BACKGROUND

John Cobley Aked was born in Murwillumbah in 1890, son of Albert William Wilkinson & Kate Bertha Cobley Aked. According to NSWBDM he was the only son of 8 children. His parents are listed on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district

ATTESTATION

John travelled to Melbourne on the 24^TH February 1915 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was a single man and gave his occupation as plumber/musician. His next of kin was his father, Albert, of Murwillumbah.

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

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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, John Cobley Aked, 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

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

SO, HELP ME, GOD.” 

 

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MEDICAL EXAMINATION

John was 25 years 1 month old.  He was 5ft 8 inches tall (1.72m) and weighed 140lbs (63kgs). He had a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. His eye sight was good. He had a scar on his left wrist. John 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. 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 with the 25^th Battalion with service number 1056

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 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 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 five shillings a day.

VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM BRISBANE TO EGYPT JUNE 1915

On the 29^th June 1915 the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Aeneas A60.  Alongside his comrades, John 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.

EGYPTIAN TRAINING CAMP

The troops arrived mid-August and joined the troop train. When the train finally rattled into the siding near the Camp, John found himself staring at an extraordinary sight — the vast Pyramids looming on the horizon, their ancient stones glowing gold in the late afternoon sun. Rows of khaki tents stretched out across the sand, the dust curling in little eddies around the tent pegs

During an interim period, soldiers typically:

·      Recovered from the voyage: After long sea travel from Australia, troops needed time to rest and regain strength.

·      Underwent medical inspections: To check for illnesses, infections, or conditions like venereal disease that might delay their training.

·      Received equipment and uniforms: Egypt's heat made the heavy wool uniforms uncomfortable. As a result, lighter clothing was often issued or obtained locally. Soldiers frequently wore:

ü Khaki cotton shirts without the tunic

ü Lightweight drill uniforms made from cotton

ü Shorts on some occasions, particularly in camp

ü Pith helmets or sun helmets for fatigue duties and work in the sun, although the slouch hat remained the iconic Australian headgear

·      Were assigned to training battalions: Administrative processing sorted soldiers into reinforcement drafts for specific front-line battalions.

·      Drilled lightly: They performed light drills, parades, and familiarisation routines while waiting for formal training slots to open.

Over many tough months, in the Egyptian training camp, the volunteers left their old lives farther behind. They began an intensive period of training in preparation for deployment to the front. These camps were shared by other Australian and New Zealand forces, creating a large and active training environment.

Daily life followed a strict military routine. Reveille was sounded around 5:30 am, followed by physical training, which included route marches and endurance work in the desert conditions. After breakfast, the men began structured morning sessions focusing on drill, bayonet practice, and rifle handling. Training resumed after lunch, often with practical field exercises such as digging trenches, constructing defences, and simulating attacks on mock enemy positions. The day ended with roll call, personal time, and lights out around 9:00 pm.

The training itself covered a wide range of military skills. Soldiers learned close-order drill, musketry (rifle shooting), bayonet fighting, and basic tactics. Musketry was particularly important: the men practised with their Lee-Enfield rifles on firing ranges, learning how to load, aim, fire rapidly, and judge distances accurately. Bayonet training was also emphasized, with troops practising thrusts, parries, and charges on straw-filled dummies to build aggression and confidence.

Physical fitness was a high priority. Route marches of 10 to 15 kilometres in full kit were a regular part of the schedule to build stamina and discipline. Troops also received instruction in field engineering—learning how to dig trenches, build parapets and revetments, and position barbed wire obstacles effectively.

Other important areas of training included basic first aid, battlefield communication (such as flag and lamp signalling), and map reading.

Sanitation and hygiene were stressed throughout the training period. Soldiers were taught how to prevent disease by maintaining clean clothing and equipment, constructing latrines, and purifying drinking water. This was crucial in the Egyptian climate, where illness could spread rapidly.

Although the training was demanding, there were occasional opportunities for leave. Many soldiers visited the bazaars, cafés, and sights of Cairo, or made trips to the pyramids near Mena. Morale was generally high, though the men understood active service was approaching.

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.

TRANSFER TO 46^TH BATTALION MARCH 1916

On 3 March 1916 he was transferred from the 14th Battalion to the newly formed 46th Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir. The 46th was one of the battalions created during the expansion of the AIF and spent the following months preparing for service on the Western Front.

FRANCE 1916 WOUNDED IN ACTION

John travelled with the battalion to France and appears to have served only a short time there before his health collapsed. The crucial event occurred on 24 June 1916. His statement given later to medical authorities records that he was: "buried by a bomb explosion while bearing stretchers in trenches."

Whether the explosion was a shell or trench mortar, the result was the same. John stated he was unconscious for twenty-four hours and afterwards suffered weakness, nervous symptoms, insomnia, and difficulty walking. Medical officers diagnosed shell shock.

CONTINUING HEALTH PROBLEMS

The timing is revealing. He had already been sent sick to hospital on 15 June, before the recorded shell-shock incident. This suggests his health may already have been poor before the explosion occurred. The blast then appears to have greatly worsened his condition.

Following evacuation from France, John entered a seemingly endless cycle of hospitals in England and France. Bronchitis was diagnosed, and repeated medical examinations noted nervous symptoms and heart problems. By November 1916 the medical reports paint a picture of a man who was struggling badly. Doctors recorded that he was still shaky on his legs, unable to walk far, suffering insomnia, and showing signs of valvular disease of the heart.

The most significant document is the Medical Board report of 9 November 1916. The board concluded that both the shell shock and the heart condition were not solely the result of military service. The report specifically noted that the disability existed prior to enlistment and that active service had aggravated it. The Director of Medical Services subsequently found him permanently unfit for general service.

This finding explains much of the confusion that follows.

The Army had effectively decided that John should not have been serving overseas, but discharging him proved far more complicated than expected. He remained under treatment at various hospitals, including Bulford and Wandsworth, while arrangements were made for his return to Australia.

BULFORD HOSPITAL SEPTEMBER 1916

The Bulford records are particularly extensive because Bulford was one of the major centres dealing with men suffering nervous disorders and other chronic medical conditions. Unfortunately, service files often preserve every medical form, report, and observation, which can result in dozens of pages of repetitive detail.

The reference to 168 days VD is almost certainly an administrative notation concerning treatment under military regulations relating to venereal disease. Such entries frequently affected pay and service accounting. It does not mean he spent 168 consecutive days as an in-patient with nothing else occurring, but rather that the Army was recording a lengthy period connected to that classification.

GOING HOME MARCH?

What makes the file truly unusual is the administrative activity after he was already marked for return to Australia.

A letter dated March 1917 advised his father that John was expected back in Australia, and records show he sailed home on Ulysses. Yet other entries continue to place him in English training establishments, being transferred between the 46th, 65th, and 67th Battalions. These battalion transfers were almost certainly paper transactions rather than evidence of genuine military service. Men awaiting discharge were often carried on the strength of whatever depot or training unit happened to be administering them at the time.

The duplicate returns to Australia probably reflect administrative confusion between the date he was ordered home, the date he actually sailed, and the date he arrived. Such discrepancies are not uncommon in heavily amended service files.

DISCIPLINED

On 1^st May 1917 John was disciplined for being AWL for 7 days- he was awarded 7 days CE for AWL 21/4/17 Windmill Hill forfeits 8 days’ pay.

Serving CE is highly restrictive and physically demanding, especially within an infantry battalion:

·      Confinement to the Lines: The soldier cannot leave the base or their designated unit lines. They are completely restricted from taking local leave or going out on weekends.

·      Loss of Privileges: Access to the boozer (base canteen/bar), phones, and general leisure activities is stripped away.

·      Extra Duties and Fatigues: Infantry soldiers will be put to work doing heavy labour, base maintenance, cleaning, or administrative fatigue duties outside of normal working hours.

·      Punishment Parades: The soldier must attend multiple "musters" or check-in parades throughout the day (sometimes as early as 0600 and as late as 2200) in full uniform to ensure they are remaining where they are supposed to be.

On 30^th September 1917 he went AWL for one day and he forfeited 2 day’s pay. The disciplinary entries for being absent without leave are also revealing. Despite being considered medically unfit, John was still under military authority and therefore remained subject to military discipline. His AWL offences suggest that he may have struggled to adapt to the restrictions of camp life while awaiting discharge

ADMITTED TO 17TH AMBULANCE WINDMILL HILL SCABIES AUUST 1917

On the 28^th August 1917 John was admitted to the 17^th Field Ambulance with scabies. A Field Ambulance was a mobile front line medical unit (it was not a vehicle), manned by troops of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Field ambulances were crucial mobile medical units in World War I, responsible for the immediate care and evacuation of wounded soldiers from the front lines. When it was at full strength a Field Ambulance was composed of 10 officers and 224 men. The theoretical capacity of the Field Ambulance was 150 casualties, but in battle many would need to deal with very much greater numbers

SCABIES

Scabies is a very itchy skin condition caused by a tiny mite (bug) Scabies is very contagious and spreads quickly. Scabies causes intense itching, threadlike tracks on your skin and sometimes a rash. The rash looks like tiny red lumps and is caused by an allergic reaction to the mite. The treatment of scabies was on the first day the patient was thoroughly rubbed with soft soap for fifteen minutes. He then entered a warm bath where he lay for twenty minutes; during the last five minutes the infected sites were gently scrubbed with a soft brush. This procedure was designed to open the burrows and expose the acari and ova. Steam or shower baths could not accomplish this satisfactorily and were therefore unsuitable. After drying, a liberal quantity of sulphur ointment was rubbed over the whole body below the neck, special attention being paid to the hands, feet, and penis. This inunction was repeated on the second and third days. On the fourth day, but not before, the patient was given a second bath and supplied with clean clothing and bedding. Such articles as socks, wrist straps, gloves, and the string of identification discs also required disinfection. John was discharged on the 3^rd September 1917

GOING HOME -CONGENITAL IDIOCY JANUARY 1918

The most startling entry is the final one in January 1918, where he was returned to Australia aboard Port Darwin with the diagnosis recorded as "congenital idiocy." That term sounds shocking today, but in early twentieth-century medical language it was used broadly and often imprecisely for perceived intellectual or developmental deficiencies. It did not necessarily mean what a modern reader would understand by the term. In John's case, it appears that medical authorities had concluded that many of his difficulties pre-dated enlistment and were rooted in conditions that should have prevented his acceptance into the AIF in the first place.

When all the evidence is viewed together, the most likely interpretation is that John enlisted despite significant pre-existing health problems. Service in Egypt and France, particularly the shell-shock incident of June 1916, aggravated those conditions dramatically. Medical boards subsequently determined that he should never have been considered fit for active service, leading to a prolonged period of treatment, reassessment, administrative confusion, and eventual discharge.

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service John was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the East Brisbane War Memorial, Coolangatta Tweed Heads RSL roll and Parish of Murwillumbah First World War Roll of Honour

PENSION

John was granted a pension of 3 pounds per fortnight from 14^th June 1917. His address was Murwillumbah

John was granted a pension of 3 pounds per fortnight from 28^th February 1918. At some stage his original pension had been reduce to 2 pounds 5 shillings and this was an increase. His address was Mount Morgan

On 27^th February 1918 his wife was granted a pension of 22/6 per fortnight from 28^th February 1918 to be reviewed when revised and reduction in Australia. Her address was London

AFTER THE WAR

John was living in North Bondi in 1967 when he applied for a medallion and ribbon

DEATH

John died on the 1^st April 1974 in North Bondi

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