FAMILY LIFE

David Blyth MacEwen was born c1875 in Ecclesmachan, in the West Lothian district of Scotland. I could not find much information about David but he married Annie Moore in Sydney in 1895 but they were divorced on 23rd October 1907. By 1915 his occupation was sugar worker & he married Miriam Argyle Griffiths in Murwillumbah in 1914

ATTESTATION

He had served in the Boer War, 1899-1902, 37th Battalion, Imperial Yeomen, South African Light Horse and enlisted on 1^st March 1915 at Brisbane. He was a sugar worker, living in Cudgen, eager to do his bit.

His application listed his next of kin as his wife, Miriam, of Cudgen. 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. David also agreed to allot three fifths of the pay payable to him 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, David Blyth MacEwen, 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 39 years 9 months old, 5ft 3inch inches tall (1.6m), weighed 115 lbs (52kgs), with a fresh complexion, grey eyes & fair hair.  His eyesight was good and he required dental treatment. David was Church of England and had a scar inside his left leg as well as a scar on the outside of that leg.

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

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 A Company, 25th Battalion, 7th Infantry Brigade and his service no was 168

TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA

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

Now their 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. 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 BRISBANE TO EGYPT JUNE 1915

His unit embarked on the HMAT Aeneas on 28^th June 1915. 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

The ship arrived in August 1915. Upon arrival in Egypt, the troops disembarked and proceeded to training camps in preparation for deployment to the Gallipoli Peninsula.

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.

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. Troops at this base were "toughened up" while waiting dispatch to the front. Under atrocious conditions both raw recruits from Australia and battle-weary veterans were subjected to intensive training in gas warfare, bayonet drill, and long sessions of marching at the double across the dunes

SEPTEMBER TO NOVEMBER 1915

The Gallipoli Campaign was ongoing, but the 25th Battalion was not sent to the peninsula immediately

Camp Life and Training

They were stationed at Heliopolis and later Maadi Camp, near Cairo & engaged in route marches in desert heat, musketry (rifle) training, bayonet drills, trench digging and fortification exercises and field engineering tasks. Troops became accustomed to desert conditions, vital for campaigns in the Middle East and on the Western Front.

Health and Discipline

Heat, sand, and poor sanitation were issues—many men suffered from dysentery and heat exhaustion. Soldiers often took leave to visit Cairo, leading to occasional disciplinary issues in the city’s red-light districts (e.g., the infamous “Wozzer” in Cairo). Venereal disease was a concern; lectures and inspections were common.

HOSPITALISED JAUNDICE

On 13 November 1915 he was admitted to 2^nd Auxiliary Convalescent Depot with jaundice. Jaundice is a medical condition characterized by yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, caused by a build-up of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment produced during the normal breakdown of red blood cells. Normally, it is processed by the liver and excreted in bile, but if the liver is damaged, inflamed, or overwhelmed, bilirubin builds up—resulting in jaundice.

Causes of Jaundice

During World War I, jaundice in soldiers was usually caused by infectious Hepatitis (then called Catarrhal Jaundice). Often Hepatitis A or B (though the virus types were not known at the time).

It was spread by poor sanitation, contaminated food or water, and close quarters in camps and trenches.

Leptospirosis (Weil's Disease):

Bacterial infection from water contaminated with rat urine—common in muddy, rat-infested trenches. It caused fever, liver and kidney damage, and jaundice.

SYMPTOMS NOTICED BY WWI DOCTORS

·      Yellow skin and eyes

·      Dark urine

·      Pale stools

·      Fatigue and weakness

·      Nausea, vomiting, or fever (depending on cause)

Treatment of Jaundice

In the 1914–1918 period, medical understanding of liver disease was limited, and viral hepatitis was not clearly understood. Treatment focused on supportive care, such as:

Rest:

Bed rest in a hospital ward or convalescent camp.

Diet:

"Liver-friendly" diet: light, bland foods with reduced fats.

Alcohol was strictly prohibited.

Fluids encouraged.

Isolation:

In some cases, men with jaundice were isolated to prevent spread, especially if it was suspected to be infectious (like “catarrhal jaundice”).

On 10^th December he was admitted to the NZ & Australia Convalescent Depot in Helouan with jaundice. On 31^st December he was discharged to base.

HOSPITALISED TEETH EXTRACTION JANUARY 1916

On 8^th January 1916 he was admitted to No2 Australian General Hospital in Cairo for dental treatment (extraction of teeth).  On 15^th January Miriam was advised that David was on the seriously ill list of the 2^nd Auxiliary Hospital with teeth extraction but on 20^th January Miriam was advised he had been removed from the seriously ill list

HOSPITALISED TONSILITIS JANUARY 1916

Miriam was advised on 3 February that David was admitted to the 2^nd Auxiliary Hospital Cairo on 24^th January with tonsilitis

HOSPITALISED PNEUMONIA FEBRUARY 1916

On 2^nd February he was admitted to No 1 Auxiliary Hospital in Heliopolis with pneumonia and Miriam was advised on 15 February 1916 that David was admitted to the 1^st Auxiliary Hospital Cairo with pneumonia. On 18^th February he transferred to the Red Cross Depot.

TO BE REPATRIATED

On 11^th April it was decided that David should be repatriated to Australia and Miriam was advised by telegram on 1^st May that David would be returning

GOING HOME APRIL 1916

David returned from Gallipoli to Australia aboard HMAT Runic on 4^th April.

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

HOSPITALISED BRISBANE MAY 1916

He was admitted to Australian General Hospital Brisbane on his return on 22 May 1916.

MEDICALLY UNFIT

The report stated “the board found this man recovered from pleurisy but too old. He has no teeth. The board advises discharge & dental attention. His disability was listed as senile debility & chronic pleurisy. The causes were listed as climate & exposure

FOR HIS SERVICE

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

PENSION

He was granted a pension of 30 shillings per fortnight from 15^th June 1916. His address at that time was Cudgen. This was revised on 19^th February 1918 to 15 shillings per fortnight from 15^th March 1917. His wife was granted a pension of 15 shillings per fortnight from 15^th June 1916

DEATH AND BURIAL

David died in October 1924 in Waverley. He is buried in Rookwood General Cemetery, Plot Zone C Anglican Section 7 Grave 1987

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