FAMILY LIFE

Edward George Rooke Jones was born in 1894 in Coogee, son of Henry Richard & Anne Emily Jones. When war broke out in Europe in August 1914, most major decisions about Australia’s foreign policy were still made by leaders in Britain. So, when the British Prime Minister, Herbert Asquith, declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914, Australia also committed to war. His brother John Norman Jones also enlisted

APPLICATION

Edward enlisted just 20 days later, on 24^th August at Randwick. The family were living a Baysville, Crabbes Creek at the time, where he was a farmer. Edward enlisted just as Edward Jones. He was 20 years 2 months old, single, 5ft 9inches tall (1.75m) with a fair complexion, blue eyes & fair hair. He had a scar on his left foot. Edward was Presbyterian. The Examining Medical Officer stated that Edward “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, Edward Jones, 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 enlisted as a private in the 2^nd Infantry Battalion with service number 64

LIVERPOOL TRAINING CAMP

His training began soon after enlistment. Liverpool Military Camp was the main centre in New South Wales to provide basic military training. Conditions at the camp were generally poor throughout the war. 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.

 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. 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

His unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A23 Suffolk on 18 October 1914. 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.

EGYPTIAN TRAINING CAMP

Initially it had been planned that the Australians would be sent to the United Kingdom, where they would undertake further training prior to being sent to the Western Front in France and Belgium. However, the Ottoman Empire's entry into the war on Germany's side on 29 October meant that the strategically vital Suez Canal was threatened, and as a result of this and overcrowding in training grounds in the United Kingdom, upon the convoy reaching the Suez at the end of November, plans for the use of the Australian force were changed and they were disembarked in Egypt instead. The 2nd Battalion arrived in Egypt on 2 December. The following month, it undertook further training along with the rest of the 1st Division. The battalion was also re-organised into four companies, as the Australian Army converted to the new battalion structure that had been developed by the British Army. 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. 

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

ANZAC COVE APRIL 1915

During the Landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915, the 2nd Battalion came ashore in the second and third waves, landing a total of 31 officers and 937 other ranks. Upon landing, the 2nd Battalion dispatched two companies, 'A' and 'D' to assist the 3rd Brigade who were pushing inland towards a high feature known as "Baby 700", which overlooked the beachhead. One of the 2nd Battalion's platoons advanced further than any other Australian unit, making it to the slopes of Baby 700, before a determined counter-attack by Ottoman forces drove them back in the afternoon.

WOUNDED IN ACTION & HOSPITALISED MAY 1915

During this battle Edward received a bullet wound to his shoulder and was admitted to the 15^th General Hospital in Alexandria. On 3^rd May he was transferred to Mustafa Base for duty. 

REJOINED UNIT JULY 1915

On the 25^th June he embarked for Gallipoli on the Minnewaska and rejoined his unit 1^st July.

 BATTLE OF LONE PINE AUGUST 1915

The 2^nd Battalion were amongst those in the Battle of Lone Pine. One of the most famous assaults of the Gallipoli campaign, the Battle of Lone Pine was originally intended as a diversion from attempts by New Zealand and Australian units to force a breakout from the ANZAC perimeter on the heights of Chunuk Bair and Hill 971. The Lone Pine attack, launched by the 1st Brigade AIF in the late afternoon of 6 August 1915 pitched Australian forces against formidable entrenched Turkish positions, sections of which were securely roofed over with pine logs.

In some instances, the attackers had to break in through the roof of the trench systems to engage the defenders. The main Turkish trench was taken within 20 minutes of the initial charge but this was the prelude to 4 days of intense hand-to-hand fighting, resulting in over 2,000 Australian casualties.

MISSING IN ACTION

RECORDED KILLED IN ACTION

One of those casualties was Edward who was reported missing in action between the 7^th-14^th August and finally recorded as killed in action 6th August, 1915

ADVICE TO FATHER

However, sadly his father found about out his death when he received a letter he had sent his son was returned with the word “killed” on it. Henry wrote to his local MP who contacted the Base Record Office in Melbourne who replied that they had sent Henry several telegrams stating he was missing in action then killed in action but are now aware that some irresponsible people have been sending letters marked killed. They advise their department was now taking all possible action to obviate such unfortunate occurrences in the future.

LONE PINE CEMETRY

After the Lone Pine battle, in the early days of August 1915, there was a large number of men missing, including Edward, and Chaplain McKenzie wrote to Edward’s father some time after explaining that this was caused by the discs and belongings of the fallen man had been collected by the Connaught Rangers (this was an Irish line infantry regiment of the British Army), who were called off to fight before they had time to deliver up the things they collected which, in consequence, were never seen again. Chaplain McKenzie further stated that one night, (presumably between 7^th and 14^th August) he buried 400 unidentified heroes in one common grave and that, in all probability, Edward was one of that number. The grave was in Brown’s Dip cemetery.

This cemetery was in the depression at the head of Victoria Gully on a major thoroughfare to the front line along Artillery Road. The cemetery contained the remains of 149 Australian soldiers.

After the war, Brown’s Dip cemetery was initially identified to remain as a permanent cemetery. However, the site was unstable and prone to erosion and landslides. So, in 1923 the soldiers at Brown’s Dip were moved to the new Lone Pine Cemetery where they were re-interred in the Brown’s Dip Plot and Edward is now buried at Lone Pine Cemetery, Plot 3, row B, Grave 42.

FOR HIS SERVICE

His name is located at panel 33 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial. For his service, Arthur was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal. His name is on the Uniting Church, Whian Street, Mullumbimby honour board, and the Murwillumbah War Memorial.

His father was granted a pension of 2 pounds per fortnight from 11^th March 1916 but his mother was rejected on the grounds she was not dependent on the deceased solider. Edward’s death certificate was forwarded to the family on 12^th April 1916. His personal effects consisting of 3 comforters, a brush, stones, sleeve link, mirror, tin, post cards and his hairbrush & case were returned to his father at Crabbes Creek on 10^th March 1916. Further effects consisting of his training book, letters, photos, note book, pencil were forwarded in May 1916 but took many months to arrive as the company, Thomas Cook & Sons, found it hard to secure shipping space. 

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