FAMILY LIFE

John Kenneth Ross (Jack) was born on the 4^th February, 1894 in Murwillumbah, son of Donald & Catherine Ethel (Kate) (Guinea) Ross. He was the eldest of 3 children. His mother had lived in Murwillumbah since the 1890’s and on her death in 1940 was one of the oldest residents of the district. His father is listed on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district. He was the proprietor of the Court House Hotel till he sold it in 1909

APPLICATION

He was single hair dresser, living in Wollumbin St, Murwillumbah, eager to do his bit. He travelled to Brisbane on 23^rd September 1915 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his mother, Katherine. He also wrote gambling next to the question “have you ever been convicted by a Civil Power”

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

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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, John Kenneth Ross, 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 21 years 7 months old, 5ft 6 inches tall (1.68m), weighed 129 lbs (58kgs), with a dark complexion, brown eyes & dark brown hair. His eyesight was good. Jack was Roman Catholic and had a large mole on the back of his left thigh, numerous small moles on his chest & back, 4 vaccination marks on his left arm and a mole on his left cheek.  

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 the 26^th Infantry Battalion – 10^th Reinforcements with service No 4196

26^TH INFANTRY BATTALION

The 26th was originally raised in April 1915 during World War I as part of the Australian Imperial Force and was assigned to the 7th Brigade. The legacy of the 26th Infantry Battalion is deeply rooted in its remarkable contributions during both World Wars. It is remembered for its bravery and resilience in key battles

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 training for the new recruits 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

DISCIPLINED DECEMBER 1915

On the 17^th December 1915 Jack was disciplined for disobeying in such a manner as to show wilful defiance of authority to a lawful command and given by his superior officer in the execution of his office. His penalty was 10 FP No 2 and forfeiture of 10 days’ pay

FIELD PUNISHMENTS

Field Punishment No.1 and No.2 were forms of punishment that were generally used in the field throughout World War one whilst a unit was on active service. Field punishment was the most common form of punishment and was awarded under the army act to sentence people to detention & deduction from pay

FIELD PUNISHMENT NO 2

In Field punishment no.2, the soldier could be kept in irons to prevent his escape, however was not allowed to be tied to a fixed object, carried out in the units if the punishment was sentenced to less than 14 days. They had to undergo hard labour, made to march in full order with packs and rifles twice daily, usually morning and afternoon. The soldier’s rifle equipment was inspected and if not satisfactory would be further punished.  Soldiers under field punishment no.2 were not allowed to smoke or drink any rum; pay was also lost during this time. If the prisoner messed up, they were sent straight to the bottom of the leave roster and also did at least an hour pack drill every day. The prisoners were only allowed blankets and to sleep on the floor and were under guarded supervision in a room from between the hours of 6pm and 6am

VOYAGE OVERSEAS TO ENGLAND MAY 1916

On March 28, 1916, Jack found himself with more than 900 others on His Majesty’s Troop Ship HMAT Commonwealth bound for the war zone as the 9th-12th replacements for the 7th Infantry headed from Egypt to France after Gallipoli.  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.

BURFORD TRAINING CAMP

The ship would have arrived in mid-May and the recruits were marched into Burford training camp. They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in the Burford training camp, the volunteers left their old lives farther behind.

 Life in camp was austere and relentless. The recruits lived in wooden huts that offered little protection from the English weather, and the damp cold of the Plain came as a shock to men who had trained in Australia and/or Egypt. Days began early, often before dawn, with physical training designed to build endurance and toughness. Long route marches across the open downs were a regular feature, men carrying full packs, rifles, ammunition, and equipment as they were conditioned for the demands of trench warfare.

Training was systematic and increasingly realistic. The men would have spent many hours on the parade ground mastering drill, weapon handling, and unit manoeuvres, but the focus soon shifted to battlefield skills. The battalion practised trench warfare techniques, including entering and clearing enemy trenches, bombing drills with Mills grenades, bayonet fighting, and the rapid consolidation of captured positions. Specially constructed practice trenches on Salisbury Plain allowed officers and NCOs to rehearse attacks down to the smallest detail, ensuring that every man understood his role once the battalion went into action.

Musketry training was constant. The men would have fired thousands of rounds on the rifle ranges, honing accuracy, and speed, learning to fire from awkward positions and under time pressure. Lewis gun teams trained separately, while all infantrymen were taught how to operate the weapon if needed. Gas warfare instruction was also compulsory; men practised donning respirators under simulated gas attacks, a grim but necessary preparation for conditions at the front.

Between training cycles, the battalion undertook further instruction at nearby camps on Salisbury Plain, including periods at Perham Down, another major training area used to relieve overcrowding and provide additional field space. Here the emphasis was on large-scale exercises involving entire brigades, practising attacks behind creeping artillery barrages, night operations, and movement under cover. These exercises often lasted days, with men sleeping in the open, reinforcing the endurance and discipline required for front-line service.

Despite the hard routine, there were moments of respite. When training schedules allowed, the men may have been granted short leave to nearby towns such as Salisbury or even London, where Australian soldiers briefly escaped the rigours of camp life. These interludes, however, were short-lived, and by autumn the training intensified as the battalion’s departure for France drew closer.

By September 1916, after many months of continuous preparation in England, the Battalion was judged ready for active service. The recruits had been transformed from a newly arrived reinforcement into a fully trained infantryman, accustomed to discipline, hardship, and the mechanics of modern war. When the battalion finally crossed to France, it did so as a cohesive and well-drilled unit, prepared—so far as training could allow—for the brutal realities of the Western Front.

DISCIPLINED AWL JULY 1916

On 10^th July he went AWL from 9am to 16^th July 4.40pm. He was award 9 day’s detention (unable to leave camp) and forfeited 9 day’s pay.  

HOSPITALISATION – VENEREAL DISEASE

As a result of John’s unofficial leave, he came back to his unit with venereal disease. He was admitted to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital, Bulford for VD. Treatment for VD was a punishment in its own right. Patients would be treated with Salvarsan and mercury which offered uncomfortable and sometimes serious side effects such as jaundice and convulsions. Other treatments included irrigation, which was painful and undignified resulting in many men to opt for chemical treatment instead. These long and uncomfortable stays in VD hospitals often averaged between 50 and 60 days, with most patients recovering and returning to the front. John was taken on strength with his unit in France on 28^th September 1916.

WESTERN FRONT & TRENCH WARFARE

The recruits arrived in France and Jack was taken on strength with the 26^th Infantry Battalion on 28^th September 1916. 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 SEPTEMBER- OCTOBER 1916

The AIF had suffered considerable losses in their early battles in France, so John and his companions were pushed straight into the Battle for Pozieres on the Somme River. The 26th Battalion, which John had joined as a replacement, are credited with being the first to successfully breach the German barbed wire at Mouquet and enter the German trenches. When the replacements arrived in the trenches the battle-weary veterans took one look at them and pitied them, they were so fresh faced and as one said, “they looked just like normal men” something they had not seen for some time. From the War Diaries, the replacements acquitted themselves with credit. They later attacked Thieval north of Pozieres and breached the trenches but were driven out by concentrated machine gun and heavy artillery fire.

Soldiers recounted how, during a barrage, trenches collapsed and luckily, they were either dug out and saved or risked being buried alive. The War Diaries for his Battalion cover this incident and relate the heavy loss of life with most buried alive. The normal routine for manning the trenches was to have 15 days in the trenches followed by eight back at the Nursery. Where possible longer rest periods were given back from the front and if you were lucky after 12 months, they received a ticket to England every four months for eight days.

HOSPITALISATION INFLUENZA OCTOBER 1916

In the aftermath of the fighting, John caught influenza and was admitted to the Field Ambulance. (A Field Ambulance was a mobile front line medical unit (it was not a vehicle), manned by troops of the Royal Army Medical Corps.) Influenza was a dangerous disease to have in an area with a lot of people who would continue to spread the infection. Many people died with this disease which could cause trouble breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, seizures and/or severe weakness or muscle pain. The men were knee-deep in mud, surrounded by bacteria from the bodies of men and animals in no-man’s-land. Their bodies were weaker anyway from a lack of sleep, wet and dirty clothes, and a restricted diet in which a piece of fruit or vegetable was a treat.

There was no effective medical treatment for Influenza. The Army Nurse Corps was critical for soldier’s care. Symptom management by skilled supportive nursing care was the best predictor of positive patient outcomes and decreases in mortality rates. This care consisted of duties such as administering medications, monitoring vital signs, fever control, providing hydration, rest, dressing changes, open-air therapy, bed baths, clean bedding, feeding, back and chest rubs with camphorated sweet oil, and cleaning the ward. John only had a mild dose and returned to his unit on 31^st October.

HOSPITALISATION BRONCHITIS & RHEUMATISM NOVEMBER 1916

However, he was sicker than he appeared and he was transferred to England with bronchitis on 11^th November.  He was also diagnosed with rheumatism. This was a reactive disease- the cold & damp of the trenches, the continual jarring of the joints when firing rifles or cannons. The fatigue, the poor food & hygiene, exposure to the gas now being used in warfare all contributed to soldiers developing this disease. Rheumatism is a group of conditions affecting joints, muscles, and connective tissue. The symptoms involve pain and inflammation of the body’s musculoskeletal system. The symptoms can be experienced throughout the entire body, or they may be limited to a certain area and include joint pain, joint swelling, chronic pain, or tenderness, limited joint movement and fatigue. Jack was unable to return to his unit

COMMAND DEPOT WEYMOUTH

On 25^th November Jack was marched into No. 2 command depot at Weymouth, which received men who have been before a Medical Board and who will be returned to Australia. Jack would convalesce there and perform light duties

DISCIPLINED 13^th MARCH 1917

While in Weymouth, England Jack was drunk & created a disturbance on 13^th March 1917 between 9 and 10pm and was awarded 72 hours detention.

GOING HOME

Jack commenced his return to Australia 17^th March 1917 and arrived home on the 16th May 1917, being discharged on the 12th July 1917.

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

John was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal. Jack’s name has been inscribed on The Capt. Clarence Smith Jeffries (V.C.) and Pte. William Matthew Currey (V.C.) Memorial Wall in Sandgate Cemetery

PENSION

He was granted pension of 1 pound per fortnight of on 13^th July 1917. For his service,

AFTER THE WAR

Jack married Agnes Dorothy (date unknown) & died 4^th December, 1986 aged 77 in Newcastle. He is buried at Sandgate Cemetery, Newcastle, Catholic 3-100. 122.

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