BACKGROUND

Henry Bourke (known as Harry) was born in Murwillumbah in 1894, son of James & Ellen Bourke. According to his mother’s obituary he had 4 brothers and 3 sisters. The family had lived in Dunbible since 1892 and moved to Bilambil in 1912. One of his brothers, Thomas, enlisted in on the same day as Henry

ATTESTATION

Harry travelled to Melbourne on the 2^nd August 1915 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was a single man and gave his occupation as labourer. His next of kin was his father, Mr J Bourke, of Bilambil.

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, Henry Bourke, 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

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

SO, HELP ME, GOD.” 

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MEDICAL EXAMINATION

Harry was 21 years old. He was 5ft 7 inches tall (1.70m) and weighed 150 lbs (68kgs). He had a fair complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair, His eye sight was good. He had 2 moles on his left shoulder and one on his right arm. Harry was Roman Catholic

 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. 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 in the 26^th Infantry Battalion with service number 2570.

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 recruits 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 could 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 five shillings a day.

VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM BRISBANE TO EGYPT

On the 21^st October, 1915 the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Seeang Bee A48. They were with the 6^th reinforcements for the 26^th Battalion. The voyage carried him across the Indian Ocean to Egypt, where Australian troops were regrouping following the Gallipoli campaign and preparing for future operations in the Middle East and on the Western Front.

Alongside his comrades, Harry marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.

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 the voyage, due to overcrowding, training was limited to mainly to lectures and a little physical training.

SLEEPING & LIVING ARRANGEMENTS

Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.

Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.

DAILY ROUTINE

Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic—drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.

MEALS

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. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.

HEALTH & SANITATION

Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.

THE VOYAGE EXPERIENCE

Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. To keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.

The 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

CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY

The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

SIGHTS AT SEA

On the way to Egypt the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.

SECURITY

By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes.

APPROACHING EGYPT

After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the sandy training grounds of Egypt, preparing for what lay ahead.

EGYPTIAN TRAINING CAMP

When the train finally rattled into the siding near the camp, Harry found himself staring at an extraordinary sight — the vast Pyramids looming on the horizon, their ancient stones glowing gold in the late afternoon sun. Rows of khaki tents stretched out across the sand, the dust curling in little eddies around the tent pegs.

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. Then formal training began

Life at the was nothing like Liverpool Camp back home. Here, the desert heat was intense even in the early hours, and the days began with the bugler’s call well before sunrise. The men formed up on the sandy parade ground, rifles over their shoulders, boots sinking into the powdery surface as they marched in formation. Drill sessions were longer and harder than anything they had experienced in Australia — endless turns, wheeling movements, and column changes designed to make the battalion move as a single, disciplined unit.

Weapons training was constant. Eachman practised rapid loading and firing with his Lee–Enfield until the action felt like second nature. Bayonet drills took on a fierce intensity: lunging, parrying, and withdrawing in perfect rhythm under the watchful eye of the instructors. There was musketry practice at the range, too, where the sound of rifle fire cracked sharply across the desert, the targets standing out as black specks against the glaring sand.

Route marches tested endurance. Fully equipped with packs, rifles, and webbing, the men marched for miles through the heat haze, learning to pace themselves and conserve water. Sand found its way into every seam of clothing, into boots and rifles, and the men soon understood that maintaining their kit — keeping it clean and in working order — could mean the difference between life and death.

There was also instruction in trench construction and maintenance. Under the relentless sun, the recruits helped dig and reinforce shallow practice trenches, learning how to build firing steps, drainage channels, and parapets. Though the work was exhausting, it gave the men an idea of the conditions they would soon face on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

Evenings brought some relief. After the day’s training, Harry and his mates might head into Cairo, where the narrow lanes bustled with traders calling their wares and the air was rich with the smell of cooking fires, sweet pastries, and tobacco smoke. The muezzin’s call to prayer echoed over the rooftops, mingling with the laughter of soldiers from across the Empire. On rest days, they visited the Pyramids and posed for photographs, the Sphinx silent and inscrutable behind them.

Yet even in those moments of wonder, the reality of war was never far away. Each man knew their time was coming when they had to face the brutal realities of the Western Front.

Henry arrived in Egypt at a time when the AIF was undergoing one of the largest reorganisations of the war. Following the evacuation from Gallipoli, the Australian forces were expanded from two infantry divisions to five. To achieve this, experienced men from existing battalions were combined with reinforcements arriving from Australia to create entirely new units. As a member of the 26th Battalion reinforcements, Henry found himself drawn into this process almost immediately after reaching Egypt.

TRAINING EXTENDED MARCH 1916

On 1 March 1916 he was allotted to and proceeded to join the 12th Battalion at Zeitoun, one of the major Australian training camps near Cairo. There he underwent further military training while the AIF's commanders reshaped the force for future service overseas. The camp was a bustling place filled with newly arrived reinforcements, Gallipoli veterans and men being redistributed among the expanding battalions.

By 4 March 1916 he had joined the battalion and continued training as preparations intensified for the transfer of Australian troops to the Western Front. The weeks that followed were a period of intensive drilling, route marches, musketry practice and reorganisation as the AIF prepared for a very different type of warfare from that experienced at Gallipoli.

DISCIPLINED MARCH 1916

On 21 March 1916 Henry absented himself without leave from 5.00 pm until 4.06 pm the following day. Such offences were common in the camps around Cairo, where soldiers were often tempted by the attractions of the city. His punishment was comparatively light, forfeiting two days' pay, suggesting that the absence was regarded as a minor disciplinary matter rather than a serious breach of military discipline.

TAKEN ON STRENGTH 52^ND BATTALION APRIL 1916

On 2 April 1916 Henry was taken on strength of the newly formed 52nd Battalion at Serapeum, on the Suez Canal. The 52nd Battalion had been created only days earlier as part of the expansion of the AIF. Roughly half its personnel were experienced Gallipoli veterans drawn largely from the 12th Battalion, while the remainder consisted of reinforcements such as Henry. During the following two months the battalion trained intensively, moulding men from diverse backgrounds into a cohesive fighting unit. Exercises included field manoeuvres in the desert, musketry training, bayonet practice and the development of the discipline and teamwork that would be essential on the battlefields of France.

PROCEEDING TO FRANCE JUNE 1916

With training complete, the battalion received orders for Europe. On 5 June 1916 Henry proceeded from Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force. Like thousands of Australians before him, he embarked on a troopship bound for France, leaving behind the heat and dust of Egypt for an unknown future on the Western Front.

After a voyage across the Mediterranean, he disembarked at Marseilles on 12 June 1916 from the transport Ivernia. From there the Australians boarded crowded troop trains for the long journey north through the French countryside. As the train moved towards the front, signs of war became increasingly evident—troops on the move, military supply depots and distant artillery fire. For Henry, the arrival in France marked the beginning of a new chapter in his service. The desert camps of Egypt were behind him, and ahead lay the trenches of the Western Front, where the 52nd Battalion would soon face the harsh realities of modern industrial warfare.

WESTERN FRONT & TRENCH WARFARE

The soldiers 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.

JUNE TO SEPTEMBER 1916

After disembarking at Marseilles on 12 June 1916, Henry travelled north with the 52nd Battalion to the Western Front. The battalion was still a relatively new formation and spent its first weeks in France acclimatising to trench warfare. Like many newly arrived Australian units, the 52nd Battalion initially occupied quieter sectors where the men could learn the routines of life at the front under the guidance of more experienced troops. Training continued behind the lines, interspersed with periods in the trenches, working parties and fatigue duties. The soldiers learned how to navigate communication trenches, maintain defensive positions, endure artillery bombardments and cope with the ever-present dangers of snipers and enemy patrols.

By late August and early September 1916, the battalion had moved into the Somme battlefield, where the great Allied offensive was raging. The fighting there was unlike anything the men had previously experienced. Constant shellfire had transformed the countryside into a wasteland of shattered trees, mud-filled craters and ruined villages. It was in this environment that Henry first faced major combat.

BATTLE OF MOUQUET FARM JULY TO SEPTEMBER 1916

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.

Following the capture of Pozières and the German lines at the windmill east of the village in late July and early August 1916, the three Australian divisions of I Anzac Corps attacked northwards along the Pozières Heights towards the site known as Mouquet Farm.
Between 8 August and 3 September 1916, the Australians launched nine separate attacks to capture the heavily defended German position which lay half way between Pozières and Thiepval, with the aim of driving a wedge behind the salient held by the Germans.
Although the Australians managed to occupy the farm several times, they were forced back each time due to fierce German counterattacks. The site was still in enemy hands by the time Anzac Corps was withdrawn from the Somme on 5 September.
The 1st, 2nd, and 4th Australian Divisions suffered around 11,000 casualties in the fighting. After moving past the stronghold in a broader offensive, the British managed to capture the now isolated outpost three weeks later.

WOUNDED IN ACTON SEPTEMBER 1916

On 9 September 1916, while the 52nd Battalion was engaged in operations on the Somme, Henry was severely wounded in action, suffering a gunshot wound to the back. Such an injury could be life-threatening and required immediate evacuation from the battlefield. MEDICAL CHAIN

He was taken to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station, one of the advanced medical facilities established close behind the front lines, where wounded soldiers received urgent treatment before being moved further to the rear.

Two days later, on 11 September, Henry was admitted to the 2nd Australian General Hospital at Boulogne. The hospital was one of the principal Australian medical facilities in France and treated large numbers of casualties from the Somme fighting. After assessment by medical staff, it was determined that his wounds required longer-term treatment than could be provided in France.

EVACUATED TO ENGLAND

On 15 September 1916 he embarked for England from Boulogne and crossed the English Channel aboard a hospital transport. The following day he was admitted to the VAD Hospital at Overcliffe. These hospitals, staffed partly by members of the Voluntary Aid Detachment, cared for wounded soldiers during their recovery and rehabilitation. Henry's severe wound meant that his convalescence would be lengthy.

CONVALESCENCE

For nearly two months he remained under treatment before being transferred on 5 November 1916 to No. 2 Command Depot after marching in from Southend. Command depots were established to manage wounded and sick soldiers who were no longer hospital patients but were not yet fit for active duty. Here Henry would have undergone medical assessment, light duties and physical rehabilitation while doctors monitored his recovery.

BACK TO HOSPITAL NOVEMBER 1916

His condition evidently still required attention, and on 21 November 1916 he was transferred to the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Southend-on-Sea. Auxiliary hospitals specialised in the continued treatment and rehabilitation of recovering soldiers. Two days later, on 23 November, he was discharged to Weymouth, another centre used by the Australian authorities for convalescent soldiers awaiting further medical review.

GOING HOME FEBRUARY 1917

Despite months of treatment, Henry's wound had left him sufficiently impaired for the military authorities to conclude that he was unlikely to become fit for further active service. On 13 February 1917 he embarked for Australia aboard the Ulysses. The notation "for one month's change" was a common administrative expression used in records, but in practice many men sent home under such circumstances were being returned because their wounds prevented a return to frontline duty.

After a voyage of several weeks, Henry arrived back in Australia where he underwent further medical examinations and assessment by military boards. The verdict was that the effects of his wound rendered him permanently unfit for military service.

DISCHARGED MAY 1917

Consequently, on 29 May 1917, his service in the Australian Imperial Force came to an end when he was medically discharged.

FOR HIS SERVICE

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

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