Lance Corporal Donald Cullen
Service #: 1648
Summary
Donald Cullen was born c 1889 in Balmain.
ATTESTATION
Donald visited the Murwillumbah Recruitment Centre on the 15th January 1915 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was a single man and gave his occupation as labourer. His next of kin was Mrs. J. O. Hansen of Byangum. He had been a member of the Uki Rifle Club
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
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, Donald Cullen, 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
SO, HELP ME, GOD.”
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MEDICAL EXAMINATION
Donald was 26 years 3 months old. He was 5ft 4 ½ inches tall (1.63m) and weighed 9 stone 11 lbs (62kgs). He had a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. His eye sight was good. Donald 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. Donald was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 12th February 1915. 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 with the 3rd reinforcements 9th Battalion with service number 1648
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. 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.
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.
Bernard 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. Bernard 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 FEBRUARY 1915
On the 13th February 1915 the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Seang Choon A49. Alongside his comrades, Donald marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.
SLEEPING & LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.
Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.
DAILY ROUTINE
Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic—drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.
MEALS
Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.
HEALTH & SANITATION
Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.
THE VOYAGE EXPERIENCE
Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. To keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.
The troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection
CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY
The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.
SIGHTS AT SEA
On the way to Egypt the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.
SECURITY
By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes.
APPROACHING EGYPT
After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the sandy training grounds of Egypt, preparing for what lay ahead.
EGYPTIAN TRAINING CAMP APRIL 1915
The men would have caught the troop train to the camp site. When the train finally rattled into the siding near the camp, Donald found himself staring at an extraordinary sight — the vast Pyramids looming on the horizon, their ancient stones glowing gold in the late afternoon sun. Rows of khaki tents stretched out across the sand, the dust curling in little eddies around the tent pegs.
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. Then formal training began
Life at the camp was nothing like the camp back home. Here, the desert heat was intense even in the early hours, and the days began with the bugler’s call well before sunrise. The men formed up on the sandy parade ground, rifles over their shoulders, boots sinking into the powdery surface as they marched in formation. Drill sessions were longer and harder than anything they had experienced in Australia — endless turns, wheeling movements, and column changes designed to make the battalion move as a single, disciplined unit.
Weapons training was constant. Donald practised rapid loading and firing with his Lee–Enfield until the action felt like second nature. Bayonet drills took on a fierce intensity: lunging, parrying, and withdrawing in perfect rhythm under the watchful eye of the instructors. There was musketry practice at the range, too, where the sound of rifle fire cracked sharply across the desert, the targets standing out as black specks against the glaring sand.
Route marches tested endurance. Fully equipped with packs, rifles, and webbing, the men marched for miles through the heat haze, learning to pace themselves and conserve water. Sand found its way into every seam of clothing, into boots and rifles, and the men soon understood that maintaining their kit — keeping it clean and in working order — could mean the difference between life and death.
There was also instruction in trench construction and maintenance. Under the relentless sun, Donald helped dig and reinforce shallow practice trenches, learning how to build firing steps, drainage channels, and parapets. Though the work was exhausting, it gave the men an idea of the conditions they would soon face on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
Evenings brought some relief. After the day’s training, Donald and his mates might head into Cairo, where the narrow lanes bustled with traders calling their wares and the air was rich with the smell of cooking fires, sweet pastries, and tobacco smoke. The muezzin’s call to prayer echoed over the rooftops, mingling with the laughter of soldiers from across the Empire. On rest days, they visited the Pyramids and posed for photographs, the Sphinx silent and inscrutable behind them.
Yet even in those moments of wonder, the reality of war was never far away. News from Gallipoli trickled back to camp — of heavy casualties, of comrades who had not returned. Each man knew their time was coming.
GALLIPOLI MAY 1915
Donald joined the 9th Battalion at Gallipoli on 9 May 1915, arriving as a reinforcement during one of the most difficult periods of the campaign. The battalion had already suffered heavy casualties during the landing and subsequent fighting around Anzac Cove, and newly arrived reinforcements were urgently needed to maintain its strength. During the months that followed he would have shared in the hardships that became synonymous with Gallipoli—constant enemy fire, cramped trenches, poor sanitation, flies, heat during summer and bitter weather as winter approached.
JANUARY 1916 MUDROS
Following the evacuation of Gallipoli in December 1915, Donald left Mudros with the battalion and on 4 January 1916 disembarked at Alexandria, Egypt. There the AIF underwent a major reorganisation and expansion. The experienced Gallipoli veterans spent the next few months training, rebuilding their strength and preparing for service on a new battlefield.
FRANCE APRIL 1916
On 3 April 1916 Donald sailed from Egypt aboard the Saxonia and disembarked at Marseilles, France. Like thousands of Australians arriving that spring, he was entering an entirely different war. Instead of the steep gullies and ridges of Gallipoli, he now faced the vast trench systems of the Western Front.
JULY 1916
During the battalion's service in France Donald remained with his unit until he was wounded in action on 21 July 1916. This was during the fighting around Pozières, one of the bloodiest battles in Australian military history. The 9th Battalion had entered the line as part of the Australian assault on the German positions, and casualties were extremely heavy from shellfire and machine-gun fire.
BATTLE OF POZIERES JULY AND AUGUST 1917
The Battle of Pozières took place during the Battle of the Somme. Australian forces played a crucial role, capturing the village of Pozières and enduring relentless German artillery bombardments, losing as many men in a few weeks as they did over eight months on Gallipoli. Less than one third of the Australian reinforcements had fought at Gallipoli; they were largely inexperienced and ill-prepared to deal with the deadly onslaught of the battle-hardened machine that was the German Imperial Army.
The battle was marked by intense fighting, with Australian divisions suffering heavy casualties—over 23,000 men, including 6,800 killed or dying of wounds. Despite the losses, the Australians secured the high ground, which was vital for further Allied operations. On 29 July 1916 official Australian war correspondent Charles Bean recorded in his diary: “Pozieres Ridge is more densely sown with Australian sacrifice than any other place on earth”
WOUNDED IN ACTION- MEDICAL CHAIN
Donald suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was evacuated through the medical chain. He was admitted to the 1st/2nd South Midland Casualty Clearing Station on 22 July before being transferred to the 44th Casualty Clearing Station. Casualty Clearing Stations were located several miles behind the front and acted as advanced surgical hospitals where wounded men received urgent treatment before being moved further from the battlefield.
On 24 July he was transferred to the 4th General Hospital at Camiers on the French coast. Once his condition had stabilised, he was evacuated across the English Channel aboard the hospital ship Brighton on 28 July 1916 and admitted to the Military Hospital at Chatham, England. A chest wound was considered serious and recovery was often slow, with considerable risk of infection and complications.
FURLOUHG AND CONVALESCENT CAMP AUGUST 1916
After nearly a month of treatment he was granted furlough on 23 August 1916. Such leave allowed recovering soldiers a short period away from military hospitals before returning to convalescent duties. Two days later he entered No. 1 Convalescent Depot, where men gradually rebuilt their strength through light duties, exercise and medical supervision before being declared fit for more demanding military training.
BULFORD HOSPITAL VENEREAL DISEASE OCTOBER 1916
Unfortunately, Donald's troubles were not over. On 25 October 1916 he was admitted to Bulford suffering from venereal disease and remained under treatment for thirty-seven days. Venereal disease was a persistent problem throughout the British and Australian armies. Treatment was often lengthy and unpleasant, involving repeated medical procedures and strict supervision. Men undergoing treatment were generally confined to camp and could not return to active service until declared cured.
The sense of adventure, the loneliness, and the loss of family life that overwhelmed many of the overseas volunteers during the First World War often found them on leave in large cities or small towns where alcohol and women were plentiful, and a lack of available prophylaxis allowed the spread of diseases such as gonorrhoea and syphilis to reach epidemic levels. Historians claim that the average incidence rate for this disease in the AIF was around 12 per cent
During World War I, the Bulford base camp on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, housed the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital (1ADH). It served as a specialized facility for treating sexually transmitted diseases
Treatment for venereal disease in the Australian Imperial Force during WWI primarily involved hospitalisation, strict rest, and medical therapies available at the time. Soldiers were often treated with salvarsan (an arsenic-based compound) or mercury-based preparations, which were administered by injection or topical application. These treatments aimed to cure the infection but could be uncomfortable and required careful monitoring due to side effects. In addition to drug therapy, patients were given regular medical inspections, hygiene instruction, and restrictions on activity until fully recovered.
BRIGADE HOSPITAL DECEMBER 1916
After discharge from Bulford, he was marched in from the Brigade Hospital on 3 December 1916, but his health continued to be troublesome. On 18 December he was admitted to Parkhouse Hospital suffering from a severe cold or respiratory illness. Conditions in the crowded camps on Salisbury Plain during winter were notorious for producing coughs, influenza and chest complaints. He recovered sufficiently to be discharged from Fargo Hospital on Christmas Eve.
FARGO HOSPITAL APPENDICITIS JANUARY 1917
Only a few days later, however, Donald was again hospitalised. On 6 January 1917 he was admitted to Fargo Hospital at Salisbury suffering from appendicitis. At the time appendicitis was a potentially dangerous condition because the inflamed appendix could rupture and cause life-threatening infection. Military surgeons generally treated the condition promptly by surgical removal of the appendix.
RECOVERY SUTTON VENEY FEBRUARY 1917
On 10 February 1917 he was transferred to the military hospital at Sutton Veny, one of the principal Australian hospitals on Salisbury Plain. Sutton Veny specialised in the longer-term recovery and rehabilitation of Australian soldiers. Following his operation, he would have spent several weeks regaining his strength under medical supervision before being assessed for a return to military duties. After surviving Gallipoli, a serious chest wound on the Somme, venereal disease, respiratory illness and appendicitis within less than two years of service, Donald had already endured far more than many soldiers experienced during their entire war.
FEBRUARY 1917
By February 1917 Donald had finally recovered sufficiently from his appendicitis operation to begin the long process of returning to active service.
On 27 February 1917 he was granted furlough, a welcome break after many months spent moving between hospitals and convalescent depots. His orders required him to report to Weymouth on 17 March. Such leave allowed soldiers to spend time away from military supervision, often visiting friends or relatives or simply enjoying a brief taste of civilian life before returning to duty.
MARRIAGE MARCH 1917
On the 11th March 1917 Donald married Alice Brown in London
WEYMOUTH MARCH 1917
On 18 March he was marched in from the Australian Hospital Camp (AHC), and on 23 March was formally marched in from Weymouth. These administrative entries marked his return to the military training system. Although recovered, he was not yet considered fit enough for front-line service and was therefore sent to the camps on Salisbury Plain for further assessment and physical conditioning.
FITNESS CLASSIFICATION APRIL 1917
On 1 April 1917 he arrived at Hurdcott and was classified as B1A. The British Army's medical classification system graded a soldier's fitness for service. A B1 classification meant he was fit for overseas duty but not yet considered fully fit for the rigours of front-line combat. Given his chest wound, venereal disease treatment and recent appendicitis operation, the Army understandably wished to ensure he was completely recovered before sending him back to France.
His fitness continued to improve and on 22 April he was reclassified B1A3, followed by B1A4 on 29 April. These progressive classifications indicate that military doctors were satisfied with his recovery and that he was steadily regaining the physical condition required for active service.
On 13 May he was marched out to the Drafting Depot at Perham Downs. This camp assembled reinforcements and recovered soldiers before they were returned overseas. There Donald would have undergone refresher training, route marches, musketry practice, trench routines and the latest lessons learned from the fighting in France.
DISCIPLINED JUNE 1917
While at Perham Downs he committed a minor offence. On 16 June 1917 he was charged with being absent without leave from 9.00 pm on 6 June until 5.00 am on 7 June. The offence amounted to only eight hours and was evidently not considered serious. Major Steel awarded him an admonishment—the lightest form of military punishment—and forfeiture of one day's pay. The penalty suggests that Donald had a good record and that the incident was viewed as a lapse rather than deliberate misconduct.
FRANCE JULY 1917
Having completed his retraining, Donald left England on 16 July 1917, proceeding overseas from Perham Downs via Southampton. The following day he marched into the Australian reinforcement camps in France, where returned wounded men were equipped, processed and prepared to rejoin their units at the front.
On 28 July he marched out to rejoin the 9th Battalion. The battalion at this time was heavily engaged in preparations for the forthcoming operations in Belgium, where the Third Battle of Ypres, later known as Passchendaele, was underway.
REJOINED UNIT
Donald finally rejoined the 9th Battalion on 11 August 1917, more than a year after being wounded at Pozières. His return marked the end of a long period of recovery that had included a serious gunshot wound to the chest, multiple hospitalisations and surgery for appendicitis.
TEMPORARY CORPORAL SEPTEMBER 1917
On 1 September 1917 Donald was appointed temporary Corporal, replacing Corporal Kerr, and was attached to the 3rd Training Battalion
SEPTEMBER 1917
His return to active service was unfortunately short-lived.
On 20 September 1917 Donald was wounded in action in Belgium, suffering a gunshot wound to his left elbow. The date is significant, as it coincides with the opening of the Battle of Menin Road Ridge, one of the major Australian operations during the Third Battle of Ypres. The 9th Battalion was heavily involved in the attack, advancing behind a carefully planned creeping barrage against well-prepared German positions. Although the operation was ultimately successful, casualties remained substantial from machine-gun fire, artillery and snipers.
BATTLE OF MENIN ROAD 20TH TO 25TH SEPTEMBER 1917
The battalion was moved to Belgium again, where they joined the battle at Menin Road. This was an offensive operation, part of the Third Battle of Ypres on the Western Front, undertaken by the British Second Army to take sections of the curving ridge, east of Ypres, which the Menin Road crossed. This action saw the first involvement of Australian units (1st and 2nd Divisions AIF) in the Third Battle of Ypres. The attack was successful along its entire front, though the advancing troops had to overcome formidable entrenched German defensive positions which included mutually supporting concrete pill-box strongpoints and resist fierce German counter-attacks. A feature of this battle was the intensity of the opening British artillery support. The two AIF Divisions sustained 5,013 casualties in the action
WOUNDED IN ACTION
After being hit, Donald was evacuated through the familiar chain of medical stations. He first passed through the 6th Field Ambulance on 20 September. Field Ambulances were not hospitals in the modern sense but mobile medical units positioned close behind the fighting. Here his wound would have been cleaned, dressed and assessed before he was sent further to the rear.
Later the same day he was admitted to the 10th Casualty Clearing Station. These facilities performed emergency surgery and stabilised wounded men before deciding whether they could return to duty quickly or required evacuation to a larger hospital.
HOSPITAL ETAPLES SEPTEMBER 1917
On 21 September he was transferred to the 2nd Canadian General Hospital at Etaples. Despite its name, the hospital treated soldiers from throughout the Allied forces. Etaples was one of the largest medical centres on the Western Front, containing numerous hospitals and convalescent facilities. A gunshot wound to the elbow could be particularly troublesome because of the risk of shattered bone, infection and long-term stiffness affecting the use of the arm.
CONVALESCENCE OCTOBER 1917
By 3 October Donald's condition had improved sufficiently for transfer to the 3rd Convalescent Depot at Etaples. Here recovering soldiers underwent rehabilitation and light duties while medical officers assessed their fitness for further service.
REVERT TO LANCE CORPORAL
On 13 October he reverted to the rank of Lance Corporal upon evacuation. This was a common administrative action. Temporary or acting rank was usually forfeited when a soldier left his unit through wounds, illness or transfer. The reversion did not necessarily reflect poorly on his conduct; it simply meant the battalion required the position to be filled by someone present with the unit.
RECOVERY NOVEMBER 1917
Donald continued his recovery through October and November. On 27 November he was discharged to Base Details, meaning he was considered fit enough to leave medical supervision and return to the reinforcement system.
Two days later, on 29 November 1917, he joined the 1st Australian Divisional Base Depot at Le Havre. The depot acted as a holding and processing centre for men returning from hospitals before they were sent back to their battalions. There he would have been re-equipped, medically examined and assigned to a reinforcement draft.
REJOINED UNIT DECEMBER 1917
Finally, on 22 December 1917, Donald rejoined the 9th Battalion. Remarkably, this was the second time he had fought his way back from a serious wound. Since arriving at Gallipoli in 1915 he had endured the Gallipoli campaign, a gunshot wound to the chest at Pozières, lengthy hospitalisation in England, appendicitis requiring surgery, and now a second battle wound in Belgium. Yet despite these setbacks, he once again returned to his comrades in the front line as the war entered its fourth year.
BRIGADE SCHOOL JANUARY 1918
On 26 January 1918 he attended the Brigade School in the field. These schools provided refresher instruction for experienced soldiers and training in the latest tactical developments learned from years of trench warfare. Having served at Gallipoli, on the Somme and in Belgium, Donald was now regarded as a seasoned veteran whose experience was valuable both in battle and in training younger soldiers.
HOSPITALISED TORTICOLLIS MARCH 1918
His time with the battalion was again interrupted on 1 March 1918 when he was admitted to the 33rd Casualty Clearing Depot suffering from torticollis, sometimes called "wry neck." The condition causes painful spasms and contraction of the neck muscles, forcing the head into an abnormal position and often making movement extremely difficult. In soldiers it could develop following strain, injury, prolonged exposure to cold and wet conditions, or as part of a functional nervous disorder brought on by the stresses of prolonged service.
The following day he was transferred to the 36th General Hospital at Boulogne. As his condition failed to improve sufficiently, he was evacuated to England on 6 March and admitted to the 1st Birmingham War Hospital. This was one of Britain's largest military hospitals and specialised in treating serious and long-term cases.
TONSILITIS APRIL 1918
While undergoing treatment, Donald developed tonsillitis and on 18 April was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital in Birmingham. Tonsillitis was common in the crowded military camps and hospitals of the period and could be particularly debilitating for men already weakened by illness.
JUNE 1918
By early June his condition had improved enough for him to be granted furlough. On 4 June 1918 he left hospital for Dartford and was instructed to report to Hurdcott upon completion of his leave. He marched in from furlough on 18 June and resumed the process of medical assessment and rehabilitation.
His recovery, however, remained incomplete. On 29 June he was admitted to hospital at Fovant while at Hurdcott. Although the exact complaint is not recorded in the entries you have, it was almost certainly related to the continuing neck condition for which he had already spent several months under treatment. Fovant was one of the major military camps on Salisbury Plain and contained extensive medical facilities for men undergoing rehabilitation.
JULY 1918
He was discharged back to the training depot on 6 July and marched in from Fovant the following day. Despite these efforts, medical authorities were increasingly doubtful that he would regain sufficient fitness for active service.
Convalescence AUGUST 1918
On 22 August 1918 Donald was transferred to No. 2 Convalescent Depot and classified B2b. This medical category indicated a significant reduction in physical fitness. Men in the B2 class were generally considered unsuitable for front-line combat but capable of certain forms of lighter military duty. The classification suggests that his condition had become chronic rather than temporary.
The following day he was marched in from No. 3 Convalescent Depot at Weymouth as the authorities continued to assess his future. By this stage the Australian Army was reviewing many long-term medical cases and determining whether they could ever return to active service.
GOING HOME SEPTEMBER 1918
The final decision came on 27 September 1918 when Donald was selected for return to Australia aboard the transport Runic for discharge on medical grounds. The diagnosis was recorded as Functional Torticollis. The use of the word "functional" is particularly significant. Military doctors of the First World War often used this term when no permanent physical injury could be identified, but the symptoms remained very real and disabling. Today such conditions might be recognised as neurological or psychological disorders arising from the immense physical and emotional strain of prolonged warfare.
Donald had served continuously since 1914 and had experienced almost every major hardship endured by the AIF. He had fought at Gallipoli, served on the Western Front, been wounded twice, suffered serious illness, undergone surgery for appendicitis, and spent years moving between battlefields, hospitals and convalescent depots. By 1918 the cumulative effects of these experiences had taken their toll.
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
DISCHARGED APRIL 1919
Returning to Australia before the war ended, Donald was finally discharged on 19 April 1919. His service had spanned more than four years and included campaigns in Gallipoli, Egypt, France, Belgium and England. Although he did not remain in uniform until the Armistice, few men had given more. His record tells the story of a resilient soldier who repeatedly recovered from wounds and illness to return to duty, only for the accumulated burden of war to eventually force his retirement from military service.
For his service Donald was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
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Buried Location
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