Driver Edward Joseph Bruce
Service #: 2005
Summary
BACKGROUND
Edward Joseph Bruce was born in on the 29th September, 1887, in Murwillumbah, son of William and Mary Jane Bruce of Murwillumbah. He was brother to 8 siblings, including William, who enlisted in 1915 & Robert who enlisted in 1916. His parents had brought the family to the Byron/Tweed area of the North Coast when the region was being opened in the late 1890s and early 1900s. Good land could be obtained easily and it was an ideal place to bring up a family of nine, including five young boys. William leased the property known as Fernhill in South Murwillumbah in 1913 and successfully farmed it for 20 years. The family lived in Church St Murwillumbah
BROTHERS IN ARMS
The first of this Bruce family to go to war was William who enlisted in July 1915 aged 21. He was a school teacher and was attached to the 9th Infantry Battalion. He served in Egypt and France. Robert, a farmer, joined in 1916 aged 21 and was attached to the 2nd Light Horse Regiment, serving in Palestine.
Edward travelled to Brisbane on the 3RD September 1915 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was a single man and gave his occupation as horse breaker. His next of kin was his mother, Mrs M Bruce of Murwillumbah
Item 11 asks-Do you now belong to, or have you ever served in His Majesty’s Army, the Militia, the Militia Reserve, the Territorial Forces, Royal Navy or Colonial Forces? If so, state which, and is not now serving, state cause of discharge.
During WWI, Australia’s home militia was known as the Citizen Forces. Under the Universal Service Scheme, military training was compulsory for young men. While strictly confined to homeland defence, the militia served as the backbone of early deployments and a vital training ground for the oversea
Enacted in 1911, it mandated military training for males aged 12 to 26. This included Junior Cadets (12–14), Senior Cadets (14–18), and the Home Defence Militia (18–26). [1]
No Overseas Service: By law, members of the Citizen Forces could not be deployed to fight overseas. To fight in Europe or the Middle East, militiamen had to volunteer to join the separate Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Up to 50,000 militiamen enlisted in the AIF during the war. Edward answered 4th Light Horse for 2 years 6 months
He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia
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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER
On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following; “The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him”
OATH
He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Edward Joseph Bruce, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law
He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia
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MEDICAL EXAMINATION
Edward was 26 years 11 months old. He stood 6 foot tall (1.82m) and weighed 10stone 5lbs (65kgs). He had a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. His eye sight was good and he had 2 tattoo marks on his left arm and one on his right. Edward was Church of England
CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER
The medical examiner certifies I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -
Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.
He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service
CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER
This is completed during the recruits training. Robert was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 8th March 1916. The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him a private with the 2nd Light Horse, 14th reinforcements with service number 2005
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
LIGHT HORSE TRAINING
The Light Horse Depot was a lively place — rows of tents and stables stretched across the paddocks, with constant movement as new recruits learned the routines of mounted service. For the Light Horsemen, horsemanship was essential. Many recruits already came from rural backgrounds and were experienced riders, but the army still needed to train them to work together as mounted troops.
They would have spent their first weeks learning the fundamentals of soldiering: drill, physical fitness, and discipline, before moving on to the skills that defined the mounted man. They were taught to ride with a military saddle, to control their horse at all paces, and to manoeuvre in close formation. Daily sessions included mounting and dismounting at speed, guiding the horse with knee and rein, and practising extended trots and canters across open ground.
They practised:
· mounted drill and manoeuvres
· riding in formation
· caring for horses in military conditions
· rapid mounting and dismounting
· scouting and reconnaissance work
· fighting on foot after leaving the horses behind with designated horse-holders
The Australian Light Horse was technically mounted infantry rather than cavalry. The men rode horses for mobility but usually fought dismounted with rifles. The instructors — many veterans of earlier campaigns — were firm but fair, ensuring each man could care for his mount as well as himself.
So, horsemanship was only one part of the training. They learned the use of the Lee-Enfield rifle both on foot and in the saddle, as well as the sword or bayonet for close work. They were trained to move quickly from mounted to dismounted action — the Light Horse fought on foot, using their horses mainly for mobility. Camp life also included route marches, stable duties, grooming and feeding routines, cleaning tack and gear, and long days of drill under the Australian sun.
INNOCULATIONS
All recruits were given a range of inoculations while in camp. The most important jab was to protect against smallpox and typhoid – indeed, having this was an essential precondition of enlisting.
THE UNIFORM
The recruits were issued with their uniform- service dress jacket was made of Australian wool and its loose fit gave the wearer more allowance for movement. The four large pockets were very useful. A unique feature designed for comfort was the pleated back, which provided a double thickness of cloth down the back that the pack rubbed against. Breeches were corduroy worn with wool wrap puttees. The famous khaki felt slouch hat or early service cap is probably the most distinctive part of the uniform. turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge.
SOLDIER’S KIT
Australia's World War I soldiers went to war weighed down by almost 30 kilograms of clothes, weapons, tools and kit.
· Breeches: made from khaki woollen cord fabric, with side pockets and button flies. Soldiers were issued with two pairs of breeches, plus a pair of dungarees. The breeches ended above the ankles and the gap was filled with puttees.
· Braces: worn with breeches.
· Puttees: The men wound these strips of woollen cloth, almost three metres long, upwards from the ankle to just below the knee. Soldiers disliked the puttees, probably with good reason: the tight binding restricted circulation and might even have contributed to the high incidence of trench foot. Mounted troops wore leather leggings.
· Shirt: Soldiers were given two grey, collarless, flannel shirt, plus a military shirt.
· Ankle boots: brown and lace-up.
· Socks: Made from wool or cotton. Soldiers were issued with three pairs.
· Greatcoat: the khaki woollen coat (which weighed about 3kg) often doubled as a soldier's bedding and was his chief protection against the cold and wet. The coat came into its own when snow hit Gallipoli in November 1915 and also on the Western Front.
· Jersey
· Singlets: Soldiers were issued with 2 woollen singlets.
· Cotton "drawers" (underpants): Soldiers were issued with two pairs.
· Abdominal belts: a sort of cummerbund that was issued to keep soldiers warm and supposedly ward off disease.
· Backpacks and webbing: The main backpack was a rectangular sack measuring about 15 inches x 13 inches, closed at the top by a folding cover secured by two straps. The webbing included a web belt, cartridge pouches, small haversack, bayonet frog, an entrenching tool holder (plus another holder for its handle), and a water-bottle holder.
· Identity disc: Soldiers were initially issued with one medal "dog tag" on a cord, but later in the war they were given two tags, made of compressed fibre.
· Soldiers were also issued with a "housewife" - a sewing kit containing such items as needles, thimble, thread, wool and button so they could carry out running repairs.
· Also in their kit were a short-magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, a rifle sling, a bayonet and scabbard, and an "entrenching tool" (they were "diggers" after all). This came in two parts, with the helve (handle) separate from the spade part.
· Soldiers were issued with eating equipment (knife, fork, spoon, an enamel mug, water bottle (with two-point capacity), and a mess tin with carrier.
· They also had a clasp knife (with marlin spike, tin-opener and lanyard), razor, shaving kit, soap, comb, two towels, field dressing (carried in the tunic's inside pocket), and a hold-all, in which they could pack their private possessions.
· No item was probably looked after more carefully than their service pay book: privates were paid five shillings a day.
VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM BRISBANE TO EGYPT JANUARY 1916
On the 31ST January, 1916, the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Wandilla. Alongside his comrades, Edward 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.
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. 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 Egypt the ship 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. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes.
APPROACHING EGYPT
After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the sandy training grounds of Egypt, preparing for what lay ahead.
EGYPTIAN TRAINING CAMP- HELIOPOLIS
When the ship arrived about 1 month late, the men boarded the troop train taking them to one of the Egyptian training camps. When the train finally rattled into the siding near the camp, the soldiers found themselves staring at an extraordinary sight — the vast Pyramids looming on the horizon, their ancient stones glowing gold in the late afternoon sun. Rows of khaki tents stretched out across the sand, the dust curling in little eddies around the tent pegs.
This camp provided the final preparation for entrainment to Alexandria and the Western Front. The camps screened soldiers arriving in Egypt, checking for any illnesses such as measles which can break out when people are crowded together for long periods.
During an interim period, soldiers typically:
· Recovered from the voyage: After long sea travel from Australia, troops needed time to rest and regain strength.
· Underwent medical inspections: To check for illnesses, infections, or conditions like venereal disease that might delay their training.
· Received equipment and uniforms: Egypt's heat made the heavy wool uniforms uncomfortable. As a result, lighter clothing was often issued or obtained locally. Soldiers frequently wore:
ü Khaki cotton shirts without the tunic
ü Lightweight drill uniforms made from cotton
ü Shorts on some occasions, particularly in camp
ü Pith helmets or sun helmets for fatigue duties and work in the sun, although the slouch hat remained the iconic Australian headgear
· Were assigned to training battalions: Administrative processing sorted soldiers into reinforcement drafts for specific front-line battalions.
· Drilled lightly: They performed light drills, parades, and familiarisation routines while waiting for formal training slots to open.
They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in a training camp, the volunteers left their old lives farther behind. They began their training with physical fitness exercises, they were taught individual and unit discipline, how to follow commands, how to march, some basic field skills and how to safely handle his weapons. Later, as soldiers specialised in a particular area (for example, machine gunner or signaller) they would be trained in specific skills and would take part in practice manoeuvres and sham fights. They would spend many hours learning training in the use of bayonets, anti- gas training and guard duty along with lectures on camouflage or trench warfare and much more.
After many months of continuous preparation in France, the men were judged ready for active service. The recruits had been transformed from a newly arrived reinforcement into a fully trained infantryman, accustomed to discipline, hardship, and the mechanics of modern war. When the battalion finally entered into the war, it did so as a cohesive and well-drilled unit, prepared—so far as training could allow—for the brutal realities of the Western Front.
16 APRIL 1916 – TRANSFERRED TO 4TH DIVISIONAL ARTILLERY, SERAPEUM
After several months training as a Light Horse reinforcement, Edward was selected for transfer to the newly forming 4th Divisional Artillery at Serapeum on the Suez Canal. The Australian Imperial Force was expanding rapidly in early 1916 following Gallipoli, creating new infantry divisions and the artillery units needed to support them. Men with experience handling horses were particularly valuable to the artillery, where teams of horses hauled guns, limbers and ammunition wagons. At Serapeum Edward began learning the specialised skills required of an artilleryman, including gun drill, ammunition handling, signalling and the care of artillery horses.
21 APRIL 1916 – TAKEN ON STRENGTH, 11TH FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE, 3RD BATTERY
Five days later Edward was formally taken on strength of 3rd Battery, 11th Field Artillery Brigade, part of the newly raised 4th Australian Division. As a Gunner, he became a member of an 18-pounder field gun crew. Life revolved around constant training as the brigade prepared for service on the Western Front. Gun crews practised bringing their guns into action quickly, laying them accurately onto targets, loading and firing shells, maintaining equipment and operating efficiently under battlefield conditions. Every man had a specific role, whether preparing ammunition, setting fuses, sighting the gun or assisting with loading. Success depended upon discipline and teamwork, as the battery would eventually be required to deliver accurate fire in support of infantry attacks and defensive operations.
The brigade spent the following weeks completing its training and preparing its guns, horses and equipment for overseas deployment.
15 MAY 1916 – APPOINTED DRIVER
A driver in WW1 rode on team horses which pulled wagons, guns, ambulances, equipment. Usually, a wagon had a team of 6 horses, 3 pairs of 2. Each driver was responsible for his two horses (feeding, shoeing, vet care, etc.) and he teamed up with two other drivers to pull the wagon. Drivers were usually privates in rank, but designated "Driver" to distinguish them from infantry. Drivers were essential in getting supplies, food, ammunition and equipment to the men at the front, and bringing wounded back to medical stations. It was a dangerous job as they were targeted by machine guns and artillery to prevent them getting supplies through. Their uniforms were very similar to the Light Horse except they wore peaked caps instead of slouch hats. They wore leather putties, instead of canvas, and spurs.
JUNE 1916 – EMBARKED ALEXANDRIA
After completing its training, the 11th Field Artillery Brigade embarked from Alexandria for France. The voyage across the Mediterranean was considerably shorter than the original trip from Australia and was conducted under wartime precautions because of the continuing threat from German submarines.
10 JUNE 1916 – DISEMBARKED MARSEILLES
The brigade landed at Marseilles, one of the principal ports through which thousands of Australian soldiers entered France. After unloading the horses, guns, limbers, wagons and vast quantities of ammunition, the artillery moved north by train in crowded troop trains towards the Western Front.
The journey usually took several days, passing through the French countryside before reaching reinforcement and training areas behind the front. Here Edward and his battery familiarised themselves with conditions on the Western Front, practised firing under operational conditions, learned new techniques for trench warfare and coordinated closely with infantry units. As the weeks progressed, they gradually moved nearer the front line, occupying reserve gun positions before eventually entering the active battle zone during the Somme campaign. Their duties included registering guns on enemy targets, supporting trench raids, counter-battery fire and providing protective barrages whenever Australian infantry attacked or defended their positions.
3 DECEMBER 1916 – SICK TO HOSPITAL (DENTAL)
Edward was admitted to hospital for dental treatment. Although the record provides no detail, dental problems were extremely common among soldiers. Broken or decayed teeth could quickly become infected, making it difficult to eat the hard army rations. Military dentists commonly extracted damaged teeth, treated abscesses or carried out emergency repairs, enabling soldiers to return to duty as quickly as possible.
9 DECEMBER 1916 – REJOINED UNIT
Edward returned to his battery just as the Western Front entered one of its harshest winters. The 4th Australian Division had endured the costly Somme fighting during the latter half of 1916 and now occupied quieter sectors where the men rebuilt damaged gun positions, repaired roads and dugouts, cared for the horses and maintained their equipment in freezing mud and snow. Even in relatively quiet periods the artillery exchanged harassing fire with the enemy, carried out registration shoots and remained ready to support any infantry action. The winter months also provided opportunities to absorb reinforcements, continue training and prepare for the major operations planned for 1917.
17 NOVEMBER 1917 – MILITARY MEDAL
By November 1917 Edward was serving as a Driver with the 3rd Battery, 11th Field Artillery Brigade, supporting Allied operations in the Ypres Salient following the terrible fighting at Passchendaele. Although the major Australian assaults had ended several weeks earlier, the artillery remained heavily engaged, maintaining pressure on German positions and supporting British troops holding the newly won ground.
Conditions were among the worst experienced during the war. Months of shelling and relentless rain had transformed the battlefield into a vast sea of mud punctuated by water-filled shell craters. Roads and tracks were little more than shattered strips of duckboard, while enemy artillery continually shelled known supply routes in an effort to silence the Allied guns. For artillery drivers such as Edward, the work was both exhausting and dangerous. Horse teams hauled limbers, ammunition wagons and supplies forward over ground where a single shell burst could kill men and horses alike or destroy a vital load of ammunition.
On 17 November 1917 Edward performed an act of conspicuous gallantry that earned him the Military Medal. While the precise details of his deed have not survived in his service record, the award recognised bravery and devotion to duty well beyond that normally expected of a soldier. It is likely that his actions were connected with maintaining the supply of ammunition or equipment to the guns under hazardous conditions, ensuring that his battery could continue supporting operations despite enemy shellfire and the appalling state of the battlefield.
The Military Medal, instituted in 1916, was awarded to non-commissioned officers and other ranks for acts of bravery in the field. It was one of the most respected decorations available to Australian soldiers and recognised courage under fire in the face of the enemy. Edward's award placed him among a select group of artillerymen whose service and gallantry were formally recognised by the British Army. Although the exact circumstances may never be known, the decoration stands as lasting evidence of his courage, determination and devotion to duty during one of the most difficult periods of the war on the Western Front.
The award was promulgated in the Commonwealth of Australia gazette No 95 dated 27th June 1918
THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES KNOWN AS BATTLE OF PASSCHENDAELE, (JULY 31–NOVEMBER 6, 1917),
This battle that served as a vivid symbol of the mud, madness, and senseless slaughter of the Western Front. The third and longest battle to take place at the Belgian city of Ypres, Passchendaele was ostensibly an Allied victory, but it was achieved at enormous cost for a piece of ground that would be vacated the following year. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers on opposing sides attacked and counterattacked across sodden, porridgelike mud, in an open gray landscape almost empty of buildings or natural cover, all under the relentless harrowing rain of exploding shells, flying shrapnel, and machine-gun fire. Few gains were made.
The Third Battle of Ypres is remembered for its immense human cost and the resilience of those who fought in it
17 NOVEMBER 1917 TO 28 DECEMBER 1917
This period followed the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). The Australian artillery was heavily engaged in:
· Supporting infantry holding newly-won ground around Polygon Wood, Broodseinde and Passchendaele.
· Counter-battery fire against German guns.
· Defensive barrages to break up German attacks.
Maintaining guns, ammunition dumps and communication lines in dreadful winter conditions.
The brigade was operating in cold, wet conditions, and periods out of the line were often spent repairing equipment, training replacement personnel and preparing new gun positions.
BATTLE OF POLYGON WOOD 1917 SEPTEMBER 26TH - OCTOBER 3RD
Polygon Wood was the second of three battles between 26th September and 4 October 1917 in which ‘step by step’ or ‘bite and hold’ tactics were used to batter down the formidable German defensive positions. After an opening bombardment the infantry would advance for a prescribed distance behind a ‘creeping’ barrage of shells. This barrage would keep the Germans in their ‘pillboxes’ until British soldiers were almost upon them. The enemy positions would then be captured consolidated and protected from counter-attack by artillery. Artillery would be brought forward and the next ‘bite’ attempted. In this way the British aimed to work their way from their start lines near Ypres to the heights of the ridge ten kilometres away at Passchendaele village. Charles Bean, the Australian Official Historian described the opening barrage on 26 September as the most perfect that ever protected Australian troops and that it rolled ahead of the troops roaring ‘like a Gippsland bushfire’. The battle cost 5,770 Australian casualties
THE BATTLE OF BROODSEINDE OCTOBER 1917
The Battle of Broodseinde was fought on 4 October 1917 near Ypres. The battle was the most successful Allied attack of the Third Battle of Ypres. Using bite-and-hold tactics, with objectives limited to what could be held against German counter-attacks, the allied devastated the German defence, prompted a crisis among the German commanders and caused a severe loss of morale in the 4th Army. Preparations were made by the Germans for local withdrawals and planning began for a greater withdrawal, which would entail the abandonment by the Germans of the Belgian coast, one of the strategic aims of the Flanders Offensive.
28 DECEMBER 1917 – HOSPITALISED WITH SCABIES
On the 28th December 1917 he was hospitalised with scabies, which we caused by microscopic mites burrowing into the skin. Symptoms included:
Intense itching, especially at night, red rash and sores from scratching and secondary infections if untreated.
He was admitted to the 72nd Auxiliary Hospital the same day. Treatment usually involved hot baths and shaving body hair where necessary. Application of sulphur ointment or similar anti-parasitic treatments was administered and thorough disinfection or destruction of clothing and bedding as well as isolation from other troops until cleared.
31 DECEMBER 1917 – RETURNED TO DUTY
Although discharged from hospital, he would normally spend several days recovering his strength and receiving clean clothing and equipment. He underwent medical inspection and awaited transport back to his brigade.
6 JANUARY 1918 – REJOINED UNIT
From early January until 28 January 1918 he resumed normal artillery duties, which likely included gun drill and maintenance and ammunition handling, constructing and improving gun emplacements as well as registration shoots and harassing fire against German positions. He underwent training and preparation for expected German offensives in 1918.
28 JANUARY 1918 – DETACHED TO RBAA ENGLAND
The abbreviation is usually associated with the Royal British Artillery Association/Artillery administrative establishment in England. The notation "supernumerary to establishment" means he was carried on strength above the authorised establishment and not filling a normal operational position.
30 JANUARY 1918 – ARRIVED HEYTESBURY, ENGLAND
Heytesbury in Wiltshire was associated with artillery training and administrative depots.
FROM JANUARY TO SEPTEMBER 1918
He was most likely attached to artillery depots or training establishments, performing instructional, administrative or support duties. He may have been recovering from minor medical issues or physical wear not severe enough for long-term hospitalisation and assisting in training reinforcements destined for France or maintaining artillery equipment and stores. Because he returned to France in September 1918, this appears to have been a temporary removal from front-line service rather than a permanent transfer.
3 SEPTEMBER 1918 – PROCEEDED OVERSEAS TO FRANCE
He crossed the English Channel via Folkestone and arrived at the Australian base system in France.
5 SEPTEMBER 1918 – AGBD/AGBW LE HAVRE
At Le Havre he entered the Australian reinforcement and administrative system where he would have been medically examined and issued equipment and ammunition. He received current operational briefings and awaited movement orders to his unit.
11 SEPTEMBER 1918 – REJOINED UNIT
By the time he returned, the Australians were engaged in the final Hundred Days Offensive.
THE HUNDRED DAY OFFENSIVE (OPERATION MICHAEL)
MARCH TO JULY 1918
In March 1918, the new Bolshevik government of Soviet Russia ended its role in the First World War by signing the Brest-Litovsk Treaty with the Central Powers.
This had a significant impact on the war in Western Europe, giving rise to the German Spring Offensive, also known as the ‘Kaiserschlacht’ (the Kaiser’s battle).
The Russians had been beaten by the Germans in a number of battles early in the war, but they had also inflicted substantial defeats on the Ottomans, Germans troops and Austrian-Hungarian forces.
With the signing of the treaty, however, the Germans ‘freed up’ their forces on the Eastern Front, reinforced their army on the Western Front, and raised it to 206 Divisions.
In response, the Allies raised 172 Divisions on the Western Front, including a growing number of Americans, which provided sufficient impetus for the Germans to mount their Spring Offensive.
Erich Ludendorff, the commander of the German Army on the Western Front, believed if Germany did not act, the Allies would achieve ascendancy.
The Germans were aware the balance of power was shifting and, while they held a superiority in numbers, this would soon change if they did not strike a decisive blow.
The German offensive was spearheaded by Operation Michael and supported by operations Georgette, Gneisenau and Blücher-Yorck, supported by smaller operations to deal with battlefield contingencies.
Operation Michael began with a devastating barrage of nearly 10,000 artillery pieces and mortars. The attacks were spearheaded by path-finding ‘Stormtroopers’, followed by immense numbers of infantry.
The German attack worried Australia’s diggers as much as those in high command, with soldiers bitter about the German successes.
Barwick though was aware this was the German’s ‘last throw of the dice’ and he was supremely confident the Australians would check the German advance.
Operation Michael seemed a success in terms of captured territory, prisoners and equipment, but it did not deliver an over-arching strategic blow to the Allies.
It did not destroy the British Army nor drive a wedge between the British and French forces.
Michael, along with the other German Spring Offensive operations, failed to achieve the desired aim of bringing the Allies to their knees.
After the Spring Offensive finished in July 1918, the initiative crossed to the Allies who — with the addition of American troops — brought Germany to its knees in a number of subsequent battles.
Germany surrendered less than six months after the last operation in its Spring Offensive
The artillery played a major role in the advance following the Battle of Amiens.
THE BATTLE OF AMIENS AUGUST 1918
On the night of 7 August 1918, Gunner J.R. Armitage lay in readiness for the attack the next day. In his diary, he wrote:
It was utterly still. Vehicles made no sound on the marshy ground ... The silence played on our nerves a bit. As we got our guns into position you could hear drivers whispering to their horses and men muttering curses under their breath, and still the silence persisted, broken only by the whine of a stray rifle bullet or a long range shell passing high overhead ... we could feel that hundreds of groups of men were doing the same thing - preparing for the heaviest barrage ever launched.
The Attack
At 4.20 am the next day:
all hell broke loose and we heard nothing more. The world was enveloped in sound and flame, and our ears just couldn't cope. The ground shook.
A mass of assembled Allied forces, including Australians, launched an offensive to push through the German front lines to victory. It was to involve the 1st French and 4th British armies, but was led by combined Australian and Canadian forces.
There was a mist, which helped the element of surprise, and through it moved the joint forces of a line of tanks and infantry. The crucial work of the heavy artillery held off fire from German guns, so that troops could get across the land.
Setting out from the positions of Villers-Bretonneux and Hamel, the Australian troops in two hours had accomplished all their objectives, and the Canadian troops that had begun the attack alongside them had advanced several kilometres. In just over 3 hours, the enemy's front line had been overrun.
In total, the Allied forces captured 29,144 prisoners, 338 guns, and liberated 116 towns and villages. Ludendorff called 8 August "the black day of the German army".
When Sapper Harold Grant heard of the advance he wrote:
Great news ... Australians caught Fritz napping.
Many German weapons were captured in the advance. However, the advance was achieved at a high cost, with 21,243 Allied casualties, one-quarter of who were killed.
For a reinforcement, being taken on strength did not necessarily mean he immediately went into a major assault. Reinforcements generally spent time becoming acquainted with their company, learning trench routines, carrying out fatigues, and filling the gaps left by casualties
Operations against the Hindenburg Outpost Line.
The breaking of the Hindenburg Line.
THE HINDENBURG LINE SEPTEMBER 1918
The Hindenburg Line- the last and strongest of the German army's defence - consisted of three well-defended trench systems, established in 1917. Throughout September 1918, Australian forces had helped the British army to secure positions from which an attack on the Hindenburg Line could be launched. Planning began for a major attack at the end of the month. It was hoped that this attack would finally break the power of the German army.
FIRST ATTACK 18TH SEPTEMBER 1918
On 18 September 1918, a preliminary attack was launched when Lieutenant General Sir John Monash's troops reached the first part of the Hindenburg Line. At 5.20 am, Monash's troops, supported by huge artillery barrages, attacked the heavily fortified German defences and machine-gun posts. Using only eight tanks (as well as dummy tanks to distract the Germans), they broke through German positions and took 4,300 prisoners. Although there were 1,000 dead or wounded, this cost was fairly slim compared to the losses of the German forces.
THE SECOND ATTACK 29TH SEPTEMBER 1918
On 29 September, the line was finally broken. Australian and US troops spearheaded this battle, given the task of breaking defences in the centre. They attacked a strongly defended sector at Bellicourt with tanks, artillery, and aircraft working in concert. Advances were made, but it was a struggle between the two forces. The fighting lasted four days and resulted in heavy losses.
Gunner J.R. Armitage wrote:
“As we went over the ridge we found ourselves in the midst of the most wonderful and impressive battle field scene imaginable. It was a scene never to be forgotten with infantry, tanks, guns, everything in action in a sort of inferno of smoke and shell bursts.”
THIRD ATTACK OCTOBER 1918
Eventually, the Allies broke through the third and final stage of the Hindenburg Line, and the Germans were forced to fall back.
In this attack, troops captured the entrance to the St Quentin canal tunnel.
They provided support during the pursuit of retreating German forces.
EDWARD’S ROLE
As a driver in a Field Artillery Brigade, he would have driven teams of horses hauling guns, limbers and ammunition wagons and moved supplies forward over damaged roads. He would have evacuated wounded personnel and damaged equipment and worked long hours keeping the batteries supplied during rapid advances.
WAR ENDED 11th NOVEMBER 1918
The armistice that ended the First World War on the Western Front was signed between Germany and the Allies on 11 November 1918. After the Armistice operational firing ceased and the brigade turned to occupation and administrative duties.
WHAT WAS HE DOING FROM 16 NOVEMBER 1918 TO 4 MARCH 1919?
Following the Armistice, artillery units were occupied with salvaging guns and equipment and caring for horses. The still conducted route marches and training. They attended educational classes or sports and recreation.
They prepared for demobilisation and return to Australia. Many men spent months waiting for shipping home. When the fighting ended on 11 November 1918, the AIF was deployed in three main areas:
· some 95,000 men were in France
· some 6000 were in hospitals, convalescing, in reinforcement depots or working on the staff in the United Kingdom
· some 30,000 were in the Middle East or other theatres of war
Most soldiers on overseas service wanted to return home as quickly as possible. After some deliberation, the Prime Minister decided that the criteria for returning men to Australia would be based on length of service, family responsibilities and 'assured employment'. Men who were 'pivotal' to industry or commerce would be given priority.
Thousands of Australians had married English women, which necessitated the provision of transport for soldiers' wives and in some cases their children.
4 MARCH 1919 – REVERTED TO DRIVER AND MOVED TO RTA
The term "reverted to Driver" means he returned to his substantive rank and trade classification as a Driver. RTA refers to the Returned to Australia establishment. At this point he was entering the demobilisation process. Administrative staff checked his service records and his medical status as well as his pay and allowances and eligibility for repatriation.
13 MARCH 1919 – MOVED TO ENGLAND, WEYMOUTH
He left France for England via one of the cross-Channel routes and proceeded to the large Australian repatriation camps around Weymouth.
There he would have undergone final medical examinations and completed discharge documentation. He would have received leave and recreational opportunities and awaited allocation to a troopship home.
For many soldiers this was the first extended period away from military operations in years.
1 MAY 1919 – GOING HOME
He boarded the transport China at Devonport and began the long voyage home. Like most returning Australians, he would have spent several weeks at sea, attending boat drills, enjoying organised concerts and sports, and looking forward to seeing family again after years overseas. The ship arrived in Australia on 11 June 1919.
CLOTHING AND NECESSITIES GIVEN TO SOLDIERS FOR SOLDIERS PROCEEDING TO AUSTRALIA FOR DEMOBILISATION
Badges Hat Badges Collar (2) Bags kit universal
Bags kit sea Braces (pair) Brush, shaving
Brush, tooth Breeches M.S (Military service)
Cap comforter (warm cap) Comb, hair
Disc identity with cord Drawers (2 pairs)
Great Coat Hat, Khaki fur Hat, white
Holdall Housewife (compact sewing kit)
Jackets Cardigan Jackets S.D (service dress)
Leggings 1 pair Laces, leather 1 pair
Puggarees, small (a traditional Indian head wrap, worn in warm conditions
Puttees, 1 pair (cloth bandages worn by soldiers, to provide support and protection
for the lower leg)
Razor Shirts, flannel (2) Socks, 3 pairs
Singlets (2)
Strap chin Soap piece Suit, working
Towels, hand (2)
Titles “Australia” (4)- Australian soldiers and non-commissioned officers wore an “Australia” title at the base of their shoulder straps. Each serving soldier also wore unit titles above this which indicated the units to which they belonged
4 AUGUST 1919 – DISCHARGED
After completing medical examinations, final pay procedures and administrative formalities, he was formally discharged from the Australian Imperial Force. His war service had taken him from training and artillery duties in France, through illness and a lengthy period attached to establishments in England, back to the Western Front during the final Allied offensives, and finally home to Australia following the Armistice. Like thousands of artillerymen, much of his war was spent performing the demanding and often overlooked work of keeping the guns supplied, mobile and effective under difficult battlefield conditions.
For his service Edward was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Parish of Murwillumbah First World War Roll of Honour
DEATH AND BURIAL
Edward died on the 10th December 1953 in Kyogle. He is buried in Kyogle Cemetery
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
We do not know the memorial location of this individual
Buried Location
Kyogle Cemetery
