Gunner Edward Charles Bostock
Service #: 1692
Summary
BACKGROUND
Edward Charles Bostock (known as Ted) was born in Lismore in 1844, son of Christopher & Georgina (McGuire) Bostock. According to NSWDBM he was one of 8 children, with 4 sisters and 2 brothers. His mother was the daughter of one of the pioneers of the Tweed, Joseph McGuire, who was born at Tintenbar, in 1844, and it is claimed that he was the first white child born on the Richmond. Her parents were among the early pioneers of the timber industry. Ted’s parents are both buried in Murwillumbah General Cemetery as is one of his brothers.
ATTESTATION
Ted travelled to Brisbane on the 25th August 1914, just 15 days after war was declared 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 labourer. His next of kin was his father, Christopher, of Murwillumbah. This was amended after his marriage to be his wife, Ethel Bostock, of Walworth, London. Ted had spent 3years in the 2nd Regiment Scottish Rifles.
WHY GO TO WAR
Australia's population in mid-1914 was just over 4.9 million, of which 52% were men. Each man of 'military age' (19 to 38 years old) had to decide whether to join the armed forces and go to war. It was an important decision that affected most families in Australia.
Recruiting offices opened at army barracks around Australia on 10 August 1914, only 6 days after the war began.
Thousands of Australian men joined the AIF in the first few months. They were willing to support the British Empire. Large sections of the Australian community felt loyal to Britain when the war was declared. More than 90% of migrants to Australia in the 8 years before 1914 were from the United Kingdom. Many Australians still called England 'the mother country'. Australian men volunteered to enlist for different reasons, because they:
· needed regular pay
· sought combat or adventure
· wanted to escape from normal life
· wanted to do their duty for the British Empire.
ATTESTATION
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 Charles Bostock, 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
Ted was 30 years old. He was 5ft 7 ¼ inches (1.7m) and weighed 135lbs (61 kgs). He had a dark complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His eyesight was good. Ted was Presbyterian
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. Ted was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 25th August 1914. 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 as a private in the 7th Battery Field Artillery with service number 1692
As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. By late 1915 the Australian Army was under enormous pressure to produce reinforcements for Gallipoli veterans and for the expanding AIF. The training was therefore intensive rather than lengthy, in this case just on one month. The recruits would have arrived at Enoggera as civilians from all walks of life—farm labourers, clerks, labourers, tradesmen and station hands—and the Army's first task was to turn them into soldiers. They had 4 weeks tough training.
At Enoggera, the recruit’s day would have begun early, often before sunrise. Reveille would sound, followed by breakfast and a full day of instruction. The first lessons were basic military discipline. Recruits learned how to march, form ranks, salute officers, obey commands instantly and maintain their equipment. Much of their time was spent on the parade ground.
The Army placed enormous importance on drill. To a modern observer it can seem pointless, but drill taught men to move together, follow orders automatically and develop discipline. Officers believed that men who could maintain order on a parade ground were more likely to maintain order under fire.
The men would also have received extensive rifle training. The standard weapon was the .303 calibre Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle.
The recruits learned:
· Rifle handling and safety.
· Loading and unloading.
· Aiming and sight adjustment.
· Rapid-fire techniques.
· Cleaning and maintenance.
· Musketry exercises.
Many recruits came from rural backgrounds and were already familiar with firearms, but military marksmanship was a specialised skill requiring considerable practice.
Physical training was another major component. They would have undertaken route marches carrying increasing amounts of equipment. These marches toughened the men physically and accustomed them to carrying heavy loads over long distances. They also helped identify recruits who were unlikely to withstand the rigours of active service.
Bayonet training was particularly emphasised in 1915. Instructors taught recruits how to attack enemy trenches using thrusts, parries and butt strokes. Much of this training took place against straw-filled dummies. The Army wanted men to develop aggression and confidence before facing combat.
Fieldcraft training was also introduced. The recruits would have learned:
· Digging trenches.
· Constructing defensive positions.
· Use of cover and concealment.
· Sending military messages.
· Guard duties.
· Camp sanitation.
Sanitation was considered critical. Disease had killed more soldiers than bullets in many previous wars, so recruits received instruction in cleanliness, water discipline and camp hygiene.
Because they had enlisted after the Gallipoli campaign, instructors could draw upon real battlefield experience. Many training staff were veterans who had returned from Gallipoli wounded or sick. Their lessons were often practical rather than theoretical, based on what they had actually experienced under fire.
When the recruits embarked, they were not yet a fully trained infantryman by later-war standards. Rather, they had mastered the fundamentals of soldiering. The Army expected much of his advanced training to occur after arrival in Egypt.
In their short time at Enoggera, it was a whirlwind introduction to military life. During that short period, they learned military discipline, rifle handling, drill, bayonet fighting, route marching and fieldcraft. By the time the men boarded their troopship they were already beginning to think and act like a soldier of the AIF, though much of his hardest training still lay ahead in the deserts of Egypt.
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 SEPTEMBER 1914
The unit embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on the 25 September 1914, aboard HMAT Rangatira (A22) with the 7th Battery, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade, as part of the First AIF Convoy bound for Egypt. Alongside his comrades, Ted 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.
DRIVER
Ted was designated as a driver for his battalion while on the ship. 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.
EGYPTIAN TRAINING CAMPS LATE NOVEMBER 1914
Arriving in late 1914, he spent the following months training with his unit in the great camps established near Cairo. The artillerymen worked tirelessly to transform themselves from enthusiastic volunteers into a professional fighting force.
During World War I, this camp provided the final preparation for entrainment to Alexandria and the Western Front. The isolation camps screened soldiers arriving in Egypt as reinforcements for two weeks, checking for any illnesses such as measles which can break out when people are crowded together for long periods. Ismailia is a city in north-eastern Egypt, situated on the west bank of the Suez Canal.
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, 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 war
GUNNER JANUARY 1915
Ted had originally enlisted as a Driver, responsible for handling the teams of horses that hauled the guns and ammunition wagons. On 17 January 1915, however, he reverted to the rank of Gunner at his own request, indicating that he preferred to serve directly on the guns rather than with the horse teams.
As the war intensified, the brigade was committed to operations in the eastern Mediterranean. During 1915 Ted served with his battery as it supported the Allied campaign against the Ottoman Empire. The work of the artillery was demanding and often dangerous, with guns firing in support of infantry attacks while enduring enemy shellfire and harsh living conditions.
Originally enlisted as a Driver, Ted's duties would have centred on the care and handling of the horses upon which the artillery depended. Every gun, limber and ammunition wagon relied upon horse teams for movement, and the efficient management of those animals was essential to the battery's effectiveness. In January 1915, however, Ted requested a transfer to the rank and duties of Gunner. The change placed him directly within the gun detachments and required him to master an entirely different set of skills. He learned the operation of the battery's 18-pounder field guns, practised loading and laying the guns, studied range calculations and became familiar with the intricate teamwork necessary to bring artillery fire accurately onto a target.
The months that followed were spent in an intensive programme of training. Day after day the men of the 7th Battery rehearsed the tasks they would be expected to perform in battle. Gun drill became second nature as crews repeatedly practised bringing their guns into action, engaging targets and moving again with speed and precision. Route marches across the desert tested both men and horses, while field exercises simulated the conditions they might encounter on active service. Dust storms, flies and the relentless Egyptian sun added to the challenges, but the training continued regardless of the conditions.
During this period the Australian artillery was still developing into an effective fighting force. Many of the men had entered the Army with little or no previous military experience, and officers and instructors worked tirelessly to mould them into disciplined artillerymen. Ted and his comrades learned not only how to operate their guns but also how to function as part of a larger organisation, coordinating with infantry units, ammunition columns and other batteries. Every man had a specific role and success depended upon each member of the team carrying out his duties efficiently and without hesitation.
As the months passed, news from Gallipoli filtered back to Egypt. Reports of the landing in April 1915 and the fierce fighting that followed reinforced the knowledge that their own turn would eventually come. While the infantry endured the hardships of the peninsula, the men of the 7th Battery continued their preparation, determined to be ready when called upon. Reinforcements arrived, equipment was checked and rechecked, and training became increasingly focused upon active operations.
By the middle of 1915 the battery had developed into a well-trained and cohesive unit. The long months of preparation in Egypt had transformed enthusiastic volunteers into capable artillerymen, and Ted had completed the transition from Driver to Gunner. Although the service record is silent regarding these months, they were far from uneventful. The skills acquired during this period would prove invaluable when the battery finally received orders to leave Egypt and take its place in the war, bringing an end to the training phase that had occupied the better part of eight months.
HEALTH FAILING AUGUST 1915
In August 1915 Ted's health began to fail. Suffering from severe diarrhoea and the loss of several teeth, he was admitted to No. 2 Australian Stationary Hospital at Mudros on the Greek island of Lemnos. Mudros served as the principal medical and supply base for the Gallipoli campaign, and thousands of sick and wounded soldiers passed through its hospitals. Despite treatment, his condition failed to improve sufficiently and he was subsequently transferred through Cairo before being embarked aboard the hospital ship Grampian for England.
Ted arrived in Britain in October 1915 and was admitted to the 2nd Southern General Hospital at Bristol. While he recovered, the Gallipoli campaign drew to a close and the Australian Imperial Force underwent a major expansion in preparation for service on the Western Front.
RETURNED TO DUTY MAY 1916
After many months of recuperation and training, Ted returned to duty in Egypt in May 1916, joining the artillery of the newly formed 4th Division at Tel el Kebir and Serapeum. There he resumed the routine of training and preparation before proceeding to Alexandria and embarking for France. FRANCE JUNE 1916
Disembarking at Marseilles on 10 June 1916, he entered the Western Front.
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.
For the next eight months Ted served continuously with his battery in France. The absence of hospital admissions or major disciplinary incidents during this period suggests that he settled into the demanding routine of artillery service. Life on the Western Front revolved around maintaining the guns, moving ammunition, caring for horses, enduring enemy shellfire and supporting infantry operations. The work was exhausting and often dangerous, but it was the vital role that enabled Australian troops to fight effectively in the trenches.
In February 1917 Ted was briefly admitted to hospital sick before returning to duty. A few months later he found himself in minor trouble on two occasions when he was absent from morning parade, receiving small punishments that reflected relatively minor breaches of discipline rather than serious misconduct.
TRENCH FEVER JULY 1917
During July 1917 Ted was struck down by severe trench fever, a debilitating disease spread by lice that afflicted thousands of soldiers on the Western Front. Evacuated through casualty clearing stations and general hospitals, he was eventually transferred to England in August. His illness was serious enough to require treatment at the 2nd Southern General Hospital in Bristol before further convalescence at Dartford and the command depots responsible for returning recovering soldiers to active service
MARRIAGE DECEMBER 1917
While stationed in England, Ted experienced a happier event amidst the hardships of war. On 15 December 1917 he married Ethel Bowden, a varnish warehouse worker from Walworth, at the Southwark Register Office. It was a brief but significant respite from military life and marked the beginning of a new chapter in his personal life.
RETURNED TO FRANCE MARCH 1918
Following further training at Longbridge Deverell and Heytesbury, Ted returned to France in March 1918 and rejoined active service. After nearly four years in uniform, he was once again serving with the guns on the Western Front as the war entered its final and most demanding phase.
After rejoining his battery Ted returned to the familiar routine of artillery service on the Western Front. The German Spring Offensive had erupted only days earlier and the Allied armies were engaged in a desperate struggle to halt the enemy advance. Although the guns of the 4th Divisional Artillery were heavily involved in supporting Australian operations during this critical period, Ted's return to active service was to be short-lived.
INJURY TO FOOT MAY 1918 MEDICAL CHAIN
In early May 1918 he suffered a serious accidental injury when his left foot was crushed, fracturing the great toe. Whether the injury occurred during the movement of ammunition, artillery equipment or horses is not recorded, but such accidents were not uncommon in the crowded and hazardous environment of an artillery battery. The injury was severe enough to require evacuation through the medical system. Ted was admitted to the 61st Casualty Clearing Station before being transferred to the 26th General Hospital at Étaples and later to the 72nd General Hospital at Trouville.
Despite prolonged treatment, the injury proved slow to heal. By July the fracture of the left great toe was still causing concern and he was transferred across the Channel to England. There he received further treatment at the County of Middlesex War Hospital at Napsbury, St Albans, before moving to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. Once sufficiently recovered, he was discharged to No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, where wounded and sick Australian soldiers underwent rehabilitation and assessment.
Although the war continued, it became clear that Ted's injury would prevent an early return to active service. After further medical review he was transferred to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth and was subsequently approved for return to Australia. The official reason recorded was an accidental fracture of the first phalanx of the left great toe. Having served overseas for more than three years, including lengthy service with the Australian artillery in Egypt, on the Western Front and through some of the most demanding periods of the war, Ted's military career came to an end not through enemy action but as the result of an unfortunate accident while on active service.
GOING HOME
Edward embarked on the SS Sardinia on the 19th October 1918
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
REPORT ON ACCIDENT OR SELF-INFLICTED INJURIES JANUARY 1919
An enquiry was held on the 21ST January 1919 about Ted’s foot injury. Major Hodgens reported “Bostock evidently attempted to mount a G S Wagon whilst it was in motion, but slipped off and the wheel of the wagon went over his foot. I am aware of no order forbidding anyone to mount a vehicle whilst it is in motion. He should not have ridden without a permit but there was no officer present from whom he could obtain one. I do not consider him to blame for the injury”
The result was “purely accidental injury and though the injured man is to blame, I do not consider disciplinary action required” The case was closed – the casualty is classed injury accident.
DISCHARGED MARCH 1919
Edward could not be discharged until the enquiry about his accident was held. As he was not held liable, he was able to be discharged on the 2nd March 1919
For his service Ted was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Dungay Public School WW1 Honour Roll and the Parish of Murwillumbah First World War Roll of Honour
DEATH
According to the Courier Mail (Brisbane) dd 12 June 1993 Ted died in June 1993 and was to be cremated. Ted was late of Indooroopilly, formerly of Murwillumbah
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
Dungay Public School WW1 Honour Roll and the Parish of Murwillumbah First World War Roll of
Buried Location
We do not know the burial location of this individual
