FAMILY LIFE

Edward Gilbert Gregor was born in 1881 in Maclean, son of Donald & Alas Gregor. He married Amy Hannah Gailer in Lismore in 1910. They had 5 children, the eldest being 4 years old and the youngest being born in the same year he enlisted.

ATTESTATION

He was a married baker, eager to do his bit. He travelled to Brisbane on 21^st January 1916 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his wife, Amy Hannah Gregor, of Lismore Rd, Churchill, Murwillumbah. He had spent 3 years in E company, Scottish Rifles in Maclean.

His medical, taken at Bells Paddock, Enoggera, showed he was 34 years 6 months old, 5ft 11 inches tall (1.8m), weighed 190 lbs (86kgs), with a fresh complexion, brown eyes & brown hair.  His eyesight was good

The Examining Medical Officer stated that Edward “can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service.”  On the second page of the Attestation Paper, he made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Edward Gilbert Gregor, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War … SO HELP ME, GOD.” 

He was Presbyterian and had a scar on his knee of left leg.  He was enlisted as a private into the 11th Infantry Brigade Headquarters with service number listed as both 5 and 69. 

TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA

As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together

Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the men received their vaccinations for smallpox, rabies & plague, then a recruit had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave

Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.

This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training would take several months

The recruits were issued with their uniform: a khaki woollen jacket, heavy cord breeches and the famous slouch hat – turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge. A soldier’s equipment also included a dixie (mess tin), water bottle, mug, .303 Lee-Enfield rifle and bayonet.

VOYAGE OVERSEAS

After months of preparation, Edward embarked on 17 May 1916 from Brisbane aboard the troopship HMAT A30 Borda. The ship set sail for England, carrying Edward and many other soldiers of the 11th Infantry Brigade, part of the 3rd Australian Division. Alongside his comrades, he marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.

The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. On the voyage, due to overcrowding, training was limited to mainly to lectures and a little physical training.

Sleeping & Living Arrangements

Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.

Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.

Daily Routine

Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic—drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.

Meals

Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.

Health & Sanitation

Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.

The Voyage Experience

Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. In an attempt to keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.

The troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection

CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY

The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

SIGHTS AT SEA

On the way to England, the Ceramic would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.

SECURITY

By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships.

ENGLAND AND LARKHILL TRAINING CAMP

Edward arrived in England on 20 July 1916 aboard the HMAT Borda, stepping onto British soil after weeks at sea. The port of arrival is not recorded, but like many Australian troops at the time, his journey from the ship would likely have taken him by train through the English countryside, eventually reaching the military camps set aside for the Australian Imperial Force.

He was posted to the headquarters of the 11th Infantry Brigade, and before long he found himself at Larkhill, a sprawling camp on Salisbury Plain. Larkhill had become a hub for artillery and infantry training, its windswept chalk downs dotted with rows of bell tents and the constant sound of rifle fire and shouted drill orders.

They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in the English training camp, the volunteers left their old lives farther behind.

Training involved trench warfare techniques, bayonet drills, live fire exercises, gas mask use, and coordination with British units.

Their accommodation was tents or wooden huts, often cold, damp, and muddy — especially in the British summer/autumn. The weather was very different from Australia-wet, overcast conditions were common, and many Australians found the climate miserable compared to home.

The parade grounds, rifle ranges, gas training areas, bayonet fighting pits, and mock trench systems were built to simulate battlefield conditions. The training included the use and maintenance of the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle, grenade throwing (often live grenades) & Lewis Gun handling and section tactics

Regular drilling included building and occupying practice trenches, night operations and trench raids & rotations simulating life under shellfire and gas attack.

Gas Warfare Training was very important and they were trained in the use of PH-type gas helmets and box respirators & drills in gas chambers using low concentrations of chlorine or phosgene to acclimate soldiers.

Close-combat techniques using bayonets — aggressive training with thrusts, parries, and charges were held

Tactical training included understanding platoon and company movements & signals training (flags, lamps, runners). The recruits’ daily life began early with reveille at dawn, PT, then drills. Route marches in full kit were common — often 10–15 miles across the chalky countryside. Evenings often included lectures or maintenance. Pay parades, church services, and mail from home offered some morale boosts however the cold, wet conditions were physically hard, and sickness was common (influenza, bronchitis, trench foot-like conditions).

Use of Mills bombs and defensive bombing techniques in dugouts or trench corners was carried & section-level manoeuvres with live ammunition — dangerous but essential for battlefield realism

Training at Larkhill was tough, realistic, and intense. It forged untested Australian recruits into soldiers ready for the horrors of trench warfare on the Western Front. While some men found it exhausting and bleak, it undoubtedly helped save lives once they reached the trenches of the Western Front.

DISCIPLINED AUGUST 1916

It was during this period, on 26 August 1916, that Edward was noted as absent without leave from midnight of 13^th August to 6.30pm on 14^th August, a total of 18 ½ hours. For his brief absence without leave, was punished with confinement to barracks for 7 days. It was a petty but frustrating restriction — the nearby villages, with their warm pubs and lively chatter, were now out of reach. Instead, his evenings were spent pacing the muddy lanes between tents and huts, the damp chalk underfoot clinging to his boots. Roll calls came with tedious regularity, a reminder that every movement was being watched. By day, he trained as usual, the whistle blasts and shouted orders echoing across the windswept downs; by night, the camp’s dimly lit interiors and the smell of wet canvas made him long for even a short escape beyond the wire.

TRANSFER TO 41^ST BATTALION

On 8 October 1916, Edward Gilbert Gregor was transferred from the 11th Infantry Brigade Headquarters to the 41st Battalion. The 41st was a Queensland unit, newly arrived in England earlier that year, and it was in the final stages of its preparation for service in France

But there was also a sense of anticipation. The men knew they would soon be crossing the Channel to join the war in earnest. For Edward, the transfer to the 41st meant moving closer to the front lines — and further from the relative shelter of the training camps.

PREPARING FOR THE WESTERN FRONT

After weeks of solid training with the 41st Battalion, Edward’s movements began to shift through the complex network of camps and depots that made up the AIF’s organisation in England. On 8 November 1916, he was examined by the Medical Officer at No. 1 Command Depot, Parkhouse. Whether it was a lingering illness, the after-effect of training, or simply a routine assessment, Edward found himself away from the regimented schedule of Larkhill for a short time.

By 12 November, he had left Parkhouse and marched in to the Australian Details Depot — a temporary administrative unit where men were held while awaiting their next posting. Life here lacked the bustle of an active training battalion; it was a place of waiting, where days were filled with light duties, kit inspections, and the occasional route march to keep the men fit.

Two weeks later, on 26 November, Edward moved again, this time to No. 4 Command Depot, having marched in from Larkhill. Here, the atmosphere was a mix of recovery and preparation. Some men were convalescing from wounds or sickness, while others, like Edward, continued training until they were assigned to a fighting unit.

TAKEN ON STRENGTH 69^TH BATTALION MARCH 1917

It would be several more months before his path forward was decided. Finally, on 26 March 1917, Edward was taken on strength of the newly formed 69th Battalion

FURTHER TRAINING

From March 1917, Edward settled into life with the 69th Battalion on the Salisbury Plain. The battalion was part of the newly raised 6th Division; its ranks filled with men from across Australia who had been brought together in England for final preparation before deployment. Days began early with the sound of the bugle and the tramp of boots on the hard chalk parade ground.

Training was relentless. Edward led small squads in musketry drills, ensuring each man could strip, clean, and reassemble his rifle in the dark if needed. Bayonet practice was carried out with fierce determination, the men charging at straw-filled sacks to the shouted encouragement of their instructors. Route marches covered mile after mile of open countryside, the wind sweeping across the downs and the white chalk dust clinging to uniforms and boots.

PROMOTED TO CORPORAL JUNE 1917

As weeks passed, Edward proved himself a capable and steady hand, his easy authority earning respect from those he led. He kept his section sharp during inspections, organised their kit with precision, and guided them through the most demanding exercises with patience and quiet confidence. By June, his leadership had not gone unnoticed. On 30 June 1917, while still in England, Edward was promoted to Corporal — a mark of trust and responsibility that would see him take formal command of his own section of men.

FRANCE

Edward’s promotion to Corporal came as the war in France reached another fierce stage, and the newly formed 6th Division faced an unexpected turn. In the weeks following, word filtered through that the division would not be sent to fight as a whole; instead, its men were to be reassigned as reinforcements for other battalions already in the thick of the war.

On 23 August 1917, Edward left England on the nominal roll of the 41st Battalion. The journey across the Channel was short but tense, the knowledge that he was finally leaving the relative safety of England lending a new weight to the moment. Two days later, on 25 August, he arrived at the Australian Base Depot at Rouelles, near Le Havre — a sprawling camp where men were sorted, equipped, and given final instructions before heading to the front.

The days at Rouelles were brief and purposeful. Equipment was checked, rifles were issued, and men were assigned to marching parties bound for the forward areas. On 31 August, Edward and his small draft of reinforcements left the depot, moving towards the line to join their new comrades. The mud, the distant rumble of artillery, and the taut faces of soldiers returning from the front were a stark contrast to the orderly training grounds of Salisbury Plain.

TAKEN ON STRENGTH 41^ST BATTALION

On 1 September 1917, Edward was officially taken on strength of the 41st Battalion, now a Corporal in a battle-hardened unit on the Western Front. The months of training in England were behind him; ahead lay the grim reality of war in France

WESTERN FRONT & TRENCH WARFARE

The soldiers now found themselves fighting the Germans in trench warfare. On the Western Front in 1914–1918, both sides constructed elaborate trench, underground, and dugout systems opposing each other along a front, protected from assault by barbed wire. The area between opposing trench lines (known as "no man's land") was fully exposed to artillery fire from both sides. Attacks, even if successful, often sustained severe casualties. Trench warfare created a living environment for the men which was harsh, stagnant, and extremely dangerous. Not only were trenches constantly under threat of attack from shells or other weapons, but there were also many health risks that developed into large-scale problems for medical personnel. Apart from the inescapable cold during the winters in France & Belgium, trenches were often completely waterlogged and muddy, and crawling with lice and rats

The time soldiers spent in the trenches varied depending on factors like their army's rotation system and the intensity of the conflict in their sector. On average:

·      Front-line trenches: Soldiers typically remained here for about 4–6 days at a time. This was where the fighting was most intense and the conditions were the harshest.

·      Support and reserve trenches: After time on the front line, soldiers were rotated to these positions for around 6–12 days. These trenches were set further back and offered slightly better conditions.

·      Rest periods: Soldiers were then moved away from the trench system entirely for rest, training, and recovery, often lasting several weeks, depending on operational needs.

The rotation system helped prevent complete physical and mental exhaustion, but the constant dangers of trench life meant there was rarely any true respite.

THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES OCTOBER 1917

On 12 October 1917, amidst the gruelling battles of the Third Battle of Ypres — often known as Passchendaele — Edward Gilbert Gregor found himself entrenched in some of the most brutal fighting on the Western Front. The muddy, shell-cratered landscape around the Ypres salient was a maelstrom of artillery fire, relentless rain, and desperate infantry assaults. Visibility was poor, and the roar of guns never ceased.

WOUNDED IN ACTION OCTOBER 1917

During a fierce engagement on the 12 October, as the 41st Battalion pushed forward under withering machine-gun and rifle fire, Edward was struck by a gunshot wound to the scalp & right ear. The sudden, sharp pain and the blood quickly brought him out of the fight. Evacuated swiftly from the front lines, he was taken to the 41st Casualty Clearing Station at Rouen, where medics began the delicate work of stabilising his injury.

EVACUATION TO ENNGLAND OCTOBER 1917

Despite the severity of the wound, Edward’s condition remained stable enough to be transported back to England on 29 October. Upon arrival, he was admitted the very next day to the 2nd Birmingham War Hospital at Northfield. Here, surrounded by the hum of nurses and the careful attention of surgeons, he began the slow process of recovery.

CONVALESCENT CAMP DARTFORD DECEMBER 1917

As weeks passed and his strength returned, Edward was transferred on 4 December to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford. This quieter facility allowed him more rest and convalescence, away from the bustle of the larger military hospitals. The months in England would be crucial for Edward’s healing — both body and spirit — before he could face the front lines again.

DECLARED MEDICALL UNIT- RETURN TO AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 1918

After months of recovery, Edward was declared medically unfit for further service at the front. On 16 December 1917, he was marked as medically invalided (MI) and posted to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth. Here, he remained under care and performed light duties while preparing for repatriation.

On 8 February 1918, Edward departed England aboard the Balmoral, beginning the journey home to Australia. The voyage offered a chance to reflect on the long months of war, injury, and recovery, as he moved away from the battlefields of Europe toward familiar shores.

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service Edward was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal

HOME LIFE

Edward & Amy had 3 more children after he returned home. Edward died on 22 April 1944 in Murwillumbah and is buried in Murwillumbah General Cemetery in the Presbyterian section

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