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

Bob was farmer, living in Burringbar, eager to do his bit, as his brothers before him.

ATTESTATION

He travelled to Brisbane on 31st March 1916 to complete his application which showed he was a single farmer. His next of kin originally as his brother, William, but it was changed at some time to his wife, Ellen Theresa, of Brisbane (according to his attestation he was not married when he applied). He had been rejected for service previously because of his chest being under the standard size but by this time reinforcements were desperately needed

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

PAGE 2

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, 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, 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, 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.  

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. Robert was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 6^th August 1916. 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 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 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 ENGLAND SEPTEMBER 1916

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. When the recruits arrived in England, they entered a period of intensive preparation that was both physically demanding and strategically vital

Life at the 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 February, 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.

WESTERN FRONT & TRENCH WARFARE FEBRUARY 1917

Bob 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.

THE BATTLE OF BULLECOURT -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.

SEC0ND BATTLE OF BULLECOURT MAY 1917

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. The Second Battle of Bullecourt took place on 3 May 1917, a date now commemorated for the sacrifices made during the engagement. Learning from the earlier encounter, commanders attempted a more structured assault, though the fundamental challenges remained. Australian forces again bore the brunt of the fighting, encountering fierce German resistance in well-prepared positions. The intensity of combat led to over 7,000 Australian casualties. Despite the bravery shown by the troops, gains were limited, and the operation did not achieve a decisive breakthrough. Bob would have seen mates fall and learned the hard truth that victories here were measured in yards gained at terrible cost.

THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES- 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 he 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.

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, 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

Bob married Jessie Caroline Godfrey in Murwillumbah in 1931. (I cannot find any details about his first wife’s death). He died on 30^th July 1969 aged 89, and is buried in the Murwillumbah General Cemetery, C of E section A2-26

---

If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.

We do not have any additional documents or pictures related to this individual.