FAMILY LIFE

Reginald Lipscombe Loxley-Lewis was born c1888 in Gloucestershire, England. Reginald was a farmer.  He married Margaret Ann Irvine in 1915 in Murwillumbah, and they had a daughter, Olive, in 1917.

APPLICATION

He travelled to Brisbane on 28th September 1916 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his wife, Margaret Ann, of Midginbil. Reginald had spent 4 years in the Uki Rifle Club. His medical showed he was 27 years 11 months old, 5ft 7 inches tall (1.7m), weighed 142 lbs (64kgs), with a fair complexion, blue eyes & auburn hair. His eyesight was good but he required dental treatment. He was Church of England.

The Examining Medical Officer stated that Reginald “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, Reginald Lipscombe Loxley-Lewis, 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.” 

Reginald was enlisted as a private into the 4^th Pioneer Battalion – 8^th Reinforcements with service No 2291

AUSTRALIAN TRAINING CAMP

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

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

The unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A72 Beltana on 25 November 1916.  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.

Somehow Reginald lost his kit on the ship and on 19^th January 1917 he was debited for the loss. The recruits disembarked at Devonport, England on 29^th January 1917

FOLKSTONE TRAINING CAMP

They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in the English 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.  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 25^th April he proceeded overseas to France and was taken on strength on 16^th May 1917. The recruits now found themselves doing their duties next to soldiers 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 & 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.

PIONEER BATTALIONS

Pioneer Battalions were dual-purpose units. They were trained and equipped to serve both as infantry and as combat engineers. Their main tasks were technical and manual labour under battlefield conditions, including:

·      Trench construction and repair

·      Dugouts and bunkers

·      Barbed wire entanglements and obstacle.

·      Bridges and crossings.

·      Roads and tramways

·      Defensive structures

·      Infantry Support (Secondary Role)

Although trained as engineers, they were also trained and equipped to fight, and could be used as reserve infantry in emergencies or attached to attacking units for immediate post-attack work like consolidating captured positions or constructing trenches.

Specialist Duties

·      Battlefield clearance – recovering the wounded, burying the dead, and salvaging equipment.

·      Camouflage and concealment – building screens or fake structures.

·      Mine and booby trap clearance – particularly during German withdrawals.

·      Construction in rear areas – building camps, stables, headquarters, and sanitation systems.

BETWEEN MAY AND JULY 1917

MAY 1917

The battalion was stationed near Ploegsteert (Plugstreet) Wood and Messines Ridge, in preparation for the Battle of Messines, which was to begin in early June.

Tasks included:

·      Digging communication and approach trenches

·      Building roads and tramways for artillery and supply transport

·      Stockpiling engineering materials

·      Preparing water and sanitation points

They worked under constant shellfire, especially as the front lines were active with raids and artillery duels.

JUNE 1917 – BATTLE OF MESSINES (7–14 JUNE)

The 4th Pioneers were heavily engaged in the aftermath of the mine explosions and the infantry advance.

Duties included:

·      Repairing roads and tracks churned up by shelling

·      Clearing battlefield debris

·      Building strongpoints, dugouts, and trenches for consolidation

·      Assisting with evacuation routes for wounded soldiers

Often worked in front-line conditions, exposed to artillery and sniper fire. Some elements of the battalion also acted in supporting infantry roles during emergencies.

JULY 1917

After the Messines operations, they continued:

·      Improving supply lines

·      Extending and reinforcing trenches toward Warneton and Wytschaete

·      Constructing light railways for logistics

In mid-to-late July, they prepared for the upcoming Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele), which began at the end of that month (31 July).

Their work was crucial in making it possible for artillery, supplies, and reinforcements to move across the devastated Flanders landscape

HOSPITALISED TRENCH FEVER JULY 1917

On 21^st July Reginald was admitted to hospital with trench fever. Trench fever, often classed as “pyrexia,” is a condition that was first reported from troops in Flanders in 1915, when individuals suffered from a febrile illness that relapsed in five-day cycles. Human louse was rife in the trenches of the Western Front. It was the cause of much discomfort to the troops who found it almost impossible to get rid of them. But the body louse did cause another disease that became to be known as 'Trench Fever'. The body louse was infected by biting a soldier suffering from Trench Fever. The infected soldier did not show any signs, or symptoms, for anything from a week to a month, when a severe head-ache developed with debilitating muscle pains; characteristically of the shins - hence the commonly used alternative name 'Shin-bone Fever'. With a duration of around five days, the fever went into remission and often reoccurred (relapsed) one or more times. There was no effective treatment for Trench Fever other than bed-rest

CONVALESCENT DEPOT AUGUST 1917

On 7^th August he was transferred to the convalescent depot. 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.

CONTINUAL HOSPITALISATION

 However, by the very nature of the disease, he was in and out of hospital and convalescent depots till he finally rejoined his unit on 18^th October 1917. Sadly, he continued to have recurrences of the disease until he was transferred to England on 28^th April 1918. 

WAR ENDED

His illness would not get any better and 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.

GOING HOME

Reginald returned to Australia on 23^rd June 1919 via the HMAT Orita.  

SCABIES

While on the ship, on 20^th July 1919, Reginald caught scabies, a very itchy skin condition caused by a tiny mite. Conditions such as this thrived on a ship full of men, crowded together. He disembarked on 9^th August 1919 and was discharged on 17^th September 1919.

FOR HIS SERVICE

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

HOME LIFE

Reginald & Margaret had a son in 1920. His wife, Margaret, died in 1935. He married Elizabeth Irvine, Margaret’ sister, in 1937 at Kiama. Reginald enlisted in WWII in the 1st Battalion Vol Defence Corps Pt Time Duty. Reginald Lipscombe passed away in 1981 in the Tweed Heads district. He was buried in Murwillumbah Cemetery 

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