Chronology of World War One 1914-1918 with Activities in Albury & District
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CHRONOLOGY OF WORLD WAR ONE 1914-1918 WITH ACTIVITIES IN ALBURY & DISTRICT DATE KEYWORD LOCAL ACTIVITY 1914-08-06 17th Battery (Militia) Registration of reservists,102 names More added 8 Aug 1914-08-06 17th Battery (Militia) List opened at Drill Hall for volunteers 1914-08-08 17th Battery (Militia) Meeting of Albury Battery to discuss volunteering en masse 1914-08-21 17th Battery (Militia) Battery meeting to discuss volunteering en masse. Suggestion declined as this point 1914-09-08 17th Battery (Militia) WO Hammond + 6 others farewelled at Albury Hotel 1914-09-21 17th Battery (Militia) Captain Maynard Wilkinson & Lieut O Steel to sail with AIF; Lt Steel a teacher, musician, organist; His wife and children reside in Albury 1914-09-22 17th Battery (Militia) List of departing soldiers and officers. Shellshear promoted to major to take command of Battery 1914-09-22 17th Battery (Militia) Captain Shellshear promoted to Major and appointed Officer Commanding 17th Battery AFA at Albury [replacing Capt M Wilkinson] 1915-07-14 17th Battery (Militia) Albury Battery holds recruiting Rally at Drill Hall 1915-07-16 17th Battery (Militia) Report of recruiting rally; strength 4 Officers and 121 men 1915-07-17 17th Battery (Militia) Offer of 17th Battery AFA to enlist as a fighting unit [i.e. AIF] sent to Sydney 1915-09-03 17th Battery (Militia) Notice to volunteers from Battery to report to Drill Hall for vaccination prior to departure Page 1 of 84 CHRONOLOGY OF WORLD WAR ONE 1914-1918 WITH ACTIVITIES IN ALBURY & DISTRICT 1915-09-09 17th Battery (Militia) Battery farewelled at Town Hall, full list provided. Most join Major Shellshear in 13th Battery AIF which becomes known as Albury Battery 1915-09-17 17th Battery (Militia) Fifty volunteers from Albury Bty farewelled at Town Hall; 2000 people line Dean Street as volunters march to Railway Station. Criticism of failure by town to farewell the 1500 volunteers who have already departed Albury. (Banner) 1916-12-05 17th Battery (Militia) Training recommences 1914-08-07 44th Inf Bn List of 132 members of 44th Inf Bn on standby 1914-09-09 44th Inf Bn (Snr Cadets) Report of F Coy on garrison duty in Sydney, gives officer names 1914-09-10 44th Inf Bn (Snr Cadets) HQ 44th Infantry Battalion establish HQ at Rose Hotel; preparations for mobilisation to Sydney; list of items to bring 1914-09-18 44th Inf Bn (Snr Cadets) List of promotions in F Company 1914-10-05 44th Inf Bn (Snr Cadets) Albury Band plays for F Company 44th Infantry Battalion as they march to railway Station to go to Sydney for training and garrison duty 1914-10-09 44th Inf Bn (Snr Cadets) Albury Banner report of battalion o garrison duty in Sydney. Employers gave leave and agreed to make up pay Page 2 of 84 CHRONOLOGY OF WORLD WAR ONE 1914-1918 WITH ACTIVITIES IN ALBURY & DISTRICT 1914-10-09 44th Inf Bn (Snr Cadets) Albury contingent to proceed to Sydney on garrison duty; list of officers given. (Banner) 1915-01-05 44th Inf Bn (Snr Cadets) Letters received from former members of 44th Inf in Egypt 1915-01-29 44th Inf Bn (Snr Cadets) All community and employer resistance to compulsorily trainee scheme vanished 1916-07-06 44th Inf Bn (Snr Cadets) Call up notice for Senior Cadets 1918-01-16 44th Inf Bn (Snr Cadets) Plan to raise band as a means of making compulsorily training more interesting 1918-01-31 44th Inf Bn (Snr Cadets) Military sports meeting planned for Easter 1918-02-26 44th Inf Bn (Snr Cadets) Compulsorily parade scheduled for 2 March at the Drill Hall. Also cadets to march in 8 Hour Day parade 1918-03-25 44th Inf Bn (Snr Cadets) Donations received for Military Cadet Band 1918-04-05 44th Inf Bn (Snr Cadets) Inspection at Drill Hall, compulsorily parade 1916-04-14 Albury Battery Letter from Cpl Jack Wilks 13th Bty in Egypt, describes working with camels and natives. 1916-06-17 Albury Battery Letter from Gnr Les Heath 13th Bty in France; received comforts parcel including tinned peaches and milk. 1916-09-22 Albury Battery Letter from Cpl J Arthur of Albury 13th Bty says things looking good for early end to the war, tells of the Bty in action; Page 3 of 84 CHRONOLOGY OF WORLD WAR ONE 1914-1918 WITH ACTIVITIES IN ALBURY & DISTRICT 1916-10-02 Albury Battery Major J Shellshear awarded MID for efficiency of 13th Bty in Pozieres and Mouquet Farm fighting 1916-10-06 Albury Battery Letter from Dvr Fred Mansfield of Albury 13th Bty writing from France tells of buying sweets from French villagers, very pricy 1916-11-28 Albury Battery Letter from Major Shellshear 13th Bty to Mrs Kingsmill thanking her for a consignment of gifts to 13th Bty and telling of distribution method 1917-01-18 Albury Battery Letter from Lt Col Shellshear who is leaving 13th Bty on promotion. He praises the 13th Bty for their skill as gunners and their spirit as Albury men 1917-05-15 Albury Battery Cpl Frank Molony of Albury KIA France; Gnr JJ Schuh of Albury 13th Bty KIA France 1917-08-14 Albury Battery Gnr Geoffrey Rosborough 13th Bty of Thurgoona KIA Belgium 1917-10-12 Albury Battery Bdr Charles I Podger of Albury 13th Bty KIA Belgium; Pte Bo Frauenfelder of Albury DOW 1917-11-20 Albury Battery Gnr William Clarkson of Albury 13th Bty KIA 1917-11-27 Albury Battery Letters from Sgt Mjr Percy Pearsall, and 3 soldiers of the 13th Bty thanking Billjims and explaining how an amount of £30 received from Mrs Watson has been distributed 1917-12-13 Albury Battery Letter from Sgt Jack Wilks of Albury 13th Bty telling of strain of fighting in France 1918-05-11 Albury Battery Letter from Sgt Jack Wilks of Albury 13th Bty tells of leave in London and air raids. He expected to go back to England for 6 months as an Artillery instructor. (Letter is dated 18 March; five days later the German March offensive began) Page 4 of 84 CHRONOLOGY OF WORLD WAR ONE 1914-1918 WITH ACTIVITIES IN ALBURY & DISTRICT 1918-06-20 Albury Battery Letter from Sgt Jack Wilks saying the German offensive cancelled his posting to England. He describes his dugout 1918-09-02 Albury Battery 13th Bty in action at Mont St Quentin; Lt Roberts and Evans, Sgt Mjr Wilks, Sgt Lewington, Cpl Kellott and Dvr Wolfe all decorated 1918-10-06 Albury Battery 13th Bty in acton in support of American infantry 1918-10-10 Albury Battery Gnr James Lloyd of Albury 13th Bty DOW 28 September France 1918-11-15 Albury Battery Letter from Sgt Mjr Jack Wilks of Albury 13th Bty tells of Amiens fighting and Mont St Quentin 1916-11-03 Albury Camp Flag presented to a contingent of 40 men from Albury Camp who have volunteered for AIF and left on evening train. Flag made by Albury women. 1916-11-10 Albury Camp Committee meets to arrange entertainment for troop in camp at Show Ground 1916-11-13 Albury Camp Governor General Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson vists Albury and inspects troops in camp at Show Ground 1916-11-23 Albury Camp Albury Camp closed and soldiers called up in anticipartion of Yes vote in Referendum all discharged 1918-10-10 Albury Comforts Fund (see Albury Branch No 247 acknowledges donations of fleeces also War Chest Fund) 1916-09-08 Alien Naturalised Brit subject of enemy origin fined in Sydney for voting in liquor referendum Page 5 of 84 CHRONOLOGY OF WORLD WAR ONE 1914-1918 WITH ACTIVITIES IN ALBURY & DISTRICT 1916-09-12 Alien Letter to editor from Mr B Abikhair protesting that people of Lebanese origin are classified as of "enemy origin" 1915-12-15 Allies Day Allies Day celebration planned for 10 march including queen competition 1916-01-14 Allies Day Albury Council order 1000 buttons for Allies Day, also arrangements for Queen competition. 1916-02-21 Allies Day Activities for queen competition 1916-02-23 Allies Day Progress count in queen competition 1916-03-04 Allies Day List of activities by queen candidates 1916-03-11 Allies Day Appeal culminated in gathering at Showground 10 March, Mrs Jas Mitchell queen, £2100 raised in total. 1916-05-24 Allies Day Books closed on Allies Day appeal. Amount raised £2,310 1916-12-11 Anzac Buffet Report of work of Anzac Buffet in London; mention of Mrs Watson of Gerogery East 1917-08-13 Anzac Buffet London Sugar evening held at Town Hall; 200 pounds of sugar donated; to be made into sweets for sale at the Albury Show; proceeds to the Anzac Buffet London 1916-04-14 Anzac Day Churches asked to arrange service to commemorate Anzac Day. Business asked to close 12.30-2pm an the day. Page 6 of 84 CHRONOLOGY OF WORLD WAR ONE 1914-1918 WITH ACTIVITIES IN ALBURY & DISTRICT 1916-04-25 Anzac Day Full account of service held on Tuesday 25 April in Dean Square at noon. 1916-04-28 Anzac Day [Banner] General report on Anzac Day commemorations 1917-04-20 ANZAC Day Arrangements made for Anzac Day commemoration in Albury on Tuesday 24 April; decided it should not take the form of a recruiting rally 1917-04-25 ANZAC Day Account of the commemoration held in Dean Square; 1500 attended 1917-10-30 Arsenal Arsenal Committee visit Albury to inspect sites for a proposed Federal Government Arsenal 1915-05-04 Band Tribute to fallen at band recital at Theatre Royal 1915-05-08 Band Band supports new District Hospital fund raising at Sports Ground; also to Pte Smiles 1916-01-19 Band Bandmaster Pogson to attend officer training school 1914-09-21 Belgian Commissioner's report on conditions of Belgian civilians published 1914-09-26 Belgian Red Cross prepare box for Belgian relief 1914-10-02 Belgian Thurgoona Orphanage receives letter asking if it would have accommodation should Belgian refugees be brought to Australia 1914-11-28 Belgian Final Belgian box to be dispatched by Red Cross 1915-05-04 Belgian Belgian Fund Committee