FAMILY LIFE

Walter Byrne was born in 1897 in Goulburn, son of John Robert & Elizabeth (Tully) Byrne. He was one of 10 children. Many of his siblings were born in Tyalgum and many are buried in Murwillumbah cemetery.

 APPLICATION

He was single labourer, eager to do his bit. He travelled to Brisbane on 1^st February 1916 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his father, John, of Murwillumbah. His medical showed he was 20 years 5 months old, 5ft 9 inches tall (1.75m), weighed 147 lbs (67kgs), with a medium complexion, blue eyes & light brown hair.

His eyesight was good but required dental treatment. Walter was Church of England and had a scar on his left hand and moles on his back.  He was enlisted as a private into the 31^st Infantry Battalion – 7^th Reinforcements with service No 3211

 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

 AUSTRALIAN TRAINING CAMP

All the 31^st recruits attended the training camp at Rifle Camp, Enoggera. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together.

 Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the men received their vaccinations for smallpox, rabies & plague. Walter received his on the 4^th, 11^th & 18^th February. 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 would take several months

 VOYAGE OVERSEAS

The recruits sailed on 10^th April 1916 on the HMT Seeang Choon.  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. 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. They disembarked on the Suez on 15^th June 1916

 CODFORD TRAINING CAMP

The 31st joined the newly raised 5th Australian Division in Egypt and Walter was taken on strength on 9^th July at Tel el Kebir. In mid-1916 the 31^st proceeded to France, destined for the Western front and Walter left Alexandria on the HMT Franconia on 2^nd August 1916. They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in the English training camp at Codford, the volunteers left their old lives farther behind. They began their training with physical fitness exercises, they were taught individual and unit discipline, how to follow commands, how to march, some basic field skills and how to safely handle his weapons.  Later, as soldiers specialised in a particular area (for example, machine gunner or signaller) they would be trained in specific skills and would take part in practice manoeuvres and sham fights. They would spend many hours learning training in the use of bayonets, anti- gas training and guard duty along with lectures on camouflage or trench warfare and much more.

 TRENCH WARFARE FRANCE 1917

On the 11^th November he boarded the Golden Eagle at Folkstone headed for France and joined his unit on 8^th December 1917. The 31^st were fighting in trenches. 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.

 HOSPITALISATION JANUARY 1917 TRENCH FEET

On 24^th January 1917 Walter was admitted to the 1^st Anzac MD station with trench feet. The disease was prominent in trenches that were dug in land that was at, or near, sea level, where the water table was just beneath the surface.  The soldiers would hit water after a couple of feet and the trenches would flood. After long periods standing in soaking wet socks and boots, trench foot would start to set in. The men’s feet would swell and go numb and then the skin would start to turn red or blue. Untreated feet often became gangrenous and the condition could lead to nerve damage, tissue loss and ultimately the need for amputation. 

 By 23^rd February he rejoined his unit but was readmitted with trench feet to the 8^th Field Ambulance on 14^th March. (A Field Ambulance was a mobile front line medical unit (it was not a vehicle), manned by troops of the Royal Army Medical Corps). By the 28^th his feet had not responded to treatment and by 21^st April he was transferred to England on the HS Viper with inflation of his corrective tissues. This was a side issue with trench feet and caused by impairment of blood flow.  In advanced cases, the skin may break down, leading to open sores and increased risk of infection. Complications may include skin breakdown or infection

 HURDCOTT COMMAND POST JUNE  1917

On 25^th June he was discharged to furlough till 9^th July when he reported to Hurdcott command post. 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. He was classified B1a which meant he was free from serious organic diseases, able to stand service on lines of communication in France, able to march 5 miles, see to shoot with glasses, and hear well

 KILLED IN ACTION APRIL 1918

On 25th December 1917 Walter rejoined his unit. They continued their fighting against the Germans in Villers-Bretonneux, France. In early April 1918, World War I was at a critical juncture in France. The German Army had launched a major offensive known as the Spring Offensive which began in March and extended into April. This offensive aimed to break through Allied lines and secure a decisive victory before American reinforcements could fully arrive. During this period, the Allies were under immense pressure, with battles raging in many regions. A casualty of this fighting was Walter, who was killed in action on 19^th April 1918.

 FOR HIS SERVICE

Walter is buried Crucifix Corner Cemetery, Picardie, France. For his service, Walter was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Murwillumbah War Memorial, the Burringbar War Memorial & Dungay Public School WWI Memorial. His name is recorded on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial No 118 among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War.

 

Walter’s effects were returned to his father and consisted of 2 wallets, photos, badge & letters. Walter had made a will on the 19^th July 1917 and left his estate to his father, John.  2 Photos of his grave were sent to his father on the 14^th November 1919. His memorial plaque & memorial scroll was forwarded to his father on 10^th November 1922. 

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