidelberg 530 612 46.4%

Ivanhoe 925 337 73.3%

Northcote 4,348 6,202 41.2%

Preston 1,025 1,322 43.7%

The breakdowns for the seat of Bourke were taken with around 85% of the total votes recorded. By this time, the “No” vote already had a majority and subsequent counting was somewhat meaningless and the press did not carry further detailed breakdowns by electoral district. The 1917 referendum saw a nationwide drift against compulsory conscription. Western Australia and Tasmania were both still in favour, as was the Australian Capital Territory (but with under 3,000 voters). Nationwide, the swing to the "No" vote ranged from 1.7% in New South Wales to 6% in Tasmania and 2.4% for servicemen. The "No" vote nationally increased by 2.2%, and in the seat of Bourke, by 2.6%. The local figures are fascinating in that they support the belief of many historians that attitudes to conscription were affected by socio-economic standing - the leafy suburb of Ivanhoe (73.3%) and Alphington (50.4%) were the only two of seven "districts in favour; the "struggletowns" of Brunswick and Brunswick North recorded just 27.9% and 36.9% respectively. For 1917, the votes of servicemen were classified by those serving overseas, 50.4% "Yes"and those volunteers still in camp in Australia, who not surprisingly recorded a strong 74.9% in favour of having conscripts joining them.

Total Enlistments, State by State

State Enlisted %A %B

Queensland 57,715 8.5 37.7 NSW 164,038 8.8 39.8 Victoria 112,399 7.9 38.6 South Australia 34,959 8.0 37.6 Western Australia 32,239 9.9 37.5 Tasmania 15,459 7.6 37.8 416,809 8.5 38.7

%A percentage of total population %B percentage of male population of enlistment age 18 to 44

The Australian Capital Territory was not declared and the area was still part of New South Wales. There where no enlistment facilities in the Northern Territory and the few volunteers had to make their own way to a Western Australian or Queensland enlistment centre.

Australian Casualties, Month by Month

1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 January 31 108 727 246 129 36 25

February 25 95 1,147 198 341 26 27

March 51 96 1,141 957 131 28 34

April 1,235 201 2,703 2,833 129 26 1

May 2,173 369 2,550 1,242 76 36

June 462 419 1,967 1,066 84 40

July 394 4,841 824 1,221 66 26

August 3,102 4,019 591 3,036 67 41

September 24 478 1,040 3,293 1,917 59 42

October 12 319 436 5,753 1,201 38 26

November 19 435 1,754 855 532 45 3526

December 19 224 770 349 211 41

74 8,929 14,148 21,900 14,660 1,206 388 87

Total 61,392

These figures are derived from a month-by-month analysis of the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll. The Roll lists 61,516 deaths between 6 August, 1914 and 31 March, 1921 (when the A.I.F. was officially decommissioned) leaving a discrepancy of 124 fatalities, presumably cases where dates of death have not been recorded. The first official casualty of the War was William George Vincent Williams of Northcote, the last was Corporal Leslie Clark Price, who died on 12 April, 1921 at No. 4 Australian General Hospital, Randwick, from tuberculosis.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Australian Enlistments – Month by Month

1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 Aug-Dec * 52,565 January 10,225 22,101 4,575 2,344 February 8,379 18,508 4,924 1,918 March 8,913 15,597 4,979 1,518 April 6,250 9,876 4,646 2,781 May 10,526 10,659 4,576 4,882 June 12,505 6,582 3,679 2,540 July 36,575 6,170 4,155 2,741 August 25,714 6,345 3,274 2,959 September 16,571 9,325 2,460 2,451 October 9,914 11,520 2,761 3,619 November 11,230 5,055 2,815 1,124 December 9,119 2,617 2,247 52,565 165,921 124,355 45,091 28,877 416,809

 1914 figures were listed in total as N.S.W. did not submit monthly totals. These figures are quoted from the official history of the War and do not include a number of servicemen that re- enlisted, serving mostly in the islands and at Rabaul.

Embarkations from Australia – Month by Month

1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 January 152 10,089 5,176 215 23 February 8,580 6,857 6,464 1,906 69 March 784 12,844 49 2,235 15 April 5,307 13,313 221 851 85 May 10,235 19,312 6,919 851 8 June 13,877 12,063 5,946 2,387 July 3,697 7,663 1,276 2,427 August 1,050 5,328 11,266 3,468 1,169 September 2,812 9,157 11,644 1,048 990 October 16,046 12,373 18,026 3,389 2,476 November 2,541 20,196 12,705 6,554 1,074 December 10,562 9,677 8,354 1,983 120 33,011 99,363 144,136 42,493 17,660 200 336,883

The last official embarkations were eight members of the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force bound for Rabaul on board SS Melusia. Most of the group had returned from the Western Front and re-enlisted in the regular forces after being discharged. One, Private Richard Callaway, originally enlisted on 21 August, 1914, returned to Australia in April, 11918 and was discharged with a gunshot wound to the left foot, re-enlisted in September and spent 59

days with the Home Forces before being discharged due to a general “Reduction in Strength” following the Armistice, and then enlisted a third time in April, 1919.

Enlistments by Marital Status

(Courtesy of A. D. F. A. Reseseach Project)

Enlisted % Single 271,226 81.3%

Married 58,619 17.6%

Not Stated 3,574 0.1%

Widowed 2,839 0.08%

Divorced 113

Declared Separated 59*

The A.D.F.A. Project suggests more men were separated although technically still married. The figures appear to have been taken from embarkation records rather tham enlistments. Our experience reveals several men married after enlisting and the ratio of married men may have been somewhat higher, depending on whether th A.D.F.A. used Attestation papers or Embarkation details,

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

1914 The Ships

His Majesty’s Australian Transport ships

Troop transports were requisitioned by the Commonwealth government for the purpose of transporting the AIF overseas but in addition to carrying troops, horses and military stores they also carried wool, metals, meat, flour and other foodstuffs, mainly for Britain and France. The fleet consisted mainly of British steamers requisitioned by the Australian Government and a few captured enemy ships, several arrived in Australian ports up to a month after the declaration of war unaware of the events in Europe. The British ships retained their original name, but the designation of H.M.A.T. rather than the peacetime S.S. (Steam Ship). For some British-born A.I.F. volunteers, it may have an eerie experience travelling to the conflict in the Northern hemisphere in a ship on which they had earlier emigrated to seek a better life. Over a dozen German ships were impounded although only a handful were used to carry troops. Those seized outside of Syney and Newcasle were relocated complete with cargo to Sydney, the delays in having freight released causing many problems for local manufacturers relyink on imported materials. Remarkably, very few men died while en route to the Middle East or later to the Western Front as a result of enemy action. Thirty six lives were lost with the torpedoing off Mudros of the SS Southland, but she was transporting troops to the Gallipoli landings rather than to their intended camp destinations.

No Vessel Tons Knots Owner (London unless noted) Carried Ex- Service Melbourne Ended A1 HMAT Hymettus 4,606 11.5 British India SN Co Ltd 647 214 15 May 1917

A2 HMAT Geelong 7,851 12 P &O SN Co 4,259 469 More

A3 HMAT Orvieto 12,130 15 Orient SN Co Ltd 1,454 1,452 29 Dec 1914 More

A4 HMAT Pera 7,635 11 P &O SN Co 6 Jan 1917 More

A5 HMAT Omrah 8,130 15 Orient SN Co Ltd 1,165 1 10 Feb 1915 More

A6 HMAT Clan 5121 15 Cayser, Irvin and Co. 556 293 14 Apr 1915 More MacCorquodale Glasgow

A7 HMAT Medic 12,032 13 Oceanic SN Co Ltd Liverpool 7,322 2,957 26 Oct 1917 More A8 HMAT Argyllshire 10,392 14 The Scottish Shire Line Ltd 6,785 152 24 Jan 1918 A9 HMAT Shropshire 8,130 15 Federal SN Co Ltd 7,166 4,498 5 Aug 1917

A10 HMAT Karroo 6,127 12 Ellerman & Bucknall SS Co 1,192 908 3 Jan 1917 More Ltd A11 HMAT Ascanius 10,048 13 Ocean SS Co Ltd Liverpool 10,880 5,269 30 Jul 1917

A12 HMAT Saldanha 4,594 11 Ellerman & Bucknall SS Co 172 60 14 Jun 1917 More Ltd A13 HMAT Katuna 4,641 11 Ellerman & Bucknall SS Co 516 240 10 Feb 1917 Ltd

A14 HMAT Euripides 15,050 15 G Thompson & Co Ltd 13,447 5,069 2 Jun 1917 More

A15 HMAT Star of 9,136 13.5 Commonwealth & Dominion 2,994 35 22 Sep 1917 More England (later Port Line Ltd Sydney)

A16 HMAT Star of 9,152 13.5 Commonwealth & Dominion 3,346 1,073 2 Oct 1917 More Victoria (later Port Line Ltd Melbourne)

A17 HMAT Port Lincoln 7,243 12 Commonwealth & Dominion 5,057 2,970 26 Sep 1917 More Line Ltd

No Vessel Tons Knots Owner (London unless noted) Carried Ex- Service Melbourne Ended A18 HMAT Wiltshire 10,390 13.5 Commonwealth & Dominion 8,248 4,418 2 Oct 1917 Line Ltd

A19 HMAT Afric 11,999 13 Federal SN Co Ltd 6,502 2,108 More A20 HMAT Hororata 9,400 14 New Zealand Shipping Co Ltd 10.748 6,069 11 Sep 1917

A21 HMAT Marere 6443 12.5 Commonwealth & Dominion 207 7 More Line Ltd

A22 HMAT Rangatira 8948 14 Shaw, Savill and Albion Co Ltd 491 - 15 Feb 1915 More A23 HMAT Suffolk 7573 12 Potter, Trinder and Gwyn 4,508 1.273 14 Jun 1917 A24 HMAT Benalla 11,118 14 P & O SN Co 5,973 1,292 6 Aug 1917 A25 HMAT Anglo-Egyptian 7,379 14 Nitrate Producers SS Co 419 112 16 Apr 1917

A26 HMAT Armadale 6,153 11 Australind SS Co 1,370 872 7 Jun 1917 More A27 HMAT Southern 4,769 10.5 Central Shipping Co 144 58 3 Feb 1915 A28 HMAT Miltiades 7,814 13 G Thompson & Co Ltd 4,666 472 15 Sep 1917 A29 HMAT Suevi 12,531 13 Oceanic SN Co Ltd Liverpool 7,336 1,555 9 Sep 1917

A30 HMAT Borda 11,136 14 P & O SN Co 8,011 782 10 Sep 1917 More A31 HMAT Ajana 7,759 13 Australind SS Co Ltd 2,447 627 12 May 1917

A32 HMAT Themistocles 11,231 15 G Thompson & Co Ltd 8,645 5,645 20 Oct 1917 More A33 HMAT Ayrshire 7,763 13 The Scottish Shire Line Ltd 2,636 979 9 Jan 1918 A34 HMAT Persic 12,042 13 Oceanic SN Co Ltd Liverpool 6,444 3,487 8 Nov 1917 A35 HMAT Berrima 11,137 14 P & O SN Co 7,882 1,886 10 Oct 1917

A36 HMAT Boonah 5,926 10.5 Ex-enemy Melbourne. 2,264 - More German-Australian S.S. Company Ltd.

A37 HMAT Barambah 5,923 10.5 Ex-enemy Hobart. German- 2,021 1,497 More Australian S.S. Company Ltd.

A38 HMAT Ulysses 14,499 14 China Mutual SN Co 14,347 9,320 15 Aug 1917 More

A39 HMAT Port 7,236 12.5 Commonwealth & Dominion 1,356 766 13 Jan 1917 More MacQuarie Line Ltd

A40 HMAT Ceramic 18,481 15 Oceanic SN Co Ltd Liverpool 13,557 6,001 9 Jul 1917 More

A41 HMAT Bakara 5,930 10.5 Ex-enemy vessel Constaff) 1,221 217 More

A42 HMAT Boorara 5,923 10.5 Ex-enemy Pfalz. German- 1,999 869 More Australian S.S. Company Ltd.

A43 HMAT Barunga 7,484 11 Ex-enemy Sumatra. German- 300 186 More Australian S.S. Company Ltd. A44 HMAT Vestalia 5,528 15 Gow, Harrison & Co, Glasgow 678 212 10 Mar 1917

A45 HMAT Bulla 5,099 10.5 Ex-enemy Hessen. 324 - More Norddeutscher Lloyd Line A46 HMAT Clan 5,023 14 Cayser, Irvin and Co. Glasgow 3,604 1,483 16 Aug 1917 McGillivray

A47 HMAT Mashobra 8,174 12.5 British India SN Co Ltd 1,543 73 21 Dec 1916 More

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

No Vessel Tons Knot Owner (London unless noted) Carried Ex- Service s Melbourne Ended A48 HMAT Seang Bee 5,849 13 Lim Chin Tsong, Rangoon 3,563 101 12 May 1917

A49 HMAT Seang Choon 5,807 12 Lim Chin Tsong, Rangoon 3,068 207 More

A50 HMAT Itonus 5,340 12 British India SN Co Ltd 2,365 2 More A51 HMAT Chilka 3,952 14 British India SN Co Ltd 610 318 4 Aug 1915

A52 HMAT Surada 5,324 10 British India SN Co Ltd 572 54 4 Jan 1917 More

A53 HMAT Itria 5,318 10 British India SN Co Ltd 504 113 17 Jun 1917

A54 HMAT Runic 12,490 13 Oceanic SN Co Ltd Liverpool 6,649 2,955 27 Nov 1917 More

A55 HMAT Kyarra 6,953 14 AUSN Co Ltd 6,355 678 4 Jan 1918 More A56 HMAT Palermo 7,597 14 P & O SN Co 486 380 10 Jan 1917 A57 HMAT Malakuta 7,430 14 T & J Brocklebank Ltd, 530 137 24 Jan 1917 Liverpool A58 HMAT Kabinga 4,657 12 Ellerman & Bucknall SS Co Ltd 315 135 19 Jun 1917 More A59 HMAT Botanist 7,688 13 Charente SS Co Ltd, Liverpool 482 265 6 Dec 1916

A60 HMAT Aeneas 10,049 14 Ocean SS Co Ltd, Liverpool 889 2,106 22 Jun 1917 More A61 HMAT Kanowna 6,942 14 AUSN Co Ltd. 1,928 117 18 Mar 1919

A62 HMAT Wandilla 7,785 16 Adelaide SS Co Ltd Adelaide. 5,499 3.658 24 Jan 1917 More A63 HMAT Karoola 7,391 15 McIlwraith, McEacharn's Line 2,044 613 Jun 1919 Pty Ltd, Melbourne.

A64 HMAT Demosthenes 11,223 15 G Thompson & Co Ltd 5,889 2.796 16 Mar 1917 More A65 HMAT Clan MacEwen 5,140 15 Cayser, Irvin and Co. Glasgow 202 186 14 Apr 1917

A66 HMAT Uganda 5,431 10 British India SN Co Ltd 674 265 4 Dec 1916 More 28 Feb A67 HMAT Orsova 12,036 18 Orient SN Co Ltd 6,879 3,601 1917 A68 HMAT Anchisses 10,046 10 Ocean SS Co Ltd, Liverpool 7,272 2.271 12 Oct 1917

A69 HMAT Warilda 7,713 16 Adelaide SS Co Ltd Adelaide. 5,603 1,812 More

A70 HMAT Ballarat 11,120 14 P & O SN Co 5,745 2,884 More A71 HMAT Nestor 14,501 14 Ocean SS Co Ltd, Liverpool 9,104 7,121 26 Jun 1917 14 Sep

A72 HMAT Beltana 11,120 14 P & O SN Co 5,059 41 More 1917 HMAT A73 6,616 14 P & O SN Co 3,789 2,224 23 Jun 1917 Commonwealth A74 HMAT Marathon 7,827 16 G Thompson & Co Ltd 4,082 480 28 Jul 1917

These converted passenger liners requisitioned by the Australian Government had to be completely re- fitted; horse stalls provided, hospital wards and latrines, troop decks, sleeping quarters canteens, ammunition magazines all installed. In many cases, the entire passenger accommodation had to be ripped out, but with a well-planned and high level of standardisation combined with experience on the first ships the conversion became a stream-lined process - the liner Desmontheses was prepared to carry 1,500 troops in just 60 hours, the smaller Palermo 400 horses and 100 men in 53 hours. Given the crowded conditions on board and an environment totally foreign to most animals, there were surprisingly few losses in transporting horses 6 until May,1915 when HMAT Palermo carrying reinforcements for the 7 Light Horse Regiment ran into a storm and 120 horses died. The Department of Defence ordered other ships in transit to India and suspended shipments to Egypt for the duration of the monsoon season, anticipated to be November.

Royal Mail Ships In addition to those vessels of various types converted to troop carriers, the Defence Department also shipped servicemen on the ships contracted to carry Royal Mail as well as passengers and cargo between Australian and English ports. From the table below, the dominance of P & O on the “mail run” is obvious. The ships continued to operate under the control of their owners and retained their name and designation of RMS. The numbers carried varied wildly and in some cases where only a handful embarked, this was to allow servicemen that had been taken off a troop carrier because of illness or for other reasons to reunite with their original vessel, usually at Fremantle. Although the conditions implicit with sailing with a commercial service must have appeared attractive to those heading off to the hostilities,there was a massive “down side” – the vessels sailed alone without military escort and were easy prey, especially for enemuy submarines. Ships known to have been lost in action are identified in the accompanying notes and by an asteris, RMS Niagara was also lost, but in her case, in June, 1940.

Vessel Tons Knots Owner (London unless noted) Carried Ex-Melbourne RMS Arabia * 7,903 P & O SN Co, London 1 RMS Kashga 8,840 15 P & O SN Co, London 46 4 RMS Karmala 8,947 P & O SN Co, London 525 79

RMS Khiva 9,135 P & O SN Co, London 54 19

RMS Maloja * 12,431 P & O SN Co, London 6 5 RMS Malwa 10,883 P & O SN Co, London. 1,387 601 RMS Medina * 12,358 P & O SN Co, London 53 53 RMS Moldavia * 9,500 18.5 P & O SN Co, London. 401 322 RMS Mongolia * 9,505 12 Indian & Peninsular St. Nav Co Ltd Glasgow 1600 108 RMS Mooltan * 9,621 18.5 P & O SN Co, London. 2,654 539 RMS Morea 10,890 16 P & O SN Co, London. 1,040 270 RMS Niagara 13,415 17 Union Steam Ship Company 2 RMS Omrah * 8,291 18 Orient Steam Navigation Company 1,050 1,033 RMS Orontes 9,028 18 P & O SN Co, London. 4,421 2,555 RMS Osterley 12,129 18 P & O SN Co, London. 4,881 1,562 RMS Persia * 7,974 18 P & O SN Co, London. 441 398 RMS Somali 6,780 P & O SN Co, London. 61 51

Steam Ships The third mode of transport used by the Defence Department was commercial shipping varying from ocean liners carrying passengers between Australia and England to coastal traders sailing around the islands to the north (garrisons at Rabaul and at other locations were almost exclusively served by these smaller ships, many owned by the Australian trading company, Burns, Philp. The steam ship category also included two or three of the captured German vessels before they were reassigned to local shipping companies and renamed. Given some of the vessels were of no great significance, details of a few have been lost in the mists of time.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Vessel Tons Knots Owner (London unless noted) Carried Ex-Melbourne SS Balmoral Castle 13,361 16.5 Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company 5 SS Canberra 7,707 16.5 Australian Steamships Ltd (Howard Smith), 988 Melbourne SS Carpentaria 5,766 16.5 British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., Calcutta 473 SS Chindwadda 19 10 SS City of Karachi 5,766 16.5 Ellerman & Bucknall Steamship Co 15 15

SS Eastern 603 SS Field Marshal Ex-enemy vessel RPD Feldmarschall 1,203 SS Gaika 6,287 Union Steamship Company 697 SS Graechus 3,760 British India S.N. Co. 19 19 SS Hawkes Bay 4,583 G.D.Tyser & Co 1,630 283 SS Hessen Ex-enemy vessel Hessen 160 SS Hobart Ex-enemy vessel Hobart 15 1 SS Indarra 9,735 16.5 Australasian United Steam Nav Co., Fremantle 993 993 SS Kaiser-i-Hind 11,430 18 P & O SN Co, London. 58 SS Mahai 19 19 SS Makambo 1.158 Burns Philp & Co. Ltd 35 SS Makarini 10,624 13 G.D.Tyser & Co 1,992 977 SS Malta 6,064 18 P & O SN Co, London 66 SS Marlo 2,628 Adelaide Steamship Co. 4 SS Marsina 1,832 Burns Philp & Co. Ltd 114 SS Matunga 1,618 Burns Philp & Co. Ltd 59 SS Mawatta 1,096 Burns Philp & Co. Ltd 7 SS Mekong 746 Messageries Fluviales de Cochinchine, Saigon 18 SS Melbourne Ex-enemy vessel Melbourne 70 SS Melusia 507 SS Morinda 1,971 Burns Philp & Co. Ltd 99 SS Napier 304 SS Ormonde 14,982 18 Orient St Nav Co Ltd, Glasgow 1,230 325 SS Pakeha 4,331 18 Shaw, Savill and Albion Company 5 SS Port Darwin 8,179 Cunard Line 1,173 SS Port Lyttelton 6,444 Commonwealth & Dominion Line 194 SS Port Napier 716 SS Port Nicholson 10,624 Ex SS Makarina and renamed 1916 1,016 SS Pukaki 1,444 William Crosby & Co, Melbourne 1 SS Shirala 2,066 British India Steam Company Navigation Company 18

SS Siar 4 SS Sumatra Ex-enemy vessel Sumatra 25 SS Tambo 743 1902 Burns, Philp & Co 14 SS Te Anau 332 SS Ventura 1 SS Waitoma Union Steamship Co. Ltd. 5 SS Walwa 11,000 P & O SN Co, London 34 SS Wyreema 6,926 18 Australasian United Steam Navigation Co, 716 Melbourne SS Zealandic 8,090 White Star Line, London 663 663

Footnotes on Serving Ships

HMAT Vessels

Back A2 HMAT Geelong Collided with SS Bonvilston in Mediterranean and sunk 1 January 1916

Back A3 HMAT Orvieto Part of the first convoy to the Middle East, the Orvieto transported prisoners from the beached German raider Emden to Egypt for imprisonment.

Back A4 HMAT Pera Torpedoed and sunk in Mediterranean 19 October 1917

Back A5 HMAT Medic Torpedoed and sunk in Mediterranean 12 May 1918

Back A6 HMAT Clan MacCorquodale Torpedoed and sunk in Mediterranean 17 November 1917

Back A7 HMAT Medic Medic was launched in December 1898 and was a sister ship of HMAT Persic. Both ships served to transport the first Australian troops to South Africa after the outbreak of the Boer War. Also sister ship of HMAT Afric

Back A10 HMAT Karroo Launched as the Karroo in 1913 and in 1927 renamed City of Khartoum. Scrapped in 1936

Back A12 HMAT Saldanha Torpedoed and sunk in Mediterranean 18 March 1918

Back A14 Hmat Euripides The Euripides left London on its maiden voyage on 1 July 1914. Upon its arrival in Brisbane, it was taken over as transport for the Australian Expeditionary Force, resuming normal service in 1919

Back A15 HMAT Star of England Later renamed Port Sydney. Sister ship to HMAT Star of Victoria

Back A16 HMAT Star of Victoria Later renamed Port Melbourne. Sister ship to A16 HMAT Star of England

Back A17 HMAT Port Lincoln Sister ship to A39 HMAT Port MacQuarie

Back A19 HMAT Afric The first of the five "Jubilee Class" ships designed for White Star's Australia service, Afric was launched in 1898. She entered the Australia service on 9 September 1899. Sister ship to A7 HMAT Medic and A34 Persic

Back A21 HMAT Marere Sunk by submarine gunfire in the Mediterranean 18 January 1916

Back A22 HMAT Suffolk Stranded off Cape of Good Hope 31 March 1916

Back A26 HMAT Armadale Torpedoed and sunk by submarine off coast of Ireland 27 June 1917

Back A30 HMAT Borda Sister ship to HMAT Ballarat, HMAT Berrime and HMAT Beltana. These were part of five liners order by the P&O Line for a single- class service to Australia concentrating on emigrants rather than tourists. Borda was the last to be completed in 1913

Back A32 HMAT Themistocles A sister ship to Demosthenes built in 1911. Scrapped in 1947.

Back A36 HMAT Boonah Ex-enemy vessel Melbourne. The ship was moored at Garden Island in Sydney Harbour when war broke out. As the Boonah was the last troopship to leave Australia, departing from Fremantle on 29 October, 1918 carrying 158 reinforcements, mostly from Tasmania and Western Australia. Back A37 HMAT Barambah Previously captured German vessel Hobart. The vessel arrived off Queenscliff on August 12 and was immediately impounded, the captain unaware of any outbreak of hostilities.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Back A38 HMAT Ulysses Launched in 1913, the Ulysses was the largest ship to serve as a troop carrier and not unexpectedly the one that carried the most passengers. She also sailed between Australian and England during the Second World War, again ferrying Australian troops and airmen to the front. Ulysses was torpedoed by an unknown German submarine in 1942 and sunk off Florida.

Back A39 HMAT Port MacQuarie Sister ship to A17 HMAT Port Lincoln. Constructed 1912

Back A40 HMAT Ceramic One of the largest of the troop ships to serve, Ceramic was also one of a relatively small number of merchant ships to see military action in both World Wars after being requisitioned again in 1940.

Back A41 HMAT Bakara Previously captured German vessel Constaff . Sister ship to A42 HMAT Boorara Back A42 HMAT Boorara Previously captured German vessel Pfalz. Sister ship to HMAT Bakara. The Pfalz was docked in Melbourne and attempted to flee after war was declared, but was turned back by a warning shot from the Queenscliff Fort, suggested by some historians to be the first shot fired in the Great War.

Back A43 HMAT Barunga Captured German vessel Sumatra. The vessel arrived just hours before and was docked in Wooloomooloo Bay when hostilities broke out. Torpedoed and sunk by a submarine in the North Atlantic 15 July 1918

Back A45 HMAT Bulla Ex-enemy Hessen. The last German vessel to be captured in an Australian port. Hessen entered Port Phillip Heads on 3 September, nearly a month after the outbreak of war. Her Captain Reiners was astounded when boarded, claiming there was no sign of trouble when the ship left Antwerp on July 19. The ship also transported 160 troops under its original name SS Hessen

Back A47 HMAT Mashobra Torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 15 Apr 1917

Back A49 HMAT Seang Choon Torpedoed and sunk off coast of Ireland 10 July 1917

Back A50 HMAT Itonus Torpedoed and sunk in Mediterranean 20 December 1916. Formerly known as the Anglia and renamed in 1913.

Back A52 HMAT Surada Torpedoed and sunk by a submarine in Mediterranean, 2nd Nov 1918 Back A54 HMAT Runic Launched in 1900, HMAT Runic should be confused with an earlier vessel of the same name that was involved (then as S.S Imo) in a collision with a French munitions ship, the resulting explosion and tidal wave killing 2,000 and leaving another 2,000 never to be seen agaim. HMAT Runic was sold in 1930 for as whaling mother-ship and renamed New Sevilla. On September 20, 1940 she was torpedoed and sunk off Galway by the German submarine U-138 with the loss of two lives.

Back A55 HMAT Kyarra Built in 1903, the Kyarra was converted into a hospital for the purpose of transporting Australian medical units to Egypt. She was again converted in March 1915 into a troop transport. She was sunk by the German submarine UB57 submarine in the English Channel, 26 May 1918 with the loss of six lives. The wreck was not discovered until the late 1960s

Back A58 HMAT Kabinga Prior to requisition, SS Kabinga was captured by the German raider Emden in the Bay of Bengal on 12 September 1914 and released with the Emden’s beaching at the Cocos Islands.

Back A60 HMAT Aeneas Sunk by German aircraft of Plymouthwhile bound for Glasgow from London in convoy, 2 July 1940

Back A62 HMAT Wandilla Sister ship to A69 HMAT Warilda

Back A64 HMAT Demosthenes Ssister ship to HMAT Themistocles. Her maiden voyage from London to Melbourne via the Cape of Good Hope in 1912 was made in thirty-six days. Broken up for scrap at Jarrow, England in 1931,

Back A66 HMAT Uganda Torpedoed and sunk by a submarine in Mediterranean 27 May 1918

Back A69 HMAT Warilla Sister ship to A 62 HMAT Wandilla. Torpedoed and sunk bythe U- boat UC-49 in the English Channel 3 August 1918 while transporting wounded soldiers from Le Havre, France to Southampton despite being marked clearly with the Red Cross. 123 lives were lost.

Back A70 HMAT Ballarat Torpedoed and sunk by a submarine in the English Channel 3 August 1918. Sister ship to A 35 HMAT Berrima and A30 HMAT Borda

Back A72 HMAT Beltana A sister ship to HMAT Ballarat, HMAT Berrima and HMAT Borda

Royal Mail Steamers S.S. Southland

Although the Southland did not visit Australia, she had a significant role in the war effort.

On 2 September 1915, the then HMT Southland was torpedoed by the German submarine UB14 in the Aegean near Agistrati Island, around 30 miles from Lemnos.

The transport was carrying men of 2nd Division AIF from Egypt to Gallipoli. The torpedo tore a hole forty feet by twelve on the port side. With only enough life boats to carry a civilian complement, soldiers on board hastily constructed temporary rafts from horse boxes and by midnight.

The Captain, officers, some members of the crew, and a number of Australian officers and men who had volunteered to stay on board and stoke the ship, the vessel eventually reaching Mudros. Amongst those on board was Captain C. E. W. Bean, then the official press representative with the Australians at the Dardanelles and later the official Australian historian of the First World War. The resulted in the loss of 14 seaman and 22 members of the A.I.F. including two from Darebin, Private Lindsay Adams and Private Arthur Healy.

The Southland, of 11,899 tons went into service as SS Vaderland with the Red Star Line, was transferred to the White Star Line in 1914 and in 1915 was renamed (her original name was Dutch, not German, but it was believed that Vaderland was too Germanic-sounding a name for a British ship).

After surviving the attack, Southland was returned to the White Star in August of the following year and resumed her regular run from Liverpool to Canada, carrying troops eastbound and passengers westbound. On 4 June 1917, while en route to Philadelphia, she was torpedoed twice by U70 and sank off the coast of Ireland. There were four fatalities, all members of the crew.

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

The First Fleet

The first convoy to leave Australian soil sailed from King George's Sound, Western Australia on November 1, 1914. The fleet comprised 27 Australian transport ships, 10 from the New Zealand and Samoan flotillas and three war ship escorts, the British armed cruiser, HMS Minotaur; HMAS Sydney and HMAS Melbourne. Several of the vessels (as indicated by the close ratio of horses to men) transported the Light Horse Divisions, most carried infantry, a handful were "horse ships" A26 HMAT Armadale acted a specialised communications vessel although she later also carried some troops and A28 Miltiades carried a Reservist force whose Leaders were non-commissioned officers. A3 Orvieto was officially designated as the flagship.

Australian Transports

Vessel Loaded at Military Commander Division Officers Men Horses A1 Hymettus Sydney, Melbourne, Major A. A. Holdsworth First 5 106 686 Adelaide A2 Geelong Melbourne and Hobart Lieut.-Colonel L. F. Clarke Second 47 1,295 0 A3 Orvieto Melbourne Lieut.-Colonel D. S. Wanliss First 94 1,345 21 A4 Pera Sydney Lieutenant E. W. Richa First 5 90 391 A5 Omrah Brisbane Lieut.-Colonel H. W. Lee Third 43 1,104 15 A6 Clan McCorquodale Sydney Major A. J. Bennett Second 6 113 524 A7 Medic Adelaide and Fremantle Major A. J. Bessell-Browne Second 28 977 270 A8 Argyllshire Sydney Major S. E. Christian Third 32 800 373 A9 Shropshire Melbourne Colonel J. J. T. Hobbs Third 42 794 433 A10 Karoo Sydney and Melbourne Captain H. L. Mackworth Second 13 388 398 A11 Ascanius Adelaide & Fremantle Lieut.-Colonel S. P. Weir Second 65 1,728 10 A12 Saldanha Adelaide Lieutenant P. A. McE. Laur First 4 52 274 A13 Katuna Sydney and Hobart Major S. Hawley First 5 94 506 A14 Euripides Sydney Colonel H. N. MacLaurin Third 29 2,202 15 (Divisional Leader) A15 Star of England Brisbane Lieut.-Colonel R. M. Second 25 487 457 Stoddart A16 Star of Victoria Sydney Lieut.-Colonel J. B. Mere Third 26 487 461 A17 Port Lincoln Adelaide Lieut.-Colonel F. N. Rowell Second 19 351 338 A18 Wiltshire Melbourne Lieut.-Colonel L. Long Second 35 724 497 (Divisional Leader) A19 Afric Sydney Lieut.-Colonel L. Dobbin Third 48 1,372 8 A20 Hororata Melbourne Lieut.-Colonel J. M. Third 66 1,986 118 Semmens A21 Marere Melbourne Captain C. H. Spurge Second 4 80 443 A22 Rangitara Brisbane Lieut.-Colonel C. Rosenthal Third 15 430 450 A23 Suffolk Sydney Lieut.-Colonel C. F. Braund First 32 979 8 A24 Benalla Melbourne Lieut.-Colonel W. K. Bolton Third 49 1,185 10 A25 Anglo-Egyptian Brisbane and Melbourne Lieutenant W. Standfield First 6 105 492 A26 Armadale Melbourne Major P. W. Smith - - - A27 Southern Sydney and Melbourne Lieut-Colonel R. T. First 5 136 281 Sutherland A28 Miltiades Sydney and Melbourne Major C. T. Griffiths Third - 600 - Imperial Reservists

New Zealand Transports These ships were designated HMNZT except for numbers 1 and 2, which carried an unknown number of troops that comprised the First Samoan Force.

Vessel Loaded at Division Officers Men Horses

1 S.S. Moeraki Samoa (above)

2 S.S. Monowai Samoa (above)

3 Maunganui Wellington First 38 528 204

4 Tahiti Lyttelton First 30 611 282

5 Ruapehu Port Chalmers Second 31 785 214

6 Orari Wellington Second 16 269 728

7 Limerick Wellington First 21 495 348

8 Star of India Auckland First 30 652 395

9 Hawkes Bay Port Chalmers First 40 930 569

10 Arawa Wellington Second 59 1,259 215

11 Athenic Lyttleton Second 54 1,259 339

12 Waimana Auckland Second 61 1,400 496

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

In Memoriam - A Summary

Abbey, Edgar George 17/07/1917 Garnet Street, Preston Lieutenant, 38th Infantry Battalion Embarked : Corporal, 38th Infantry Battalion (June 1916)

Ackerly, William Arthur Harry 25/02/1917 15 Clarendon Street, Northcote Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

Adams, Lindsay Thomas 2/09/1915 93 Yarra Street, Alphington Private 6th Field Ambulance (June 1915)

Adams, Ralph Harley 22/04/1915 77 Robert Street, Northcote Sergeant, 8th Infantry Battalion. Embarked Private, 8th Battalion, 6th Reinforcements

Adamson, Charles Saddington 27/04/1918 "Euripides", 66 St. Elmo Road, Alphington Private, 60th Infantry Battalion

Adamson, John McKinnon 9/12/1916 69 Robert Street, Northcote Private, 37th Battalion (transferred to 5th Battalion, A Company)

Ahern, Timothy Patrick 19/07/1916 291 Clarke Street, Northcote Lieutenant, 59th Battalion B Company [formerly 24th Battalion] Embarked : Private 24 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Aitken, John 18/12/1916 89 Gladstone Avenue, Northcote Private, 59th Battalion, Australian Infantry 2 to 5 Reinforcements (May-September 1916)

Aldous, Percival John 17/08/1915 14 Mitchell Street, Northcote Private, 14 Australian Infantry Battalion

Alexander, Francis Oliver 4/10/1917 28 Raleigh Street, Northcote Corporal 21 Infantry Battalion Embarked Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements

Allan, Walter Clarence 24/04/1918 192 High Street, North Preston Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 24 and 25 Reinforcements (February - August 1917)

Allen, George Herbert 1/05/1915 7 Flinders Street, Northcote Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 4 Reinforcements (December 1914 - March 1915)

Aminde, John Bernard Conrad 07/09/1915 Preston (address not known) Private, 6 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - November 1915)

Amor, Patrick Joseph 7/08/1915 "Stanmore", 112 Collins Street, Thornbury Trooper, 8th Light Horse Brigade 1 to 10 Reinforcements (February-September 1915)

Anderson, Albert David 06/01/1918 Heideberg Road, Alphington 2nd Lieutenant, Australian Flying Corps. Embarked Acting Sergeant, Australian Flying Corps, No 2. Squadron, B Flight

Anderson, Walter Newton 12/10/1917 “Durham”, 38 High Street, South Northcote Private, 39 Infantry Battalion 7 and 8 Reinforcements (February 1917 - February 1918)

Angwin, John Henry 23/08/1918 South Northcote Private, 1st Pioneer Battalion. Embarked 8th Battalion, 8th Reinforcements

Anquentil, Henry Stewart 04/10/1917 Eunson Avenue, Northcote 2nd Lieutenant, 2nd Company Australia Machine Gun Corps Embarked Private, 6 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Armstrong, Leonard 19/07/1916 51 Westgarth Street, Northcote Private 7 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (September- November 1915)

Arnold, Alfred Henry 17/10/1917 153 Arthurton Road, Northcote Driver, 4th Australian Field Artillery Embarked Private 9 LHR [Light Horse Regiment] - 11 to 14 Reinforcements (October 1915 - February 1916)

Arnott, George Alfred 3/05/1917 "Creighleigh", 46 Austin Street, Alphington Acting Sergeant 23 Infantry Battalion Embarked Private 23 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Auhl, William Ernest 23/06/1916 28 Garnet Street, South Preston Sapper, 2 FCE [Field Company Engineers] - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - December 1915)

Austin, Clifton Ogilvie 30/09/1918 "Glendour", Jenkin Street, Northcote Private 2 Pnr Bn [Pioneer Battalion] - 3 to 9 Reinforcements (June 1916 - May 1917)

Bailey, Ronald Spencer 9/06/1917 82 Arthurton Road, Northcote Signaller, 37th Infantry Battalion

Baker, Henry John Edgar 10/08/1918 6 Green Street, Northcote (D.C.M., M.M) Private 10 Field Ambulance (May-June 1916)

Baker, William Emmanuel Witten 21/03/1918 169 Arthurton Road, Northcote Sergeant Bombardier, 3rd Divisional Ammunition Column, 1 to 8 Reinforcements (Jun 1916 - Feb 1917)

Banks, Aloysius 4/10/1917 13 Charles Street, Northcote Corporal, 24th Battalion

Barber, Samuel Francis 3/05/1917 23 Langston Street, Northcote Private, 24th Battalion- 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Barker, Alfred Edgar 10/08/1915 "Grantala", Kellett Street, Northcote Private, AIF Depot

Barker, Henry 05/01/1917 "Cathelstone", Bell, Preston Private, 39th Infantry Battalion, A Company

Barker, John Thomas 20/09/1917 141 Mansfield Street, Northcote Private 2 Australian General Hospital - 1 to 16 and Special Reinforcements (n.d.) [I]

Barker, William John 12/08/1916 78 Beavers Road, Northcote Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 5 to 12 Reinforcements (April-November 1915)

Barnett, Elliott Alexander 21/02/1919 20 Westbourne Grove, Northcote Corporal, 3rd Battalion Australian Machine Gun Corps Embarked Private 38 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (June-December 1916)

Barnett, Joseph William 24/07/1916 Perry Street, Alphington Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Barnett, Stirling Ferguson 25/04/1915 20 Westbourne Grove, Northcote Private, 6th Battalion, A Company

Barry, Maurice Vincent 9/07/1917 108 Beavers Road, Northcote Private 29 Infantry Battalion (November 1915)

Bartley, Thomas James 10/06/1917 27 Martin Street, Northcote 2nd Lieutenant 42 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (June-December 1916)

Barwise, Nelson Wesley 20/03/1917 Kellett Street, Northcote Private, 23rd Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 – January 1916)

Bastian, Arthur Richard 28/05/1917 1 Balgonie Place, Northcote Private, 38th Battalion, D Company

Bastian, Richard Charles 13/02/1917 1 Balgonie Place, Northcote Private, 57th Battalion - 2 to 5 Reinforcements (April-September 1916)

Beale, Herbert Arthur 11/04/1917 61 Station Street, Northcote Sergeant, 46th Battalion

Beaver, Walter Benjamin 25/08/1915 Westgarth Street, Northcote Private, 11th Depot Battalion

Bell, Charles Clark 8/08/1918 "Aston", 78 Arthur Street, Fairfield Park Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 24 and 25 Reinforcements (February- November 1917)

Bell, Clarence Murray 4/05/1917 70 Smith Street, Northcote Private, 24th Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Bennie, Stanley James 5/10/1918 "Lauriston", St. Elmo Road, Alphington Lieutenant, 21 Infantry Battalion Embarked Private 22 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (June 1915 - January 1916)

100

Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Benson, William Haywood 21/11/1915 35 Gordon Street, Alphington Gunner 2 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] (October 1914)

Bentley, Joseph Thorburn 2/05/1915 8 Rathmines Street, Fairfield Park Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 9 Reinforcements (December 1914 - September 1915)

Best, Francis Thomas 26/03/1917 61 Union Street, Northcote Private 58 Infantry Battalion - 2 to 5 Reinforcements (April-September 1916)

Biggs, John Henry Forbes 28/09/1916 23 Couch Street, Northcote Private 23 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Blackbourn, Charles Edward 1/10/1916 Bank Street, Alphington Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (December 1915 - July 1916)

Blakeley, Harry 25/04/1915 93 Arthur Street, Fairfield Park Private 6 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Blanch, Geoffrey Barton 4/01/1916 102 Darebin Street, Northcote Sergeant, 24th Battalion, C Company, 6th Infantry Brigade

Bloore, Leslie 19/07/1916 20 Westgarth Street, Northcote Private, 60th Battalion Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 10 to 12 Reinforcements (September-November 1915)

Booth, Alfred Leslie 10/09/1918 66 Charles Street, Northcote 39th Battalion, - 7 and 8 Reinforcements (February 1917 - February 1918)

Booth, Thomas 08/08/1915 5 Flett Street, Preston Private, 7th Brigade Infantry 1 – 8 Reinforcements,(December, 1914 – August 1915)

Bosley, John Arthur Victor 4/10/1917 c/- Mr. Clinnick, Thomastown Private, 39th Infantry Battalion Embarked Private 3 Light Horse Field Ambulance - 1 to 14 Reinforcements

Bourke, James 5/05/1916 18 Knowles Street, Northcote Private 23 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Bowers, Henry Joseph 6/04/1917 43 Hotham Street, Preston Private, 4 LHR [Light Horse Regiment] - 13 to 25 Reinforcements (January 1916 - January 1917)

Bowie, Harold Harcourt 13/11/1915 15 Andrew street, Northcote Private, 24 Infantry Battalion

Boyd, Harold William 24/07/1917 22 Harker Street, Alphington Gunner 1 Divisional Ammunition Column - Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Oct 1915)

Boyd, Stanley Wilson 11/11/1917 40 Clarendon Street, Northcote Sergeant, 28th Battery, 8th Field Artillery Brigade

Boyd, Thomas Hewett 4/10/1917 22 Harker Street, Alphington Lieutenant, 6th Battalion Australian Infantry

Bradley, James 11/04/1917 Corner Collins and Station Streets, Fairfield Private, 46th Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Bradley, William Joseph 6/01/1918 Corner Collins and Station Streets, Fairfield Private 24 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February - April 1916)

Braithwaite, William McCarthy 3/10/1918 429 High Street, Preston Captain, 22nd Battalion, Australian Infantry - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Brasher, William 19/07/1916 Northcote Private, 60th Infantry Battalion. Embarked 23 Infantry Battalion 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Bray, Albert Victor 9/11/1916 120 Rose Street, Fitzroy Private 6 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Bray, William Fennell 20/03/1917 6 Butler Street, Northcote Corporal, 23 Battalion

Brent, Harold George 26/08/1916 William Street, South Northcote Private, 21st Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 – April 1916)

101

Brewer, John Harold 8/05/1915 59 Spring Street, North Preston Private, 6th Infantry Battalion

Brewster, Laurence James 14/10/1917 3 Christmas Street, Northcote Private 4 LHR [Light Horse Regiment] - Reinforcements [1-12] (December 1914 - November 1915)

Broadway, Horace George 12/10/1917 20 Gadd Street, Croxton Private 37 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (May-December 1916)

Bromilow, Ivon Carlston 7/11/1916 Helen Street State School 2nd Lieutenant 1 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] - Reinforcements [1- 11] (December 1914 - October 1915)

Brooks, Alfred Ernest 7/06/1918 44 Elm Street, Northcote Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 24 and 25 Reinforcements (February-November 1917)

Brophy, Matthew James 26/08/1916 Victoria Hotel, High Street, Epping Private 22 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (June 1915 - January 1916)

Brown, Arthur William 09/08/1916 11 Knowles Street, Northcote Private 14th Australian Infantry Battalion, embarked 29 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (November 1915 - April 1916)

Brown, Clarence Fiddes 6/08/1917 70 High Street, Northcote Gunner, 8th Field Brigade, 3rd Division, Australian Field Artillery

Brown, Duncan Raymond 5/10/1917 80 Charles Street, Northcote Private 7 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Brown, Horace William 06/03/1917 191 Bell street, Preston Private, 7 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Brown, Norman William 17/11/1936 248 Murray Road, Preston Private, 4th Australian Light Horse

Brown, Robert William 1/09/1918 217 Westgarth Street, Northcote Private 23 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Bryant, Walter Andrew 02/09/1918 19 Shaftesbury Avenue, Northcote Private 57th Infantry Battalion, 2 to 5 Reinforcements (April-September 1916)

Bullivant, William Henry 2/10/1918 10 Union Street, Northcote Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

Burke, James 26/06/1915 9 Flett Street, Preston (alias Burke, Robert) Driver, 2nd Australian Remount Unit

Burns, Alexander 17/08/1918 Seymour Street, Preston Private, 23 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Burns, William George 27/08/1915 5 Park Street, Northcote Private (in training)

Burke, William Edward 28/05/1917 41 Heidelberg Road, Alphington Private, 24 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Burton, George Samuel 11/04/1917 57 Clarendon Street, Northcote Private, 46 Infantry Battalion - 2 to 5 Reinforcements (April-September 1916)

Butler, Henry William 14/07/1915 101 Raglan Street, Preston Private, 22nd Infantry Battalion (8th Reinforcements)

Butler, Thomas Carter Winchester 16/10/1916 389 High Street, Northcote (alias Butler, Thomas William) Lance Corporal, 37th Infantry Battalion, embarked Private 37 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (May-December 1916)

Caines, Percy Colston Horatio 19/07/1916 Kellett Street, Northcote Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Callen, Albert 5/08/1916 Mary Street, Northcote Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - November 1915)

Campbell, John Donald 9/10/1917 24 Mitchell Street, Northcote Lieutenant, 6th Machine Gun Corps

Campbell, Samuel Cleland 21/10/1918 127 Westgarth Street, Northcote South Private, 1 to 17 (VIC) Reinforcements (March-November 1918)

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Darebin’s Great War – Of Matters Local

Campion, Joseph Richmond 26/08/1916 102 Collins Street, Northcote Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - November 1915)

Carrick, Esmond Richard John 25/04/1915 5 Merri Street, Northcote Corporal, 6th Battalion, A Company

Carroll, George 28/04/1918 23 Gladstone Avenue, Northcote Private, 5 Infantry Battalion, - 1 to 12 Reinforcements

Carroll, James George 15/11/1916 Alfred House, Andrew Street, Northcote Private, 21 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

Cartledge, Edwin James 22/08/1918 Bastings Street, Northcote Private, 3rd Pioneer Battalion, A Company- 1 to 6 Reinforcements (June-December 1916)

Cashman, Thomas Joseph 29/09/1917 Dundas Street, South Preston Private, 2 Pioneer Battalion - 3 to 9 Reinforcements (June 1916 - May 1917)

Chadwick, Fred 21/07/1916 Hotham Street, Preston Private, 31st Battalion Infantry, General Reinforcements (Aug 1915 - Nov 1918)

Champion, John 7/10/1917 Cooper Street, Preston Private, 38 Infantry Battalion (June 1916

Chandler, Cornelius 28/09/1915 Sharp Street, Northcote Private, 6th Battalion, - 1 to 9 Reinforcements (December 1914 - September 1915)

Chapple, Robert Charles 19/07/1916 56 Gladstone Avenue, Northcote Private, 58th Battalion Embarked with 23 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Checkley, James 05/07/1917 153 Grange Road, Alphington Private, 14th Battalion, Australian Infantry, 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915)

Christian, Kennan Earl 01/01/1916 172 Clarke Street, Northcote Second Mate, S.S. Glengyle, London

Clancy, John Albert 5/10/1918 69 Bent Street, Northcote Private, 24th Battalion C Company - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Clark, Leslie Norman 05/08/1918 "Strathroy", Gladstone Avenue, Northcote Lance Corporal, 60 Infantry Battalion - 6 to 9 Reinforcements (October 1916 - July 1917)

Clark, Valentine 04/10/1917 90 Darebin street, Northcote Corporal, 37th Infantry Battalion, Embarked Private, 7th Infantry Battalion 13 – 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 – October 1916)

Clarke, Thornton Gainsborough 19/07/1916 "Athelstone", Cramer Street, Preston Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 7 to 9 Reinforcements (July-September 1915)

Clay, Richard Harold 4/08/1917 Prospect Grove, Northcote Private, 8 Infantry Battalion - 7 to 9 Reinforcements (July-September 1915)

Clayden, Arthur James 25/07/1916 12 Hunter Street, Northcote Lance Corporal, 59th Battalion Australian Infantry. Embarked Private, 7th Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (September - November 1915)

Clayden, Walter James 01/09/1918 Candy Street, Northcote Lieutenant, 23rd Battalion Australian Infantry.

Coates, Frederick Henry 27/08/1918 120 Charles Street, Northcote Private 22 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February - April 1916)

Collins, Arthur William 3/09/1916 Alphington Private 51 Infantry Battalion - 2 to 11 Reinforcements (April 1916 - October 1917)

103

Collins, Harold 10/08/1918 588 Nicholson Street, North Fitzroy Lieutenant, 6th Battalion Embarked Private, 5 Infantry Battalion 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 – November 1915)

Collins, Henry Edward 8/05/1915 Arthur Street, Fairfield Private 8 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Collins, Herbert Templar 19/07/1918 Bransgrove Street, Preston (alias Williams, Templar) Private, 9th Battalion Australian Infantry

Collins, Ormond Alfred 15/05/1918 1 Jessie Street, Northcote Sergeant, 24th Infantry Battalion

Compton, Walter George 11/04/1917 "Marriotville", Bell Street, Preston Lance Corporal 22 Infantry Battalion Embarked Private 22 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Condon, Leslie 10/05/1917 Epping Private 7 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Connors, Thomas 29/09/1917 738 High Street, Northcote Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 5 to 12 Reinforcements (April-November 1915)

Conroy, Leo Adrian 23/08/1918 14 South Street, Preston Sergeant, 6th Infantry Ballatlion Embarked Lance Corporal 6 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Cook, Frederick Albert 12/08/1915 ""Oakleigh", St. David Street. Preston Corporal, 6 Infantry Division, Re-embarked Lance Corporal, 6 Infantry Division 1 to 9 Reinforcements (December 1914 - September 1915)

Cook, George William 26/03/1917 123 Robert Street, Northcote Private, 58th Battalion - 2 to 5 Reinforcements (April-September 1916)

Cooper, Bertie 1/05/1917 15 Henderson Street, South Northcote Corporal, 21st Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Costello, Henry Joseph 5/08/1916 Shakespeare Avenue, Preston Private 22 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (June 1915 - January 1916)

Courtis, Harry 20/05/1915 McDonald Street, Northcote South Private, 2nd Battalion Infantry

Cowell, Charles Thomas 23/10/1917 Private 23 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Cowell, Harry Stephen 3/05/1915 Private 16 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (December 1914 - June 1915)

Cragg, Sydney Bolton 9/11/1917 Collins Street, Northcote 2nd Lieutenant, 25th Royal Flying Corps (British Army)

Cramond, Alexander Kerr 15/05/1917 28 Carlisle Street, Preston Sergeant, 59th Battalion Australian Infantry Embarked Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - November 1915)

Cramond, David Roberts 11/04/1917 28 Carlisle Street, Preston 14 Infantry Battalion - 5 to 12 Reinforcements (April-November 1915)

Cranston, James Thomas 23/07/1918 "Arbroath House", Compton Street, Preston Reservoir Private 38 Infantry Battalion - 7 and 8 Reinforcements (February- December 1917)

Crawford, Ambrose John 26/10/1917 11 Hawthorn Road, Northcote Bombardier, 10th Battery, 4th Australian Field Artillery Brigade

Creighton, Percival Reginald Eric 09/05/1917 Gower Street, Preston Private, 46th Infantry Battalion, 2 to 5 Reinforcements (April-September 1916)

Croft, William 06/12/1916 Smith Street, Thornbury Farrier Sergeant, 1 Brigade Australian Field Artillery (October 1914)

Cumming, Charles Douglas 5/06/1917 19 William Street, Preston Gunner, 8 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] (May 1916)

Cumming, Norman Hope 13/05/1917 19 William Street, Preston Private, 5 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

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Curline, Harry Newton 01/10/1916 Bank Street, Alphington Private, 1st New Zealand Rifle Brigade

Currie, Albert Alexander 12/12/1916 43 Gooch Street, Northcote Corporal, 59th Battalion, A.I.F.

Currie, Arthur William 26/09/1917 43 Gooch Street, Northcote Sergeant, 59th Battalion. Embarked Private 7 Infantry Battalion, 9 to 12 Reinforcements (September-November 1915)

Curry, John 17/04/1918 Hutton Street, Thornbury Private 7 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Cutler, Leslie Hey 11/04/1917 52 Mansfield Street, Thornbury Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Daley, Claude Henry 19/07/1916 13 Dally Street, Northcote 8 Infantry Battalion - 10 to 12 Reinforcements (September-November 1915

Daley, Joseph George 5/08/1916 128 Clarke Street, Northcote Private, 22nd Australian Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February-April 1916)

Danes, William George 24/03/1917 13 South Crescent, South Northcote Private 59 Infantry Battalion - 2 to 5 Reinforcements (May-September 1916)

Daniel, Harold 10/08/1918 1 Cooper Street, Preston Private 5 Infantry Battalion, 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - November 1915)

Daniel, Harry Gordon 19/07/1916 6 Victoria Street, Fairfield Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 7 to 9 Reinforcements (July-September 1915)

Davey, Cecil Gordon 12/04/1918 69 Union Street, Northcote Corporal, 31st Infantry Battalion

Davey, John Francis 16/04/1918 Corner High and Westgarth Streets, Northcote Lance Sergeant, 57th Infantry Battalion. Embarked Private, 21st Infantry Battalion

Davies, George Gordon 25/07/1916 41 Wood Street, Preston 5 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - November 1915)

Davis, Alexander 4/10/1918 70 Westgarth Street, Northcote Private, 22nd Infantry Battalion- 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February-April 1916)

Davis, Edwin Samuel 25/04/1918 37 Elm Street, Northcote Private, 59th Battalion (Infantry). Embarked Private, 5 Infantry Battalion, 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - November 1915)

Dawes, James 27/03/1918 "Rosslyn", Park View Road, Alphington Private, 1st Auckland Rifle Battalion

Delbridge, Lancelot Martin 23/08/1916 "The Elms", Alphington Private, 11th Infantry Battalion, E Company

Delbridge, Walter Rawlings 22/11/1918 "The Elms", Romeo Crescent, Alphington Sapper, [Field Company Engineers] - January to October 1917,

Derrick, Harry Nutman 12/11/1918 48 Union Street, Northcote Private, 37th Battalion, Australian Infantry

Derrick, Horace 8/06/1917 48 Union Street, Northcote Private, 37th Battalion- 1 to 6 Reinforcements (May-December 1916)

Dickson, William Ernest 25/10/1917 40 Stott Street, Northcote Lance Corporal, 8th Infantry Battalion

Dodgson, William 30/09/1918 62 Smith Street, Thornbury Private, 57th Battalion Australian Infantry

Dogral, Herbert Vincent 27/07/1916 Andrew Street, Northcote Private, 24th Infantry Battalion (May 1915 – January 1916)

Donohue, Sidney 7/04/1917 18 High Street, Northcote Gunner, 10th Battery, 4th Field Artillery Brigade - 1 to 5 Reinforcements (November 1915 - May 1916)

Donovan, Thomas Daniel Radford 06/02/1915 Bell Street, South Preston Driver, Horsed Transport Army Service Corps attached Australian and New Zealand Ammunition Column

105

Doutch, Donald Charles 2/10/1918 71 Union Street, Northcote Private, 15th Machine Gun Company

Dowell, William Francis 1/09/1918 112 Gooch Street, Thornbury Private, 21st Battalion

Down, Leslie James 12/10/1917 "Le Memoire" Grange Road, Alphington Corporal 39 Infantry Battalion

Draeger, Clarence Norman 22/06/1918 3 Kemp Street, Croxton Gunner, FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] - Monthly Reinforcements - February to May 1917 (May-August 1917)

Dredge, James Radford 02/01/1918 73 Alfred Street, Port Melbourne Private, 46 Infantry Battalion - 2 to 5 Reinforcements (April-September 1916)

Dugdale, Benjamin Robert 19/07/1916 1 Kelvin Grove, Northcote Corporal, 8th Battalion

Dummett, William 21/08/1915 31 McLaughlan Street, Northcote South Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 4 Reinforcements (December 1914 - March 1915)

Duncan, James Albert 14/01/1917 118 Hawthorn Road, Northcote Private, 45th Battalion, C Company

Dundas, Frederick Charles 20/07/1918 27 Arthur Street, Fairfield Lieutenant 29 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (Nov 1915 - Apr 1916)

Dunn, Stephen Frederick 4/10/1917 140 Beavers Road, Northcote Private, 1st Infantry Battalion

Durston, Henry Norman 09/05/1916 126 Clarke Street, Northcote Lieutenant, 16th Battalion (Infantry)

Dwyer, Albert Valentine 3/12/1915 Bartlett Street, Preston Lieutenant, (Q.M) 23rd Battalion

Dyer, Frederick William 19/08/1916 Spring Street, Thomastown Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Dyer, Gilbert Beresford 28/05/1915 Private, 1 Australian General Hospital 1 to 6 and Special Reinforcements (February 1915 - April 1916)

Dyson, Richard Parkinson 10/08/1918 35 Smith Street, Thornbury Lance Corporal, 37th Battalion Australian Infantry Embarked Private 3 Pnr Bn [Pioneer Battalion] (June 1916)

Edgar, Frederick Norman Scott 8/05/1915 253 Clarke Street, Northcote Private 6 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Edmonston-Fearn, Alfred Jesse 6/07/1917 59 Hutton Street, Thornbury Lieutenant, 8th Field Artillery Battery

Elliott, Angelus Basil 26/07/1916 2 Northcote Street, Northcote Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 10 to 12 Reinforcements (September-November 1915)

Elliott, Harold Edward "Pompey" 23/03/1931 73 Darebin Street, Northcote Major-General. 7th Battalion, Second Brigade

Ellis, Charles 5/05/1917 Rathmines Street, Fairfield Private 22 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July- November 1916)

Ellis, Clarence Mellington 22/04/1917 Arthurton Road, Northcoe Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (December 1914 - June 1915)

Embelton, Norman John 30/03/1915 75 Westgarth Street, Northcote Pay Clerk, H.M.A.S. Cerberus, Royal Australia Navy

Emery, Frederick William 9/08/1918 3 Green Street, Fairfield Lance Corporal, 7th Battalion Australian Infantry - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Emmott, Robert Edmund 15/04/1918 Fairfield Lance Corporal, 6th Battalion (Infantry) Embarked Private, 6th Battalion

Emond, James 20/07/1917 Northcote Private, 5th Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

English, George Charles 27/05/1915 Dundas Street, Preston Private, 14th Battalion

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Enticott, Albert George 14/05/1917 77 Beavers Road, Northcote Private 24 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February-April 1916)

Evans, Allan Samuel Joseph 8/05/1915 407 High Street, Northcote Private, 6th Battalion Australian Infantry

Fahmel, Alexander Ernest 11/04/1917 corner Gilbert Road and Regent Street, Preston Private 46 Infantry Battalion - 2 to 5 Reinforcements (April-September 1916)

Fairman, George Ernest 22/07/1939 251 Raglan Street, Preston Private, 2nd Mounted Transport Corps

Fargher, Phillip (junior) 13/07/1918 28 South Crescent, Northcote Company Sergeant Major, 6th Battalion Australian Infantry Embarked Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (December 1915 - July 1916)

Fargher, Phillip (senior) 7/09/1916 28 South Crescent, Northcote Area Commander, Merri Regiment

Farley, John Henry 21/02/1918 1 Gibson Street, Alphington Private 6 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Fethers, Percival George Denton 3/05/1917 "Bondi", cr. High Street and Murray Road, Preston Lieutenant, 24 Infantry Battalion Embarked Sergeant 24 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Featherston, John 2/09/1918 14 Harold Street, Thornbury Private 23 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February-April 1916)

Fitzgerald, John Patrick 27/07/1916 26 Garner Street, Preston Private, 6 Infantry Battalion - 10 to 12 Reinforcements (September-November 1915)

Flinn, Michael Joseph 14/09/1919 144 Bell Street, Preston (served as Flynn, Joseph) Private, 14 Infantry Battalion, 1 to 4 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - March 1915), later Private, Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force – Reinforcements (March 1915 to May 1919) Foers, Frank Everest 20/09/1917 Preston Police Station, 142 Bell Street, Preston 2nd Lieutenant, 7th Battalion Australian Infantry. Embarked Corporal Infantry Battalion 1 to 8 Reinforcements (December 1914 - August 1915)

Fortune, Charles 07/08/1916 St. Elmo Road, Alphington Private 23 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Foster, Henry Arthur 02/09/1916 40 Clyde Street, Northcote South Private 21st Australian Infantry Battalion

Foster, Valentine Horace 4/10/1917 Arthur Street, Fairfield Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Fowler, Thomas James Sydney 14/10/1917 "St. Elmo", Separation Street, Northcote Driver 1 Australian Reserve Park (10 Company ASC [Army Service Corps]) - Reinforcements (December 1914 - January 1916)

Fowler, Walter Henry 19/06/1916 40 Gordon Street, Alphington Private 60th Battalion Embarked Private 21 Infantry Battalion – 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

Franklyn, Alfred Gordon 24/03/1917 "St. Neot's", Queen Street, Preston CSM, Warrant Officer, 59th Battalion

Franklyn, Cyril Clyde 22/08/1917 192 Clarke Street, Northcote Lieutenant, 6th Battalion 2nd Brigade Australian Field Artillery Embarked Driver 2 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] - Reinforcements [1-13] (December 1914 - January 1915)

Fraser, Alexander Joseph 5/10/1918 11 James Street, Northcote Private, 24 Infantry Battalion - 19 and 20 Reinforcements - (May = November 1917)

Fraser, Robert James 17/05/1915 Albert Street, Fairfield Bombardier, 4th Battery 2nd Brigade Australian Field Artillery

Freeman, Alfred Livingstone 6/11/1918 “Burford”, Regent Street, Preston Air Mechanic Class 11, Australian Flying Corps - Flying Corps - Oct 1916 to Oct 1917

Freeman, Jack 15/11/1916 33 Gooch Street, Northcote Sapper, Unit 2 FCE [Field Company Engineers] - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - December 1915)

Frew, Leslie George 3/08/1916 66 Wooltan Avenue, Northcote Private, 22th Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (June 1915 - January 1916)

107

Furphey, William Alexander 10/04/1918 Heidelberg Road, Fairfield Gunner 8 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] (May 1916)

Fyfe, Arthur Edward 30/08/1918 45 Barry Street, Northcote South Private 38 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (June-December 1916)

Gadsden, Edwin George 16/08/1918 12 Clarendon Street, Thornbury Sergeant, 26th Battalion, 7th Infantry Brigade Embarked Private 26 Infantry Battalion (June 1915)

Galagher, Frederick Alfred 8/05/1915 39 Bower Street, Northcote South 2nd Lieutenant, 6th Battalion Australian Infantry

Galloway. Thomas 19/07/1916 Austin Street, Alphington Private, 14 Infantry Battalion - 5 to 12 Reinforcements (April-November 1915), later Private, 7 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements – (September November 1915)

Galtry, Cecil 08/10/1918 “Derwent”, 4 Whalley St., Northcote Gunner, FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] - 27 to 35 Reinforcements (November 1917 - June 1918)

Gamble, John Scott 27/09/1917 "Swastika", Crawley Street, Preston Lieutenant, 31st Battalion. Embarked Sergeant 31 Infantry Battalion (November 1915)

Gannaway, Alexander 25/08/1915 Percival Street, Preston Trooper, 10th Australian Light Horse

Gannaway, Benjamin Joseph 4/11/1918 Wagin, Western Australia Private, 11th Battalion Australian Infantry

Gardiner, Francis 30/12/1915 60 Clarendon Street, Northcote Private 1 Australian Remount Unit (November 1915)

Gartside, Robert 08/05/1915 "Rockbank", 88 Cunningham St., Westgarth Lieutenant Colonel, 7th Battalion Australian Infantry Embarked Lieutenant Colonel, 8th Battalion Australian Infantry

Gascoyne, Thomas Jepson 4/10/1917 5 Olver Street, Preston Corporal, 21st Battalion Embarked Private 21 Infantry Battalion – 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

Gast, Charles Chandler 26/05/1918 Raglan street, Preston Lance Corporal, 51st Infantry Battalion 2 to 11 Reinforcements (April 1916 - October 1917)

Gaston, Thomas William 23/08/1918 155 High Street, Preston 2nd Lieutenant, 6th Battalion Australian Infantry Embarked Private 8th Infantry Battalion - 10 to 12 Reinforcements (September-November 1915)

Gatliff, Frank Edward 6/08/1917 31 Normanby Avenue, Croxton Captain, 54th Battery, Australian Field Artillery Embarked 2nd Lieutenant, 2nd Field Artillery Battery

Geal, Albert 19/07/1916 Wood Street, Preston Private, 59 Infantry Battalion. Embarked 5 Infantry Battalion 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Geal, George 02/06/1918 Wood Street, Preston Private, 59th Infantry Battalion . Embarked Private, 58th Infantry Battalion 2 to 5 Reinforcements (April-September 1916)

Gent, Clarence Linzee 13/12/1917 19 Knowles Street, Northcote Air Mechanic Class 1, 57th Australian Flying Corps Embarked Private No 1 Squadron, Flying Corps (March 1916)

George, Edward Leslie 15/03/1917 16 George Street, Northcote Private 24 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February-April 1916)

George, John 13/07/1915 257 Plenty Road, Preston Private, 6th Battalion Australian Infantry

George, William Charles 28/06/1915 Separation Street, Northcote Private, 11 Infantry Battalion 1 to 8 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Sep 1915)

Gilbert, Stanley Harold 10/09/1918 12 Seymour Street, Preston Private 4 Machine Gun Company - 10 to 15 Reinforcements (Feb-Nov 1917)

Giles, Frederick George 27/09/1916 5 Harold Street, Northcote Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (Dec 1915 - Nov 1916)

Gittins, Herbert Leslie 10/07/1917 52 Gordon Street, Alphington Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (Dec 1915 - Nov 1916)

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Glanfield, William Donovan 05/10/1918 Epping Hotel, High Street, Epping Lieutenant 8 Light Horse Regiment Embarked Corporal (Signaller) 8 LHR [Light Horse Regiment] (February 1915)

Gluyas, Alfred William 26/09/1918 300 High Street, Northcote Sapper, Australian (Wireless) Signal Squadron Embarked Sapper Light Motor Set Wireless Troop and 1 Reinforcements (December 1917)

Goodman, George Edward 3/05/1917 329 High Street, Preston Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

Gould, William Edward 9/12/1916 3 Lower Raleigh Street, Thornbury Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 10 to 12 Reinforcements (September- November 1915)

Graff, Carl Frederick 22/07/1917 Thomastown Private 3 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Gration, Harold Victor Godfrey 18/09/1916 19 Asling Street, Preston 2nd Lieutenant, 58th Battalion (Infantry) Embarked Private, 23 Infantry Battalion 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Grattidge, Leslie 6/01/1917 125 Gooch Street, Northcote Private, 24th Battalion

Gray, Frank 08/05/1915 22 Murray Road, Preston Private, 8th Infantry Battalion

Green, Alfred Lawrence 04/10/1917 Eastment Street, Northcote Private, 21st Battalion (Infantry) 24 and 25 Reinforcements (February-August 1917)

Greenaway, Arthur Thomas 03/05/1917 Bower Street, Fairfield Temporary Corporal, 21st Battalion (Infantry). Embarked Private, 21st Battalion (Infantry)

Greenaway, Reginald Elford 1919 Bower Street, Fairfield Private, 21st Infantry Battalion

Gregory, Eric Otho 17/03/1917 54 South Crescent, Northcote Lance Corporal 23 Infantry Battalion. Embarked Acting Corporal 23 Infantry Battalion 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February-April 1916)

Gregory, John Marshall 15/04/1918 Queen Street, North Preston Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 10 to 12 Reinforcements (Sep - Nov 1915)

Griffiths, Stanley Alfred 15/05/1918 59 Heidelberg Road, Fairfield Private 7 Infantry Battalion - 24 and 25 Reinforcements (February-August 1917)

Grimshaw, George Saville Albion 28/08/1918 Regent Street, Preston Lance Corporal, 38 Infantry Battalion Embarked Private 38 Infantry Battalion (June 1916

Gullick, Rowland Clarke 6/05/1917 11 Hartington Street, Northcote Private 14th Field Ambulance Embarked 6th Field Ambulance - 1 to 11 Reinforcements (May 1915 - April 1916)

Hall, John Kenworthy 8/08/1918 5 Knowles Street, South Northcote Lieutenant, 14th Infantry Battalion Embarked Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Hamilton, George Alexander John 10/08/1918 36 Crawley Street, Preston Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 24 and 25 Reinforcements (February-August 1917)

Hammett, William Henry 1/02/1917 Clarke Street, Northcote Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Hancock, William Robert 22/06/1918 269 High Street, Northcote Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Hanger, Alfred Lyon 25/02/1917 66 Normanby Street, Northcote Corporal, 57th Battalion Infantry, embarked Private, 7th Infantry Battalion - 13th to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Hansen, Andrew Bertie 25/08/1916 128 Separation Street, Northcote Private, 24th Battalion Embarked 10 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Hardingham, Charles Francis 11/07/1916 13 Lennox St, Northcote Private, 8 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (Dec 1915 - Nov 1916)

109

Harper, Robert Henry 1/06/1917 53 Charles Street, Northcote Private, 39th Battalion, D Company

Harris, Albert Morgan 6/08/1915 58 Clarendon Street, Northcote Private, 5th Battalion, 8th Reinforcements

Harrison, Arthur Charles 3/05/1917 24 Ebden Street, Elsternwick Lance Corporal, 22nd Battalion. Embarked Private, 23 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Hart, Henry 08/05/1915 86 Harold Street, Northcote Lance Corporal, 7 Infantry Battalion

Hart, John 20/04/1919 3 West Street, Preston Private, 7 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Hart, William Henry Gordon 19/06/1916 Flinders Street, Northcote Private 7 Infantry Battalion – 9 to 12 Reinforcements (September - November 1915)

Harvey, Arthur George 4/09/1918 136 High Street, Northcote (alias Harvey. Albert) Company Sergeant Major 46th Battalion Australian Infantry Embarked Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 5 to 12 Reinforcements (April-November 1915)

Harvie, James Tait McKinley 10/07/1918 "Belmont", 5 Darebin Street, Northcote Company Sergeant Major, 6th Battalion Embarked Private, 8 Infantry Battalion - 10 to 12 Reinforcements (September-November 1915)

Hayes, William Thomas 12/04/1917 39 Gladstone Avenue, Northcote Private 10 LHR [Light Horse Regiment] - 1 to 14 Reinforcements (February 1915 - February 1916)

Haysom, Henry 27/08/1915 Beavers Road, Northcote (Did not embark)

Healy, Arthur Leslie 2/09/1915 Railway Gates, Regent Street, Preston Private, 21st Battalion Australian Infantry Embarked as Corporal

Heffernan, Lionel Asher 6/04/1918 112 Dundas Street, Northcote Signaller, 39th Infantry Battalion - 7 and 8 Reinforcements (February 1917 - February 1918)

Hempel, William Albert 4/10/1917 13 Park Street, Northcote Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 7 to 9 Reinforcements (July-September 1915)

Hems, Clarence Victor 2/09/1918 cnr Gillies Street and Heidelberg Road, Fairfield Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 9 Reinforcements December 1914 - September 1915)

Henderson, Arthur James 04/05/1918 Collins Street, Thornbury Driver, 1 Divisional Ammunition Column - 12 to 24 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Henderson, Ernest Albert 19/07/1916 Kellet Street, Northcote Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 10 to 12 Reinforcements (September-November 1915)

Henderson, Leslie Donald 19/07/1916 Collins Street, Thornbury Private 60 Battalion Australian Infantry 7 to 9 Reinforcements (July-September 1915)

Hendrie, Leslie 8/08/1918 Raglan Street, Preston Private, Machine Gun section, 59th Battalion, Australian Infantry

Hennessy, Alphonsus Bernard 15/04/1917 Reservoir Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 5 to 12 Reinforcements (April-November 1915)

Henry, Moss 27/08/1919 44 Westgarth Street Northcote (alias Mack, Alfred) Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Henry, Robert Adam 27/01/1917 34 Armadale Street, Northcote Corporal 38 Infantry Battalion (June 1916)

Heyward, Alexander "Alick" Fyfe 25/05/1917 Regent Street, Preston Driver 12 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] - 2 to 10 Reinforcements (May 1916 - February 1917)

Hicks, Vincent Clarence Zachary 29/08/1918 "Wahroonga", 90 Rathmines St., Fairfield Private, 28 Infantry Battalion (July 1915)

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Hignett, Benjamin Claude 20/09/1918 ‘Flowerdale’, Alphington Private, 46th Battalion (Infantry)

Hill, Rowland 13/03/1917 "Tempsford", Cramer Street, Preston Private 31 Infantry Battalion (November 1915)

Hills, Frederick Thomas 04/10/1917 Clarke Street, Northcote Private, 22 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Hilton, David 26/09/1917 17 Aberdeen Grove, Northcote Sapper, 15th Field Company Engineers

Hocking, John Percival 02/05/1915 231 High Street, Northcote Private 11 Infantry Battalion (November 1914)

Hodge, Cleveland Vivian 10/07/1916 Methodist Parsonage, Alphington Acting Corporal 23 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (Feb - April 1916)

Hoey, Francis James 29/05/1915 18 Hayes Street, Northcote (alias Smith, Percy) Lance Sergeant, 14th Infantry Battalion. Embarked, Corporal 14th Infantry

Hogan, Arthur Henry 18/07/1916 81 David Street, Northcote Corporal 24 Infantry Battalion. Embarked Lance Corporal 24 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Hogg, James Albert 12/05/1917 397 High Street, Northcote Lance Corporal, 57th Infantry Battalion

Hogg, John Thomas 18/08/1916 397 High Street, Northcote Private, 5th Infantry Battalion

Holdsworth, Arthur 7/01/1919 Derby Street, Northcote Private 37 Infantry Battalion - 7 and 8 Reinforcements (February-December 1917)

Holliday, Francis Bewley 06/04/1918 Fire Station, Preston Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

Hollis, John 22/06/1918 131 Gladstone Avenue, Northcote Private 37 Infantry Battalion (June 1916)

Hood, Victor Charles Roy 18/02/1919 8 Park St, Northcote Corporal 29th Infantry Battalion Embarked Lance Corporal 29 Infantry Battalion (November 1915)

Hopkins, John Route 11/02/1919 High Street, Northcote Private, 59th Battalion, Australian Infantry

Horan, Patrick Francis 9/05/1917 7 St. George's Grove, Northcote Private, 5th Infantry Battalion, late 37th Battalion

Horwood, Edwin George 20/07/1917 329 High Street, Preston Private 24 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Horwood, Robert William 26/07/1916 44 Gower Street, Preston Private, 8th Battalion

Hosken, Leslie James 26/08/1916 102 Elm Street, Northcote Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

Hosking, Edward Ernest 23/04/1917 St. George's Road, Northcote Private, 37th Battalion Australian Infantry (June 1916)

Howard, Harry 7/12/1916 Heidelberg Road, Fairfield-Park Private, 59th Battalion Australian Infantry

Howden, Albert 4/10/1917 81 Flinders Street, Thornbury Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 9 Reinforcements (December 1914 - September 1915)

Howden, Harold Charles 5/07/1917 55 Cunningham Street, Northcote Major, 48th Battalion Australian Infantry Embarked Corporal 13 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (December 1914 - August 1915)

Howden, William 19/04/1917 Lucerne Crescent, Alphington Private, 21st Infantry Battalion 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

Howe, George Frederick 28/05/1917 12 Hotham Street, Preston Lance-Sergeant, 38th Battalion, 10th Brigade Infantry, 3rd Division

Hudson, Charles Foster 9/08/1915 83 Gooch Street, Northcote Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (December 1914 - June 1915)

Hulley, Samuel Albert Spenser 27/12/1918 12 Seymour Street, Preston Did not embark

111

Humphreys, William Edward 25/07/1916 42 Gillies Street, Fairfield Private Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Nov 1915)

Humphries, William 18/08/1918 21 Dally Street, Northcote 14 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Hunter, Alexander 15/10/1917 36 Gooch Street, Northcote Private 10 Machine Gun Company - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (May-December 1916)

Hunter, Francis Charles Ernest 26/09/1917 Berwick Street, North Preston Corporal, 14th Battalion (Infantry) Embarked Private 14th Battalion 5 to 12 Reinforcements (April-November 1915)

Iddles, Frederick George 4/10/1917 130 Clarke Street, Northcote Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Nov 1915)

Ingham, Frank Milton 20/10/1917 49 Martin Street, Northcote 2nd Lieutenant 13th Battery, 5th Field Artillery Brigade Embarked Gunner 2 Divisional Ammunition Column (November 1915)

Inkson, James 09/03/1917 Yarra Bend Asylum Lodge, Heidelberg Road, Fairfield Private, 24th Battalion (Infantry) 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Ireland, Colin Campbell 22/08/1918 143 Arthurton Road, Northcote Private, 1st Battalion Machine Gun Corps

Irvine, John Frederick 15/04/1917 "Derwent", Yarra Street, Alphington 14 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Jack, Clifford Robert 05/04/1918 54 Arthur Street, Fairfield Private 35 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (May-November 1916)

Jackson, Albert Henry John 19/07/1916 330 St. George's Road, Northcote Private, 59th Battalion, A Company

Jacobs, Leslie John 19/07/1916 31 James Street, Northcote Private 24 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Janes, Frederick Walter 08/08/1915 Fairfield Private, 14th Battalion Infantry

James, William Thomas 13/12/1917 8 Wakanui Street, Northcote Gunner, 14 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] - 2 to 10 Reinforcements (May 1916 - February 1917)

Jeffreys, Leslie Gordon 3/10/1917 Methodist Church, Preston Corporal 22 Infantry Battalion

Jenkins, Elvas Elliott 19/07/1916 Fairfield State School Lieutenant, 1st Australian Pioneer Battalion

Jewell, Albert Ernest Edward 15/04/1918 Thomastown (Military Medal) Private, 6th Battalion Infantry, 19 - 23 Reinforcements (July - November, 1916)

Johnson, Thomas Robert 4/09/1918 Bayview Street, Northcote 58th Battalion Australian Infantry

Johnston, Andrew Archibald 20/07/1916 "Ypres", 66 Clarke Street, Northcote Private 7 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (September - November 1915)

Johnstone, Walter Robertson 6/03/1917 95 Bridge Street, Northcote Private 2nd Aust Trench Mortar Battery

Jolley, George 28/08/1916 90 Darebin Street, Northcote Private, 21 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

Jonas, Edward 6/10/1917 P. O. Northcote Private 24 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Jonas, George Morris 5/09/1925 "Leith", Wood Street, Preston Sergeant, 8th Infantry Battalion

Jones, Geoffrey Ernest 19/07/1916 Raglan Street, South Preston Sergeant, 60th Infantry Battalion. Embarked Lance Corporal, 8th Infantry Battalion

Jones, George Thomas Peters 02/08/1917 "Georgia", 128 Flinders Street, Northcote Corporal, 14th Brigade Australian Field Artillery

Jones, Leslie Theophilus 8/08/1915 21 Alexandra Street, Northcote Corporal, 7th Battalion (December 1914 - August 1915)

Jones, Percy Claude 29/05/1917 Perry Street, Alphington Private, 39th Infantry Battalion. Originally enlisted 23rd Battalion

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Jones, Rolf Stanley 15/02/1917 Raglan Street, South Preston Private, 59th Battalion Infantry. Embarked Private, 7 Infantry Battalion 9 to 12 Reinforcements (September-November 1915)

Jones, Roy Hector 08/12/1921 21 Alexandra Street, Northcote Captain, 24 Infantry Battalion

Jordan, Alfred George 29/09/1917 19 Flett Street, Preston Sapper, 2 FCE [Field Company Engineers] 13 to 16 Reinforcements (December 1915 - January 1916)

Joselin, Charles Richard 26/08/1916 121 Bell Street, Preston Private 24 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Kaaden, Franz Leslie 21/12/1919 16 Union Street, Northcote Gunner, 11th Infantry Brigade, Embarked Private 8 LHR [Light Horse Regiment] 11 to 14 Reinforcements (October 1915 - January 1916)

Kaaden, Robert Anton 4/10/1917 16 Union Street, Northcote Private, 6th Battalion 21st Reinforcements

Kay, James Ronald 20/05/1915 39 Pender Street, Northcote Private, 9th Battalion Australian Infantry

Keddell, Martin William 29/09/1918 23 Walker Street, Northcote Corporal. 58th Battalion Infantry Embarked Private, 6 Infantry Battalion 1 to 9 Reinforcements (December 1914 - September 1915)

Kellaway, Francis Gerald 4/10/1917 56 Cunningham Street, Northcote Lieutenant, 21st Infantry Battalion Embarked Acting Corporal 22 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (June 1915 - January 1916)

Kelly, Michael James 5/05/1915 6 Herbert Street, Preston Private, 14th Battalion Australian Infantry

Kelly, Thomas Bernard 10/08/1916 16 Shaftesbury Parade, Private, 11th Battalion Australian Infantry

Kerr, William John 10/08/1918 104 Station Street, Fairfield Private 24 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Kiely, Edward 10/05/1917 Darebin Road, Northcote Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Kilmister, George Norman 05/11/1916 Herbert Street. Northcote Private, 1st Battalion (Infantry) 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Kimpton, Austin Kelly 09/08/1918 Station Street, Fairfield Gunner, 6 Battery, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade

King, Frank 15/10/1915 76 Westgarth Street, Northcote Private, 23rd Battalion, Australian Infantry

Kingston, William 22/07/1916 18 Gladstone Avenue, Northcote Private, 59th Battalion, Australian Infantry

Kirkwood, James Edington 18/03/1917 "Kalenna", Russell Street, South Northcote Sergeant 13 LHR [Light Horse Regiment] (May 1915)

Knox, Leo James 30/07/1916 13 Clarke Street, Northcote Gunner 23 HB [Howitzer Brigade] and 1 to 10 Reinforcements, and Brigade Ammunition Column (May 1916 - February 1917)

Kyle, William John 30/11/1916 129 Flinders Street, Thornbury Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Ladd, William Henry 19/07/1916 St. Bernard's Road, Alphington Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (Dec 1915 - Nov 1916)

Lamb, Charles Hargrave 4/10/1917 'Ravenscrag', 67 Jenkin Street, Northcote Private 39 Infantry Battalion - 7 + 8 Reinforcements (February 1917 - February 1918)

Lamb, John Oliver 09/08/1916 138 High Street, Northcote Private, 1st New Zealand (Otago) Rifles

Lamb, William Henry 03/05/1917 138 High Street, Northcote 21 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

Lamerton, William John 22/07/1916 49 High Street, Northcote Private 11 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (December 1914 - September 1915)

113

Lander, Roy 12/03/1917 5 Gotch Street, Northcote Private , 22 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February-April 1916)

Landy, Arthur Robert 4/08/1917 Darebin Street, Northcote Private 39 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (May-December 1916)

Larson, Axel Eugene 7/05/1917 111 Rathmines Road, Fairfield Private 3 Pnr Bn [Pioneer Battalion] - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (June-December 1916)

Laycock, George Allen 26/04/1918 5 Hartington treet, Northcote Private 59 Infantry Battalion - 2 to 5 Reinforcements (May-September 1916)

Le Blanc, Henry 8/08/1916 23 Collins Street, Thornbury Private, 14th Battalion Australian Infantry 5 to 12 Reinforcements (April-November 1915)

Le Bon, Ernest George 3/03/1917 35 Gadd Street, Thornbury Private 22 Infantry Battalion 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July- November 1916)

Lea, William 17/04/1917 82 Bridge Street, Northcote Sapper, 5th Field Company Engineers, Embarked Able Seaman Driver 1 Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train (June 1915)

Lee, Herbert John 9/08/1917 74 Arthur Street, Fairfield Sapper 2 FCE [Field Company Engineers] (October 1914)

Lees, Vere Lionel 08/08/1915 4 Preston Street, Preston Private, 14th Battalion, D Company

Lehane, Jerimiah 22/12/1916 106 Rathmines Street, Fairfield Private, 7th Battalion, 13th Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Lemke, Albert Walter 25/05/1915 148 Dundas Street, Fairfield Private, 6th Battalion

Le Roy, Alfred 19/07/1916 113 Tyler Street, Preston Private, 60th Infantry Battalion

Le Roy, Thomas 05/04/1918 113 Tyler Street, Preston Corporal, 46th Infantry Battalion, Embarked Private, 14th Battalion (5–12 Reinforcements, Apr–Nov 1915

Lewis, Albert Edward 5/08/1916 50 St. Davis Street, Northcote Private 22 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Lewis, Edward Jesse 28/06/1916 St. Elmo Road, Alphington Private 23 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Liddell, Thomas Whalley 28/07/1916 The Leader Office, High Street, Northcote Corporal, 23rd Battalion Embarked Private 23 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Little, Robert Alexander 27/05/1918 160 High Street, Northcote Flight Commander, 203rd Squadron, Royal Air Force

Lloyd, Alexander 25/04/1918 83 Westgarth Street, Northcote 59 Infantry Battalion - 6 to 9 Reinforcements (October 1916 - July 1917)

Lloyd, Francis Samuel 15/08/1916 94 High Street, Northcote Wheeler, Unit 4 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] (November 1915)

Locke, James Leonard 05/06/1915 23 Mary Street, Preston Private 9 LHR [Light Horse Regiment] (February 1915)

Lodge, John Lorenzo 15/06/1918 "Tasman", 51 High Street, Northcote Gunner 8 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1916 - February 1917)

Long, James 11/04/1917 94 Bell Street, South Preston Private 4 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Lord, William Henry 13/07/1916 Seymour Street, Preston Air Mechanic, Australian Flying Corps

Loudon, Thomas 20/08/1916 88 Collins Street, Thornbury Private 23 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Love, Arthur William 23/07/1915 9 Bridge Street, Northcote Private, 4 Infantry Battalion

Love, Percival Morris 11/04/1917 71 Gladstone Avenue, Northcote 5 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - November 1915)

Lowe, Harold 3/05/1917 Raglan Street, Preston (alias Lowe, Henry Charles) Private 22 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February-April 1916)

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Lowe, Theodore Ralph 18/09/1918 Regent Street, Preston Corporal, 4 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] (November 1915)

Lucas, Alfred 13/12/1919 104 Flinders Street, Northcote Lieutenant, 3rd Division 8th FAB (Field Artillery Brigade) Embarked Corporal Provisional 8 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] (May 1916)

Lucas, James 5/10/1918 24 Harper Street, Northcote Private: 60th Battalion

Lugton, Frank Leslie 29/07/1916 "Hillburn", Prospect Grove, Northcote Lance Corporal, 24th Battalion, Embarked Private

Lugton, John Archibald 9/08/1918 "Hillburn", Prospect Grove, Northcote Private, 57 Infantry Battalion - 6 to 9 Reinforcements (October 1916 - June 1917)

Lynch, Matthew George 20/08/1916 11 Melton Street, South Preston Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (Dec 1915 - Nov 1916)

Lyon, Edward 25/07/1918 28 Wilson Street, Northcote Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July- November 1916)

Macaulay, Stephen 28/04/1915 29 Charles Street, Northcote Private 3 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Macaw, Charles James Campbell 10/06/1916 5 Shaftesbury Avenue, Croxton Acting Bombardier, 22nd Field Artillery Brigade

Mackay, Hugh Grant 25/07/1918 Gillies Street, Fairfield Park Private, 21st Infantry Battalion

MacNee, Kenneth 20/09/1917 53 David Street, Preston Signaller, 5 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Magner, Michael 30/11/1916 2 Creek Parade, Northcote Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 9 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Sep 1915)

Malkin, Cyril Walter 27/02/1917 High Street, Northcote Private, 38th Battalion Infantry (June, 1916)

Manderson, Wilfred Horace 6/05/1917 38 Bridge Street, Northcote Private 24 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Manning Godfrey George 08/08/1918 71 Clyde Street, Northcote Captain, 4th Pioneer Battalion. Embarked Sapper, 2 FCE [Field Company Engineers] (October 1914)

Marr, Frederick Harold 1/01/1917 28 Hutton Street, Thornbury Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 7 to 9 Reinforcements (July-September 1915)

Marsh, Leslie Harry 4/10/1917 32 Gooch Street, Northcote Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Nov 1915)

Marshall, James Charles 9/07/1917 200 Heidelberg Road, Fairfield Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Martin, Samuel Abijah 1/9/1916 Northcote Private, 21st Infantry - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

Martin, William Norris 25/05/1915 30 Bower Street, Northcote Private 6 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Mason, Edward Francis 6/08/1916 107 Clarke Street, Northcote 4 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (December 1914 - August 1915)

Mason, George Alfred 14/08/1915 Edwin Street, Alphington Private 5 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Mason, Thomas William 9/08/1915 Edwin Street, Alphington Trooper 10 LHR [Light Horse Regiment] (February 1915)

Matheson, William Leslie 25/04/1915 14 Helen Street, Northcote Private, 6 Infantry Battalion

Mathrick, Cecil Benjamin 17/10/1918 Garnet Street, Preston Private 1 to 17 (VIC) Reinforcements (March-November 1918)

McCall, Thomas 21/10/1915 48 Elm Street, Northcote Private, 5/5th Battalion

McCarthy, Edgar James 22/04/1917 120 Westbourne Grove, Northcote Private 8 Infantry Battalion

115

McClare, John 19/07/1916 113 Camberwell Road, Northcote (alias O'Grady, Patrick Aloysius) Private 8th Infantry Battalion - 10 to 12 Reinforcements (September - November 1915)

McClaren, George Henry 19/07/1916 138 Charles Street, Northcote Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 7 to 9 Reinforcements (July-September 1915)

McClelland, Eric William 26/08/1916 c/o Shire Hall, Epping Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

McCully, Gilbert Lee 7/08/1915 24 Barry Street, Northcote Private, 6th Infantry Battalion

McCutchan, Francis Marsh 13/05/1917 Roemer Crescent, Alphington 2nd Lieutenant, 212 Field Company, Royal Engineers, British Army

McDonald, Hugh Alexander 4/10/1917 5 Flinders Street, Thornbury Private 27 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (June - December 1916)

Macdonald, William Maitland 23/04/1918 285 St. George's Road, Northcote Private 24 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February-April 1916)

McDonald, William Michael 8/05/1917 12 Regent Street, Preston Private 1st Australian Camel Corps (June 1915 - January 1916)

McDonnell, Gerard Joseph William 26/08/1916 Woolton Avenue, Northcote Private 22 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (June 1915 - January 1916)

McDonnell, Thomas 9/10/1917 P.O., Epping Private 23 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February-April 1916)

McDowell, Athol Halliday 19/07/1916 10 Garnet Street, Preston Sergeant 22 Infantry Battalion

McDowell, Mervyn Alfred 8/08/1918 134 Mansfield Street, Northcote Private, 21 Infantry Battalion - 19 and 20 Reinforcements (May-November 1917)

McDowell, Norman Keith 21/09/1917 10 Garnet Street, Preston Private 2 Australian General Hospital - 1 to 16 and Special Reinfocements

McEachen, Alan Neil 6/07/1918 Queen Street, North Preston Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

McGan, James 11/04/1917 602 High Street, Northcote Private 46 Infantry Battalion - 2 to 5 Reinforcements (April-September 1916)

McGhee, Donald Malachi 19/07/1916 61 Bridge Street, Northcote Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 10 to 12 Reinforcements (September-November 1915)

McGown, James 20/02/1919 186 Raleigh Street, Thornbury Private, 56th Australian Infantry Division

McIntosh, John Gibson 29/08/1916 Grange Road, Alphington Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

McKay, Charles 07/06/1915 13 Herbert Street, Northcote Private, 7th Battalion Infantry 1 to 8 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Aug 1915)

McKean, David Joseph 04/06/1918 29 Dalley Street, Northcote Private, 7th Battalion (Infantry) Embarked Private 14th Battalion 5 to 12 Reinforcements (April-November 1915)

McKeon, Frederick John 16/08/1916 25 Normanby Avenue, Northcote Private 29 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (November 1915 - April 1916)

McKimmie, Colin 26/08/1916 Epping Road, Thomastown Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916) McKinley, Alexander Warwick 27/09/1917 "The Priory", Ross Street, Northcote Corporal 60th Infantry Battalion - 6 to 9 Reinforcements

McKinley, James Gordon 03/06/1915 "The Priory", Ross Street, South Northcote Lieutenant, Royal Flying Corps

McKinnon, Peter Vincent 26/07/1916 49 Charles Street, Northcote Private 24 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

McMahon, Thomas Joseph 19/07/1916 14 Christmas Street, Northcote Private, 7 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (September-November 1915)

McMaster, John 28/09/1917 8 Pearl Street, Northcote Lance Corporal, 15th Infantry Battalion. Embarked Private, 15th Battalion, 1 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1914 - November 1916)

McMurtrie, Andrew 18/02/1917 2 Leonard Street, Northcote Private 24 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

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McPhee, Allen Douglas 8/05/1915 47 High Street, Northcote Private, 7th Battalion Australian Infantry

Macpherson, Alexander Walter 8/05/1915 96 Helen Street, Northcote Corporal, Private, 8 Infantry Battalion. Embarked Private 8th Infantry Battalion

McPherson, William Henry 25/09/1917 135 Separation Street, Northcote Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (Dec 1915 - Nov 1916)

Mahony, John Austin 09/10/1918 Eastment Street, Northcote Captain, 24th Battalion (Infantry). Embarked Private, 24 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Manning, Godfrey George 08/08/1918 71 Clyde Street, Northcote Captain, 4th Pioneer Battalion. Embarked Sapper, 2 FCE [Field Company Engineers] (October 1914

Meehan, William Washington 2/09/1918 2 Leonard Street, Northcote Private, 15th Australian Light Horse

Mehegan, Francis Edward 20/08/1915 Murray Road, Preston Private, 14th Battalion - 5 to 12 Reinforcements (April-November 1915)

Mehegan, Thomas William Joseph 25/10/1917 126 Raglan Street, Preston Private 24 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Membrey, Claude 18/08/1916 Merri Street, Northcote Private, 6th Battalion- 13 to 18 Reinforcements (December 1915 - July 1916)

Mercer, Henry Boyd 25/09/1917 36 Westbourne Grove, Northcote Private Army Medical Corps - General Reinforcements (Aug 1915 - Nov 1918)

Meyer, Albert Edward 14/10/1917 4 Harker Street, Alphington Driver 8 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] (May 1916)

Michell, William John 28/10/1917 11 Bridge Street, Northcote Private, 29th Infantry Battalion (November 1915) Transferred as a Fitter to 50th Battery, 13th Field Artillery Brigade

Miller, Robert Charles 19/07/1916 12 Gladstone Street, Northcote Private, 60th Battalion, Embarked Private 22 Infantry Battalion 1 to 8 Reinforcements (June 1915 - January 1916)

Miller, William 9/10/1917 60 Clarke Street, Northcote Private 12 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (January- December 1916)

Miller, William Henry 19/07/1916 79 Moore Street, Fitzroy Private, 60th Battalion

Moffat, Edward 28/10/1918 Alphington Bombardier, 1 Brigade Australian Field Artillery. Embarked Gunner 2 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] (October 1914)

Mogg, Leslie Valentine 04/09/1915 "Bona Villa", Rathmines Street, Fairfield Private, 18th Battalion

Moloney, Francis George 21/04/1918 39 Walker Street, Northcote Corporal, 21st Battalion Australian Infantry

Moloney, John Robert 15/12/1916 Mansfield Street, Fairfield Private 22 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February- April 1916)

Moon, William 05/08/1916 16 Elm Street, Northcote Private, 22nd Infantry Battalion

Moore, Albert James 18/04/1917 28 Armadale Street, Northcote Private 16 Infantry Battalion - 18 to 22 Reinforcements (July-November 1916) Moore, George Francis Robert 07/08/1917 140 Raleigh Street, Northcote Private, 38th Infantry Battalion, 4th Reinforcements

Moore, George Fredrick 23/10/1918 361 Heidelberg Road, Alphington Lance Corporal 39 Infantry Battalion (May 1916)

Morfee, William George 3/05/1917 Murray Street, Preston Private 22 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Morison, William 4/10/1917 46 Elm Street, Northcoe 7 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Morrison, Ernest Henry Roderick 09/08/1915 30 Bell Street, Preston Private, 5 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Nov 1915)

Moss, Albert James 22/05/1917 Creek Parade, Northcote Gunner, 2nd Division Ammunition Column Australian Field Artillery. Embarked 13 LHR [Light Horse Regiment] 1 to 7 Reinforcements (June-November 1915)

117

Moulden, Reginald Emberson 20/04/1919 "Leamington", Spring Street, Preston Reservoir Driver, 2nd Field Ambulance

Moult, Frederick Joseph 30/05/1919 7 Sargood Street, Northcote (later Emmaline Street) Private 38 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (June - December 1916)

Mundy, Clarence Reginald 23/11/1918 Seymour Street, Preston Lieutenant, 16th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment), Royal Air Force

Mundy, Percival Robert Randolph 4/10/1917 46 Broomfield Avenue, Alphington Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (Dec 1915 - Nov 1916)

Munro, James (A.F.C) 13/10/1916 65 Pender Street, Thornbury Air Mechanic, Australian Flying Corps (1st Reinforcements (May 1915 - Sep 1918)

Munro, James (A.I.F) 04/09/1922 38 Station Street, Fairfield Private, 39th Infantry Battalion (May 1916)

Munro, Robert John 29/07/1917 11 High Street, Northcote Private, 3rd Pioneers (did not embark)

Munro, Roy 6/09/1918 11 High Street, Northcote Private 3 Pioneer Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (June - December 1916)

Murphy, Francis William Joseph 4/10/1917 Dennis Street, Northcote Lieutenant 24 Infantry Battalion Embarked Lance Sergeant 24 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Murray, David William 18/11/1915 cnr Pender and Newcastle Streets, Thornbury Private 7 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (September - November 1915)

Murray, Stanley Alfred Murray 11/08/1918 62 Waterloo Road, Northcote Private 37 Infantry Battalion - 7 and 8 Reinforcements (February-December 1917)

Myers, John James 5/05/1918 Police Station, Northcote CSM 14th Battalion Australian Infantry Embarked Private 14 Infantry Battalion (December 1914)

Needham, Charles William Hector 7/08/1915 East Street, Northcote South Sergeant CQMS, Embarked Lance Corporal 6 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Newell, Alan Herbert 26/08/1916 64 Pender Street, Thornbury Private 23 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Newell, Robert Henry 07/05/1917 South Preston State School Private, 6th Australian Brigade Headquarters

Newton, Joseph James 26/08/1916 36 High Street, Preston Private, 21 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Nichol, James Lyle 15/10/1920 Woodlands Avenue, Alphington Private, 6 Infantry Battalion - 24 and 25 Reinforcements (February-August 1917)

Nicholas, Noel 06/08/1916 "Verona", Como Street, Alphington Private, 46th Infantry Battalion

Nicholes, George 13/10/1917 Como Street, Alphington Private Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (Dec 1915 - Nov 1916)

Nichols, Ernest Charles Gillet 4/04/1918 32 Jessie Street, Northcote Private, 60th Battalion. Embarked Private, 8 Infantry Battalion 7 to 9 Reinforcements (July-September 1915)

Nichols, William George 14/05/1918 20 Hunter Street, Richmond Private 24 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Nicholson, Malcolm 22/07/1917 41 Charles Street, Northcote Sergeant 1 Australian Remount Unit (November 1915)

Nicholson, Thomas George 3/07/1918 10 Hopetoun Street, Northcote Private, 8 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (Dec 1915 - Nov 1916)

Nunweek, Harry 27/10/1917 18 Derby Avenue, Northcote (later Agnes Street) Private 57 Infantry Battalion - 2 to 5 Reinforcements (April - September 1916)

O'Bree, Francis Freeland 8/11/1916 53 William Street, Preston Lance Corporal, 23 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

O'Bree, Stanley Pierpoint 4/07/1918 53 William Street, Preston Lance Corporal, 60th Battalion Australian Army Embarked Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements

O'Brien, William Arthur "Paddy" 11/05/1915 26 Seymour Street, Preston Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 9 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Sep 1915)

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O'Çonnor, Thomas Alfred 31/08/1918 South Preston Private, 5th Battalion Infantry

Odgers, Frederic Longford 18/03/1917 38 Caroline Street, Clifton Hill Corporal 3 Divisional Cyclist Battalion and 1 Reinforcements (May 1916) O'Donnell, John Dennis 10/08/1918 Croxton Corporal 6th Battalion, Embarked Private 6 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

O'Dwyer, Michael John 25/04/1915 63 Arthurton Road, Northcote Private 7 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

O'Grady, Amy Veda 12/08/1916 Roman Catholic Presbytery, Preston Staff Nurse, Australian Army Nursing Service

O'Leary, Timothy Patrick 27/02/1917 73 Charles Street, Northcote Private 24 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Olle, Frank Jubilee 31/05/1917 South Preston State School Lance Sergeant, 5 Infantry Battalion Embarked Corporal 5 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Olney, Reginald Thomas 13/01/1919 Mansfield Street, Northcote Gunner 2 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] - Reinforcements [1-13] (December 1914 - January 1915)

O’Meara, John James 21/09/1919 Herbert Street, Northcote Private, 10th Infantry Battalion

Osboldstone, John Ray 18/08/1918 36 Cunningham Street, Northcote Lance Sergeant, 37th Battalion, Machine Gun Section, Embarked Private, 37th Battalion,

Osborne, Herbert Hansen 9/04/1917 14 Carlyle Street, South Preston Gunner 102 Australian Howitzer Battery, 1 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] – 12 to 16 Reinforcements (November 1915 - April 1916)

Osborne, Hubert Champion 10/11/1921 "Fontenay", Ilma Grove, Northcote Private 29 Infantry Battalion (November 1915)

Osborne, William Lyle 28/08/1917 14 Carlyle Street, Preston Sergeant, 11th Brigade Australian Field Artillery

O'Toole, Leo Eugene 10/08/1918 Murray Road, Preston (alias O'Toole, Lawrence Joseph) Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 5 to 12 Reinforcements (April-November 1915)

Owen, Albert Victor 13/10/1917 Mansfield Street, Thornbury Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 19 to 23 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Owins, Thomas George 23/06/1918 77 Cunningham Street, Northcote Private, 39th Battalion Australian Infantry Embarked 29 Infantry Battalion - 7 to 12 Reinforcements (July-December 1916)

Ozanne, Eugene Charles Arthur 22/02/1915 Tyler Street, Preston CSM, 16th Battalion Australian Infantry - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (December 1914 - June 1915)

Palling, Aubrey 3/05/1917 30 Gadd Street, Croxton Lieutenant, 6th Machine Gun Coy. Embarked Private 22 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Partridge, Ernest 28/05/1915 Private, 14 Infantry Battalion (December 1914)

Paterson, Ernest Ellerman 3/10/1918 "Rossie", 49 Pender Street, Thornbury (born Ellerman, Ernest Horatio) Lieutenant, 22nd Battalion Australian Infantry

Patterson, Charles 19/1/1915 Wild Street, Preston Captain, 3rd Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, British Army

Payn-Lewis (Lewis), Sir Lionel 21/12/1919 Church of Epiphany, Merri Street, Northcote Brigadier-General, British Army

Pearce, Norman Brassey "Iolanthe", 129 Separation Street, Northcote Gunner, 59th Battalion ?

Pearce, Roy Victor 19/07/1916 "Iolanthe", 129 Separation Street, Northcote Private 7 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (Dec 1915 - Nov 1916)

Perry, Rupert 23/08/1918 65 Carlisle Street, Preston Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (Dec 1915 - Nov 1916)

Pettit, Alfred 26/05/1917 "Chris", Station Street, Fairfield Lance Corporal 37 Infantry Battalion (June 1916)

119

Philippe, Alfred Baptiste 08/01/1919 29 McLachlan Street, Northcote Private, 21st Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916) Phillips, Arthur Egbert 19/06/1916 7 Hartington Street, Northcote Private, 59th Battalion Australian Infantry Embarked Private, 7 Infantry Battalion 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Phillips, Mervyn Hugh 11/06/1917 "Kalimna", 33 Herbert Street, Northcote Lance Corporal, 46th Battalion Australian Infantry. Embarked Private 8 Infantry Battalion 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Pistrucci, Benjamin Harold 29/03/1918 141 Separation Street, Northcote 13 Light Horse Regiment - 8 to 23 Reinforcements (May 1916 - February 1918)

Plant, Percy George 25/04/1915 18 Henry Street, Northcote Private, 6th Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Polglase, Charles Alexander 16/07/1916 116 Mansfield Street, Northcote Private 59th Battalion Australian Infantry Embarked 5 Infantry Battalion – 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - November 1915)

Pollard, Herbert George 19/07/1916 Mitchell Street, Northcote Private, 29th Infantry Battalion. Embarked 5 Infantry Battalion 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Powell, Harold Richard 28/11/1916 217 High Street, Northcote Private 29 Infantry Battalion (November 1915)

Prentice, John Drury 05/08/1916 "Gracebourne", Railway Parade, Thornbury Private, 4th Battalion, 9 to 12 Reinforcements (September-December 1915)

Pretty, Alfred Walter 19/05/1915 16 Simpson Street, Northcote Private, 6th Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Pretty, Frederick Victor 02/05/1915 McDonald Street, Northcote Private 6 Infantry Battalion (December 1914)

Punch, Herbert Victor 20/09/1917 Reid Street, Northcote Private, 6th Battalion - 19 to 23 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Pryor, James Joshua 25/04/1915 54 Hawthorn Road, Northcote Private, 6th Battalion (Infantry) Embarked Gunner 2 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] (October 1914)

Quinn, Charles 08/08/1915 64 Clarke Street, Northcote Private, 15 Infantry Battalion (December 1914)

Quinn, Michael Martin 17/04/1918 31 Arthurton Road, Northcote Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 10 to 12 Reinforcements (Sep - Nov 1915)

Rainsbury, George 19/07/1916 Urquhart Street, Northcote Private, 60th Battalion Infantry. Embarked 8 Infantry Battalion - 7 to 9 Reinforcements (July-September 1915

Ralston, Robert Ramsay Ireland 4/10/1917 1 Flett Street, Preston Private, 6th Battalion - 19 to 23 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Recetti, Joseph (M.M) 18/09/1918 1 Hunter Street, Northcote (alias Ritchie, Joseph) Private 13th Field Ambulance Army Medical Corps Embarked Private 1 Australian General Hospital - 1 to 6 Reinforcements

Rancie, Valentine 25/07/1916 26 Gladstone Street, Northcote Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements

Rashleigh, William Christopher 12/08/1916 29 Broomfield Avenue, Alphington Private, 14th Battalion (Infantry) (13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Reyment, Ernest John 19/05/1918 4 Hayes Street, Northcote Private, 22nd Battalion, 19th Reinforcements

Richardson, Edward Henry 22/06/1918 "Worthing",155 Clarke Street, Northcote Lieutenant 30 Infantry Battalion Embarked Corporal 30 Infantry Battalion (November 1915)

Richmond, Horace Gordon 16/10/1917 38 Penders Street, Thornbury Sergeant 14 Infantry Battalion (December 1914)

Ridgwell, John Earle 5/05/1918 "Elton", Bell Street, Preston Lance Corporal, 39th Battalion Australian Infantry. Embarked Private 2 Cyclist Battalion 2 to 10 Reinforcements (June 1916 - May 1917)

Robertson, Talbot Preston 7/10/1917 "Myrtleville", High Street, Preston Driver 21 HB [Howitzer Brigade] - 2 to 10 Reinforcements (April 1916 - February 1917)

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Robinson, Albert Henry 24/07/1916 466 High Street, Northcote Private 7 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (September - November 1915)

Robinson, Thomas Carey 12/10/1917 Mason Street, Preston 2nd Lieutenant 38 Infantry Battalion - 7 and 8 Reinforcements (February-December 1917)

Robson, John Cook 27/04/1917 38 Hotham Street, Preston Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

Rocke, Cecil Harry 25/04/1915 15 Knowles Street, Northcote Private 7 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Rogers, Herbert John 20/04/1917 George Street, Preston Reservoir Corporal 6 Infantry Battalion, Embarked Private 6 Infantry Battalion 10 to 12 Reinforcements (September-November 1915)

Rogerson, Rheuben Stanley 28/11/1920 Mansfield Street, Northcote Private, 5th Battalion (Infantry) 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - November 1915

Rolls, James Leonard 03/03/1917 231 High treet, Northcote Lance Corporal, 24th Battalion (Infantry) 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Rooney, Thomas Patrick 16/11/1916 54 Barry Street, Northcote Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - November 1915)

Rose, James Henry 20/08/1916 89 Christmas Street, Northcote Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (Dec 1915 - Nov 1916)

Ross, James Hugh 19/07/1916 12 Cunningham Street, Northcote Corporal, 29th Infantry Battalion (November, 1915)

Ross, Robert Bell 27/02/1917 Fulham Road, Alphington Private 37 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (May-December 1916) Ross, Wallace 17/11/1916 "Bonnie", Station Avenue, Northcote Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Nov 1915)

Russell, Frederick George 19/07/1916 58 Collins Street, Northcote Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 10 to 12 Reinforcements (September-November 1915)

Ryan, Francis William 25/02/1921 6 Balgownie Street, Northcote Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Ryan, James Harold 7/07/1915 43 Bridge Street, Northcote Private 6 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Ryan, James Lawrence 12/07/1918 42 Henry Street, Northcote Private 57 Infantry Battalion - 6 to 9 Reinforcements (October 1916 - June 1917)

Ryan, Martin Anthony 14/07/1917 42 Henry Street, Northcote Private 24 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Ryan, Thomas Edward 08/11/1918 Little Sisters of the Poor, Northcote Driver, 4 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] - 6 to 13 Reinforcements (May-December 1916)

Salton, Alexander 10/09/1916 "Estaires", Beauchamp Street, Preston Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 10 to 12 Reinforcements (September - November 1915)

Sanderson, John Albert 24/01/1918 113 Flinders Street, Thornbury Private 2nd Australian Pioneers

Sanford, Thomas Albert 3/06/1918 "Gordonville", Wales Street, Northcote Private 39 Infantry Battalion (May 1916)

Sangster, Leslie Fairbairn 18/08/1918 20 Railway Place, Fairfield Private 2 Cyclist Battalion - 2 to 10 Reinforcements (June 1916 - May 1917)

Saunders, Charles Frederick 9/09/1918 "Mayville", May Street, Preston Private 29 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (November 1915 - April 1916)

Saxon, Francis Charles 27/07/1916 13 Spencer St, Croxton Private 22 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (June 1915 - January 1916)

Scolina, Gordon 22/07/1916 Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - November 1915)

Scott, Alexander Charles 25/04/1918 154 Gillies Street, Fairfield Corporal 5th Battalion. Embarked Private 4 Light Horse Regiment (October 1914)

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Scott, Jack Cranstoun 20/09/1917 P.O. Northcote Corporal 6 Infantry Battalion. Embarked Private 6 Infantry Battalion 13 to 18 Reinforcements (December 1915 - July 1916)

Scott, John Alexander Percy 24/07/1918 Park View Road, Alphington (alias Walter Jamieson) Private 2 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Sebire, Francis Henry 20/11/1917 South Preston State School, Hotham Street, Preston Private, 5 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Seymour, Arthur Thomas Hayes 08/08/1916 Derby Street, Northcote Private, 14th Infantry Battalion, 5th Reinforcements (April-November 1915)

Shands, Claude Stanley 22/08/1918 112 Roberts Street, Northcote Driver. 2nd Division Ammunition Column. Embarked Gunner Australian Field Artillery - 116 to 120 Howitzer Batteries (September-October 1916)

Sharpe, Edward William 28/04/1919 18 James Street, Northcote Regimental Sergeant Major, 29th Infantry Battalion. Embarked 29 Infantry Battalion (November 1915)

Sharpe, Kenneth Gordon 08/11/1918 58 Collins Street, Thornbury Private, 3rd Pioneer Battalion. 1 to 6 Reinforcements (June-December 1916)

Shaw, Charles Percival 20/10/1917 14 Merri Parade, Northcote Corporal, 7th Infantry Battalion, Embarked Private, 5th Infantry Battalion

Shepherd, Percy Hubert 07/02/1917 Westgarth Street, Northcote Private, 59th Battalion (Infantry) 2 to 5 Reinforcements (May-September 1916)

Sherman, John Morris 4/08/1915 269 High Street, Northcote Private, AIF Depot

Siddell, John William 4/08/1915 65 South Crescent, South Northcote Private 22 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements Embarked Private 3rd Pioneer Battalion. 1 to 6 Reinforcements (June-December 1916)

Simpson, Amy Alice 22/01/1922 Garnet Street, Preston (Mrs Robert George Cordingley) Staff Nurse, Australian Army Nursing Service HMAHS Kanowna Enlisted 15/10/1915

Simpson, James William Albert 21/01/1917 Garnet Street, Preston Lieutenant-Colonel 36th Infantry Battalion Embarked 2nd Lieutenant 13 Infantry Battalion (December 1914) Re-embarked Major 33 Infantry Battalion (May 1916)

Skidmore, Clifton 24/06/1918 Grange Road, Alphington Driver, Australian Army Medical Corps. Embarked Private, 1 to 6 and Special Reinforcements (February 1915 - April 1916)

Skidmore, Clifton 24/06/1918 Grange Road, Alphington Lance Corporal, 2nd Pioneer Battalion. Embarked 24 Infantry Battalion 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Skidmore, Harold Francis 18/09/1918 41 Austin Street, Alphington Private, 14 Infantry Battalion, 5 to 12 Reinforcements (April-November 1915)

Slade, Frederick William 21/06/1918 Gillies Street, Fairfield Private 29 Infantry Battalion (November 1915)

Smiley (Smilie), John William 30/03/1918 South Melbourne Private 29 Infantry Battalion - 13 and 14 Reinforcements (June-December 1917)

Smiley (Wood), Ezekiel James 30/12/1917 85 Beavers Road, Northcote Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 10 to 12 Reinforcements (September-November 1915)

Smith, Charles Henry 4/10/1917 Heidelberg Road, Fairfield Private 2 Pnr Bn [Pioneer Battalion] - 3 to 9 Reinforcements (June 1916 - May 1917)

Smith, James Charles 30/12/1916 4 Preston Street, Preston (or Smith, Charles Henry Private 28 Battalion Australian Infantry Embarked Private 37 Infantry Battalion 1 to 6 Reinforcements

Smith, James Faulkner 25/07/1916 50 Victoria Street, North Richmond Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Smith, Archibald Brunker 26/04/1918 34 Mary Street, Northcote Sergeant, 58th Battalion (Infantry). Embarked 6 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 9 Reinforcements (December 1914 - September 1915)

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Soanes, Henry Donald 13/07/1915 41 McKean Street, North Fitzroy Sergeant, 7th Infantry Battalion Embarked Private 7 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Solarno, William 14/04/1918 9 Benjamin Street, Thornbury Private 57 Infantry Battalion - 6 to 9 Reinforcements (October 1916 - June 1917)

Sparrow, Frederick William 3/05/1915 Plenty Road, South Preston Private 16 Infantry Battalion (December 1914)

Sparrow, Rupert James 25/04/1915 Plenty Road, South Preston Private 11 Infantry Battalion (November 1914)

Spencer, Charles 31/01/1918 Woodlands Avenue, Alphington Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Stait, Cecil Harry 12/10/1917 11 Kemp Street, Croxton Private 39 Infantry Battalion - 7 and 8 Reinforcements (Feb 1917 - Feb 1918)

Stanton, William Horace 04/05/1917 110 Bridge Street, Northcote Private, 24 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Stapleton, Albert George (Rev.) 25/04/1915 127 Dundas Street, Preston Private 5 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Stephenson, Freddy 23/03/1918 84 Erroll Street, Thornbury ? Private, 6th Battalion, 10th Reinforcements

Stewart, William 14/10/1917 24 Auburn Avenue, Northcote Private, 59th Battalion. Embarked Private 38 Infantry Battalion (June 1916)

Stone, Stephen Mark 16/08/1916 105 Hawthorn Road, Northcote Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (December 1915-July 1916)

Stooke, Ernest Cecil (DCM) 19/08/1918 Olive Street, Reservoir Lieutenant, 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps. Embarked Private 8 LHR [Light Horse Regiment] - 15 to 31 Reinforcements (April 1916 - November 1917)

Strawbridge, Horace Charles 27/12/1917 Penders Street, Thornbury Gunner 5 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] (November 1915)

Studd, Leslie Walter 5/09/1916 10 Morley Street, Northcote Private 23 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Sugden John 03/10/1918 "Walhalla", Clarke Street, Northcote Able Seaman Driver, Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train Reinforcements [1-9] (July 1915 - February 1916), later Private, 22nd Infantry Battalion

Sumner, Roy Gordon 26/03/1918 255 Clarke Street, Northcote Private, 21 Company Australian Machine Gun Corps. Embarked 14 Infantry Battalion 5 to 12 Reinforcements (April-November 1915)

Sumpter, Henry 11/07/1918 "Willrose", Perry Street, Alphington Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 24 and 25 Reinforcements (February-August 1917)

Sutch, Claude Albert Bromell 1/08/1916 1 Gordon Grove, Northcote Corporal, 8th Battalion Australian Infantry. Embarked Private 24 Infantry Battalion 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Sutherland, Kenneth Arthur 5/08/1916 54 Heidelberg Road, Fairfield Private 24 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Swift, Leslie Alfred 14/08/1916 101 Mitchell Street, Northcote (alias Smith, William Alfred) Private 16 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (December 1914 - June 1915)

Swift, Norton Reginald 19/04/1917 "Olinda", Prospect Grove, Northcote Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Swift, Thomas George Lionel 18/08/1918 101 Mitchell Street Private 22 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February-April 1916) Swinton, Thomas Noble Field 04/12/1916 "Arcadie", Hammond Street, Northcote Did not enlist

Sykes, Victor Leonard 27/09/1917 Epping Private, 59th Battalion Infantry, Embarked 23th Infantry Battalion

Tapner, Benjamin Stavely 29/07/1916 81 Heidelberg Road, Clifton Hill Lieutenant 22 Infantry Battalion, Embarked Corporal 22 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

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Tarrant, Francis Joseph 17/02/1918 135 Westgarth St Northcote Flight Lieutenant 3rd Squadron, Australian Flying Corps Embarked Sergeant 4 Field Artillery Brigade (November 1915)

Taylor, John Grenville Francis 26/01/1918 58 Yarra Street, Alphington Private, 8th Infantry Battalion 1 to 6 Reinforcements (December 1914 - June 1915)

Temple, Reginald David 23/08/1916 Wood Street, Preston Private 21 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Thompson, Cuthbert Charles 23/08/1916 "Yarrowee", Arthur Street, Fairfield Acting Corporal 23 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February-April 1916)

Thompson, George James 19/07/1916 7 Birt Street, Northcote Private 23 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Thompson, Harold William 9/08/1918 265 High Street, Northcote Lieutenant, 14th Infantry Battalion Embarked Sergeant, 14th Infantry Battalion

Thompson, Frank Woodfield Dixon 12/10/1915 Lucerne Crescent, Alphington Lance Corporal, 7th Battalion, 12th Reinforcements

Thompson, Robert Herbert 29/05/1921 13 McDonald Street, South Northcote Private, 6 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 9 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Sep 1915

Thomson, Sidney Alexander 10/08/1918 "Penicnick", Northernhay Street, Preston 2nd Lieutenant 6 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (December 1915 - July 1916)

Thorne, Frederick Arthur 29/03/1917 Bank Street, Northcote Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 5 to 12 Reinforcements (April-November 1915)

Thwaites, Walter James 4/10/1917 "Athelstone", 58 Rathmines Street, Fairfield Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Nov 1915) Tidd, George Horace 03/05/1917 153 Charles Street, Northcote Private, 23 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Tighe, Patrick Joseph 23/08/1918 26 Garnet Street, Preston Private, 5th Infantry Battalion, Embarked 37 Infantry Battalion (June 1916)

Tippett, Percy Albert 25/04/1915 Thornbury Railway Station Private 6 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Toll, Edward Pearce, 2/11/1916 7 Gooch Street, Northcote (alias Pearce, Edward) Sapper 2 FCE [Field Company Engineers] 13 to 16 Reinforcements (December 1915 - January 1916)

Trevena, Thomas Stanley 5/08/1916 "Stanlea", St, Bernard's Road, Alphington Sergeant, 22nd Battalion Embarked Private 22 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Trevillian, George Leslie 8/05/1915 6 Pearl Street, Northcote Corporal, 6th Battalion Australian Infantry

Trigg, Thomas Alexander 3/05/1917 1 Benjamin Street, Thornbury Lance Corporal 22 Infantry Battalion Embarked Private 22 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (June 1915 - January 1916)

Trudgen, Stephen Henry 1/09/1918 3 Urquhart Street, Northcote Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

Tulk, Frederick Raymond 25/07/1916 29 Union Street, Northcote Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Nov 1915)

Turner, Stanley George 19/07/1916 19 Kelvin Grove, Northcote Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Nov 1915)

Tuttleby, Alfred Ernest 3/05/1917 "Worthing", Heidelberg Road, Alphington Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Twight, Albert Charles Henry 1922 1 Auburn Grove, Northcote Gunner, 1 Divisional Ammunition Column - 12 to 24 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Twight, Charles Clarence 27/04/1918 43 Charles Street, Northcote 60 Infantry Battalion - 6 to 9 Reinforcements (October 1916 - July 1917)

Twight, George Leonard 8/08/1915 10 Charles Street, Northcote Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 4 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - March 1915)

Tyler, Albert Joseph 3/05/1917 5 Hotham Street, Preston Private 23 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February-April 1916)

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Uglow, Alvah Henry 8/09/1918 42 Jenkins Street, Northcote Staff Sergeant, 57th Aust Infantry Battalion Embarked Private 5 Infantry Battalion 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - November 1915)

Vivian, Ernest Frederick 13/10/1917 102 Collins Street, Thornbury Private 57 Infantry Battalion - 6 to 9 Reinforcements (October 1916 - June 1917)

Wadsworth, Arthur 06/11/1918 Corner Gotch and Walker Street, Northcote Driver, 1 Australian Reserve Park (10 Company ASC [Army Service Corps]) - Reinforcements (December 1914 - January 1916)

Wailes, William 20/03/1917 Dundas Street, South Preston Private 23 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (February-April 1916)

Walker, Edward James 4/03/1917 "Glendower", Jenkins Street, Northcote Company Quartermaster Sergeant, 3rd Australian Pioneers Embarked Private 3 Pnr Bn [Pioneer Battalion] - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (June-December 1916)

Walker, Norman Charles 16/11/1918 25 Mansfield Street, Northcote Gunner 23 HB [Howitzer Brigade] and 1 to 10 Reinforcements and Brigade Ammunition Column (May 1916 - February 1917)

Waller, Charles Victor 17/04/1917 Gilbert Road, Preston Private 14 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Wallis, Richard Ernest 19/07/1916 1 Alexander Street, Croxton Private 59 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Nov 1915)

Ward, Leslie Thomas 12/03/1917 Harper Street, Northcote Private, 12th Field Ambulance Australian Army Medical Corps

Watkins, Frederick Albert 9/04/1918 42 Barry Street, Northcote South Private 2 Pnr Bn [Pioneer Battalion] - 3 to 9 Reinforcements (June 1916 - May 1917) Watson, William Harrington 14/12/1920 Northcote

Sapper, 3 Tunnelling Company 1 Mining Company (February 1916)

Watt, Allan 19/07/1916 "Longwood", 32 Bastings Street, Northcote Private 7 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (September-November 1915)

Watterston, Birkett William 8/05/1915 13 Collins Street, Fairfield Private 7 Infantry Battalion (October 1914)

Wayman, Watson Wilkinson 20/09/1916 "Rockdale", Clarke Street. Northcote (did not embark)

Webster, Joseph 08/08/1915 15 Station Avenue, Northcote Private, 16 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements December 1914 - June 1915)

Webster, Thomas 28/05/1915 Arthur Street, Fairfield Private, 2nd Field Ambulance Medical Corps

Weir, Richard Lewis 26/07/1918 Bell Street, Preston (later "Ulupna", Bundoora) 2nd Lieutenant, 21st Battalion. Embarked Privete, 21st Battalion

Wheeler, George Henry 25/04/1918 61 Gooch Street, Thornbury Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 9 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - Sep 1915)

Whitaker, Frederick 12/11/1915 9 Emmaline Street, Croxton Private, 60th Battalion . Did not embark

White, Frank Isaac 20/09/1917 1 Edward Street, Northcote South Fitter, 11th Brigade Australian Field Artillery Embarked 8 Light Horse Regiment - 11 to 14 Reinforcements (October 1915 - January 1916)

Whitehill, George Thomas 14/11/1917 Bent Street, Northcote Private, 2nd Pioneer Battalion. Embarked Private 23 Infantry Battalion 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Whiteoak, Henry Maitland 5/05/1917 Crawley Street, Preston Corporal 2nd Field Hospital Embarked Private 1 Australian General Hospital 1 to 6 and Special Reinforcements (February 1915 - April 1916)

Williams, Stanley Joseph 20/11/1915 Parkview Street, Alphington Driver, 4th F.A.B. Reinforcements Did not embark

Williams, Walter William 20/06/1920 Casterton Private 14th Australian Infantry Battalion (December 1914)

Williams, William George Vincent 11/09/1914 36 Beavers Road, Northcote Able Seaman, 4 Company Naval Reserves, 1st Naval and Military Expeditionary Force

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Williamson, Arthur Harold 22/09/1917 Cobmie Street, South Preston

23 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (July-November 1916)

Williamson, John Edward 1/09/1918 39 Henry Street, Northcote Sapper 5 FCE [Field Company Engineers] - 2 to 5 Reinforcements (December 1915 - March 1916)

Williamson, John Harold 14/06/1915 69 Arthurton Road, Northcote Private 5 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements (December 1914 - November 1915)

Willis, Eric Norman 03/05/1917 Tyler Street, Preston Private, 7th Field Ambulance, Australian Army Medical Corps General Reinforcements (August 1915 - November 1918)

Wilson, Gilbert Walter 13/09/1916 57 Gillies Street, Fairfield Private 21 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 12 Reinforcements June 1915 - April 1916)

Wilson, Henry Malcolm 7/07/1917 Gladstone Avenue, Northcote Private 38 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (June-December 1916)

Wilson, Leonard Jack 10/10/1917 15 Johnstone Street, Northcote Private 24 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (May 1915 - January 1916)

Wilson, Norman Claude 18/04/1918 "Glenvale", 102 Rossmoyne treet, Northcote Trooper, 8th Australian Light Horse Regiment (February, 1915) (Desert Mounted Corps)

Winnett, Walter Lambert 21/09/1917 Gower Street, Preston Acting Corporal 21 Infantry Battalion 1 to 12 Reinforcements (June 1915 - April 1916)

Wood, Arthur Beaumont 19/07/1916 118 Rathmines Road, Fairfield Park Private 22 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (June 1915 - January 1916)

Wood, Arthur Gordon 11/08/1918 118 Gillies Street, Fairfield Private 8 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Wood, Henry Herman 12/04/1917 "Thornhill", Penders Street, Northcote Private 22 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Woodnutt, Frank Bernard Martin 06/02/1918 Epping Private, 4th Field Ambulance Australian Army Medical Corps Embarked Private 3 Light Horse Field Ambulance - 1 to 14 Reinforcements (February 1915 - January 1916)

Woodyard, Andrew Gordon 7/08/1918 48 McLachlan Street, Northcote Company Sergeant Major Warrant Officer Class 2 29 Infantry Battalion - 13 and 14 Reinforcements (June-December 1917)

Worle, Thomas Henry 31/07/1917 13 Jessie Street, Northcote Sergeant 8 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] (May 1916)

Wright, Harold Ernest 22/09/1917 172 Gladstone Avenue, Northcote Private 22 Infantry Battalion (May 1915)

Wright, Reuben 19/07/1916 Preston Lance Corporal, 60th Battalion Infantry Embarked Private, 7 Infantry Battalion 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916)

Young, David 6/06/1915 "Palm Cottage", Norman Street, Northcote Private, 3 Infantry Battalion

Young, Frederick William 4/10/1917 280 Clarke Street, Northcote Sergeant, 6th Battalion. Embarked Private 6 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (December 1915 - July 1916

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