Private Alexander Groves
Service #: 6563
Summary
FAMILY LIFE
Alexander Groves was born 1st February 1892 in Woodburn, son of Joseph George & Susan (Davis) Groves, one of 8 siblings. He was a single butcher, living in Murwillumbah, where he met, and fell in love with, May Elizabeth Downie, whom he married in 1916.
APPLICATION
He had been rejected from enlisting before due being under standard height. The requirements in August 1914 were 19–38 years, height of 5ft 6in and chest measurement of 34 inches. In June 1915 the age range and minimum height requirements were changed to 18–45 years and 5ft 2in, with the minimum height being lowered again to 5ft in April 1917. During the first year of the war approximately 33 percent of all volunteers were rejected. However, with relaxation of physical standards of age and height, as well as dental and ophthalmic fitness, previously ineligible men were now eligible for enlistment.
He travelled to Brisbane on 6th Nov 1916 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his wife, May Groves, of Murwillumbah. His medical which showed he was 24 years 8 months old, 5ft 2 inches tall (1.6m), weighed 135 lbs (61kgs), with a fair complexion, brown eyes & auburn hair. His eyesight was good and he was dentally fit. He was Presbyterian and had a scar under his right eye and 3 vaccination marks on his left arm. He was enlisted as a private into the 25 Infantry Battalion – 19th Reinforcements, No 2 Platoon with service No 6563
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
AUSTRALIAN TRAINING CAMP
Now their training began at the 11th Battalion depot. 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.
The training 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
HOME LEAVE GRANTED
During his training he was granted 5 days leave on pay from 22nd November to 27th November to visit his parents in Casino
VOYAGE OVERSEAS
He embarked at Sydney, New South Wales aboard HMAT Wiltshire on 7 February 1917. They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. 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. It was a foretaste of what was to come.
ROLLESTONE TRAINING CAMP
The disembarked in Plymouth 11th April 1917 and proceeded to Rollestone. They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in the 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.
TRENCH WARFARE
In mid-1916, after returning to Egypt the AIF was reorganised and expanded, and the 25th Battalion was returned to the 2nd Division, with which it subsequently served on the Western Front after being transferred to Europe. The 25th landed in France on 19th March 1916.
On 24th October 1917 Alexander joined his unit. He and the other 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.
OCTOBER 1917
By late October, the battalion was facing mustard gas attacks from German forces. Mustard gas was a chemical weapon that caused severe burns and respiratory damage, leading to long-term suffering for many soldiers exposed to it. The battalion endured harsh conditions and heavy casualties, as the fighting continued through the mud-soaked battlefields of Belgium
WOUNDED IN ACTION – GASSED 2ND NOVEMBER 1917
During November 1917 they were fighting in France where Alexander was wounded in action- gassed (slight). An eye witness describes what happens in a gas attack- “[T]he next thing we heard was this sizzling—you know, I mean you could hear this damn stuff coming on—and then saw this awful cloud coming over. A great yellow, greenish-yellow, cloud. It wasn’t very high; about I would say it wasn’t more than 20 feet up. Nobody knew what to think. But immediately it got there we knew what to think, I mean we knew what it was. Well then of course you immediately began to choke, then word came: whatever you do don’t go down. You see if you got to the bottom of the trench, you got the full blast of it because it was heavy stuff, it went down.”
HOSPITALISATION ENGLAND
He was sent to England to the 1st Western Hospital in Liverpool where he spent 6 weeks. He was given furlough from 28th December to 11th January and then reported to No 4 command depot at Hurdcott which received men who will be fit for duty in periods ranging from 3 weeks to 3 months. 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.
BATTLE OF VILLERS-BRETONNEUX
He rejoined the 25th on 9th March 1918 which, after wintering in Belgium, in early 1918, had 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 25th Battalion was rushed to the front to help plug gaps created by German breakthroughs. They played a supporting role in the Battle of Villers-Bretonneux, a pivotal engagement during World War I. This battle took place as part of the German Spring Offensive on the Western Front. German forces had captured the town of Villers-Bretonneux, which was strategically significant due to its proximity to the vital transport hub of Amiens.
The Australian forces, including the 25th Battalion as part of the 2nd Division, were instrumental in the counterattack to recapture the town. The operation was a well-coordinated night assault, and the Australians successfully reclaimed Villers-Bretonneux, halting the German advance. This victory was a turning point in the campaign and is remembered as a testament to the bravery and determination of the Australian troops
THIRD BATTLE OF MORLANCOURT 10TH JUNE 1918
In April 1918, the unit took part in the fighting during the German Spring Offensive, in which it fought a series of long-running skirmishes against German troops in and around the village of Morlancourt. The 7th Brigade, which included the 25th Infantry Battalion, was actively involved in the attacks on Morlancourt during 1918, as part of the Allied efforts to push back German forces on the Western Front. These attacks were part of a series of operations aimed at regaining control of key positions near the Somme River.
The Third Battle of Morlancourt saw the 7th Brigade, including the 25th Battalion, carry out a successful dusk assault on the Morlancourt Spur. This position provided critical observation over the village of Sailly-Laurette. The attack was well-coordinated, with diversionary demonstrations on the flanks to confuse the enemy. The Australians secured all their objectives, capturing a significant number of German prisoners and inflicting heavy casualties. This victory was part of the broader Allied strategy to regain momentum after the German Spring Offensive and demonstrated the effectiveness of Australian troops in offensive operations
THE BATTLE OF HAMEL 4TH 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.
The 25th Battalion, as part of the 7th Brigade, supported the main assault by securing positions and providing reinforcements. The operation was a resounding success, with all objectives achieved in just 93 minutes, slightly longer than Monash's calculated time. This victory demonstrated the effectiveness of coordinated tactics and marked a turning point in the Allied efforts on the Western Front. This battle took place before the Allies launched their Hundred Days Offensive around Amiens in August.
KILLED IN ACTION 4TH JULY 1918
The Allies had lost around 1,380 men, including some 1,062 Australians and on 4th July Alexander, aged 24, was one of the casualties
He is buried in Touilloy Communal, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France- No known grave - "Known Unto God"
FOR HIS SERVICE
For his service, Alexander was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal. His name is recorded on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial No 104 among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War.
His will, dated 18th July 1917 bequeathed everything, and deferred pay, to his wife, May.
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial No 104
Buried Location
Villers Brettoneux Memorial
