Private Herbert William Beamish
Service #: 377
Summary
FAMILY LIFE
Herbert William Beamish was born c1885 in Neerim, Victoria. He married Ivy Marion Bridger in 1912 in Murwillumbah. The couple had 2 sons, Victor, born 1913 & Harold, born 1915 in Murwillumbah. They were living in Upper Burringbar and moved to Crystal Creek in July 1915
ATTESTATION
He travelled to Brisbane on 10th January 1916 to complete his application which showed was a carpenter. His next of kin as his wife, Ivy Marion, of Burringbar.
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
Herbert also agreed to allot three fifths of the pay payable to him from time to time during his service to the support of his wife
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, Herbert Willoiam Beamish, 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 30 years 8 months old, 5ft 5 ½ inches tall (1.66m), weighed 140 lbs (63kgs), with a dark complexion, brown eyes & brown hair. His eyesight was good. Herbert was Church of England.
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. Herbert was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 18th April 1916. 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 41st Battalion – B Coy with service No 377
41ST INFANTRY BATTALION
The 41st Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force was raised in Bells’ Paddock Camp, Brisbane in February 1916, drawing recruits from Queensland and northern New South Wales. It was part of the 11th Brigade in the 3rd Australian Division. The 41st Infantry Battalion is remembered for its resilience and dedication
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 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 could 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
VOYAGE OVERSEAS SYDNEY TO ENGLAND MAY 1916
On the 16th May 1916 the recruits caught the troop train to Sydney and on the 18th May 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.
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.
When the recruits arrived in England, they entered a period of intensive preparation that was both physically demanding and strategically vital.
Life in camp was austere and relentless. The recruits lived in wooden huts that offered little protection from the English weather, and the damp cold of the Plain came as a shock to men who had trained in Australia and/or Egypt. Days began early, often before dawn, with physical training designed to build endurance and toughness. Long route marches across the open downs were a regular feature, men carrying full packs, rifles, ammunition, and equipment as they were conditioned for the demands of trench warfare.
Training was systematic and increasingly realistic. The men would have spent many hours on the parade ground mastering drill, weapon handling, and unit manoeuvres, but the focus soon shifted to battlefield skills. The battalion practised trench warfare techniques, including entering and clearing enemy trenches, bombing drills with Mills grenades, bayonet fighting, and the rapid consolidation of captured positions. Specially constructed practice trenches on Salisbury Plain allowed officers and NCOs to rehearse attacks down to the smallest detail, ensuring that every man understood his role once the battalion went into action.
Musketry training was constant. The men would have fired thousands of rounds on the rifle ranges, honing accuracy, and speed, learning to fire from awkward positions and under time pressure. Lewis gun teams trained separately, while all infantrymen were taught how to operate the weapon if needed. Gas warfare instruction was also compulsory; men practised donning respirators under simulated gas attacks, a grim but necessary preparation for conditions at the front.
Between training cycles, the battalion undertook further instruction at nearby camps on Salisbury Plain, including periods at Perham Down, another major training area used to relieve overcrowding and provide additional field space. Here the emphasis was on large-scale exercises involving entire brigades, practising attacks behind creeping artillery barrages, night operations, and movement under cover. These exercises often lasted days, with men sleeping in the open, reinforcing the endurance and discipline required for front-line service.
Despite the hard routine, there were moments of respite. When training schedules allowed, the men may have been granted short leave to nearby towns such as Salisbury or even London, where Australian soldiers briefly escaped the rigours of camp life. These interludes, however, were short-lived, and by autumn the training intensified as the battalion’s departure for France drew closer.
After many months of continuous preparation in England, the Battalion was judged ready for active service. The recruits had been transformed from a newly arrived reinforcement into a fully trained infantryman, accustomed to discipline, hardship, and the mechanics of modern war. When the battalion finally crossed to France, it did so as a cohesive and well-drilled unit, prepared—so far as training could allow—for the brutal realities of the Western Front. Training could last many months
TRENCH WARFARE & THE WESTERN FRONT NOVEMBER 1916
After training in Australia and Britain, the 41st Battalion arrived in France on 25 November 1916. 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 & 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.
FRANCE 1916-1917
The 41st entered the front line for the first time on Christmas Eve and spent the bleak winter of 1916-17 alternating between service in the front line, and training and labouring in the rear areas. Herbert proceeded over to France on 31st December 1916 on the SS Princess Victoria. He joined is unit on 5th January 1917.
ARMENTIERES SECTOR JANUARY 1917
Herbert joined the 41st Battalion, arriving during a period when the battalion was holding positions in the Armentières sector of northern France. For a newly arrived reinforcement, life quickly became a routine of trench duty, carrying parties, wiring operations and patrol work. Although this sector was often described as comparatively quiet, the trenches were regularly shelled and casualties from snipers, artillery fire and raids were common. The harsh winter conditions added further hardship, with cold, mud and waterlogged trenches testing the endurance of the men. During the first months of 1917 the battalion continued its rotation through the front line, support trenches and reserve areas while preparing for the major operations planned for later in the year.
HOSPITALISATION MAY 1917- NO DETAILS
On 5 May 1917 Herbert was admitted to hospital. Unfortunately, the surviving records do not reveal the nature of the illness or injury that led to his admission, but his absence coincided with a period of intensive preparation for the forthcoming Battle of Messines. Like many soldiers, he may have suffered from illness, exhaustion or a minor injury requiring treatment away from the front.
REJOINED UNIT AUGUST 1917- THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES
After approximately three months away from the battalion, Herbert rejoined the 41st Battalion on 5 August 1917. His return came during the opening stages of the Third Battle of Ypres, commonly known as Passchendaele, when Australian troops were heavily engaged in the fighting around the Ypres Salient in Belgium.
APPOINTED LANCE CORPORAL AUGUST 1917
Just three days after rejoining, on 8 August, Herbert was appointed Lance Corporal, a promotion that reflected the confidence his superiors placed in his abilities and leadership. As a junior non-commissioned officer he would have been responsible for supervising small groups of men, maintaining discipline and helping to lead them under difficult battlefield conditions.
The battalion spent the following weeks involved in operations around Ypres, enduring relentless shellfire, muddy conditions and frequent enemy attacks. The strain on all ranks was considerable, with casualties mounting as the campaign continued through late summer and into autumn.
WOUNDED IN ACTION OCTOBER 1917
On 5 October 1917 Herbert's fortunes changed dramatically when he was wounded in action. He suffered a gunshot wound to the head that fractured his skull, one of the most serious wounds a soldier could receive and survive. The injury likely occurred during the bitter fighting around Broodseinde, where Australian divisions were engaged in one of the most successful but costly battles of the Ypres campaign.
THE BATTLE OF BROODSEINDE, BELGIUM
It was some of the battalion's more "routine" tasks that proved its most trying experiences. The start of August found the 41st holding ground captured by two of its sister battalions in a feint attack on 31 July. Enduring continual rain, flooded trenches and heavy shelling many of the battalion's platoons dwindled from 35 men to less than ten. The 41st captured its objectives at Broodseinde on 4 October with little difficulty. The Battle of Broodseinde was fought on 4 October 1917 near Ypres. The battle was the most successful Allied attack of the Third Battle of Ypres. Using bite-and-hold tactics, with objectives limited to what could be held against German counter-attacks, the allied devastated the German defence, prompted a crisis among the German commanders and caused a severe loss of morale in the 4th Army. Preparations were made by the Germans for local withdrawals and planning began for a greater withdrawal, which would entail the abandonment by the Germans of the Belgian coast, one of the strategic aims of the Flanders Offensive.
HOSPITAL CHAIN
Amid intense artillery bombardments and machine-gun fire, Herbert was struck and evacuated from the battlefield through the casualty clearing system.
After receiving initial treatment near the front, he was transported to the 57th General Hospital at Boulogne on the French coast. Here specialist medical staff worked to stabilise patients arriving from the battlefields of Belgium and France. A fractured skull was a grave injury, and Herbert's condition was considered serious enough to warrant transfer to England for further treatment.
EVACUATION TO ENGLAND OCTOBER 1917
He arrived at the Central Military Hospital at Chatham on 17 October 1917. The hospital was one of Britain's major military medical centres and treated large numbers of soldiers suffering from severe wounds. Treatment for skull fractures during the First World War was often lengthy and could involve surgery to remove bone fragments, relieve pressure on the brain and prevent infection. Recovery was usually slow, requiring prolonged observation and nursing care.
As his condition improved, Herbert was transferred on 13 November 1917 to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital. Auxiliary hospitals were intended for patients who no longer required intensive treatment but were still recovering from serious wounds. There he continued his convalescence under Australian medical supervision.
On 27 November 1917 Herbert was moved again, this time to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth. Command depots served as centres where recovering soldiers were medically assessed and gradually prepared either for a return to duty or for discharge if they were deemed unfit for further service. After surviving a severe head wound and fractured skull, Herbert faced a lengthy period of recovery and uncertainty as military authorities evaluated the lasting effects of his injuries. 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
Herbert's service illustrates the dangers faced by the men of the 41st Battalion during the Ypres campaign. Having risen to the rank of Lance Corporal shortly after returning to the front, he was seriously wounded during some of the fiercest fighting of the war and spent the remainder of 1917 moving through the military medical system in Britain as he recovered from a potentially fatal head wound.
RETURNED TO AUSTRALIA MEDICALLY UNFIT
However, Herbert did not recover enough to return to duty and was returned to Australia on 13th February 1918 on the hospital ship Runic. He was discharged medically unfit on 22nd March 1918.
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, Herbert was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Werribee Shire Great War Roll of Honor
AFTER THE WAR
Herbert died on 27th February 1946 in Victoria and is buried in Footscray General Cemetery, Plot, Church of England E, Grave 191
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
Werribee Shire Great War Roll of Honor
Buried Location
We do not know the burial location of this individual
