Private Harry Adams - No: 5972 - Regiment: 13th Battalion Australian Imperial Forces. Harry sailed to England from Sydney on the 22nd August, 1916. Harry was born at St Marys on the 20th April, 1891. He contacted meningitis at Salisbury Camp in England on the 7th January, 1917 and died at the age of 26 years. He is buried at Stratford Sub-castle (St Lawrence) churchyard in England (2 miles outside Salisbury) in Wiltshire. Memorial Panel: 68. It was ironic that Harry sailed to war on the "Wiltshire" and is buried in Wiltshire!!

Corporal William Andrews - No: 2780 - Regiment: 4th Battalion, 1st Division, 9th Reinforcements, Australian Imperial Forces. William was killed at the age of 22 years in Belgium on the 26th September, 1917. He is buried at Plot V1, Row G, Grave No 16, Oosttaverne Wood cemetery, Wytschaete, Heuvelland, West Vlaanderen. His remains were exhumed from Westhock. William was born at St Marys on the 27th February, 1895.

Private Owen Wallace Baker - No: 1867 - Regiment: 34th Battalion, Australian Imperial Forces. Owen was KIA in Belgium at the age of 22 years on the 29th July, 1917. He is buried at Plot 11, Row F, Grave No 10, Kandahar Farm Cemetery, Neuve-Eglise. Owen was born at St Marys on the 4th October, 1894.

Sapper Sydney William Bennett ("BILLY") No: 21660 - Regiment: 2nd Signal Squadron, Australian Engineers -Died: of Malaria on 21st October, 1918 at age: 28 Years - Buried: Plot C, Grave No 21, Damascus British War Cemetery, Syria. Sydney was born at St Marys on 22nd December, 1889.

Lance Corporal: David Leighton Blyton - No: 2038A, Regiment: 2nd Division/19th Battalion/5th Brigade/3rd Reinforcements - AIF. Enlisted on the 9th July, 1915, sailed on the H.M.A.T. A54 "Runic" on the 9th August, 1915 and arrived at Gallipoli on the 29th September, 1915. He was evacuated at the end of the Gallipoli campaign to Murdros and then to Alexandria on 9th January, 1916. He then fought in France and died after sustaining gunshot wounds to the hand, back and legs on the 14th February, 1917 and is remembered at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension - Memorial Panel 84. He was born at Cooma NSW in 1884. He lived at Eastern Creek NSW at the outbreak of the war. His parents moved to Granville NSW.

Sergeant James David Cook- No: 7007 - Regiment: 19th Battalion/21st Reinforcement, - Australian Infantry. He served as a Lieutenant in the Senior Cadets before enlisting in the army. He enlisted on the 8th October, 1917 at Llandilo, NSW and spent 2 years serving as a drill & machine gun instructor with the rank of Acting Staff Sergeant Major. Embarked from Melbourne to Liverpool aboard the HMAT A71 "Nestor" on the 13th March, 1918. He was born at Newtown, NSW on 25th April, 1896 and was killed in Action in France on the 10th August, 1918 at the age of 22 years.

Private William Feening – No: 1351 – Regiment: 4^th Battalion/2^nd Reinforcements – Australian Infantry. Enlisted on 16^th November, 1914. Died of wounds in France at the age of 38 years on 15^th April, 1918. Buried: Plot 180 Ebblinghem Military Cemetery, France. He was born in 1880 at Rocky Ponds, Harden (Near Orange) NSW. Parents were John & Martha Feening (Nee Barker).

Private Athol Garner, No: 2185 - Regiment: 45th Battalion Australian Imperial Forces, Killed in Action on 28th March, 1918 in France Aged: 22 Years Buried: Plot 11, Row C, Grave No 16, Heath Cemetery, Harbonnieres, France Born: 1896 at St Marys.(Brother of William & Harold)

Private William Harold Garner (Brother of Athol & Harold) -No: 5944, Regiment: 1st AIF, 2nd Division, 20th Battalion, 5th Brigade, 16th Reinforcements - Infantry. William's occupation before the war was a coachbuilder at James Bennett's Wagon Works for 6 years. William enlisted on the 26th June, 1916 at the age of 24 years at Victoria Barracks, Sydney. William was Killed In Action on 11th August, 1918 at France at the age of 31. His body was never found and his name is on the commemorative plaque at Villers-Bretonneux Memorial France.

Private Arthur Stanley Gerring -No: 2499 -Regiment: 39th Battalion, Australian Imperial Forces. Arthur died of wounds on 1st December, 1917 aged 22 years - Buried: Plot V111, Row I, Grave No. 125, Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France. He enlisted on 25th March, 1916. Information on the back of the photo says Sapper Stanley Gerring - 1st Australian Tunneling Company - Sailed on 1st April, 1916. He was born at St Marys, NSW on the 2nd June, 1895.

Private Edward James Hope - No: 4188 - 54th Battalion, Australian Infantry Forces. K.I.A. near Fromelles, France. On Memorial Panel 159, 7 VC Corner, Australian Cemetery, France. Enlisted on 23rd September, 1915 into the 2nd Battalion, 13th Reinforcements. He left Australia on the "A60 HMAT Aeneas" on the 20th December, 1915 and after his arrival in Egypt the divisions were split in half and he was allocated to the 54th Battalion on the 16th February, 1916. He embarked at Alexandria on the "HMAT Caledonian" on the 19th June, 1916 and disembarked at Marseilles bound for the Western Front. He was reported missing on the 21st July, 1916 during the Battle for Poziers but was upgraded to KIA after the German authorities handed over paybooks of dead Australian soldiers. Member soldiers of his 54th Battalion had seen him killed and because there was no body (it was thought that the Germans buried the body after taking his paybook) he was declared KIA on the 20th July, 1916.

Lance Corporal Kenneth Halstead Jackson - Regiment: 3rd Battalion, Australian Imperial Forces. Kenneth enlisted at the outbreak of the war with his brother, Serg. E H Jackson D.S.M. and both brothers were on Gallipoli. Ken was killed at Gallipoli on 28th April, 1915 and is Buried at Lone Pine Cemetery, Gallipoli. Ken was born at Bondi NSW in 1886.

Private Samuel Luke - No: 4830, Regiment: 4th Australian Pioneers. Enlisted in November, 1915 and Killed in Action on: 21st April, 1917 - Buried: Plot 1, Row E, Grave No 13, Vaulx-Hill Cemetery, Vaulx-Vraucourt, France. He was born at St Marys, NSW in 1896.

Private Cecil Mallard - No: 2445 - Regiment: 5th Company, Australian Machine Gun Corps. Born at Queanbeyan, Canberra. Lived at St Marys before the war. Killed in Action on the 20th September, 1917 at the age of 21 yrs. Body never found - his name is on the Commemorative Plaque at: Panel 29 within the Perth Cemetery (China Wall), Zillebeke - Belgium. He enlisted on 23rd July, 1916 at the age of 20 years.

Lance Corporal: William Perry - No: 19626 - Regiment: 18th Battalion, Australian Infantry. Killed in Action on 20th September, 1917 in Belgium. He is listed on the Menin Gate memorial in Belgium - Panel 7 - 17 - 23 - 25 - 27 - 29 - 31. (No body was found)

Private Leslie Robert Phillips No: 1615 Regiment: 3rd Battalion, Australian Infantry. Died: 7th - 12th August, 1915 at the age of 21 years. Buried: Plot 2, Row B, Grave No: 13, Lone Pine Cemetery, Gallipoli. He was the son of Mary Esgate (Nee Phillips) of Wardell, Richmond River, NSW. (Mother was single at time of Leslie's birth.) Enlisted at Holdsworthy on the 12th January, 1915 at the age of 20 into the 3rd Battalion. He embarked from Sydney on the "HMAT A49 Seang Choon" on the 11th February, 1915 for Gallipoli. He was on Gallipoli when he received a bullet wound to his left hand on the 2nd June, 1915 and was sent to the No. 1 General Hospital at Cairo. He was returned to Gallipoli via the "Scotian" from Alexandria on the 4th July, 1915 and was killed in action in August. His mother received a letter dated 19/4/1923 saying that Leslie's body had been exhumed and re-interred at the Lone Pine Cemetery.

Private Wallis Crossley Rankine - No: 5206, Regiment: 1st Division/1st Battalion/1st Brigade/16th Reinforcements - Australian Imperial Forces. Enlisted on the 10th July, 1915 and sailed on 1st April, 1916 on the "Makarini". Wallis was born in 1886 at Berrick, Victoria. He was Killed in Action on 5th November, 1916 in France and remembered at Villers-Bretonneux Memorial Cemetery, France (No body was found)

Private William James Robertson No: 173 - Regiment: 3rd Battalion/A Coy A.I.F. Died of Bronchial Pneumonia at Mena Camp, Cairo Age: 22 years Buried: British Protestant Cemetery at Cairo. William enlisted on the 21st September, 1914 into the 3rd Battalion. He sailed from Sydney on the "HMAT Euripides" on the 18th October, 1914, arriving in Egypt in December. He was part of the troops being trained for the Gallipoli campaign when he contracted pneumonia and died. Born in 1893 at Lywick, East Yell, Shetland, Scotland. Before the war, Bill was a member of the St Marys Riffle Club. His occupation was listed as a labourer where he was working for William Brell at his tannery in St Marys.

Second Lieutenant Arthur Valentine Steel - No: 666 - Regiment: 1st Battalion, Australian Imperial Forces. Born on 14th February, 1895 at Wangaratta, Victoria. Killed in Action on 5th November, 1916 in France at the age of 20 and is buried - Plot V, Row AA, Grave 19, Grevillers British Cemetery, France. Arthur was working at the St Marys Post Office before the war and was proficient in Morse code.

Private Henry Lethbridge Tingcombe - (brother of Noel) No: 3678 - Regiment: 2nd Division/18th Battalion/5th Brigade/8th Reinforcements, AIF. Embarked on the "H.M.A.T - Aeneas" on the 20th December, 1915 - Died of wounds on the 29th July, 1916. Buried: Plot V111, Row A, Grave No 155, Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France. He was born in 1893 at Tamworth, NSW.

Private Noel Lethbridge Tingcombe - No: 3679 - Regiment 2nd Division/18th Battalion/5th Brigade/8th Reinforcements, AIF. Embarked with his brother, Henry on the 20th December, 1915. Killed in Action on the 4th August, 1916 - Commemorative plaque at Villers-Bretonneux Memorial Cemetery, France (No body was found). He was born on the 27th September, 1897 at Paddington, NSW.

THE FOLLOWING ST MARY'S SOLDIERS RETURNED FROM THE WAR.

Private: Frank Abbott - No: 2326 Regiment: 4th Infantry, 7th Reinforcements, Australian Imperial Forces - Born: Madras, India. Enlisted on the 8th June, 1915 at the age of 26 years at Liverpool NSW (Holdsworthy)- Occupation: Electrician. He lived at Colyton NSW, Father: John Edward Abbott, Colyton, Via Mt Druitt. Sailed from Sydney on the 14th July, 1915 on the "HMAT A67 Orsova" Religion: Congregational

Walter William Anderton - No: 13733 - Regiment: 6th Reinforcement, Army Medical Corps. He was born at St Marys NSW and married at the time of war. His wife, Ida Anderton lived near the railway station at St Marys - moved to 9 Wellington St, Waterloo. He enlisted on the 30th December, 1915 at Sydney and left Australia on the "A61 Kanowah" on the 1st April, 1916. He was attached to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harfield England. On the 5/11/1916 he was admitted to hospital with influenza and was returned home to Australia on the "Euripides" on the 22nd March, 1918 and discharged on the 4/5/1918 medically unfit

Samuel Ashley - No: 11901, Regiment: 9th Field Ambulance (Horse Transport Driver). Enlisted: Liverpool NSW (Holdsworthy) on 5th September, 1915 at the age of 28 years. He was born at Hanley, Staffordshire, England - Occupation: Tiler Father: Thomas Ashley, Colyton, Mt Druitt - Religion: Presbyterian. He left Australia for England on 1st May, 1916 and embarked overseas from Southampton, England on 23rd November, 1916. He returned to Australia as part of the Nursing Staff on the "Euripides" on the 3rd March, 1919. He was discharged: 10th June, 1919.

Arthur Bernard Ashley - No: 8458 - A.A.M.C. 12th Reinforcements, 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance. He enlisted at Liverpool, NSW on 10th July, 1915 at the age of 21 years. He was born: Woodgreen, London, England. Occupation: Tile Layer Religion: Protestant - Returned to Australia invalided on the "H.T. Euripides" from Cairo on the 22nd March, 1919 after he received damage to his right knee while playing football representing the hospital on the 12th February, 1919. He died on the 26th January, 1960. He was in the Citizen Forces before the war.

Private (Lance Corporal) Arthur Auckland (Military Medal) No: 3347 - Regiment: 55th Battalion, 14th Australian Infantry Brigade, 5th Division, AIF. He enlisted at the age of 31 years at the Showground, Sydney on 2nd January, 1916 but was rejected as unfit due to a hernia (Service No: N60668). He had an operation and re-enlisted at Liverpool, NSW on 2nd January, 1917. Occupation: Poultry Farmer. He sailed from Sydney on the 24th January, 1917 on the "HMAT A68 Anchises" to Devonport England. He embarked overseas to France from Southampton, England on the 5th October, 1917. He was awarded the Military Medal on the 14th May, 1919 for gallantry as a Lance Corporal leading his men on a bombing attack of the German position of the Hindenburg Line at Bellicourt on the 30th September, 1918. He returned to Australia and was discharged on the 5th September, 1919.

Private John Patrick Barrett – No: 59713 – Regiment: 55^th Battalion. Joined 13^th May, 1918. Embarked from Sydney on 30^th July, 1918 on the “HMT Gaika”. Was admitted to hospital at Gravesend in England on the 13^th October, 1918 with influenza. Sent to France on the 25^th January, 1919. Returned to Australia on the 31^st May, 1919 and disembarked in Sydney on the 14^th May, 1919. Parents lived in Victoria St, St Marys. NSW. John’s occupation before the war was a shop assistant and he served 4 years in the Senior Cadets.

Private George Henry Beacroft - No: 2515 - Regiment: 5th Division/56th Battalion**/14th Infantry/5th Reinforcements, formally of the 54th Battalion, Tunneling Brigade, Australian Imperial Forces ** Formed in Egypt from 4th Battalion. George enlisted on the 22nd May, 1916 and embarked from Sydney on the "HMT Aeneas" on the 30th September, 1916 and arrived in Plymouth, England on the 19th November, 1916. He was Court Marshaled in the Field on the 11th July, 1918 for several offences committed over the last year. He returned to Australia on the "Leicestershire" on the 3rd May, 1919. He was born on 15th April, 1898 at St Marys.

Private Harold Victor Bennett -No: 1709/4313 - Regiment: 20th Battalion, Machine Gun, 5th Brigade, 2nd Division -Australian Imperial Forces. Harold first enlisted at Liverpool on the 21st January, 1915 and joined the 1st Battalion, 4th Reinforcements and sailed on the "Argyllshire" on 10th April, 1915. He was in Abbassia where he contacted V.D. and was discharged and returned to Australia on the hospital ship "Kyjarra" on the 10th June, 1915. On returning to Australia he re-enlisted on the 9th February, 1916 and was transferred to the 20th Battalion and embarked for Alexandria on the "H.T. Scotian" on the 9th May, 1916. He died on 14th December, 1984 in Melbourne, Victoria, at the age of 92 years. He was born at St Marys, NSW on the 28th September, 1893.

Private Gustav Edward Sydney Bonnard -No: 3702 Regiment: 2nd Battalion, 12 Reinforcements. Enlisted at Holdsworthy on the 3rd September, 1915. He sailed from Sydney to England on the "HMAT A7 Medic" on the 30th December, 1915. On the 7th January, 1916 he embarked from England overseas to join the 2nd Battalion at Serapeum. He was in the field in France until the 2nd November, 1916 when he was sent to the field ambulance and then transferred to the No. 2 Depot at Rouen suffering from influenza. On the 5th March, 1917 he was sent to the field ambulance with Trench Feet and was transferred to the Casualty Clearing Station at Rouen where on the 12th March, 1917 he was evacuated to England where he was admitted to the 2nd Southern Hospital with severe trench feet. On the 3rd December, to the 27th December, 1917 he was reported in hospital with a boil on his left leg. On the 20th May, 1919 he was returned to Australia via the "Nestor" from Liverpool England and arrived in Australia on the 31st June, 1919. He was discharged on the 27th August, 1919.

Private Francois Pierre Louis Bonnard No: 4741 Regiment: 30th Infantry Battalion/13th Reinforcements Joined on the 4th February, 1916 and sailed on the 24th January, 1917 on "HMAT A68 Anchises". Brother of Gustav.

Second Corporal Edward James Boots (Military Medal)– No: 2745 – Regiment: 7^th Field Company Engineers. Joined on 13^th September, 1915. Embarked on the “Suffolk” from Sydney on 27^th November, 1915 to England and sent to France on the 9^th August, 1916. He was appointed as a Driver and the rank of Lance-Corporal on the 13^th October, 1916. He was awarded the Military Medal on 12^th July, 1918. On the 11^th January, 1919 he was appointed the rank of 2^nd Corporal. He was returned to England on the 26^th March, 1919 where he embarked for Australia on the “Ypiringa” and discharged to the 3^rd Military district (Victoria) on the 5^th July, 1919. His parents, E. J. & Eliza Boots lived at Kingswood, NSW.

Private Rockley Boots (Military Medal) – No: 194 – Regiment: 1^st Field Ambulance. He joined on the 29th September, 1914. He was a brother to Edward James Boots and worked as a tanner before the war. He was born in St Marys in 1893. At the age of 21, he embarked from Australia on the 19^th November, 1914. He was sent to Gallipoli and returned to Egypt after the evacuation. On the 21^st May, 1917 he was sent to France. He was gassed in France on the 15^th October, 1917 and was returned to Norfolk hospital in England. He remained in England until he was returned to France on the 2^nd April, 1918. He was again wounded and returned to England. He won the Military Medal on the 28^th August, 1918. On the 26^th October, 1918 he married Christina Semple at the Registry Office in Andover in Hampshire. He returned to Australia from England on the 3^rd December, 1918 on the “Port Hacking” and discharged to the 3^rd Military district (Victoria) & then to the 2^nd (NSW) on 27^th January, 1919.

Corporal Alexander Bradley - No 6A - Regiment: 5th Infantry Brigade, 19th Battalion, Australian Imperial Forces/2nd Australian Division, Headquarters Staff. Alex enlisted at Liverpool NSW on the 24th February, 1915. On the 12th May, 1915 he embarked from Sydney and joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (MEF) at Gallipoli on the 16th August, 1915. He transferred from Brigade Headquarters Military Mounted Police (MMP) to the M.M.P Headquarters of the 2nd Division on the 6th December, 1915 and was evacuated from Gallipoli to Egypt in November, 1915. He was kicked by a horse after he fell over on the 6th November, 1917 when he was with the 1st ANZAC Provost Corps who were attached to 2nd division and he was returned to hospital in France. He was diagnosed with a fractured jaw at the base of his skull and was bleeding from the nose and ears and was transferred on the 13th November, 1917 to England. He left London on the "Field Marshall" back to Australia on the 20th August, 1918 where he was discharged medically unfit. He died on the 9th July, 1952 after the war.

Private James Peter Brislan – No: 6647 – Regiment: 7^th Field Company Engineers/4^th Reinforcement. His occupation at the time of enlistment was a Grazier. He joined on the 18^th October, 1915 and embarked from Australia on the 11^th March, 1916. He was in France fighting from 1917 until his return to London on the 18^th March, 1919. He returned to Australia on the “Euripides” on 6^th September, 1919. He was married at the time of enlistment, his wife Mary lived at Rosemount Ave, Summer Hill, NSW.

Driver Ernest John Chesham – No: 11245 – Regiment: 43^rd Battalion. He enlisted on the 20^th January, 1916 and traveled to England for training at Parkhouse Depot. He served in France until the 20^th May, 1919 when he was returned to Australia from England on the “Nestor”. He was born at St Marys. His father, T. Chesham lived at Gidley St, St Marys.

Sapper Edwin Chesham – No: 9532 – Regiment: 2^nd Tunneling Company (July reinforcements). He enlisted at Victoria Barracks on 13^th November, 1917 and embarked from Melbourne to Liverpool, England on the “Nestor” on 28^th February 1918. He proceeded from Parkhouse Depot in England to Rouelles in France on the 15^th May, 1918. He returned to England from Harve, France on the 30^th May, 1919 and returned to Australia on the ”Suevic” on 23^rd July, 1919. Mother, Harriet Chesham lived at Windsor Rd, St Marys. NSW.

Private Benjamin Cook - No: 1081 - Regiment: 19th Infantry Battalion, 5th Brigade 3rd Reinforcements - 2nd Division - Australian Imperial Forces. Ben enlisted at Liverpool on the 16th May, 1915 where he was attached to C Company - 19th Infantry Battalion 5th Brigade. He sailed on the "HMAT Runic" on the 9th August, 1915 to Gallipoli to join the M.E.F. Ben was involved in the major offensive on the heights of Sari Bair and the battle for Lone Pine. On the 27th September, 1917 he was returned to Australia from England on the "H.J. 29 - Suevic". He was discharged "medically unfit" on the 19th December, 1917. He was born at St Marys on the 27th July, 1891.

Private Claude ("Chum") Stephenson Cook (Military Medal)- No: 3506 - Regiment - 2nd Division/20th Battalion/5th Brigade/8th Reinforcements - A.I.F. Claude enlisted at Holdsworthy on the 5th October, 1915 into the 8th Reinforcement, 20th Battalion and sailed to Egypt on "H.M.S. Berrima" on 17th December, 1915. On the 5th October, 1917 he was awarded the Military Medal for service as a "runner". On the 24th April, 1918 he was gassed and admitted to Exeter War Hospital, England on the 30th April, 1918 with shell gas poisoning. He returned to Australia from Liverpool (England) on the "Wymera" on the 13th April, 1919. He was born at St Marys, NSW on the 20th November, 1896. (He also served in WW2.)

Private Albert Victor Desborough - No: 67157 Enlisted: 31/7/1918 - Central Enlisting Centre Regiment: No 24 General Service Reinforcements - Sailed: 14th October, 1918 "HMAT Wyreema" - Discharged: 5th January, 1919. His occupation was Bootmaker. He died at St Marys, NSW on the 17th February, 1973 at the age of 76 and is buried at St Mary Magdalene C of E, St Marys NSW. He was born in 1898 at North Hampshire, England.

Corporal Frederick Wilford Desborough - No: 2638. Enlisted: 10th September, 1915 Reg: 20th Infantry/6th Reinforcements Regiment: 5th Division/56th Battalion/14th Field Artillery Brigade which was formed in Egypt in March, 1916 the Light Trench Mortar Battalion/ Australian Imperial Forces. He sailed on the "Euripides" on the 2nd November, 1915 to England and embarked from England on the 25th August, 1917 on the "HT A24 Benalla". He returned to Australia on the 26th October, 1917 with gun shot wounds to the right knee and ankle and left tibia. He was born in 1892 at Rushdon, Northumberland Shire, England.

Sergeant Norman "SHANE" Dollin -No: 314 - Enlisted in Brisbane on the 19th August, 1914- Regiment:1st Australian Light Horse & 2nd Light Horse Regiment - B. Section, 13th Company - Sailed from Queensland to the front on 25th September, 1914 on the "Star of England". On 1st July, 1916 he transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps (3rd ANZAC ICC) and on the 11th November, 1916 he transferred back to the Light Horse. He died on 11th May, 1955 aged 62 at North Richmond, NSW. He was born at St Marys, NSW on the 27th September, 1893. He also served in WW2.

Private Roy "ROGER" Dollin -No: 845 - Regiment: D Coy - 2nd Division, 25th Battalion/7th Infantry Brigade/1st Reinforcements. Enlisted on 2nd March, 1915 - 7th Training Battalion, Rollestone Camp, Salisbury Plains, England Headquarters Company. He was invalided back to Australia on the 26th September, 1916 and was transferred to a Brisbane hospital in December suffering from "shell shock". He died 25th May, 1919 of pneumonia at the age of 27 and is buried at Lithgow, NSW. (Brother of Norman) He was born at St Marys, NSW on the 9th May, 1891.

Private Horace Raymond Ford - No: 54314 - Regiment: 34th Battalion. Enlisted in "Carmichaels 1000", for active service on the Western Front on 30th April, 1918 at Victoria Barracks. He was recruited into the Australian General Base Depot "F" Company on the 19th June, 1918. He sailed for London on the "HMAT Field Marshall" and while in London was sent to the hospital on the 31st August, 1918 suffering from "piles". He was sent to Rouelles in France on the 25th January, 1919. He returned to Australia on the 7th August, 1919 on the "HT Wysses".

Private Clarence James Gersbach - No: 2415 - Regiment: 5th Division/54th Battalion/14th Brigade/5th Reinforcement - AIF. Enlisted 22nd May, 1915. Clarrie was wounded in action and returned to Australia from England on the 31st October, 1917 on the "HMAT A35 Berrima" . He was discharged on the 31st January, 1918. He was born at St Marys, NSW in 1896.

Gunner Cecil John Gersbach - No:18459 - Regiment: 2nd Division, 4th Rein, 25th Bat, 7th Field Artillery Brigade. Cecil was 5 years in the Civilian Forces before joining the army. An intelligence report conducted by the Australian Intelligence Corps on the 24th November, 1915 cleared Cecil for action as "being Australian born with Australian parents". He embarked from Sydney on the 11th May, 1916 on the "HMAT A8" to Devonport and then proceeded to France from Southampton on the 29th December, 1916. He was born at St Marys, NSW in 1894. He also served in WW2.

Driver Charles Geoghegan - No: 25455 - Regiment: 2nd Field Artillery. He Enlisted on the 12th February, 1916 in Brisbane (Qld) and sailed from Sydney to Plymouth, England on the Troopship "Grsova" on the 14th September, 1916 and was transferred to the "A" Battery Fort at Wallington, Foredam on the 26th October, 1916. He was posted to the 116th Howitzer Battery in the field and in April 1917 he transferred to the 102 Howitzer Battery. He was hospitalized with "trench feet" and again with V.D and returned to Australia via the "Persic" on the 3rd September, 1919 and was discharged on the 18th October, 1919. He died on the 24th December, 1952 at the age of 69 in Brisbane, Queensland. He was born at Kiama, NSW on the 6th May, 1894.

Gunner Edgar Harold Geoghegan - No: 3641 -Regiment: 2nd Field Artillery Brigade, 52nd Battalion - Australian Imperial Forces. Enlisted on the 25th August, 1917 in Brisbane and transferred to Sydney on the 28th October, 1917. On the 31st October, 1917 sailed on the "HMAT Euripides" to Devonport, England. On his arrival in England on the 26th December, 1917 he was sent to the hospital at Codford with mumps and wasn't released until the 25th February, 1918. On the 14th May 1918 he was gassed with mustard gas and transferred back to England from Abbeville to the Connaught Hospital at Aldershop with gas poisoning. On the 6th June, 1918 he was transferred from Connaught Hospital to the 1st Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield. He was transferred back to England and returned to Australia on the "HT Devanha" on the 8th May, 1919 but wasn' t discharged until the 26th December, 1919. He died on the 8th September, 1968 at the age of 79 in Brisbane, Queensland. He was born on the 22nd January, 1889 at Broughton Creek, Berry NSW.

Sapper William James Geoghegan - No 9877 - Regiment: 9th Field Company, Engineers. Enlisted at Casula, NSW on: 29th January, 1916 at the age of 33 years & 7 mths. On the 17th March, 1916 he was transferred to the 9th Field Company Engineers as a Sapper and traveled overseas on the 5th July, 1916 from Sydney on the "HMAT A31 Ajana" arriving in Plymouth on the 31st August, 1916. He embarked from Southampton on the 22nd November, 1916 to France. He was hospitalized for appendicitis and again for pneumonia and was transferred back to Australia on the 28th June, 1919 on the "Borda". He was born at Kiama, NSW in 1884.

Private Arthur James Gibson - No: 2111 - Regiment: 1st Pioneer Divi, 3rd Reinforcements - then 8th Battalion. Enlisted: 13th March, 1916 at West Maitland (Gloucester) NSW at the age of 20 years, 5 mths. He left Australia on the "Clan McGillivray" on the 3rd May, 1916. On the 24th January, 1919 he was Court Martialed in France and sentenced to a 5 year Prison Sentence. He was admitted to Portland Convict Prison to undergo his sentence. He was released from H.M. Prison "Shepton Mallett" having completed part of his sentence. He was finally returned to Australia on the "H T Hororata" on the 16th April, 1920 and arrived in Australia on the 18th June, 1920. He was born at St Marys, NSW on the 4th August, 1895 and died on 8^th July, 1955 at Toowoomba General Hospital in Queensland.

Private Harold Garner (brother of William & Athol) - No: 3050A - Regiment: 3rd Division, 9th Brigade, 35th Battalion, 7th Reinforcements. He sailed to the front on the 24th January, 1917 on the "Anchises" from Sydney. He was born at Penrith in 1888.

Lance Corporal Thomas Livingstone Haining - No: 2849 - Regiment:1st Division/1st Battalion/9th Reinforcement Australian Imperial Forces. He enlisted on the 19th June, 1915 at Liverpool, NSW and sailed on the "HMAT Argyllshire" on the 30th September, 1915. He died in 1941 in Granville NSW at the age of 54 years. He was born at Bulli, NSW in 1887.

Private Darcy Hackett- No: 259 - Regiment: 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Division Australian Infantry Forces. Darcy enlisted on the 14rh June, 1915. He sailed from Sydney on the "HMAT Runic" on the 9th August, 1915 to the Suez in Egypt. Due to hospitalization he missed being transferred to Gallipoli. He returned to Australia on the "HMT Suffolk" and was discharged on the 10th October, 1919. He was born at St Marys, NSW on the 27th January, 1896.

Private James Samuel Hackett - No 3774 - Born: 10th February, 1891 at St Marys - Enlisted: On the 15th August, 1915 at Holdsworthy and sailed on the "HMAT Medic" on the 7th January, 1916. - Regiment: 1st Division/3rd Battalion/12th Reinforcements, Australian Imperial Forces. He was invalided home with "trench feet" on the 16th May, 1918. He died on 26th December, 1926 at the age of 38 years and is buried at St Marys, NSW. He was born at St Marys, NSW on the 10th February, 1891.

Gunner Allen Charles Innes - No: 36625 - Regiment: Field Artillery Brigade - Enlisted on the 5th January, 1917 at Liverpool - Sailed: from Sydney on the "HMAT Port Sydney" on 5th November, 1917. At the time of enlistment, Allen was working as a school teacher at Brigalow School, Gulargambone, NSW. He was born at Mt Druitt, NSW in 1896. He served in the Field Artillery Brigade in France and as a "Driver" . He returned to Australia from England on the 8th August, 1919. After the war he returned to teaching history at the Nundle Public School.

Corporal (Gunner) John King Lethbridge No: 1893/95813 - Regiment: 56th Heavy Artillery Brigade Enlisted in April, 1918 at Sydney Central Depot and entered camp at Middle Head in May, 1918. In September, 1918 he was transferred to the 1st AIF hoping to embark overseas but the war ended in November, 1918 before he could receive an overseas posting. He was discharged in December, 1918. He Served in WW2 He died on the 14th June, 1971 at St Marys.

Private Francis "FRAC' Robert Eugene Michau - No 5372 - Regiment: 20th Battalion, Australian Imperial Forces. He enlisted on the 6th March, 1916 at Bathurst and sailed on the "Wiltshire" on 22nd August, 1916. He was admitted to hospital in England on the 22nd November, 1916 with pleurisy and wasn't sent to France until the 23rd March, 1917 where he remained fighting with his 20th Battalion. On the 8th April, 1918 he was sustained a rifle wound that had penetrated his kidney and was returned to England and operated on. He was invalided back to Australia on the hospital ship "HMAHS Kanowora" on the 14th September, 1918 to the war convalescent in Sydney. He died on the 5th March, 1943 at the age of 52 and is buried at St Marys, NSW. He was born on the 15th August, 1890.

Signaler Bruce Fitzroy Noble - No: 2039/N43398 - Regiment: 58th Battalion/7th Reinforcements. Was the brother of Clarence Kingsley Noble. He enlisted on 26th September, 1916 with his brother at Bathurst. He sailed from Sydney on the "Africa" on the 3rd November, 1916 to England and then was transferred overseas to France on the 29th August, 1917. He was wounded in action on the 26th September, 1917 and invalided back to England on the hospital ship "Calisbrook Castle" on the 29th October, 1917. He returned to fight overseas until he was returned to Australia on the 1st April, 1918. He was born on the 9th November, 1894, at Tullamore, NSW.

Private Clarence Kingsley Noble - No: 2940 - Regiment: 58th Battalion/7th Reinforcements. Enlisted with his brother Bruce Fitzroy Noble on 26th September, 1916. He sailed with his brother on the "Africa" to England and was sent to France on the 20th March, 1917. He was admitted to the New Zealand Stationary Hospital in France suffering from very heavy shellfire. He returned to Australia on the 1st August, 1919. He was born at Molong, NSW on the 13th October, 1889.

Corporal Ewan "HUIE" Rose - recipient of the "Croix-de-guerre" - No: 3132 Regiment: Australian Light Trench Mortar Battalion. He enlisted at Liverpool on the 30th July, 1916 and sailed from Sydney to Egypt on the "Warilda" on the 8th October, 1915. He was admitted to the hospital at Abbassia with mumps on the 27th November, 1915 and after discharge was returned to his battalion. He was admitted to hospital more than once and returned to Australia on the 7th April, 1919. Died 13th October, 1945 aged 69 and is buried at St Marys, NSW. Ewan was an Australian aborigine who was taken in by the Rose family of St Marys.

Private Frederick George "DOOLEY" Royal - Regiment: 15th Field Ambulance - later No. 2 General Hospital - Australian Army Medical Corps. He enlisted on the 6th November, 1914 into the 2nd Australian General Hospital unit. He was wounded in France and invalided to Australia from England on the 5th April, 1918. He died in 1955 aged 73 years. He was born in Penrith, NSW on the 28th July, 1882.

Private George Robert Thomson - No:2983 - Regiment: 1st AIF, 19th Battalion (B Coy), 2nd Division, 5th Brigade, 17th Reinforcements. Sailed for France on 25th October, 1916 on the "Ascanius" from Sydney. He died in 1945 aged 61 in Penrith, NSW. He was born at East Macquarie in 1884.

Acting Corporal George Gerald Turner - No: 54313 - Was in the Civilian Militia - 41st infantry before the war. Enlisted on the 30th April, 1918 at Liverpool (NSW). He sailed on 19th June, 1918 from Sydney to London on the "HMT D60 Field Marshall" and on the 3rd July, 1918 while still aboard, was appointed "Lance Corporal" . From the 30th September, 1918 - 6th October, 1918 he was admitted to Hurdcott Military Hospital, Fovant with Influenza and on the 4th November, 1918 he was discharged from hospital, transferring to France from Codford on the 25th January, 1919. On the 24th June, 1919 he embarked from France to England and on the 4th July, 1919 he returned to Australia via the "H.T. Norman". He died on the 1st April, 1935 at the age of 39 years. He was born at Penrith, NSW on 16th July, 1896.

Corporal Czar Thompson -No: 1826 He was in the Civilian Militia - 20th Infantry for 4 years before enlisting. He enlisted on the 6th January, 1915 at Liverpool NSW He sailed to Gallipoli on the "Shropshire" from Sydney on 17th March, 1915 and on the 31st May, 1915 was serving with the Anzac’s at Gallipoli. On the 7th August, 1915 he received a bullet wound and was admitted to hospital at Alexandria where he was then transferred on the "H.T. Caledonia" to Cairo. On the 10th August, 1915 he was admitted to No 1 A.G.H. at Heliopolis and was then transferred to "Luna Park" hospital on the 12th August, 1915. On the 30th October, 1915 he rejoined his unit at Cairo. On the 11th December, 1916 he was promoted to Corporal at Belgium. On the 12th December, 1916 was admitted to Bulford hospital with V.D. On the 15th June, 1918 he was admitted to 2nd G.H. with influenza until the 18th June, 1918 when he was discharged from hospital. He returned to Australia on the 31st May, 1919. He was discharged from active duty on the 14th September, 1919. He was born on the 27th September, 1896 at "Jerry's Plains, NSW.

Sergeant Francis Viney - He won the Distinguished Conduct Medal - No:3536 - Regiment: 11th Reinforcements, 2nd Battalion, 1st Australian Brigade, 103 Howitzer Battery Australian Imperial Forces. Frank joined the Boer War from Aldershot in England in 1901. He came to Australia in 1913 and enlisted in the A.I.F. from St Marys (NSW). He joined the Light Horse at Liverpool (NSW) for training, then went to Egypt for more training where he joined the Camel Corps. He embarked with his mates to France where they were split up into other regiments and he became a gunner in the artillery. Frank won his D.C.M. for shifting smoldering ammunition away from a big stack on 23rd February, 1916. In 1917 he was reported wounded in the head, but later recovered. Frank died 1st June, 1970 and is buried at Rookwood cemetery.

St Marys War Memorial - Victoria Park, St Marys, NSW. (PHOTO OF MEMORIAL ON HOME PAGE)

Contributions via house to house canvassing for a year saw the memorial built on behalf of all the volunteer soldiers who were born at St Marys and volunteered from St Marys. 470 pounds was raised by March, 1922 and the memorial was officially opened on the 18th November, 1922 by Major-General Charles Rosenthal. An estimated crowd of 700 people attended the opening. The architect was Mr A S Carfae of Sydney and was built by local builder Mr E Exley of St Marys. The tablets on the side of the memorial bearing the names of the soldiers was a successful tender by Messrs Loveridge and Hudson for 61 pounds. Information from the "Nepean Times" newspaper 4/11/1922.

Useful links: www.cwgc.org

THE FIRST AIF - The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the expeditionary forces fielded by Australia for overseas service and while in 1914, both the Canadian and New Zealand governments designated their forces "expeditionary", the first commander of the AIF, Major General William Throsby Bridges, chose "Imperial" to signify the nature of the Australian's duty to nation and empire. The first units of the AIF were raised in August 1914 following the outbreak of the war. Voluntary recruitment began on the 10th August, 1914 and the 1st Brigade (comprising of the 1st to 4th Battalions) were drawn from New South Wales. The 2nd Brigade (comprising of the 5th to 8th Battalions) came from Victoria and the 3rd Brigade, known as the "All Australian Brigade" was a mixed force drawing on enlistments from the "outer states" - the 9th Battalion came from Queensland, the 10th from South Australia, the 11th from Western Australia and the 12th from South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. The 1st Light Horse Brigade - comprising the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Regiments were recruited from New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania.

Army Nursing Service - Was formed in 1902 as part of the Australian Army Medical Corps attached to the Commonwealth Military Forces. A nurse who was eligible to join in 1914 needed to be between the ages of 21 and 40 and be unmarried or widowed and was required to have at least three years training and service in medical and surgical nursing in a civilian general hospital and resided in the metropolitan area.

Australian Imperial Force -The first Australian Imperial Force troopships left Australia on the 7th November, 1914 where the troops were sent to Egypt for training with British weapons. It was decided to put Australian and New Zealand forces together to form the Australian & New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). The 1st Division reached Egypt in December, 1914 to be joined by a further brigade of infantry and two more of the light horse early the following year. The Australian and New Zealanders trained in the country surrounding their camp at Mena before embarking to Gallipoli and the assault at Anzac Cove on the 25th April, 1915. After the eight month campaign at Gallipoli and the evacuation, the AIF returned to Egypt to absorb reinforcements and rebuild units which were depleted by Gallipoli. The Divisions were split in half.

The Runners -The bravery of these men during fierce battles have been recorded - they were constantly "running the gauntlet" of bullets, shells, shrapnel and other hazards and were relied on by the staff to get through the barrage with their messages. Their casualty rate was high because of the constant danger and their bravery earned them the highest accolades during the duration of the war.

1ST & 2ND FIELD AMBULANCE - landed on the beach at ANZAC Cove around 9.30 am on the 25th the 3rd Field Ambulance- known as "The Body Snatchers" landed at 4.30 pm. The most famous member of this unit was Private Jack Simpson Kirkpatrick and his donkey. The 3rd Field Ambulance was formed on the 3rd August, 1914 and had a strength of 10 officers and 224 privates & corporals and was organized into 3 sections which contained three medical officers in each section. There was also 2 sub-divisions within the sections being, the tent sub-division and the bearer sub-division - each section was self contained and could hold up to 50 sick or wounded men. The tent sub-divisions could form up to 3 small dressing stations as they often did at Gallipoli, or combine to set up and man an Advanced Dressing Station as was in the case in France. The tent sub-divisions usually carried out the administrative and nursing functions of the unit and during quiet times, the dressing station would treat and hold the minor sick and wounded from the forward units. The other part consisted of 112 stretcher bearers who carried the wounded back to the field ambulance dressing stations and often further back to the Casualty Clearing Station - as was the case at Gallipoli and the Main Dressing Station as was more common in France. 4th Field Ambulance- landed on the 29th April, 1915.

MACHINE GUN SCHOOLS - in 1916 in Egypt, the schools were organized by the battalions and other units, by the brigades, by the divisions, by Maxwell's Egyptian headquarters and by the Headquarters of the Mediterranean Force. They were known as "grenadiers" or bombers and machine gunners were at this time, trained by officers and N.C.O's (non-commissioned officers) - first receiving higher instruction at the machine-gun school of the M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) or at the Imperial School at Zertoun.

A.I.F. IN EGYPT, 1916 - 1st & 2nd Australian & NZ Divisions were training at Tel-el-Kebir & Moascar, 2nd & 3rd Light Horse & the N.Z.M.R. brigades near Cairo and the 1st Light Horse Brigade detached on the Western Frontier Horse transport was partly with the ANZAC divisions, partly at Cairo & Alexandria and partly with the Western Frontier Force. The newly arrived 8th Australian Infantry Brigade and the 5th, 6th & 7th Field Company were on the Suez Canal. At the "ANZAC Training Depot" at Cairo - 30,000 Australian and 6,000 New Zealand reinforcements, together with the artillery for the 2nd Division. The personnel of the Australian Intermediate Base were under Colonel Sellheim, hospital staff and men in Hospital & convalescent homes. Early in 1915 a Base Hospital in Egypt, the No. 1 Australian General Hospital (A.G.H.), was operating with only enough staff to care for 520 beds. This hospital was established in a palace in the Cairo suburb of Heliopolis and patients were brought in from the port at Alexandria by trains, which could run to within 100 yards of the main entrance. This simplified unloading as patients were admitted and classified in the large entrance hall. It wasn't until mid June 1916 that medical reinforcements arrived and the hospital only received a portion of those. The growth of the 1st A.G.H. shows in the accommodation taken over to care for the overflow of wounded and dying soldiers. The Heliopolis Palace Hotel, Luna Park, (that had it's pleasure gardens and skating rink taken over and provided 1,650 beds and whose theatre was originally a ticket office (and lined with mosquito net to keep out the dust and flies), the Atelier Sporting Club (which had wooden shelters over it's tennis courts and supplied 1,250 beds), Choubra Infectious Hospital, Abbassia Infectious & Venereal Diseases Hospital, Al Hayat, Helouan Convalescent Hospital, Ras El Tin Convalescent Hospital, Montazah Palace Convalescent Hospital and the Grand Hotel at Helouan which was used as a convalescent home and had 10,600 beds. The No. 2 AGH was set up at Mena House close by the Australian troop camp in the desert near the Pyramids. Due to the unbearable heat and the suffering of the patients at No. 2 AGH, Mena House was closed and the staff and hospital with 900 beds was re-located at Gezireh in Cairo in a palace built in 1869 by the Khedive Ismail in honor of the opening of the Suez Canal. Several hospitals stayed in Egypt in 1916, including the No. 3 AGH at Abbassia, the No. 1 Aust. Stationary Hospital (ASH) and the No. 2 ASH near the Canal.

VENEREAL DISEASE (VD) - the first cases broke out in Egypt. A considerable number of soldiers were so infected that they were transferred back to Australia in disgrace. On the long voyage back most of the soldiers were clear of VD and when they reached Australia they re-enlisted at ports other than their home ports. The battles of the "Wazzer" in Egypt was an attempt by the soldiers to wipe out the brothels in Egypt which gave them VD, and there was no disciplinary action taken by the authorities regarding the 'Wazzer uprising", unfortunately, when the troops moved on to France, the disease was again prevalent.

WESTERN FRONT - The A.I.F. were on active service in France and Belgium from March, 1916 until the end of the war (11/11/1918). The A.I.F. area of operations was from Nieuport in Belgium on the Allied left on the northern flank to east of St Quentin in France on the right or southern flank (a total of 250 kilometers). Enemy submarines were active in the Mediterranean during the passage of the 1st Anzac Corps from Alexandria to Marseillaise . The transports were escorted part of the way by destroyers and guards of soldiers were stationed on the upper decks keeping watch for any sign of periscopes. On the troopships they observed precautions and in the daytime they wore their life belts which they used at night as pillows. Before setting out for France, all the Australian troops were compulsorily vaccinated at Egypt. This vaccination included "T.A.B" - which was a preventative not only of typhoid but of paratyphoid.

Serapeum - Suez Canal - protection included a siding for the west bank of the existing railway, one or more floating bridges on the waterway which could be open to let ships pass, a landing place on the eastern bank, reservoir, depot of supplies, a road, railway & pipeline leading eastward to some point not far from the front line - all done with the forces labor.

19th March, 1916 - The first transport carrying Brig-General Paton, the Headquarters of the 7th Brigade & the 25th Battalion embarked at Marseillaise.

20th March, 1916 - Marched into a camp on the grounds of Chateau Santi overlooking the harbor. 2nd Australian Division left by train to THIENNE, BERGUETTE & LILLERS. The artillery with its horses and harness was sent by train to LE HAVRE on the English channel (their guns and artillery came from the English depots). The bakeries, butcheries and depot units went to ROUEN, one of the main British depots. The infantry were marched to the entraining station where most of the trains left by night and the artillerymen each walked 2 horses through the cobbled streets and had some difficulty getting their horses accustomed to the trains.

22nd March, 1916 - The infantry reached THIENNES - 3 hours after nightfall and a journey of 2 days by train. The 25th Battalion was directed to rest camps tents at the village of MORBECQUE which was 2 miles outside HAZEBROUCK. Most of the men only had 1 blanket each.

24th March, 1916- Snow was falling heavily.

8th April, 1916 - 1 ANZAC Corps was informed that the 2nd Division was required to take over the line south-east of Armentieres which had been held by the 34th Division.

12th April, 1916 - 34,003 men & 7,545 animals that belonged to the 1st ANZAC Mounted Regiment Corps were allotted to the 2nd Army British Expeditionary Forces. The villages in which the 1st ANZAC corps were billeted around HAZEBROUCK & AIRE which was about 15 to 20 miles in the rear of the front line. Troops were marched daily along roads to toughen them up after Egypt, there was a rifle range at MORBECQUE where musketry practice was carried out and they were marched through trenches filled with chlorine gas to test out their gas helmets and experiments were also carried out on how to handle liquid fire attacks. Officers & NCO's were also picked to attend schools for trench mortar work, sniping, bombing & other training. Lectures were given on preventing frost bite. A soldier in a transport ship :Lake Michigan" had been removed before it left Alexandria suffering from Typhus and the whole of the 23rd & 24th Battalion were quarantined & sent to the baths and their clothing sterilized, but it turned out to be only 1 incident.

1st July, 1916 - Start of the British fighting in the 1st Battle of the Somme.

19th & 20th July, 1916 - Battle of Fromelles near the French/Belgium border required the 5th Division AIF to take part and in 29 hours of fighting, they suffered 5,339 casualties. On the 19th, the 1st Division was at POZIERES marching into ALBERT. They marched past the statue of the Virgin Mary which hung precariously from the spire of a shell battered cathedral. The 2nd Division was sent in as support and in 3 days of fighting, the 1st Division lost a total of 5,285 officers & men.

3rd September, 1916 - The last attack by the Australians at POZIERES was just before dawn when the British & Canadians took over the fight. The AIF had been placed 7 times at POZIERES and had lost over 23,000 officers & men. The AIF was next sent to YPRES.

9th October, 1916- The 1st, 2nd & 5th Divisions were ordered back to the SOMME. The 5th Division return first to encounter winter conditions.

5th November, 1916 - Men of the 1st Division were given the task of capturing a salient (bulge) poking into the British line near GUEVDECOURT. In drenching rain they were caught in the mud and suffered 170 casualties with no gain. The 7th Brigade was then sent in and they suffered 819 casualties because they were pinned down by German machine gun fire and their rifles were clogged with mud.

14th November, 1916 - The 19th, 25th & 28th Battalions were then told to attack FLERS but they held on only for a few days at a cost of 901 casualties which was two-thirds of their strength.

18th November, 1916 - The end of the 1st Battle of the Somme. At the end of the battle the British & Dominion armies suffered 410,000 casualties to the German's 180,000. One officer commented that he estimated there were 7,000 corpses to a square-mile on the battlefield of the 1st Battle of the Somme.

LIGHT HORSE BRIGADE (L.H.B.) - Camel Corps formation - The 1st L.H.B. arriving in Egypt on the 28th December, 1916 after it's long service as infantry and was filled with delight at the recovery of its horses, and within 48 hours, was told to be ready to ride out, and had done so within 3 days - the 3rd Regiment had actually left for the Waddy Natrun (an oasis area some 40 miles north-west of Cairo). The rest of the brigade followed a few days after. The other ANZAC mounted brigades were retrained at Cairo engaged in refitting and training the 4th L.H.B. was still split up and serving with other units - at this time the Camel Corps was being formed, mainly from volunteers from the Australian Divisions.

4th February, 1917 - The 13th Battalion were given the order to capture STORMY TRENCH north of GUEUDECOURT. The Australian barrage began at 9.58 pm and in the snow, they fought the Germans off & captured a large part of the trench & took 66 prisoners, then the German artillery barrage struck the Australians, causing casualties among stretcher bearers, the German prisoners & the grenade carriers. Captain Murray was awarded the VC for rallying his surviving bombers who held on to STORMY TRENCH until he was relieved the next morning at 8 am, but the 13th Battalion suffered 233 casualties.

25th March, 1917 - The 3rd & 4th Divisions were sent to the Somme.

27th March, 1917 - The 3rd Division AIF were taking up position on the AMIENS-ALBERT road when they encountered British troops retreating.

4th April, 1917 - The German infantry reached the outskirts of VILLERS-BRETONNEUX. The 36th Battalion were waiting in a hollow in the town & led the charge. This made the Germans hesitate & they broke ranks & fled back nearly 2 kilometers to their old trench lines.

June 1917 - Start of the Battle at MESSINES. All 5 Divisions saw action along with the British. Plumer's leadership was high amongst the Australians who were part of his 2nd army.

8th July, 1917 - 3rd Division/11th Brigade} dug a new system of defenses for the main Australian front which took 18 days to complete with many casualties. Co-operation between AIF infantry, engineers & pioneers (engineers specialized in building of defensive works) & pioneers who fought as infantry were the soldier workers who prepared tracks & roads. General Holmes of the 4th Division died of his wounds.

BELGIUM - At Nieuport in Belgium in 1917 the French held a small piece of territory, mostly sand dunes as an anchor to the entire Western Front. On either side of the Yser River, it was an exceptionally dangerous sector, but the British felt that a break through thrust could be made from there. The British 1st Division took over and the 2nd Australian Tunneling Co (under the command of Major E N Milligan) was asked to tunnel the dunes & plant mines under the German lines. It was an immensely difficult task requiring galleries of 400 meters and 270 meters as well as communication trenches through sand and soft ground. There were 566 miners in No. 2 Company and 160 reinforcements and working parties of 500 British solders. Within 18 days they had tunneled close to no man's land. Above the miners, Australian gunners of the Aust. Siege Artillery Brigade & the 3rd, 5th & 12th Australian Army Brigades supported them. The guns came under heavy fire from German artillery and by the 10/7/1917, the entire British position was threatened by an enemy offensive.

10th July, 1917 - YSER RIVER - 2nd Australian Tunneling Company was mining sand dunes just north-east of the YSER outlet where the allied line met the Belgian coast.

1917 Battle of YPRES - PASSCHENDAELE, GHELUVETT RIDGE - 40 Divisions, which included 6 French, gathers in FLANDERS and attacked 24 kilometers of front between WARNETON & STEENSTRAAT. In the south was Plumer's 2nd Army of 13 Divisions - over 10 kilometers. In the centre was Gough's 5th Army of 16 divisions and north was the 1st French army with 3 kilometers, & 5 divisions were a separate force under Rawlinson. Australian Divisions were under the 5th Army command (British).

15th July, 1917 - Massive bombardment commenced and went for 10 days. Australian 4th Division lost 121 in 3 weeks which endured 12 hours of shelling. The 3rd & 4th Division and the new 9th Light Trench Mortar Battery used Varley's smoke bombs. The 11th Brigade had 500 casualties.

31st July, 1917- {Phase 1 }was the BATTLE OF PILCKEM RIDGE. which was from 31st July to the 2nd August. Heavy rain did not stop from 4 pm on the 31st July and everything got bogged. The 1st, 2nd & 5th Division were resting until this time and hadn't been used. Australia now had rifle grenadiers & Lewis Gunners as support on attacks of German blockhouses. The 1st, 2nd & 5th Divisions moved into FLANDERS at the end of July and camped at HAZEBROUCK in FRENCH FLANDERS.

29th August, 1917 - Field Marshall Haig reviewed the 2nd & 5th Divisions on parade. The 3rd Division was withdrawn from fighting but the 4th Division wasn't released until mid August.

6th - 10th September, 1917 - Start of the BATTLE OF MENIN ROAD. General Gough's 5th Army tried to straighten the uneven front and suffered 3,000 casualties at VELDHOCK RIDGE & ANZAC SPUR.

16th September, 1917- MENIN ROAD & YPRES at 5.40 am. The 11 Divisions struck Germans on 13 kilometers of front line. 1st & 2nd Division had 1,800 meters, a Scottish division made up the middle along WESTHOCK RIDGE facing GLENCORSE WOOD. The Australians advanced to the north edge of GLENCORSE WOOD to HANNEBEEK SWAMP & bogs in the NONNE BOSCHEN COPSE and then onto ALBERT REDOUBT, VERBECK FARM & POLYGON WOOD and onto WILHEMLINE. 6th Battalion stalled in GLENCORSE WOOD and captured 15 Germans. 5th Battalion was losing men from machine gun fire from the blockhouses.

20th September, 1917 - By noon, all objectives had been taken & they were on the western end of POLYGON WOOD. Casualties were 2,754 1st Division & 2,259 2nd Division. The British lost 20,000 to 25,000 men and the German the same number

BATTLE FOR POLYGON WOOD - BUTTE, TOKYO RIDGE, GERMAN FLANDERS LINE. 4th & 5th Division were relieved. 22nd - 23rd September, 1917 - The 1st & 2nd Division given relief and the 5th Division given the FLANDERS line, 4th Division given TOKYO RIDGE and both divisions supplied troops for POLYGON RIDGE.

26th September, 1917 - Pompey Elliott's 15th Brigade helped the British to restore their flank and at 5.30 am the guns fired. 4th & 5th Division of the 1 ANZAC CORPS and 5 British Divisions were on 10 kilometers of front line. Australian sector was 2,000 meters. POLYGON WOOD, BUTTE was the YPRES district rifle range in peacetime and this was taken by the 14th Brigade who moved to capture 1,000 meters of the GERMAN FLANDERS LINE. They captured 200 prisoners & 34 machine guns. 4th Division Battalions captured all positions - woods, blockhouses & trenches. The 5th Division suffered 5,471 dead & wounded. Pompey Elliot's 15th Brigade had 1,999 casualties.

BATTLE FOR BROODSEINDE RIDGE - 1st & 2nd Divisions replaced the 4th & 5th Divisions in front line and was joined by the 3rd Division which took over the length of the British line. On the left of the 3rd division was the NZ DIVISION - now there was 4 ANZAC Divisions side by side and they were the centre of a line of 13 divisions on a 13 kilometer front. On their left on the northern boundary was GRAVENSTAFEL SPUR - BROODSEINDE was roughly in the middle and on the right was the village of MOLENAAREISHOK. The British abandoned BROODSENDE RIDGE after the 2nd BATTLE OF YPRES in 1915 and the Germans made it their headquarters.

4th October, 1917- Both sides attacked each other in steady drizzle rain. At 5.20 am the Germans had opened up with heavy shelling, followed 10 minutes later by trench mortar bombardment. The 1st & 2nd Divisions lying in shell holes had 1 in 7 men hit but our side didn't start their barrage until 6 am. The 3rd Australian Pioneer Battalion also fighting with the 37th infantry battalion, captured 420 Germans & 20 machine guns but lost 47 and 152 men were wounded. The three Australian Divisions lost 6,500 men killed & wounded which was 20% of their strength. The rain started to pour down but Haig wanted to push on.

9th October, 1917- The 2nd Division attacked KEILBURG SPUR towards PASSCHENDAELE and the British division which was suppose to support turned up late and the 2nd Division were driven back.

12th October, 1917 - 11 ANZAC CORPS with the 3rd Australian & N.Z. Division and the 4th Division AIF in support had some units reach the outskirts of PASSCHENDAELE but the 3rd ANZAC got stuck in the mud. The 34th Battalion reached east of AUGUSTAS WOOD - their 3rd Division suffered 3,000 casualties while the 4th Division suffered 1,000. The 5th Division was in the line for 8 weeks and suffered 38,093 casualties. The AIF was then withdrawn from the YPRES salient. A total of 117,500 AIF troops were at the Western Front.

21st March, 1918 - Start of the SECOND BATTLE OF THE SOMME. At dawn the Germans unleashed a storm of gas shells on the British between ARRAS & ST QUENTIN along with high explosives and shrapnel. The 5th Army took the brunt. After 4 days they were back where they started from in 1916.

25th March, 1918 - The 3rd & 4th Divisions were on their way to the battle via bus, lorry & train to be billeted with the French & started to push back the Germans. The 4th Division were sent to HEBUTERNE to replace the British who were north-west of ALBERT.

17th April, 1918 - The 9th Division were now fighting at HAZEBROUCH. The 14th Brigade of the AIF 5th Division was responsible for the northern front at VILLERS-BRETONNEUX, while the 15th was in reserve. The 5th Pioneer Battalion was digging trenches for communication.

21st April, 1918 - The Red Baron was shot down.

23rd April, 1918 - Heavy shelling & mustard gas at the area behind VILLERS-BRETONNEUX. There were 3 British & 3 German tanks which dueled before pulling out. Gas aid posts were at ABBEY WOOD. 51st & 52nd Battalion fought at MONUMENT WOOD.

24th - 25th April, 1918- The BATTLE FOR VILLERS-BRETONNEUX. The capture of VILLERS-BRETONNEUX was not considered complete until the 27th April when the 60th Battalion AIF straightened the line with the loss of 90 casualties.

4th July, 1918- On the SOMME river in the village of LE HAMEL, only 7,500 men of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th Divisions - along with 2,000 American troops who were training under Australian guidance, with the help of 60 tanks, captured the German positions at LE HAMEL in 90 minutes of fighting. The offensive started at 3.10 am with the tanks in front which tore holes through the barbed wire and provided protection for the infantry. The Germans lost 2,000 killed & 1,500 taken prisoner - total casualties were 1,400 infantry, including 176 Americans. 3 British tanks were disabled but were recovered.

August, 1918 - 2ND BATTLE OF THE SOMME finished with the Australians spearheading the assault from the trenches, HAMEL was captured. 430 tanks were used with Australian, Canadian & British infantry advancing behind them across a broad front. For the first time in the history of the Australian Corps, all 5 Divisions were involved. The Canadians operated on the Australian's right, and 2 British Divisions guarded their left flank.

18th August, 1918 - What would be known as the BATTLE OF AMIENS began at 4.20 am - advancing from VILLERS-BRETONNEUX, the 28th Battalion moved towards the German defenses. The Germans had left a gap in the barbed wire in the hope that the Australians would funnel through it and be slaughtered by the machine guns sighted opposite. The 28th Battalion fell into the trap and was stopped cold. Lieut Alfred Gaby, a 24 year old Company Commander, rushed the German positions by running along the parapet and oblivious to the murderous fire, shot his 45 revolver into the garrison and drove the German crews from their guns to force 50 Germans to surrender, he reorganized his men to take his company's final objective. He was shot dead a few days later and was awarded the VC posthumously.

1st September, 1918- End of the SECOND BATTLE OF THE SOMME with PERONNE & MONT ST QUENTIN being the last battles. 7 VC's were won during this period which demonstrates the heroism of the Australians in these last actions. This battle was the turning point for the Allies, especially they showed the High Command a new way of attacking the Germans and winning.

11th November, 1918 - ARMISTICE DAY - the distribution on the AIF was 95,000 in France & Belgium and 60,000 in England, 30,000 in Egypt, Palestine & Mesopotamia. There were 44 V.C.'s won. 15,000 Australians died fighting in the 2 battles of the SOMME and 59,258 soldiers of the AIF died during the course of the war which included 2854 Officers. Australian soldiers lie in over 800 cemeteries in France & Belgium and 3,000 who died of wounds and disease are buried in 430 cemeteries in England.

31ST MARCH, 1919- The AIF officially ceased to exist and therefore passed into history - until the start of WW2

BOOKS & PUBLICATIONS READ FOR RESEARCH

"Nepean Times" - early local Penrith Newspaper

State Library collection of 1st AIF information

"The Coo-ee March" - John Meredith

The NSW Registers of Births, Deaths & Marriages

The Church Registers of St Mary Magdalene Anglican Church, St Marys (Births, Deaths & Marriages)

John Laffin's books "Guide to Australian Battlefields of the Western Front 1916-18" and "Digging Up the Diggers war" , "The Somme"

C. E. W. Bean's Official WW1 history - Volume 3 "The A.I.F. in France"

"Digging for Diggers" by Graeme Hosken

"Memories of a Signaler - WW1" - Harold Hinckfuss

Frank Honywood - personal war diary

The Australian Light Horse

Gallipoli the Medical War - the Australian Army Medical Services in the Dardanelles Campaign of 1915 - Michael Tyquin

The First AIF - a study of it's recruitment 1914-1918

Patsy Adam-Smith's 'Gallipoli"

The original book "ANZAC" - contributions by servicemen on Gallipoli

"From Trench & Troopship - the experience of the Australian Imperial Force 1914-1919" by David Kent

"Nightingales in the Mud - The Digger Sisters of the Great War 1914-1918" by Marianne Barker

"Six Bob a day tourist" - Janet Morice/Thomas Gardner

"Scarlet Poppies - the Army experience by Australian nurses during WW1" by Dr Ruth Rae

All digital service records on the soldiers are available free on website: www.naa.gov.au

CAMELS & CAMELIERS taken from "The Cacolet- September, 1917

You'll learn to love him, I was told, when introduced to my camel. I confess, I was dubious. At any rate, "Abdul" showed no affection for me. I stroked his head and purred "good old fellow", whereat "Abdul" opened his long, loose lips, unmasking an alarming dental battery and growled like a hungry lion. His eyes looked wicked too and when he swung his ugly head towards me, I skipped away politely - not afraid, certainly not, but I am a stickler for etiquette and when a camel snarls, it is correct form to remain at a respectful distance. "Barrak him", cried a Sergeant ..... Barrak Him, can't you" was snapped at me again. Then the Sergeant softened and showed how the deed should be done. "Tis thus, first you catch your camel, then, standing below the jaws, pull downward and make a noise like a sick hyena coughing. This means, for the camel, 'down on your knees' and if so disposed, down the camel goes, front legs first. If you desire your dromedary to rise, you make another queer noise, 'tschick, tschick, tschick', rapidly and he will reverse the "down' process, bringing the hind legs up first". Well, I barracked my camel, and, with assistance, put riding halter and saddle on him. Of course, he remonstrated and I kept the tail of an eye on his head all the time. more than once, he tried to test his teeth in my flesh, but failed. I was feeling pretty good on the job when something happened which caused all my confidence to ooze away. "Abdul" shot from his mouth a blood-stained skin bubble big as a toy balloon. It was fearsome but the Sergeant explained and I steadied up some. Mounting was a maelstrom. Following directions, I kept the head-chain tight, placed my right hand on the rear pommel of the saddle and my left foot on "Abdul's" neck. Then I tried to swing lightly and quickly into the saddle but somehow I failed to get there. "Abdul" rose like a wave of the sea and I did a Catherine wheel stunt. I was not beaten, however, and at length persuaded "Abdul" that I was to be his rider. In the saddle, legs crossed on the apron, I seemed to be very near the sky, but it was all serene till "Abdul" got into his stride. Things hummed then. I bumped and swayed and tossed till my bones ached. There was worse to come, "Abdul" reckoned I was too much of a burden and, lacking manners, he showed his opinion plainly. He bucked worse than a naknoon mule and when I dismounted in a manner contrary to Army regulations, he surveyed me with a reflective eye. I didn't learn to love "Abdul" that morning. Time has passed however, and my camel and I are now on good terms. Still "Abdul" is a willful beast and if I didn't humor him occasionally it would be 'good night nurse' for one of us, and that one wouldn't be "Abdul".

NEWS - APRIL 2006

Publication of "Timeless Heroes - Duty Called" is available for sale of $A25 + postage (also CD available instead of book - same price). Please email me if you wish to purchase. Book is 60 pages of A4 - CD is compatible with Microsoft Word

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