FAMILY LIFE

Alleyne Shepherd Loder, known as Len, was born 15th June 1885, at Tumbulgum, son of Arthur Alleyne Loder & Ada Alice (Beetham) Loder. He was the eldest of three boys. His father was a long-term resident of the Tweed and was prominently identified with the dairying industry.  He was married to Violet Ethel (McCrone) Loder and they had 2 children. He had purchased a small country store at Uki in 1914 which eventually became the biggest store between Newcastle & Brisbane. But Len felt he had to do his bit for the war effort.  Alleyne’s father, Arthur, was prominently identified with the North Coast dairy business. His mother is listed on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district

ATTESTATION

He travelled to Brisbane on 12^th December 1916 to complete his medical and application. He was 31 years 6 months old and a married man with two children. He was storekeeper with his wife, Violet, as his next of kin.

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

Len also agreed to allot three fifths of the pay payable to me from time to time during his service to the support of his wife

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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER

On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following; “The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him”

OATH

He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Alleyne Loder, 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.” 

MEDICAL EXAMINATION

His medical showed he was 5ft 5 ½ inches tall (1.66m), weighed 185 lbs (84kgs), with a fresh complexion, grey eyes & light brown hair. His eye sight was good. He was Roman Catholic and had 2 vaccination scars on his left arm.  Len was dentally fit.

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. Alleyne was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 3^rd May 1917. 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 into the 25^th Infantry Battalion – 19^th to 20^th Reinforcements with service No 6828

 

25TH INFANTRY BATTALION

The 25th Infantry Battalion, part of the 7th Brigade, 2nd Division of the Australian Imperial Force, was raised in March 1915 at Enoggera, Queensland. Their service is remembered for their resilience and contributions to key victories.

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

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

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 six shillings a day

VOYAGE OVERSEAS SYDNEY TO ENGLAND JUNE 1917

On the 12^TH June 1917 the recruits boarded the troop train heading for Sydney and on the 14^th June 1917, the regiment left Sydney sailing upon the HMAT Hororata. 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, where the ship would refuel & take on supplies, 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. The danger was greatest in the Western Approaches near Britain, where U-boats patrolled choke points like the English Channel and Irish Sea.

EGYPT

After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. They could only wonder at the sights and sounds they could see as they watched the ship being refuelled and goods taken on board

ENGLAND

About a fortnight later the men finally saw the green shoreline of England. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the training grounds of England, preparing for what lay ahead.

ROLLESTON TRAINING CAMP

They disembarked in Liverpool 26th August 1917.From there they were marched into the training camp at Rolleston. They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, the volunteers left their old lives farther behind. When Len entered Rollestone Camp in late August 1917, he joined one of the Australian training establishments on the Salisbury Plain in southern England. By this stage of the war, the Australian Imperial Force had developed a highly organised training system designed to ensure that every reinforcement arriving in France possessed the skills needed to survive on the Western Front.

The four months Len spent at Rollestone were among the most important of his military career. Rather than being sent directly to the front, he underwent intensive preparation under instructors who were often veterans recently returned from France. These men had firsthand knowledge of trench warfare and passed on lessons learned through hard experience.

Life at Rollestone followed a demanding routine. Reveille sounded early each morning, followed by physical training designed to build strength and endurance. After breakfast, the men spent long hours on the training grounds learning and practising the skills they would soon need in battle. Rifle shooting remained a fundamental part of instruction, and Len would have spent considerable time on the ranges improving his marksmanship and learning to care for his weapon under all conditions.

Much of the training focused on trench warfare. Practice trench systems had been constructed across Salisbury Plain, allowing recruits to experience conditions similar to those they would encounter in France. Len learned how to move through communication trenches, occupy front-line positions, stand sentry duty and maintain defensive works. He practised digging trenches, constructing parapets and revetments, and laying barbed wire obstacles.

Bombing instruction was another important part of the syllabus. Recruits learned how to throw and handle grenades safely, a skill that had become essential on the Western Front. They were also taught how to react during enemy bombardments, how to seek cover and how to move forward under artillery fire.

Field exercises frequently involved entire companies and battalions. During these manoeuvres, Len and his fellow recruits practised attacks on mock enemy positions, advancing behind simulated artillery barrages and coordinating movements with neighbouring units. Such exercises often lasted for many hours and could continue regardless of rain, cold or mud. The instructors were determined that recruits experience something of the hardships they would face in France.

Route marches formed a regular feature of camp life. Carrying rifles, ammunition, packs and equipment, the men marched many miles across the rolling countryside of Salisbury Plain. These marches built stamina and accustomed soldiers to carrying heavy loads over long distances. By the end of his training, Len would have been capable of marching for hours while carrying the equipment required in active service.

The approach of winter made conditions increasingly difficult. As autumn gave way to the cold months of November and December, the winds sweeping across Salisbury Plain became bitter, and training often continued in rain, frost and mud. For Australian soldiers accustomed to warmer climates, the English winter could be an uncomfortable introduction to European conditions. Nevertheless, the harsh weather provided valuable preparation for service on the Western Front.

Beyond the formal training, Rollestone also gave Len the opportunity to form friendships with fellow Australians who shared his anticipation and uncertainty about the future. In the evenings, men wrote letters home, attended educational lectures or spent what little leisure time was available discussing rumours from the front and wondering what lay ahead.

By the time Len left Rollestone on 27 December 1917 and embarked for France, he had undergone months of rigorous preparation. The raw recruit who had entered camp in August had been transformed into a trained reinforcement, equipped with the skills, discipline and confidence considered necessary for service with the Australian forces on the Western Front. Ahead lay the battlefields of France, but the months spent on Salisbury Plain had given him the best preparation the Army could provide for the trials that awaited him.

APPOINTED LANCE CORPORAL

On 29^th November 1917 he was appointed Lance Corporal

FRANCE AND TRENCH WARFARE DECEMBER 1917

On 27^th December 1917 he proceeded to France, where he reverted to Private. In that time the 25^th Battalion rotated through the line and took part in many more battles in France and Belgium. The soldiers 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 SECOND BATTLE OF BULLECOURT 3^rd MAY 1917

The 25^th was involved in the Second Battle of Bullecourt. Despite the failure of the first attack on 11 April 1917, a few weeks later General Gough once again tried to break the Hindenburg Line at Bullecourt. On 3 May 1917 the 2nd Australian Division attacked with the British alongside. Although the brigade on the right faltered under deadly machine-gun fire, the 6th Brigade got into the enemy’s trenches and, despite heavy shellfire and counter attacks, bravely held on. The 1st Division relieved the 2nd, and soon the 5th Division took its turn. Finally, after more than a week, the Germans gave up these blood-soaked fields. Then the depleted Australian battalions were withdrawn to recover. The furious fighting, which in the end only advanced the line a kilometre or so, had been at the heavy cost of another 7,000 Australian casualties. 'The Second Bullecourt (battle) was, in some ways, the stoutest achievement of the Australian soldier in France'.

THE BATTLE OF MENIN ROAD, (20-25 SEPTEMBER 1917)

They then were engaged in the Battle of Menin Road, which 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

THE BATTLE OF BROODSEINDE RIDGE 4 OCTOBER 1917

Their last battle for 1917 was the Battle of Broodseinde which was fought on 4 October 1917 near Ypres. The battle was the most successful Allied attack of the Third Battle of Ypres. Using bite-and-hold tactics, with objectives limited to what could be held against German counter-attacks, the allied devastated the German defence, prompted a crisis among the German commanders and caused a severe loss of morale in the 4th Army. Preparations were made by the Germans for local withdrawals and planning began for a greater withdrawal, which would entail the abandonment by the Germans of the Belgian coast, one of the strategic aims of the Flanders Offensive

THE GERMAN SPRIG OFFENSIVE MARCH 1918

After wintering in Belgium, in early 1918 the 25th Battalion moved south to Somme as the Australian divisions were transferred there to help blunt the German spring offensive in March and April, undertaking a defensive action around Villers-Bretonneux as the Allies fought to defend the vital railhead of Amiens. The German Spring Offensive was a series of German attacks on the Western Front during World War I, launched between March 21 and July 18, 1918. It was Germany's last major attempt to secure victory before the arrival of significant American forces. The offensive consisted of four operations: Michael, Georgette, Gneisenau, and Blücher-Yorck.

The main goal was to break through Allied lines, outflank British forces, and force the Allies into a peace settlement. Initially, the Germans made significant territorial gains, achieving the deepest advances on the Western Front since 19143. However, logistical challenges, overextension, and fierce Allied resistance eventually stalled the offensive. By mid-summer, the Germans were exhausted and vulnerable to the Allied counteroffensive, which ultimately led to their defeat

MORLANCOURT APRIL 918

In April 1918, they took part in the fighting during the German Spring Offensive, in which the 25th Battalion fought a series of long-running skirmishes against German troops in and around the village of Morlancourt. Soldiers advanced to fill a gap in the Allied line north of the River Somme. The Australians successfully repelled German counterattacks, stabilizing the front.

It was spared the fighting for Villers-Bretonneux over the following weeks, but was involved in the attack around Morlancourt (10 June) where the Australians launched a successful assault, capturing German trenches and strengthening the Allied line.

THE BATTLE OF HAMEL 4^TH JULY 1918

The Battle of Hamel was a successful attack by Australian Army and US Army infantry, supported by British tanks, against German positions in and around the town of Le Hamel, in northern France, during World War I. The attack was planned and commanded by Lieutenant General John Monash, commander of the Australian Corps, and took place on 4 July 1918.

Many of the tactics employed, such as the use of combined arms, illustrated the evolution of military tactics, from the massed attacks mounted earlier in the war. All the Allies' objectives were achieved within 93 minutes, just three minutes longer than Monash's calculated battle time. This battle took place before the Allies launched their Hundred Days Offensive around Amiens in August.

 

THE HUNDRED DAY OFENSIVE 8 AUGUST 1918

The Hundred Days Offensive was a series of massive Allied offensives that ended the First World War.  This offensive was a series of Allied attacks between 8 August and 11 November 1918 that ultimately led to the end of World War I. It began with the Battle of Amiens, where British, French, and Canadian forces launched a surprise assault that shattered German defences.

Following this success, the Allies continued their rapid advance, forcing German troops to retreat from their positions along the Hindenburg Line. The offensive saw coordinated attacks across the Western Front, with British, French, American, and Belgian forces pushing the Germans back.

THE BATTLE OF AMIENS 8^TH TO 12^TH AUGUST 1918

Beginning with the Battle of Amiens (8–12 August) on the Western Front, the Allies pushed the Imperial German Army back, undoing its gains from the German spring offensive (21 March – 18 July). This battle sees one of the most successful advances of World War I, with Allied troops securing more than eight miles in the conflict’s first fog-covered day, later called "the black day of the German Army" by General Erich Ludendorff. Catching the Germans by surprise, the Allies attack with the help of 2,000 guns, 1,900 planes and 500 tanks, causing large-scale German casualties and a fatal blow to morale.

THE BEAUREVOIR LINE OCTOBER 1918

Exhausted by the fighting earlier in the year, its final action came in early October 1918 against the Beaurevoir Line. The Beaurevoir Line was the last of a series of German defensive lines known collectively by the Allies as the Hindenburg Line. It was approximately eight kilometres to the rear of the main Hindenburg Line and consisted of thick barbed wire entanglements and well-sited machine and anti-tank gun bunkers. The bulk of the trenches, however, were only partly dug. 

The original attack on the Hindenburg Line launched on 29 September had been intended to smash right through the Beaurevoir Line as well, but had not succeeded in this objective. The order was to breakthrough the Beaurevoir Line on 3 October 1918. The Australians were to seize the village of Beaurevoir, and the British Montbrehain. The Australian attack was a success, but was stopped short of the village due to insecure flanks.

The British captured Montbrehain, but were unable to retain it. After an ill-fated attempt to capture Beaurevoir on 4 October, the 6th Australian Brigade was launched against Montbrehain the next morning. The village was secure by the end of the day, but came at the expense 430 casualties - a cost regarded as excessively high for such a limited objective. The action at Montbrehain was the last battle fought by Australian infantry during the war

HOSPITALISED NOVEMBER 1918

In October 1918 he was given leave in England. Len contacted influenza on 6^th November 1918, which developed in bronchitis and he admitted to 3^rd Auxiliary Hospital, then the 2nd Southern General Hospital in Bristol for 2 months. On 15^th January 1919 he was again granted furlough. On 5^th February he reported to No 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veney. Here he would convalesce but continue with drilling & training as the technology and techniques were rapidly changing and soldiers had to be up to date when they were ready to rejoin their units

WAR ENDED AND GETTING HOME

By this time the war was officially over so he prepared to return to Australia. The return of soldiers created problems for the Australian Government that were never fully rectified. There was a lack of suitable ships to transport personnel home and many had to wait several months before they were headed back to Australia. Len returned to Australia on 30^th April 1919 and was discharged on 7^th June 1919. 

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

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service, Arthur was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal

HOME LIFE

Len & Violet had a son in 1920 and 2 daughters, one in 1923 and the other in 1925.  Len died 19^th October 1964 in Murwillumbah. 

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