FAMILY LIFE

Ralph Forster was born in 1896 in Ballina, son of Ralph & Alice Forster. He was one of 6 children, with 4 sisters & one brother, Richard who also enlisted. Ralph Snr came to Australia in 1880, settled in Bega and came to live at Piggabeen 1908.

APPLICATION

Ralph enlisted on 3rd August 1915 at Brisbane. Ralph was almost 19, single & a farmer. His next of kin was his father, Ralph, of Piggabeen. His parents signed a letter giving their consent for Ralph to enlist. He was 5ft 6inches tall (1.68m) and weighed 162lbs (72kgs) with a dark complexion, brown eyes & dark brown hair.  He had a scar on his left buttock and his right knee. Ralph was Methodist. He signed a form giving his sister, Amy, the sum of 3/- per day, from the date of his embarkation.

The Examining Medical Officer stated that Ralph “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, Ralph Foster, 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.” 

He was recruited as a private in the 11th reinforcements 15th Infantry Battalion with service number 3294, but was taken on strength with the 47^th Battalion on 7^th March 1916.

15^TH INFANTRY BATTALION

The 15th Battalion AIF was raised from late September 1914, six weeks after the outbreak of the First World War. Three-quarters of the battalion were recruited as volunteers from Queensland, and the rest from Tasmania. With the 13th, 14th, and 16th Battalions it formed the 4th Brigade, commanded by Colonel John Monash. The 15th Battalion is remembered for its bravery and resilience during World War I

47TH INFANTRY BATTALION

The 47th Infantry Battalion was an Australian Army unit with a distinguished history during both World Wars. It was initially raised in February 1916 in Egypt as part of the expansion of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) following the Gallipoli campaign. It became part of the 12th Brigade, 4th Division. The 47th Infantry Battalion is remembered for its bravery and resilience

ENOGGERA TRAINING CAMP

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.

Then training began. Firstly, 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.

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

He sailed from Brisbane on 21^st October 1915 on the HMAT Seeang Bee to Egypt with his fellow soldiers. 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-board, Officers organised rigorous training drills and exercise sessions for the men. They were expected to do their own washing, sweep the decks and carry out other chores

Attempts at breaking up the boredom, apart from the regular drill, varied. Shipboard activities included regular church parades and concerts. 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. Sports and recreation included boxing, deck quoits, draughts. Also, the commanding officer's morning inspection; kit inspections; submarine drill; recreation such as the on deck 'open air' library, deck billiards, pillow fighting and card games including Nap. As well, conditions on the ships were cramped and the risk of illness was constant. 

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. Many of the troops experienced bouts of seasickness on the voyage. The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

The voyage took about 6 weeks with stops at Colombo, then on to Aden to the start of the Suez Canal. They saw people and sights they had never seen in their life. The Suez Canal took eighteen hours to journey through and then on to Alexandria.

EGYPTIAN TRAINING CAMP

But they were in the Army and more training was in front of them. They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in the Egyptian 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. Training would normally last 3 months.

Training would be for eight hours a day six days a week. All day long, in every valley of the Sahara for miles around the Pyramids of Giza were groups or lines of men advancing, retiring, drilling or squatted near their piled arms listening to their officer. For many of the battalions many miles of desert had to be covered in the morning and evening to and from their allotted training areas. At first, to harden the troops, they wore full kit with heavy packs. Their backs became drenched with perspiration, and the bitter desert wind blew on them as they camped for their midday meal and many deaths from pneumonia were attributed to this cause.

HOSPITALISATON MUMPS

His parents were advised he had contacted mumps (mild) 22^nd February 1916 and was admitted to 4^th Auxiliary Hospital, Cairo. He was discharged to duty on 6^th March.

TRANSFER TO 47^TH INFANTRY BATTALION & TRENCH WARFARE

MARCH 1916

On 7^th March 1916 Ralph was transferred to the 47^th Infantry Battalion. The 47th Battalion arrived in France in June 1916 to join the Western Front during World War I. Their deployment marked the beginning of their involvement in some of the war's most intense battles.

The recruits now found themselves fighting the German 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.

THE BATTLE OF POZIERES 23RD JULY TO 3RD SEPTEMBER 1916

The 47th Battalion played a significant role in the Battle of Pozieres, which took place during the Somme Offensive. This battle was marked by intense fighting as Australian forces, including the 47th Battalion, aimed to capture and hold the village of Pozieres, a strategic position on the Western Front. The battalion faced heavy artillery bombardments and suffered substantial casualties while achieving their objectives

WOUNDED IN ACTION AND HOPITALISATION AUGUST 1916

One of the casualties of this action was Ralph, who received a gunshot wound (mild) to his left thigh on 12^th August 1916 and embarked on the HS Marama for England where he was admitted to Southern General Hospital, London. Ralph had been part of the Battle of the Somme, a major battle fought against the German Empire. The battle was intended to hasten a victory for the Allies. More than three million men fought in the battle, of whom more than one million were either wounded or killed, making it one of the deadliest battles in all of human history.  As well as being injured himself, Ralph saw terrible things, like other people being injured and dying, and experienced trauma.

CONVALESENCE AND RETURNING HOME

Ralph was marched into No.2 command depot at Weymouth, which provided care for Australian soldiers who were injured, sick, or wounded, helping them regain their strength and recover physically and mentally. Medical and military assessments were conducted to determine whether soldiers were fit to return to battle or should be discharged due to permanent injuries or illness and as Ralph was deemed unfit for further service, the depot handled their discharge and organized their return to Australia.

GOING HOME

He then prepared to return to Australia and embarked on the 25^th August 1917. Ralph served when he arrived home for “home service” where his activities would have included fundraising to manufacturing to care packages, Australians back at home helped the war effort in many ways. He was discharged 3rd January 1918.

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service, Ralph was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the

Piggabeen and Cobaki First World War Roll of Honour

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