FAMILY LIFE

Ernest Leighton was born in 1886 was born in 1894 in Grafton, son of David & Jessie Leighton, the youngest of three children

APPLICATION

He was single teamster, eager to do his bit. He travelled to Brisbane on 25^th October 1916 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his father, David, of Kungur.  His medical showed he was 32 years 4 months old, 5ft 10 inches tall (1.78m), weighed 150 lbs (68kgs), with a medium complexion, blue eyes & brown hair. His eyesight was good and he was dentally fit. Ernest was Church of England.

The Examining Medical Officer stated that Ernest “can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service.”  On the second page of the Attestation Paper, he made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Ernest Leighton swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War … SO HELP ME, GOD.” 

He was enlisted as a private into the 47^th Infantry Battalion – 8^th Reinforcements with service No 3262

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 received their vaccinations for smallpox, rabies & plague. Ernest received his on 15^th & 22^nd November, and 1^st & 8^th December. 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

The recruits were issued with their uniform: a khaki woollen jacket, heavy cord breeches and the famous slouch hat – turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge. A soldier’s equipment also included a dixie (mess tin), water bottle, mug, .303 Lee-Enfield rifle and bayonet.

VOYAGE OVERSEAS

On the 22^nd December 1916 the recruits left Sydney, sailing upon the HMAT Demosthenes. 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.

CODFORD TRAINING CAMP

They had already completed their basic training in Australia but on 3^rd March 1917 for many more tough months, in the 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

WESTERN FRONT & TRENCH WARFARE

On 19^th June 1917 the recruits sailed for Le Havre, France then marched out to join their unit on 10^th July. The recruits now found themselves fighting the German 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, 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.

BETWEEN BATTLES

There was several months before Ernest & the new recruits would be involved in a major battle. The 47^th had just been involved in the 2 Battles of Bullecourt in April & May & the Battle of Messines in June and they had lost a lot of men.

Between major battles, soldiers had a mix of rest, training, and support duties to maintain readiness and morale. Some key activities included:

·      Rest & Recovery – Soldiers spent time away from the front lines in billets or camps, recovering from combat, treating injuries, and regaining strength.

·      Training & Drills – They practiced trench warfare tactics, weapons handling, and new strategies to prepare for upcoming battles.

·      Construction & Maintenance – Soldiers repaired trenches, dugouts, roads, and fortifications to keep defensive positions strong.

·      Patrols & Raids – Small groups conducted reconnaissance missions and trench raids to gather intelligence or disrupt enemy positions.

·      Daily Life – Soldiers wrote letters home, played games, attended religious services, and tried to maintain morale.

·      Fatigue Duties – They carried supplies, transported wounded soldiers, and assisted with logistics.

·      Medical Treatment – Those wounded or sick received care in field hospitals or were evacuated to rear areas for recovery.

Life between battles was often physically demanding, but it provided brief moments of normalcy and camaraderie before returning to combat.  Ernest & the new recruits were introduced to trench life before they would see action 

BATTLE OF PASSCHENDAELE OCTOBER 1917 

After mid-1917, and following mutinies in the over-strained French Army, the British Forces had to assume an even greater role in the war on the Western Front. For Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, the British commander-in-chief, this provided an opportunity to launch an offensive that he had long wanted. Attacking from Ypres in Belgium, he planned to drive the Germans from the surrounding dominant ridges and even hoped to reach the Belgian coast. Following on the success at Messines in June, he unleashed his great attack on 31 July 1917. Fighting went on, often in appalling weather and despite crippling losses, until November. Finally, with the army stuck in muddy fields churned up by the artillery fire, the bloody offensive came to an untidy close. Many would afterwards call this offensive, a series of battles, after the name of the village that had become the last objective – 'Passchendaele'.

47^TH INVOLVEMENT

The 47th was involved in the Battle of Passchendaele—also known as the Third Battle of Ypres—during its later stages in October 1917, on the Western Front in Flanders, Belgium. They were deployed near Passchendaele village, in the thick of the offensive. Their mission was to attack and secure German-held positions under brutal conditions.

The 47th faced some of the worst battlefield conditions of the entire war:

·      Torrential rain turned the ground into deep, clinging mud.

·      Movement of troops, artillery, and supplies became nearly impossible.

·      Many men drowned in shell holes filled with water.

·      German machine guns and artillery inflicted heavy losses on the exposed attackers

The name "Passchendaele" became synonymous with futility, mud, and slaughter.

MISSING IN ACTION 12^TH OCTOBER

On 12^th October Ernest was listed as missing in action.  

COURT OF ENQUIRY

A court of enquiry was held in the field. As soon as possible after a battle/action a court of Inquiry was held to determine what had happened to all ranks within the battalion. All soldiers were then listed and what happen was ascertained to the best of the knowledge of the men involved. This was not always possible to confirm those missing unless they were seen by a survivor to be killed or wounded. In many cases those listed as missing and were not on the hospital or PoW reports from the Red Cross or from the Enemy either German or Turkish were declared dead.

KILLED IN ACTION 12^TH OCTOBER 1918

The court declared Ernest killed in action on the 12^th October 1918.

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service, Ernest was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Murwillumbah War Memorial. His name is recorded on the Roll of Honour Panel number 144 at the Australian War Memorial among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War.

Ernest’s effects were returned to his mother and consisted of 3 cards, a silver wrist watch & strap. His will left equal shares of his estate to his father, two sisters & two brothers. His Memorial plaque was received by his father on 2^nd November 1922 & his Victory medal on 7^th May 1923. 

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