BACKGROUND

Sylvester Albert Rice, Henry Phillip Rice, Edward Charles Rice, David Joseph Rice, and Robert William Rice, were all sons of James and Elizabeth Rice of Burringbar. From old land records we have been able to establish that in 1900 two of the brothers, Henry, and Robert, were the first selectors of two adjoining properties totalling 362 acres. The location of their farms extended over the ridgeline of what is now Dunloe Park and Taggarts Quarry, on the Mooball/Pottsville Road. In 1898, a WP Rice is listed as the first selector for 411 acres, and that farm’s location was between Hulls Road and today’s Cowell Park. It is likely that this was their elder brother Walter’s property.

David had 4 other brothers who enlisted. Tragically his younger brother Sylvester Albert Rice died on 9^th August 1915 and Edward Charles was killed on 9^th August 1916, a year to the date of his brother. Henry died on 10^th August 1915 but Robert lived to return home in 1919. Sadly, their mother had died in 1918 and would never have known the fate of all her sons. The Rice family lived in and around Murwillumbah and many are buried in the Murwillumbah Old Cemetery or Murwillumbah Cemetery. The parents are listed on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district

FAMILY LIFE

Robert William Rice (Bob) was born on 19^th October 1879 in Burrawang, near Mittagong, one of 12 children of James and Elizabeth (Cornock) Rice. Robert had brothers who enlisted. Sylvester Albert Rice died on 9^th August 1915 and Edward Charles was killed on 9^th August 1916, a year to the date of his brother. His other brothers, David Joseph Rice, known as Joe, was wounded in action, and was medically discharged in December 1917. Sadly, their mother had died in 1918

ATTESTATION

 Bob was farmer, living in Burringbar, eager to do his bit, as his brothers before him. He travelled to Brisbane on 31st March 1916 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his wife, Ellen Theresa. He had been rejected for service previously because of his chest being under the standard size. His medical, conducted at Adelaide St, Brisbane, showed he was 36 years 6 months old, 5ft 4 inches tall (1.62m), weighed 152 lbs (68kgs), with a dark complexion, blue eyes & dak brown hair. His eyesight was good but he required dental treatment.  He was Roman Catholic and had a scar under his right knee.  

The Examining Medical Officer stated that Robert “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, Robert William Rice, 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 was enlisted as a private into the 25th Infantry Battalion – 16th Reinforcements with service No 5676

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, 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.

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

On the 7^th September 1916 the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Clan McGillivray. 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.

ENGLISH TRAINING CAMP

They disembarked at Plymouth on 2nd November 1916. They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in the English 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

WESTERN FRONT & TRENCH WARFARE FEBRUARY 1917

Bob Rice stepped off the troop train into the cold, grey morning of 5 February 1917, the mud of the French winter sucking at his boots. After months of training in England, he was finally at the Western Front with the 25th Battalion, part of the 7th Brigade, 2nd Australian Division. He was no longer just a name and number – 5676 R.W. Rice – but one of thousands of young Australians bracing for the reality of trench warfare.

He and the other recruits now found themselves fighting the Germans 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

At that time, the 25th was holding positions along the Western Front in northern France, recovering from the grim fighting of 1916 on the Somme. Bob’s early weeks were spent learning the ropes from the men who had survived those earlier battles – how to keep his head down in the fire bays, how to tell the sound of incoming shellfire, how to live in the freezing, rat-infested trenches where everything smelled of wet earth, cordite, and unwashed wool.

SPRING 1917

The spring of 1917 brought movement. The Germans withdrew to the heavily fortified Hindenburg Line, and the Australians followed. Bob’s battalion moved through ruined villages and shell-torn countryside, enduring long marches with full kit and the ever-present threat of sniper fire and artillery. In May, the 25th took part in the fighting around Bullecourt – a bitter, confused battle fought in a landscape of smashed trenches and tangled wire. Bob would have seen mates fall and learned the hard truth that victories here were measured in yards gained at terrible cost.

SUMMER 1917

That summer, the battalion shifted north to Belgium for the Third Battle of Ypres. Here, Bob fought through the mud and misery of places like Broodseinde and Passchendaele in October 1917. The rain was constant, the ground churned to a morass, and every step was a struggle. Yet, the 25th pushed forward, often under relentless shelling. The conditions were enough to break the strongest man, but Bob endured, doing his part to keep the line moving.

DISCIPLINED AUGUST 1917

On the 26^th August 1917 Bob committed the crime of publicly urinating in a public place and forfeited 7 day’s pay.

WINTER 1917-1918

The winter of 1917–18 was spent back in France, holding quieter sectors but still under the strain of trench routine – freezing nights, fatigue duties, wiring parties in no man’s land, and the occasional trench raid to keep the enemy uneasy. In March 1918, the Germans launched their massive spring offensive. The 25th was rushed into action, moving quickly to plug gaps and hold key positions under heavy pressure. Bob would have experienced days of near-continuous action, snatching moments of rest in muddy dugouts while orders shouted above kept the battalion moving.

SUMMER 1918

Through that summer, the Australians went back on the attack. The 25th fought in the advance that pushed the Germans back towards the Hindenburg Line, working through villages, open fields, and fortified outposts. Bob would have been part of the hard slog – bayonets fixed, rifles ready, and every step forward taken under fire.

TRANSFER TO 26^TH BATTALION

By August 1918, the battalion had been worn down by years of fighting. On 26 August, the 25th Battalion was disbanded to reinforce other units. Bob was transferred to the 26th Battalion, taking with him the hard-won experience of a season and a half of some of the fiercest fighting of the war. By that time the 26^th had fought its last battle and they were withdrawn to Berteaucort for a rest shortly afterwards. They did not return to the front line before the armistice was declared in November and were subsequently disbanded on 31 May 1919.

WAR ENDED

On 11^th November the fighting was officially over so Bob prepared to return to Australia. After the Armistice, the Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes insisted Australian troops be repatriated (returned home) as quickly as possible. This logistical challenge was enormous with 135,000 troops brought home from Britain in 147 voyages, and 16,773 troops from the Middle East in 56 voyages, mostly on a first come, first go basis. 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.

RETURNED HOME

Bob returned to Australia 15th May 1919 on the Ypringa and was discharged on 5^th July 1919.

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service, Bob was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Burringbar War Memorial.

HOME LIFE

He died on 30^th July 1969 aged 89, and is buried in the Murwillumbah General Cemetery, C of E section A2-26

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