FAMILY LIFE

Percy Augustine Larkin was born in 1888 in Moss Vale, son of Peter Francis & Matilda Mary (Jekyll) Larkin. He was one of 12 children.

ATTESTATION

He was a single labourer, living in Tyalgum, eager to do is bit. He travelled to Brisbane on 13^th November 1916 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as is father, Peter, of Tyalgum.

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, Percy Augustine Larkin, 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 28 years 4 months old, 5ft 7 ½ inches tall (1.71m), weighed 138 lbs (63kgs), with a fresh complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair. His eyesight was good and he was dentally fit. Percy 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. Percy was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 13^th April 1917. 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 2^nd Light Horse Regiment, 21-30 reinforcements with service number 3234.

2^ND LIGHT HORSE REGIMENT

The 2nd Light Horse Regiment was a mounted infantry unit of the Australian Army during World War I. Raised in August 1914, it was part of the 1st Light Horse Brigade. The regiment fought exclusively against the Ottoman Empire. The regiment was composed of mounted infantry, known for their mobility and versatility, and played a significant role in campaigns across Gallipoli, Egypt, Sinai, and Palestine.

3^RD LIGHT HORSE FIELD AMBULANCE

He was transferred to the 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance in July 1917.

The 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance was a medical unit of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) during World War I. Formed in Queensland on October 2, 1914, it was part of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade. The unit provided crucial medical support to the brigade, operating in the Middle East. The 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance's legacy is marked by its dedication and adaptability, playing a vital role in supporting the health and morale of the troops.

RIFLE RANGE TRAINING CAMP, ENOGGERA

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

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

TRAINING AS LIGHT HORSEMEN- BROADMEADOWS, MELBOURNE

Once he had completed his preliminary training, Percy was sent south as part of a draft of Light Horse reinforcements. By 1917, reinforcements were often concentrated at larger camps before embarkation. He would have joined other reinforcements destined for mounted units in the Middle East.

At Broadmeadows, the training became more specialised. Percy would have spent considerable time learning the skills expected of a Light Horse trooper. Horses were central to the regiment's effectiveness, so recruits were instructed in grooming, feeding, saddling and caring for their mounts. They practised mounted drill, riding in formation, scouting, reconnaissance and rapid movement across open country. Since the Light Horse usually fought on foot after riding to the battlefield, Percy also continued his infantry training, including musketry, bayonet work and field exercises.

By May 1917, the Australian Light Horse regiments were engaged in the Sinai and Palestine campaign. Reinforcements were expected to join experienced units already operating in desert conditions, so instructors emphasised self-reliance, endurance and adaptability. Long days in the saddle, route marches and field manoeuvres helped prepare men for the climate and conditions they would encounter overseas.

VOYAGE OVERSEAS MELBOURNE TO EGYPT MAY 1917

On the 10^th May 1917, the recruits left Melbourne, sailing upon the HMAT Boorara. Alongside his comrades, he 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.

ISOLATION CAMP MOASCAR

The recruits disembarked at the Suez on 20th June 1917. They were marched into the Isolation Camp at Moascar. This camp provided the final preparation for training in Egypt. The isolation camps screened soldiers arriving in Egypt as reinforcements for two weeks, checking for any illnesses such as measles which can break out when people are crowded together for long periods. Ismailia is a city in north-eastern Egypt, situated on the west bank of the Suez Canal.

TAKEN ON STRENGTH 3^RD LIGHT HORSE FIELD AMBULANCE JULY 1917

On 27^th July 1917 Percy was assigned to the 3^rd Light Horse Field Ambulance and officially transferred on 25^th August. The 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance played a crucial role in World War I, providing medical aid and transport for wounded soldiers in the Australian Light Horse Brigade.

The unit was divided into two sections: the Mobile Section, which travelled with the brigade into combat to establish Dressing Stations, and the Immobile Section, which operated Receiving Stations for further treatment.

Transport methods included stretchers, sand carts, camel cacolets, (the camel cacolet was used to carry wounded over long distances on rough terrain impassable to wheeled transport.) and light ambulance wagons, adapted for the sandy and rough terrain. Their efforts were vital in the medical evacuation chain, ensuring wounded soldiers received timely care and were moved to Casualty Clearing Stations or Base Hospitals.

SECOND BATTLE OF GAZA (17^th to 19^th April 1917)

The battalion played a role in treating the wounded during this challenging engagement. The Second Battle of Gaza took place from April 17 to April 19, 1917, during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I. It was a failed attempt by the British Empire forces, including Australian units, to capture the heavily fortified city of Gaza from the Ottoman Army.

The British launched a frontal assault supported by infantry divisions, mounted troops, six tanks, and gas shells. However, the Ottoman defences, strengthened after the First Battle of Gaza, proved impenetrable. The tanks malfunctioned, and the gas shells were ineffective, leaving the attackers vulnerable to well-positioned Ottoman artillery and machine guns. After three days of intense fighting, the British forces suffered heavy casualties and were forced to retreat without gaining significant ground.

This defeat highlighted the challenges of attacking entrenched positions and led to a re-evaluation of British strategies in the region. The eventual success in Gaza came later during the Third Battle of Gaza, which involved a more strategic approach.

BATTLE OF BEERSHEBA 31^st OCTOBER 1917

Known for the famous cavalry charge, the 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance was crucial in managing the aftermath of this battle. The Battle of Beersheba was a pivotal engagement during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I. It marked the beginning of the British Empire's Southern Palestine Offensive and is best remembered for the dramatic charge of the Australian Light Horse.

The battle aimed to outflank the Ottoman defensive line stretching from Gaza to Beersheba. British infantry launched attacks on Beersheba's western defences, while the 4th and 12th Light Horse Regiments of the Australian Mounted Division executed a bold cavalry charge against the eastern defences. Armed only with bayonets, the light horsemen overwhelmed the Ottoman trenches, capturing the town and its vital water wells.

This victory broke the Ottoman line, enabling the British forces to advance further into Palestine. The charge of the Australian Light Horse remains one of the most celebrated cavalry actions in military history

PALESTINE 1917-1918

There are two letters and a Christmas card written by Percy and sent to his brother while serving in Palestine in 1917-1918. He writes of Christmas 1917, coming under shell fire, the destruction wrought by bombs, the land and local farm work, Jewish villages, Jerusalem, and the advance to Damascus. This period saw significant advances by the British Egyptian Expeditionary Force against Ottoman forces. One of the key events was the capture of Jerusalem on December 9, 1917. This victory marked a turning point in the campaign, paving the way for further advances into Palestine and eventually towards Damascus.

The campaign involved intense fighting in the Judean Hills and showcased the strategic importance of mounted units, including the Australian Light Horse. Their adaptability and skill in mounted warfare played a crucial role in these operations.

 ATTACHED TO HEADQUARTERS

The record simply states on 18^th September 1918 Percy was attached to Australia M Division Headquarters.  He rejoined his unit on 10^th October 1918. By this time his unit had fought their last battle in September in Megiddo and on 11^th November the fighting was officially over so he prepared to return to Australia.

GETTING HOME

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 many months before they were headed back to Australia.

HOPITALISATION 7^TH JULY 1919

While Percy was waiting to return home, he was admitted to hospital on 7th July 1919 with a perianal abscess, which is a boil-like lump filled with pus found near the anus, rectum, or perineal area (the space between your genitals and anus). It happens when one of the glands in your anus becomes clogged and infected. He was discharged on 20^th June 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

RETURNED HOME

Percy returned to Australia on 10^th July 1919 on the Oxfordshire. He was discharged on 17^th September 1919. He was living in Burringbar in 1920 when he applied for assistance under the War Service Homes Act. Percy enlisted in World War 11.

FOR HIS SERVICE

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

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