FAMILY LIFE

Vincent James Hogan was born 18^th November 1895 in Brisbane, son of John & Barbara (O’Flaherty) Hogan. He had an elder brother, Thomas Joseph, who enlisted in May 1916. John & Barbara are listed on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district

ATTESTATION

Vincent travelled to Brisbane from his home in North Tumbulgum, on 16^th July 1915, to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was born in Cudgen, was 19 years and 8 months old and a single man. He gave his occupation as farmer. His next of kin was his mother, Mrs Hogan, of North Tumbulgum.

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, Vincent James Hogan, 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 5ft 6 ¾ inches tall (1.71m), weighed 144 lbs (65kgs), with a fresh complexion, brown eyes & black hair.  His eyesight was good. Vincent was Roman Catholic and had scars on his left shin.  

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. Vincent was in Broadmeadows camp on 14^th October 1915 for his certificate. 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 31^st Infantry Battalion – A Coy with service number 221

31^st INFANTRY BATTALION

The 31st was raised in August 1915 as part of the 8th Brigade & it joined the 5th Australian Division in Egypt before heading to the Western Front in France in 1916. The 31st Infantry Battalion's legacy is marked by its resilience, bravery, and dedication to its missions. Its history is preserved through memorials and historical records, ensuring its contributions are remembered and honoured

BROADMEADOWS TRAINING CAMP

When Vincent James Hogan arrived at Broadmeadows Camp in Victoria to begin his military training with the 31st Battalion, he entered one of Australia's largest and busiest military training establishments. Thousands of volunteers passed through the camp during the war, all undergoing the transformation from civilians into soldiers of the Australian Imperial Force.

The training was demanding and designed to prepare men for the realities of active service. Vincent's days would have begun early, often before dawn, with physical exercises and parade-ground drill. Instructors placed great emphasis on discipline, teamwork and obedience to orders. Hours were spent learning how to march, form ranks, salute correctly and manoeuvre as part of a larger military unit.

Rifle training was a major component of the course. Vincent would have become familiar with the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle, learning how to clean, maintain and fire it accurately. Musketry practice taught recruits to shoot at varying distances, while field exercises demonstrated how to use cover and move safely under simulated combat conditions.

As training progressed, Vincent would have taken part in route marches that steadily increased in distance. These marches, often conducted carrying full equipment, helped build endurance and accustomed soldiers to the weight they would later carry on active service. Physical fitness was considered essential, and recruits spent many hours exercising, running obstacle courses and undertaking strenuous outdoor activities.

Fieldcraft formed another important part of the curriculum. Vincent would have learned how to establish camps, dig trenches, construct defensive positions, send messages, perform sentry duties and operate in small groups. Bayonet practice was particularly vigorous, with recruits charging straw-filled dummies while instructors encouraged aggressive spirit and determination.

Life at Broadmeadows was not always comfortable. The camp consisted largely of tents and simple wooden buildings. Recruits slept in crowded conditions and were expected to maintain strict standards of cleanliness and hygiene. The Victorian weather could be challenging, with cold, wet winters turning parts of the camp into mud. Despite these hardships, strong friendships often developed among the men as they shared training, meals and leisure time together.

The 31st Battalion itself was formed in July 1915 and drew many of its recruits from Queensland and Victoria. By the time Vincent was training, the battalion was preparing men for overseas service in Egypt and eventually France. Instructors included experienced soldiers who understood the conditions recruits would soon encounter overseas and sought to prepare them as thoroughly as possible.

For Vincent, Broadmeadows represented the beginning of his military journey. The weeks spent there would have been physically exhausting and mentally challenging, but they equipped him with the skills, discipline and confidence needed before embarking for service abroad. Like many young Australians of the period, he left Broadmeadows a very different man from the one who had first arrived at the camp gates.

VOYAGE OVERSEAS MELBOURNE TO EGYPT NOVEMBER 1915

Some of the 31^st battalion’s companies, however, were also raised at Rifle Range camp at Enoggera. In early October, these two elements were united at Broadmeadows, and the battalion sailed from Melbourne on 9^th November 1915 on the HMAT Wandilla. Alongside his comrades, Vincent 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. They arrived at the Suez on 7^th December 1915

EGYPTIAN TRAINING CAMP

They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in the Egyptian 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. 

Training would be for eight hours a day six days a week. All day long, in every valley of the Sahara for miles around the Pyramids of Giza were groups or lines of men advancing, retiring, drilling or squatted near their piled arms listening to their officer. For many of the battalions many miles of desert had to be covered in the morning and evening to and from their allotted training areas. At first, to harden the troops, they wore full kit with heavy packs. Their backs became drenched with perspiration, and the bitter desert wind blew on them as they camped for their midday meal and many deaths from pneumonia were attributed to this cause.

HOSPITALISED TONSILITIS FEBRUARY 1916

The 8th Brigade joined the newly raised 5th Australian Division in Egypt. During this time Vincent was admitted to the 8^th Field Ambulance in Serapeum on 12^th February 1916 with tonsilitis and

was discharged on 17^th February.

WESTERN FRONT & TRENCH WARFARE

The unit proceeded to France, destined for the Western Front, in June 1916. 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, 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 FROMELLES JULY 1916

The 31st Battalion fought its first major battle at Fromelles on 19 July 1916, having only entered the front-line trenches 3 days previously. The attack was a disastrous introduction to battle for the 31st – it suffered 572 casualties, over half of its strength.

WOUNDED IN ACTION JULY 1916

HOSPITALISATION ENGLAND

Vincent was wounded in this action with a gunshot wound to the head & toe and was transferred to England on 22nd July being admitted to the Military Hospital in Edmonton.

NO 1 COMMAND POST PERHAM DOWNS SEPTEMBER 1916

On 30th September he was marched into No.1 Command Depot in Perham Downs which received men who are likely to be fit for duty within three weeks. Here he would convalesce but continue with drilling & training as the technology and techniques were rapidly changing and soldiers had to be up to date when they were ready to rejoin their units.

1917- 1918

There are no records for Vincent for 1917. Vincent was given leave in England 21^st December 1917 and rejoined his unit on 11^th January. Between January and April 1918, the 31st Australian Infantry Battalion, part of the 8th Brigade within the 5th Division, was stationed on the Western Front in northern France. During this period, the battalion experienced a relatively quiet time compared to other Australian units, as the 5th Division was largely kept in reserve during the German Spring Offensive of 1918.

While not engaged in major battles, the 31st Battalion likely undertook routine duties such as maintaining defensive positions, conducting patrols, and preparing for future operations. These activities were essential for holding the line and supporting overall Allied efforts on the Western Front.

WOUNDED IN ACTION APRIL 1918

On the 17^th April 1918 he was wounded in action for the second time with gunshot wound to his face & shoulder. He was transferred to the 10^th General Hospital, England but the writing is very hard to read. He would have spent many months in hospital and in the command posts for convalescing.  He rejoined his unit on 1^st June 1918.

THE BATTLE OF AMIENS 8^TH AUGUST 1918

Unlike some AIF battalions, the 31st had a relatively quiet time during the German Spring Offensive of 1918 as the 5th Division was largely kept in reserve. The Allies launched their own offensive with the battle of Amiens on 8 August, in which the 31st Battalion participated.

The opening attack of what would be come to be called the Hundred Days Offensive, the Battle of Amiens sees one of the most successful advances of World War I, with Allied troops securing more than eight miles in the conflict’s first fog-covered day, later called "the black day of the German Army" by General Erich Ludendorff. Catching the Germans by surprise, the Allies attack with the help of 2,000 guns, 1,900 planes and 500 tanks, causing large-scale German casualties and a fatal blow to morale.

It was subsequently involved in the operations that continued to press the retreating Germans through August and into September.

THE BATTLE OF ST QUENTIN CANAL SEPTEMBER 1918

The 31st fought its last major action of the war in September 1918 when the 5th and 3rd Australian Divisions, and two American divisions attacked the Hindenburg Line across the top of the 6-kilometre-long St Quentin Canal tunnel; the canal was a major obstacle in the German defensive scheme.

The Battle of St Quentin Canal was a pivotal engagement during World War I, forming part of the Hundred Days Offensive. It was fought along the Hindenburg Line, a heavily fortified German defensive position, with the goal of breaking through one of its strongest sections.

The battle involved British, Australian, and American forces. The Germans had incorporated the St Quentin Canal into their defences, making it a formidable obstacle. Despite fierce resistance, the Allies successfully breached the Hindenburg Line, marking a significant turning point in the war. The battle resulted in heavy casualties, with thousands of soldiers lost on both sides. The victory convinced the German high command that their chances of winning the war were diminishing, contributing to the eventual Armistice. The 31st was resting and retraining out of the line when the war ended on 11 November 1918.

WAR ENDED

On 11^th November the fighting was officially over so he 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.

HOSPITALISED NOVEMBER 1918

On 30^th November he was admitted to hospital but details illegible. He rejoined his unit on 14^th December 1918

FURLOUGH DECEMBER 1918

He went to Paris on leave on 28^th December, 1918 and returned to Hurdcott where he would have had various duties to keep him busy till he could return home. 

DISCIPLINED FEBRUARY 1919

During that time, on 22^nd February 1919, he went AWL from 2400 to 8.30am on 26^th February. He was admonished and forfeited 4 day’s pay. 

GOING HOME

He returned to Australia on the Trazos-Montes on 27^th May 1919 and was discharged on 19^th July.

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, Vincent was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.  

HOME LIFE

Vincent remained single and died on 29^th April 1976, aged 80. He is buried in Innisfail Cemetery, Portion 16 Cem Row 9 Cem Plot 6

---

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.