BACKGROUND

Hastings Vivian Ducat was born in Clybucca on the 20^th October 1897, son of William Henry & Margaret Jane (Johnstone) Ducat.  According to NSWBDM he was one of 7 seven children, with 3 brothers & 3 sisters. William & Margaret moved to the Tweed in 1911. He had a butchering business and took part in the public life of the Tweed. He was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Tweed Shire Council and a director of Norco. He was a foundation member of the Lodge Pacific, Tweed Heads and was the Master for many years.

ATTESTATION

Hastings travelled to Brisbane on the 7^th May 1917 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 a clerk. His next of kin was his father, William, of Tweed Heads. He had 9 months with the Senior Cadets area 12a. His parents had written him a letter permitting him to enlist as he was under age.

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

PAGE 2

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, Hastings Vivian Ducat, 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

SO, HELP ME, GOD.” 

PAGE 3

MEDICAL EXAMINATION

Hastings was 19 years 7 months old. He was 5ft 7 inches tall (1.7m) and weighed 130 lbs (59kgs). He had a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark hair. He had 2 vaccination scars and his eyesight was good. Hastings 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. Hastings was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 9^th June 1917. 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 14^th reinforcements, 31^st Battalion with service number 38728

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 recruits 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 could take several months

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 SYDNEY TO EGYPT DECEMBER 1917

On the 17^th December 1917 his unit caught the troop train from Brisbane to Sydney and on the 19^th December, they embarked on the HMAT A38 Ulysses. Alongside his comrades, Hastings 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 Egypt, where the ship would refuel & take on supplies, 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. The danger was greatest in the Western Approaches near Britain, where U-boats patrolled choke points like the English Channel and Irish Sea.

EGYPT

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.

EGYPT JANUARY 1918

Following a voyage of approximately four weeks, Hastings disembarked at Suez, Egypt, on 16 January 1918. Egypt had become a major staging point for Australian troops travelling between Australia and Europe, and for several days he was processed through the military transit system before being moved north to the Mediterranean port of Alexandria on 22 January.

The following day he was detached to a transit camp near Alexandria, probably the large Gabbari Camp, where troops awaited onward transportation. Such camps were often crowded with soldiers from across the British Empire, all moving through the complex network of troop movements that sustained the Allied war effort. Here Hastings would have undergone medical inspections, received instructions regarding his next movement and prepared for the next stage of his journey.

FEBRUARY 1918 ITALY

On 29 January he embarked aboard the transport ship Abbassieh and sailed across the Mediterranean Sea. By early February he had arrived at the important Italian port of Taranto, where he was accommodated at No. 9 Rest Camp. Taranto served as a major reception and transit centre for troops arriving from Egypt. Although termed a "rest camp", it was primarily a staging area where soldiers could recover from the sea voyage, receive meals, medical attention if required, and await transport to their next destination.

FEBRUARY 1918 FRANCE

After only a few days in Italy, Hastings continued his journey on 7 February, travelling onward to France. He arrived at the Channel port of Cherbourg on 14 February 1918. At first glance this might appear to have brought him close to the fighting front, but his journey was not yet complete. The Australian Imperial Force had developed a comprehensive reinforcement system during the war, and newly arrived soldiers were rarely sent directly to their battalions.

FEBRUARY 1918 ENGLAND

Instead, on the very day he arrived at Cherbourg, Hastings embarked aboard the transport Prince George for the short crossing of the English Channel. He landed at Southampton, England, on 15 February 1918. Although this movement from France to England may seem unusual, it was standard practice. Before joining a frontline battalion, reinforcements were sent to Australian training establishments in England where they received additional instruction in trench warfare, gas defence, battlefield tactics and the latest combat techniques developed during years of fighting on the Western Front.

Thus, during the first two months of 1918, Hastings travelled through an extraordinary chain of military transport centres stretching from Australia to Egypt, across the Mediterranean to Italy, through France and finally to England. While the movements recorded in his service file may seem confusing, they formed part of a carefully organised reinforcement pipeline that prepared Australian soldiers for service in the demanding conditions of the Western Front. Only after completing this final stage of training would Hastings be sent across the Channel once more to join the 31st Battalion in France.

ENGLISH TRAINING CAMP

During an interim period, soldiers typically:

·      Underwent medical inspections: To check for illnesses, infections, or conditions like venereal disease that might delay their training.

·      Received equipment and uniforms: This included British-issued gear better suited to the Western Front.

·      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.

When the recruits entered the camp, they joined one of the Australian training establishments on the Salisbury Plain in southern England. By this stage of the war, the Australian Imperial Force had developed a highly organised training system designed to ensure that every reinforcement arriving in France possessed the skills needed to survive on the Western Front.

The time they spent at the camp were among the most important of their military career. Rather than being sent directly to the front, they underwent intensive preparation under instructors who were often veterans recently returned from France. These men had firsthand knowledge of trench warfare and passed on lessons learned through hard experience.

Life in the camp followed a demanding routine. Reveille sounded early each morning, followed by physical training designed to build strength and endurance. After breakfast, the men spent long hours on the training grounds learning and practising the skills they would soon need in battle. Rifle shooting remained a fundamental part of instruction, and the men would have spent considerable time on the ranges improving his marksmanship and learning to care for his weapon under all conditions.

Much of the training focused on trench warfare. Practice trench systems had been constructed across Salisbury Plain, allowing recruits to experience conditions similar to those they would encounter in France. They learned how to move through communication trenches, occupy front-line positions, stand sentry duty and maintain defensive works. They practised digging trenches, constructing parapets and revetments, and laying barbed wire obstacles.

Bombing instruction was another important part of the syllabus. Recruits learned how to throw and handle grenades safely, a skill that had become essential on the Western Front. They were also taught how to react during enemy bombardments, how to seek cover and how to move forward under artillery fire.

Field exercises frequently involved entire companies and battalions. During these manoeuvres, the recruits practised attacks on mock enemy positions, advancing behind simulated artillery barrages and coordinating movements with neighbouring units. Such exercises often lasted for many hours and could continue regardless of rain, cold or mud. The instructors were determined that recruits experience something of the hardships they would face in France.

Route marches formed a regular feature of camp life. Carrying rifles, ammunition, packs and equipment, the men marched many miles across the rolling countryside of Salisbury Plain. These marches built stamina and accustomed soldiers to carrying heavy loads over long distances. By the end of his training, the men would have been capable of marching for hours while carrying the equipment required in active service.

If applicable

Beyond the formal training, the also gave the recruits the opportunity to form friendships with fellow Australians who shared anticipation and uncertainty about their future. In the evenings, men wrote letters home, attended educational lectures or spent what little leisure time was available discussing rumours from the front and wondering what lay ahead.

After many months of continuous preparation in England, 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 crossed to France, 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.

FRANCE APRIL 1918

After completing his training in England, Hastings was considered ready for active service and on 1 April 1918 proceeded overseas to France as a driver. The following day he arrived at Rouelles, one of the Australian base depots near Le Havre, through which reinforcements passed before joining their units in the field.

POSTED TO 3^RD AUSTRALIAN FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE APRIL 1918

Rather than being sent to the 31st Battalion, Hastings was posted to the 3rd Australian Field Artillery Brigade. This was not uncommon during the latter stages of the war when manpower shortages and changing operational requirements often resulted in reinforcements being redirected to units requiring personnel. He was taken on strength of the brigade on 14 April 1918.

The period between April and June 1918 would have been spent learning and performing the duties of a driver within an artillery formation. In artillery terminology, a driver was responsible not for motor vehicles but for teams of horses that hauled guns, ammunition wagons, limbers and supply vehicles. The work was physically demanding and required considerable skill. Drivers spent long hours caring for horses, maintaining harness and equipment, transporting ammunition to gun positions and moving artillery pieces when required. During this period the Australian Corps was heavily engaged in resisting the German Spring Offensive and later preparing for the Allied counter-offensives that would eventually turn the tide of the war.

REVERTED TO GUNNER JUNE 198

On 17 June 1918 Hastings reverted to the rank and trade of Gunner at his own request. This suggests that he either preferred artillery duties to horse-driving responsibilities or believed his skills could be better utilised elsewhere within the brigade. Such requests were not unusual and were often granted when they suited both the soldier and the unit.

For the remainder of 1918 Hastings served with the 3rd Australian Field Artillery Brigade during some of the most significant operations of the war. The brigade supported Australian infantry during the great Allied offensives that began at Amiens in August 1918 and continued through the Hundred Days Offensive. Artillery played a vital role in these victories, providing barrages that protected advancing infantry, destroying enemy strongpoints and disrupting German communications. Although his individual duties are not recorded, Hastings would have experienced the intense activity that accompanied these operations as the Allies steadily pushed the German Army back towards its frontier.

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

WAR ENDED 11^th 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.

Following the Armistice of 11 November 1918, active fighting ceased but military duties continued. The Australian forces entered a lengthy period of occupation, administration and demobilisation. Soldiers remained responsible for equipment, stores and transport while awaiting their turn to return home.

LEAVE JANUARY 1919

From 2 January until 21 January 1919 Hastings was granted leave to the United Kingdom. Such leave was highly prized and allowed Australian soldiers an opportunity to see parts of Britain before returning home. Many visited London, historic sites, relatives or friends, and enjoyed freedoms unavailable during active service.

AWAITING DEMOBILISATION

After returning from leave he remained in France for a short period while the enormous task of demobilising the Australian Imperial Force gathered pace. On 26 February 1919 he was detached to Australian Imperial Force Headquarters. Given that his civilian occupation prior to enlistment had been that of a clerk, it is quite possible that his administrative skills were recognised and utilised during this period. AIF Headquarters required large numbers of competent clerks to process service records, pay accounts, leave applications, movement orders and discharge documentation for thousands of soldiers awaiting repatriation.

BASE DETAILS QUOTE 54 APRIL 1919

On 26 April 1919 Hastings was transferred to Base Details Quota 54. These quotas were groups of soldiers assembled for return to Australia. Rather than being attached to a combat unit, men awaiting repatriation were gathered into quotas that could be administered, accommodated and transported together. During this period, he would have undergone final medical examinations, settled pay accounts, returned equipment and completed the paperwork necessary for discharge.

On 5 May 1919 he proceeded to England and the following day disembarked at Southampton. Like many soldiers awaiting transport home, he entered the Australian administrative system in Britain, where accommodation, welfare services and final processing were provided while troops waited for shipping. His days were likely occupied by routine duties, recreational activities, sightseeing and the anticipation of returning home after more than a year overseas.

On 17 July 1919 he was transferred to Australian Imperial Force Headquarters at Deverell, a large administrative and accommodation centre established to manage the thousands of Australians passing through England during the demobilisation process. He was again detached to AIF Headquarters, where his clerical experience would have been particularly valuable. Administrative staff were essential to handling the complex records and movements associated with returning an entire army to civilian life

PRE EMBARKATION LEAVE SEPTEMBER 1919

As the months passed, Hastings continued to await a suitable transport home. On 7 September 1919 he was granted pre-embarkation leave, a final period of leave commonly awarded to soldiers shortly before departure. This allowed men one last opportunity to visit places of interest, see friends or relatives and enjoy civilian life before commencing the long voyage to Australia.

GOING HOME SEPTEMBER 1919

Finally, on 25 September 1919 Hastings embarked aboard the transport Port Denison for the voyage home. The journey marked the end of nearly two years of overseas service. Unlike many soldiers who spent their entire war in the trenches, Hastings' service reflected the changing needs of the Australian Imperial Force during its final year of operations. He had travelled from Australia to Egypt, Italy, France and England, served with an artillery brigade during the decisive campaigns of 1918 and later assisted in the vast administrative effort required to bring the war to a close.

DISCHARGED DECEMBER 1919

After arriving back in Australia, he completed the necessary discharge procedures and was formally discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 18 December 1919, returning at last to civilian life after answering his country's call to service

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service Hastings was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Grafton High School First World War Honour Roll

AFTER THE WAR

Hastings married Pauline Vincent on the 23^rd April 1924 in Queensland.

DEATH AND BURIAL

He died on the 18^th February, 1960 in Murwillumbah and is memorialised at Mount Thompson Memorial Garden & Crematorium. Columbarium 12, section 8

SECOND WORLD WAR

On the 16^th May 1942 Hastings enlisted as a captain in HQ Queensland L of C area. He was discharged the 7^th June 1946

If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.