FAMILY LIFE

William George Masterson was born in 1897 in Milton, son of Thomas & Anna Masterson.

Australia’s involvement in the First World War began when Britain and Germany went to war on 4 August 1914, and both Prime Minister Joseph Cook and Opposition Leader Andrew Fisher pledged full support for Britain. Britain was Australia’s closet ally, best trading partner and the source of most of Australia’s immigrants. The outbreak of war was greeted in Australia, as in many other places, with great enthusiasm.

There were many reasons why Australian men volunteered to join the forces- the pay was good (5shillings per day), they shared Britain’s values & culture, they thought it would be an adventure and family or friends had joined and they thought they should go as well.

ATTESTATION

He was single labourer, eager to do his bit. He travelled to Lismore on 21^st September 1914 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his mother, Mrs A. Masterson, of Murwillumbah. He had been with the local 4^th Light Horse for the last 2 months and was still serving with them

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

His medical showed he was 18 years 11 months old, 5ft 9 ¾ inches tall (1.79m), weighed 11 stone 4 lbs (74kgs), with a dark complexion, brown eyes & black hair. His eyesight was good

He was Protestant and had a scar on his left leg.  He was enlisted as a private into the 5th Light Horse Regiment, B Squadron with service No 123

TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA

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

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

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

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

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

VOYAGE OVERSEAS

On 19^TH December 1914 his unit caught the troop train from Brisbane to Sydney and the unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A34 Persic on 21 December 1914.

Alongside his comrades, he marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.

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

Sleeping & Living Arrangements

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

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

Daily Routine

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

Meals

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

Health & Sanitation

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

The Voyage Experience

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

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

CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY

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

SIGHTS AT SEA

On the way to 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. For most, it was their first sight of a foreign country, and 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.

EGYTPIAN TRAINING CAMP JANUARY 1915

When William stepped aboard the Persic in Sydney on 9 December 1914, he was one of hundreds of fresh recruits bound for a war that had already begun reshaping the world. The ship carried the men of the 5th Light Horse Regiment who had trained briefly at Enoggera and Liverpool before embarking. The journey to Egypt was long, but it was also filled with anticipation, camaraderie, and the unknown.

Upon arrival in Egypt in early February 1915, William found himself at Maadi Camp, just outside Cairo. This sprawling desert encampment became the temporary home for thousands of Australian troops. For William, the days were filled with intensive training: musketry, bayonet practice, trench digging, and endless drills under the harsh Egyptian sun. Though the Light Horse were mounted troops, it quickly became clear that their horses would not be joining them at Gallipoli. The terrain was unsuitable, and the campaign demanded infantry support.

William trained as a soldier on foot. He learned to fight in close quarters, to move silently across rocky ground, and to endure the discomforts of desert life. The camp itself was a strange blend of military discipline and exotic surroundings—camels wandered near the tents, and the pyramids loomed in the distance like ancient sentinels.

During these months, the 5th Light Horse Regiment remained in Egypt, preparing for a role that was still uncertain. The Gallipoli landings had begun in April, but the Light Horse were initially held back. Commanders feared the peninsula’s rugged terrain would be too difficult for mounted units. But as casualties mounted and reinforcements were needed, plans changed.

JOINED MEDITERRANEAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES MAY 1915

On 16 May 1915, William and his regiment were ordered to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (MEF) at Gallipoli. They would go without their horses, serving as infantry in one of the most brutal theatres of the war. The months of training, the long wait in Egypt, and the growing awareness of the horrors unfolding on the peninsula had steeled William for what lay ahead.

MAY TO SEPTEMBER 1915

Defending the Suez Canal – Serapeum Sector

After marching out to Serapeum from Maadi in late February, William joined his unit in a vital defensive role. The Suez Canal was a strategic lifeline for the British Empire, and the Ottoman forces had already attempted to breach it in 1915. By early 1916, the canal’s southern approaches were heavily fortified, and the ANZAC Mounted Division, including the 5th Light Horse, was tasked with patrolling and securing this vast desert frontier.

Trench construction and fortification: The regiment helped build and maintain defensive positions along the canal zone, digging trenches in the harsh desert terrain.

Mounted patrols: Daily reconnaissance missions were conducted deep into the Sinai Desert to monitor Ottoman movements and Bedouin activity. These long-range patrols were gruelling, often covering dozens of miles in extreme heat.

Training and reorganization: Having recently returned from Gallipoli, the regiment was rebuilding its strength. New reinforcements arrived, and soldiers underwent refresher training in marksmanship, horsemanship, and desert survival.

Health challenges: The desert climate was unforgiving. Dust storms, heat exhaustion, and water scarcity made conditions tough. Illnesses like dysentery and influenza were common, and medical units were kept busy.

This period was one of transition—from the muddy trenches of Gallipoli to the sun-scorched sands of Sinai. Though not engaged in major combat, the work was physically demanding and strategically crucial.

HOSPITALISED GASTRITIS SEPTEMBER 1916

After the brutal months at Gallipoli, William’s body began to show the strain. On 6 September 1915, he was evacuated aboard the HS Gloucester Castle, a British hospital ship that ferried the wounded from Anzac Cove to Alexandria. He was suffering from gastritis—a painful inflammation of the stomach lining, likely brought on by the relentless stress, poor rations, and exposure on the peninsula.

By 20 September, William was admitted to No. 3 Auxiliary Hospital in Heliopolis, Cairo. This hospital, housed in the elegant Heliopolis Sporting Club building, was a world away from the trenches. Palmwood bedframes, marble staircases, and electric lights offered a surreal contrast to the mud and blood of Gallipoli. Here, William would have received rest, nourishment, and medical care from Australian nurses and doctors who had transformed this luxurious venue into a haven for recovery.

REJOINED UNIT FEBRUARY 1916

After months of convalescence, William was deemed fit enough to return to duty. On 26 February 1916, he marched out from Maadi Camp to Serapeum, a strategic location near the Suez Canal. At Serapeum, Australian troops were constructing defensive trench systems to protect the canal from Ottoman advances. William likely participated in this work—digging, patrolling, and training—though there is no record yet of him rejoining the 5th Light Horse Regiment.

HOSPITALISATION INFLEUNZA MAY 1916

Then, in May, illness struck again. On 3 May, William was admitted with influenza to the 1st Lowland Field Ambulance, a mobile medical unit staffed by the Royal Army Medical Corps. Within days, his condition worsened, and he was transferred to the 31st General Hospital in Port Said on 8 May. This British hospital, housed in a converted warehouse on the banks of the Suez Canal, treated soldiers from across the Empire.

CONVALESENCE MAY 1916

On 9 May, William was moved again—this time to the 3rd Australian Base Hospital in Abassia, Cairo. This facility, once an old harem, had been repurposed to care for Australian troops. It was here that William finally began to recover.

REJOINED UNIT JUNE 1916

By 2 June, he rejoined his unit, having endured nearly nine months of illness, recovery, and movement across Egypt.

William’s journey during this period was not one of combat, but of survival. His resilience—through gastritis, influenza, and the long road back to health—was a quiet testament to the endurance demanded of every soldier, even when the battlefield was far behind.

JUNE–JULY 1916

After months of recovery from illness, William rejoined the 5th Light Horse Regiment in early 1916, just as the unit was settling into its new role defending the Suez Canal. Stationed at Serapeum, the regiment was part of the ANZAC Mounted Division, tasked with protecting one of the British Empire’s most vital arteries from Ottoman attack.

DISCIPLINED JUNE 1916

It was during this time, on 23 June, that William was disciplined for “losing on neglect beef from iron ration”—a minor but serious offence, as iron rations were emergency supplies meant to be preserved at all costs. He received one day Field Punishment No 2

Field Punishment No. 2 was a disciplinary measure used by the British Army during the First World War. The soldier was placed in handcuffs or fetters, but not attached to a fixed object. He remained mobile and could march with his unit

The work was relentless. Under the blistering Egyptian sun, William and his comrades conducted long-range patrols across the Sinai Desert, scouting for enemy movement and mapping the harsh terrain. They built defensive trenches, trained in desert warfare, and endured the punishing heat, dust storms, and water shortages. Though no major battles erupted during this time, the threat of a renewed Turkish offensive loomed large.

The regiment was based near Dueidar, conducting mounted patrols across the desert to monitor Ottoman movements and protect water sources.

The terrain was unforgiving—sand dunes, scorching heat, and long distances. Horses were vital, and men were constantly on alert.

By July 1916, intelligence confirmed that a sizable Ottoman-German force was advancing across the Sinai, aiming to strike the canal once more. The British commander, General Archibald Murray, ordered Major-General Harry Chauvel and the ANZAC Mounted Division to prepare for a decisive stand. Chauvel chose the Romani tableland, a stretch of high ground near the town of Romani, as the battlefield. The Australians dug in, acclimatised to the brutal conditions, and waited.

AUGUST 1916 THE BATTLE OF ROMANI

Then, in the early hours of 4 August 1916, the silence of the desert shattered. Turkish troops surged forward under cover of darkness, aiming to punch through the thin defensive line and sweep around the escarpment to outflank the Australians. The fighting was chaotic and brutal. William’s regiment, part of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade, was thrown into the fray—charging, retreating, and counterattacking across the dunes.

The battle raged for two days. The Australians, though outnumbered, used their mobility and knowledge of the terrain to devastating effect. Chauvel had anticipated the Turkish maneuver and placed troops on the high ground, who now sprang into action and repelled the flanking force. By 5 August, the Ottoman dream of capturing the canal was shattered. Over 9,000 enemy casualties, including 4,000 prisoners, marked the scale of the defeat.

For William, Romani was more than a battle—it was a turning point. The victory secured the canal and marked the beginning of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, where the ANZAC Mounted Division would shift from defence to offense, pursuing the retreating enemy deep into the desert.

SEPTEMBER–DECEMBER 1916

Following Romani, the regiment advanced eastward, pursuing retreating Ottoman forces. They moved through Bir el Abd, El Arish, and toward Magdhaba, engaging in skirmishes and securing strategic positions.

THE BATTLE OF MAGHABA DECEMBER 1916

The desert dawn on 23 December 1916 broke cold and clear, the kind of morning that carried a deceptive stillness. William, along with the rest of the 5th Light Horse Regiment, had ridden through the night from El Arish, their silhouettes barely visible against the pale sands of the Sinai. They were part of a swift-moving column under Major General Harry Chauvel, tasked with striking the Ottoman garrison at Magdhaba—a remote outpost nestled along the Wadi el Arish, some forty kilometres inland.

The Turks had fortified the position with a series of redoubts—low, sandbagged emplacements linked by trenches and bristling with machine guns. It was not a town so much as a scattering of huts and dugouts, but its location made it a threat to the British advance. Chauvel knew speed was essential. The enemy had to be crushed before they could regroup or retreat.

As the sun climbed higher, the Light Horse dismounted and began their advance on foot. The sand was soft and treacherous, the air dry and biting. William moved in silence, rifle at the ready, eyes scanning the horizon for the telltale glint of gun barrels. The Australians fanned out, encircling the redoubts with methodical precision. Artillery thundered from the rear, sending plumes of dust skyward, while the troopers pressed forward in short, sharp bursts—advancing, firing, ducking for cover.

The Turks fought stubbornly, their machine guns raking the open ground. But the Australians were relentless. By mid-afternoon, the outer defences had begun to crumble. In one daring manoeuvre, two troops charged directly into the heart of the Turkish line, breaking through and sowing confusion. William, caught in the surge, found himself scrambling over sandbags and into the enemy trench, the acrid smell of cordite thick in the air.

By late afternoon, the resistance had collapsed. Chauvel demanded unconditional surrender, and the Turkish commander, seeing his position untenable, complied. Over 1,200 prisoners were taken, along with weapons, supplies, and—most crucially—intact wells that would sustain the next leg of the campaign.

For William, Magdhaba was a hard-earned victory. It wasn’t just the triumph of tactics or firepower—it was proof that the Light Horse could fight and win in the deep desert, far from the comforts of supply lines or established bases. The battle marked a turning point, the beginning of a new phase in the war where mounted troops would lead the advance into Palestine.

As the sun dipped below the dunes and the wounded were tended, William sat with his mates, boots dusty, hands blistered, heart pounding. The desert had tested them, but they had prevailed.

JANUARY 1917 BATTLE OF RAFA

After Magdhaba, the regiment barely paused. Within days, they were on the move again, this time toward Rafa, another fortified Turkish position near the border of Palestine. On 9 January 1917, the 5th Light Horse took part in the Battle of Rafa, a swift and coordinated assault that ended in another Allied victory. William would have been part of the mounted advance, dismounting to fight through sand and scrub as the Australians overwhelmed the enemy redoubts.

MARCH 1917 GAZA

With Rafa secured, the campaign shifted focus to the heavily defended town of Gaza. The first attempt to take Gaza came on 26–27 March 1917. The 5th Light Horse was tasked with attacking from the rear, fighting through orchards and narrow lanes. William would have experienced intense close-quarters combat, only to be ordered to withdraw just as success seemed within reach. It was a bitter moment—victory snatched away by cautious command decisions.

APRIL 1917 SECOND ASSAULT GAZA

A second assault followed on 19 April, but again the attack faltered. The terrain was unforgiving, and the Turkish defences were formidable. The regiment suffered casualties and endured long days of heat, dust, and frustration. Between battles, William and his mates returned to patrolling, escort duties, and maintaining supply lines across the desert. The campaign was grinding, and morale was tested.

REST CAMP AUGUST 1917

By August 1917, after months of hard service, William was sent to Anzac Rest Camp at Marakeb, near the Mediterranean coast. It was a rare chance to recover—fresh food, sea breezes, and a break from the relentless desert operations. For three weeks, he rested, likely reflecting on the battles behind and the ones still to come. He rejoined his unit on 5^th September 1917

SCHOOL OF INSTRUCTION SEPTEMBER 1917

After returning from the Anzac Rest Camp in early September 1917, William was given the opportunity to attend the School of Instruction at Zeitoun, just outside Cairo. The school was designed to take capable men and sharpen their skills through short, intensive courses, producing instructors and leaders for the regiments in the field. William attended Course No. 31, where he studied horsemanship, weapon handling, musketry, signalling, and field tactics. His results were outstanding, achieving a score of 95%, and he rejoined the 5th Light Horse Regiment on 4 October 1917 as a well-qualified soldier whose training would have been valued within his troop.

THIRD BATTLE OF GAZA OCTOBER 1917

On his return, the regiment was already preparing for the great assault on Gaza. For weeks the Light Horse carried out long night rides, reconnaissance patrols, and outpost duties in the desert, constantly testing the enemy’s defences and seeking gaps in their lines. This culminated in the Third Battle of Gaza at the end of October.

BEERSHEBA NOVEMBER 1917

William and his comrades took part in the operations around Beersheba, where the mounted divisions executed one of the most daring manoeuvres of the war. While it was the 4th and 12th Light Horse who charged across the open plain to seize the wells, the 5th Light Horse pressed forward on the flank, helping secure the town and driving back the retreating Turks.

The advance continued through November as the regiment rode hard towards Tel el Khuweilfe and Sheria, often spending eighteen hours a day in the saddle. It was relentless, dusty work, but decisive: the Turkish defensive line finally cracked, and the mounted troops swept northwards.

JERUSALEM DECEMBER 1917

In December the 5th Light Horse were ordered into the Judean Hills during the drive on Jerusalem. Here the men faced a new challenge — cold rain, mud, and steep, stony country in place of open desert. Supplies were short, the horses struggled, and Turkish resistance was stubborn. Nevertheless, the city of Jerusalem fell to British forces on 9 December 1917, an event of great symbolic importance.

DECEMBER 1917 TO MARCH 1918

With the city secured, the regiment settled into a hard winter of outpost duty in the Judean Hills and Jordan Valley. The weather was bitterly cold, the ground waterlogged, and the men were often under fire from well-placed Turkish snipers. In between stints on the line, the regiment rotated through rest camps where they could recover strength. These camps gave the men some relief: the horses were watered, fed, and carefully groomed; tack was cleaned and repaired; and the men themselves took the chance to wash, write letters home, and catch up on long-neglected sleep. Games of football and cricket were organised when space and energy allowed, and concerts or impromptu singalongs around a campfire gave a moment’s reprieve from the harshness of campaign life. Even in these quieter periods, however, discipline remained tight — every man was responsible for his horse before himself, and inspections ensured both men and mounts were kept ready for sudden orders.

MARCH 1918

By March 1918, the Light Horse were preparing for the next phase of operations — the great raids across the Jordan River towards Amman. William, with his advanced training and the experience gained over the previous months, would have been a steady hand within his troop, well prepared for the hard fighting that lay ahead.

HOSPITALISED MARCH 1918

On 14 March 1918, William was admitted to hospital within the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, most likely suffering from a short bout of illness common to the campaign, such as fever or stomach complaints. His stay was brief, and after ten days of treatment and rest, he was discharged to duty on 24 March 1918, rejoining his regiment in time for the next phase of operations.

HOSPITALISED AGAIN MARCH 1918

On 24 March 1918, William was admitted to hospital at Wadi Hen Nein, where he remained until 18 May. Illness was common in the Jordan Valley, where the heat, poor water, and swarms of mosquitoes left many men suffering from fever, dysentery, or malaria. His long stay in hospital meant that he missed both the First and Second Amman Raids, hard-fought operations across the Jordan River where the Light Horse endured terrible marches, mountain fighting, and severe losses.

REJOINED UNIT JORDAN VALLEY MAY 1918

When William rejoined the regiment in May, the 5th Light Horse were holding the line in the Jordan Valley. This was some of the hardest service of the campaign, not because of the enemy but because of the conditions. The men endured scorching heat by day, freezing winds by night, and an endless plague of flies. Patrols and raids were constant, and sickness claimed more men than bullets. The Valley soon became known among the Australians as “the Valley of Death.”

SEPTEMBER 1918

By September, the regiment was withdrawn from the valley to take part in General Allenby’s great offensive, which swept northwards up the coastal plain of Palestine. The Light Horse moved quickly, seizing villages, capturing prisoners, and cutting Turkish lines of retreat. This final advance was fast and relentless, and the 5th Light Horse played a leading role in the pursuit.

OCTOBER APPOINTED LANCE CORPORAL

It was during this period of rapid movement and hard fighting that William’s ability and reliability were recognised, and on 5 October 1918 he was appointed Lance Corporal.

MOASCAR CAMP NOVEMBER 1918

On 8 November 1918, William was sent to the camp at Moascar, almost certainly owing to sickness. With the war drawing to a close, many men who were ill or medically unfit were withdrawn from the front and sent back through Egypt for return to Australia.

GOING HOME NOVEMBER 1918

From Moascar he marched out to Suez, where he embarked on the transport Port Darwin on 15 November 1918, beginning his voyage home. He disembarked on 7^th January 1919

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service William was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Rock Valley & District Roll of Honour

HOME LIFE

William married Phyllis Grace Vidler in Lismore in 1924

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