BACKGROUND

Paul Askin Boland was born in Mackay, Qld on the 25th June 18186, son of William Joseph & Bridget (Cregan) Boland. According to Findagrave.com he was one of 6 children, 3 brothers & 2 sisters. One of his brothers, Thomas, also enlisted. His father is listed on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district and both his parents are buried in Murwillumbah cemetery

ATTESTATION

Paul travelled to Brisbane on the 5^th September 1916 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 farmer. His next of kin was his father, William, a saddler, of Murwillumbah.

Item 11 asks-Do you now belong to, or have you ever served in His Majesty’s Army, the Militia, the Militia Reserve, the Territorial Forces, Royal Navy or Colonial Forces? If so, state which, and is not now serving, state cause of discharge. Paul answered yes- rejected for a bad knee in January 1916. 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, Paul Askin Boland, 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

Paul was 30 years 3 months old. He was 5ft 10inches tall (1.78m) and weighed 145lbs (66kgs). He had a medium complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. He was dentally fit and his wye sight was good. Paul was Roman Catholic

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. Paul was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 10^th October 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 a private with the 7^th reinforcements, 49^th Battalion with service number 2864

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 BRISBANE TO ENGLAND SEPTEMBER 1916

His unit embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A49 Seang Choon on 19 September 1916. Alongside his comrades, Paul marched aboard, their 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. In an attempt 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, where the ship would refuel & take on supplies, 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. The danger was greatest in the Western Approaches near Britain, where U-boats patrolled choke points like the English Channel and Irish Sea.

EGYPT

After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. They could only wonder at the sights and sounds they could see as they watched the ship being refuelled and goods taken on board

ENGLAND

About a fortnight later the men finally saw the green shoreline of England. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the training grounds of England, preparing for what lay ahead.

LONG JOURNEY

However, this ship took 81 days to reach England. The length of this specific voyage can be attributed to several factors:

SHIP SPECIFICATIONS & CAPABILITIES

Low Service Speed: Built originally in 1891, the Seang Choon was an older commercial passenger-cargo ship. It possessed a very modest cruising speed of only 12 knots (roughly 22 km/h).

FREQUENT COAL REFUELLING STOPS

Because of its age and smaller capacity compared to massive ocean liners, it had to make multiple intermediate stops across the hemisphere to restock its coal bunkers.

GEOPOLITICAL AND MARITIME FACTORS- THE LONG SEA ROUTE

By late 1916, the Mediterranean was increasingly dangerous due to intense German U-boat activity. To safeguard troops, many transports coming from Australia were routed south around the Cape of Good Hope (Africa) and up through the Atlantic, greatly extending the physical distance.

ZIG-ZAG MANOEUVRING

As a defensive tactic against submarine torpedoes, troopships did not travel in a straight line. They continuously altered course in predefined zig-zag patterns, which added significant mileage and days to the overall journey.

CODFORD TRAINING CAMP DECEMBER 1916

Thus, the ship finally reached Plymouth, England on 9 December 1916. When the recruits arrived in England, they boarded the troop train for one of the training camps on the Salisbury Plains. Herbert and Norman and their comrades were heading for Codford.

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: This included British-issued gear better suited to the Western Front.

·      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.

When the recruits entered the camp, they joined one of the Australian training establishments on the Salisbury Plain in southern England. By this stage of the war, the Australian Imperial Force had developed a highly organised training system designed to ensure that every reinforcement arriving in France possessed the skills needed to survive on the Western Front.

The time they spent at the camp were among the most important of their military career. Rather than being sent directly to the front, they underwent intensive preparation under instructors who were often veterans recently returned from France. These men had firsthand knowledge of trench warfare and passed on lessons learned through hard experience.

Life in the camp followed a demanding routine. Reveille sounded early each morning, followed by physical training designed to build strength and endurance. After breakfast, the men spent long hours on the training grounds learning and practising the skills they would soon need in battle. Rifle shooting remained a fundamental part of instruction, and the men would have spent considerable time on the ranges improving his marksmanship and learning to care for his weapon under all conditions.

Much of the training focused on trench warfare. Practice trench systems had been constructed across Salisbury Plain, allowing recruits to experience conditions similar to those they would encounter in France. They learned how to move through communication trenches, occupy front-line positions, stand sentry duty and maintain defensive works. They practised digging trenches, constructing parapets and revetments, and laying barbed wire obstacles.

Bombing instruction was another important part of the syllabus. Recruits learned how to throw and handle grenades safely, a skill that had become essential on the Western Front. They were also taught how to react during enemy bombardments, how to seek cover and how to move forward under artillery fire.

Field exercises frequently involved entire companies and battalions. During these manoeuvres, the recruits practised attacks on mock enemy positions, advancing behind simulated artillery barrages and coordinating movements with neighbouring units. Such exercises often lasted for many hours and could continue regardless of rain, cold or mud. The instructors were determined that recruits experience something of the hardships they would face in France.

Route marches formed a regular feature of camp life. Carrying rifles, ammunition, packs and equipment, the men marched many miles across the rolling countryside of Salisbury Plain. These marches built stamina and accustomed soldiers to carrying heavy loads over long distances. By the end of his training, the men would have been capable of marching for hours while carrying the equipment required in active service.

If applicable

winter made conditions increasingly difficult. The cold months of November and December, the winds sweeping across Salisbury Plain became bitter, and training often continued in rain, frost and mud. For Australian soldiers accustomed to warmer climates, the English winter could be an uncomfortable introduction to European conditions. Nevertheless, the harsh weather provided valuable preparation for service on the Western Front.

Beyond the formal training, the also gave the recruits the opportunity to form friendships with fellow Australians who shared anticipation and uncertainty about their future. In the evenings, men wrote letters home, attended educational lectures or spent what little leisure time was available discussing rumours from the front and wondering what lay ahead.

After many months of continuous preparation in England, the men were 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.

FRANCE

Paul & his comrades left Codford on the 9^th May 1917, as well prepared as they could be. After crossing the English Channel, the reinforcements landed at the great base port of Étaples. From there they were not sent directly to their battalion. Instead, they entered the Australian Base Depots, where records were checked, equipment inspected and final preparations made before they moved forward.  At the base depot they were

·      Accommodated temporarily in tent lines or huts.

·      Underwent further medical checks and physical conditioning.

·      Received final kit issue or replacements, like steel helmets or trench gear.

·      Participated in more training, especially focused on trench warfare, gas drills, musketry, and battlefield discipline.

·      Waited for transport orders to go “up the line” to join their assigned battalion.

The base depot system was designed to ensure new arrivals were combat-ready after the journey and to regulate the flow of reinforcements to the front, only sending them when the unit was ready to receive them or when replacements were needed. The journey to the battalion was often made in stages. Reinforcements travelled by train, lorry and sometimes on foot through the rear areas, gradually moving closer to the sound of the guns. Along the way they would encounter the immense logistical system that supported the armies in France—supply depots, ammunition dumps, field hospitals and transport columns stretching across the countryside.

TAKEN ON STRENGTH

Paul was taken on strength with the 49^th Battalion on 13^th May 1917. This means a soldier was officially assigned to and accounted for in a specific military unit's nominal roll. It meant they were integrated into the unit for daily operations, including food, discipline, equipment, and frontline duties.

Paul joined the 49th Battalion during a period of intense activity on the Western Front. The battalion had recently been involved in operations around the Somme and was now preparing for the major offensive planned in the Ypres sector of Belgium. During the weeks following his arrival, Paul underwent the final stage of acclimatisation to front-line service. He would have participated in trench rotations, working parties, route marches and training exercises while becoming familiar with the conditions of trench warfare. Much of the battalion's time was spent repairing trenches and dugouts, strengthening barbed-wire defences, carrying ammunition and supplies forward, and conducting patrols into No Man's Land. Although major attacks had not yet commenced, enemy shelling and sniping were constant dangers and casualties occurred regularly

BATTLE OF MESSINES JUNE 1917

By early June 1917 the 49th Battalion was serving in the Messines sector of Belgium, preparing for the great assault on Messines Ridge. The battle for Messines was initiated by the detonation of five-hundred tonnes of high explosives placed in 19 tunnels dug by the British, including Australian, tunnellers under the German fortifications along the Messines Ridge.

The resultant explosion, the largest ever in the world to that date, was clearly felt and heard in London. The Battle for Messines was the first time the new reinforcements were subjected to Phosgene Gas. This gas had previously been delivered by hand grenade and being subject to wind and how far it could be thrown was not all that popular with the enemy. Later the Germans perfected artillery and mortar shells which delivered the gas into the back of the enemy lines.

This gas had previously been delivered by hand grenade and being subject to wind and how far it could be thrown was not all that popular with the enemy. Later the Germans perfected artillery and mortar shells which delivered the gas into the back of the enemy lines

The primary objective of this battle was to secure the strategically important Wytschaete Messines Ridge, the high ground south of Ypres which in turn would benefit the allies to launch a larger campaign east of Ypres. The Australian involvement came under Lieutenant General Sir. Alexander Godley’s II Anzac Corps, which included the 3rd Australian Division. This Battle was launched on 7 Jun 1917 and exemplified tactical success through careful planning and firepower. The Battle of Messines was a meticulously planned operation aimed at capturing the Messines Ridge in Belgium.

On the June 17, 1917, the Australians were withdrawn from the Battle of the Somme to the battle for Messines which was initiated by the detonation of five-hundred tonnes of high explosives placed in 19 tunnels dug by the British, including Australian, tunnellers under the German fortifications along the Messines Ridge.

WOUNDED IN ACTION JUNE 1917

During the fighting on 7 June 1917, Paul was wounded in action, suffering a gunshot wound to his right thigh. His first treatment would have been at the Regimental Aid Post near the front line, where battalion medical personnel controlled bleeding, dressed the wound and prepared him for evacuation. From there he would have been carried or transported by stretcher bearers through the chain of evacuation to a Field Ambulance unit.

MEDICAL CHAIN

On 8 June Paul was admitted to the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance. Despite the name, a Field Ambulance was a medical unit rather than a transport vehicle. Here medical officers assessed the seriousness of his wound, cleaned and dressed it, monitored for infection and prepared him for further evacuation. Once it was clear that his injury required longer treatment than could be provided close to the front, he was moved to the coast for transport to England.

The following day Paul was evacuated aboard the hospital ship Jan Breydel, one of the vessels used to carry wounded soldiers across the English Channel. On arrival in England, he was admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital. There he would have undergone a thorough examination, further treatment of the wound, regular dressing changes and a period of recovery under specialist medical supervision. Once the danger had passed and his condition improved, he was transferred on 23 July 1917 to the military hospital at Dartford, which frequently handled soldiers requiring convalescence and rehabilitation rather than acute treatment.

As his strength returned, Paul progressed through the normal recovery system. On 19 August he marched into Perham Downs, one of the major Australian training camps on Salisbury Plain. There he undertook physical conditioning, route marches and military training designed to restore his fitness for active service. By 7 September he had moved into the 4th Australian Divisional Base Depot, the administrative holding unit that processed reinforcements and returning wounded soldiers. During the following weeks he completed medical inspections, training and preparation for a return to France.

REJOINED UNIT

On 22 September 1917 he rejoined the 49th Battalion, which at that time was heavily engaged in the Third Battle of Ypres. Over the following months Paul shared the battalion’s demanding routine of trench occupation, carrying parties, working parties, patrols and periods in reserve while the Australians fought through the muddy battlefields around Passchendaele.

THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES KNOWN AS BATTLE OF PASSCHENDAELE, (JULY 31–NOVEMBER 6, 1917),

This battle that served as a vivid symbol of the mud, madness, and senseless slaughter of the Western Front. The third and longest battle to take place at the Belgian city of Ypres, Passchendaele was ostensibly an Allied victory, but it was achieved at enormous cost for a piece of ground that would be vacated the following year. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers on opposing sides attacked and counterattacked across sodden, porridgelike mud, in an open gray landscape almost empty of buildings or natural cover, all under the relentless harrowing rain of exploding shells, flying shrapnel, and machine-gun fire. Few gains were made. 

The Third Battle of Ypres is remembered for its immense human cost and the resilience of those who fought in it

SICK- PUO DECEMBER 1917 MEDICAL CHAIN

On 4 December 1917 Paul reported sick and was admitted to the 13th Australian Field Ambulance suffering from PUO, meaning “Pyrexia of Unknown Origin.” This diagnosis was commonly used when a soldier developed a persistent fever but the exact cause was not immediately apparent. The symptoms might have resulted from influenza, respiratory infections, trench conditions, exhaustion or other illnesses. At the 13th Australian Field Ambulance medical officers would have examined him, monitored his temperature, provided rest, nourishment and basic treatment, and determined whether he required further hospital care. Because the fever persisted, Paul was transferred the same day to the 3rd General Hospital at Le Tréport on the French coast. There he received more extensive medical observation and treatment while doctors attempted to identify the cause of his illness.

After recovering sufficiently, Paul was discharged on 10 December 1917 to a Base Depot. During the next several weeks he remained away from the front while completing recovery, undergoing medical reviews and awaiting assignment back to his battalion. Such periods could involve light duties, additional training and administrative processing.

REJOINED UNIT MARCH 1918

On 20 February 1918 he was struck off depot strength for return to the 49th Battalion and on 2 March rejoined his unit in France.

Paul returned at a critical time. During March and April 1918, the German Army launched its massive Spring Offensive. The 49th Battalion was heavily involved in defensive operations as Allied forces fought desperately to halt the German advance towards Amiens. Paul would have experienced periods of rapid movement, digging defensive positions, manning outposts and enduring frequent shellfire. Once the German offensives were contained, the battalion participated in the Allied counter-offensives that gradually regained the initiative. Through the winter, spring and summer of 1918 the battalion remained engaged in the exhausting routine of front-line warfare.

SPRING OFFENSIVE SOMME VALLEY 1918

In early 1918 they were moved south to the Somme Valley. Following the collapse of Tsarist Russia in late 1917, the Germans were able to transfer large amounts of equipment and manpower from the Eastern Front to the Western Front and subsequently launched their Spring Offensive in March. Falling on the southern flanks of the sector held by the British Third and Fifth Armies, the offensive initially succeeded in driving the Allies back and in late March, as the Germans closed in on the vital railhead around Amiens, the five Australian divisions, which had been grouped together as part of the Australian Corps, were transferred to the Somme to help blunt the attack.

LEAVE IN ENGLAND SEPTEMBER 1918

On 21 September 1918 Paul was granted leave to the United Kingdom, remaining there until 12 October. While he enjoyed a welcome respite from the front, the 49th Battalion continued to take part in the Hundred Days Offensive, the series of successful Allied attacks that ultimately forced Germany towards defeat. When Paul returned, the battalion was involved in the final stages of the campaign.

THE HUNDRED DAY OFFENSIVE (OPERATION MICHAEL)

MARCH TO JULY 1918

In March 1918, the new Bolshevik government of Soviet Russia ended its role in the First World War by signing the Brest-Litovsk Treaty with the Central Powers.

This had a significant impact on the war in Western Europe, giving rise to the German Spring Offensive, also known as the ‘Kaiserschlacht’ (the Kaiser’s battle).

The Russians had been beaten by the Germans in a number of battles early in the war, but they had also inflicted substantial defeats on the Ottomans, Germans troops and Austrian-Hungarian forces.

With the signing of the treaty, however, the Germans ‘freed up’ their forces on the Eastern Front, reinforced their army on the Western Front, and raised it to 206 Divisions.

In response, the Allies raised 172 Divisions on the Western Front, including a growing number of Americans, which provided sufficient impetus for the Germans to mount their Spring Offensive.

Erich Ludendorff, the commander of the German Army on the Western Front, believed if Germany did not act, the Allies would achieve ascendancy.

The Germans were aware the balance of power was shifting and, while they held a superiority in numbers, this would soon change if they did not strike a decisive blow.

The German offensive was spearheaded by Operation Michael and supported by operations Georgette, Gneisenau and Blücher-Yorck, supported by smaller operations to deal with battlefield contingencies.

Operation Michael began with a devastating barrage of nearly 10,000 artillery pieces and mortars. The attacks were spearheaded by path-finding ‘Stormtroopers’, followed by immense numbers of infantry.

The German attack worried Australia’s diggers as much as those in high command, with soldiers bitter about the German successes.

Barwick though was aware this was the German’s ‘last throw of the dice’ and he was supremely confident the Australians would check the German advance.

Operation Michael seemed a success in terms of captured territory, prisoners and equipment, but it did not deliver an over-arching strategic blow to the Allies.

It did not destroy the British Army nor drive a wedge between the British and French forces.

Michael, along with the other German Spring Offensive operations, failed to achieve the desired aim of bringing the Allies to their knees.

After the Spring Offensive finished in July 1918, the initiative crossed to the Allies who — with the addition of American troops — brought Germany to its knees in a number of subsequent battles.

 Germany surrendered less than six months after the last operation in its Spring Offensive

WAR ENDED NOVEMBER 1918

Less than a month later, on 11 November 1918, the Armistice brought the fighting to an end.

EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP COURSE JANUARY 1919

With the war over, the AIF established educational and vocational training programs for soldiers awaiting repatriation. On 4 January 1919 Paul attended an educational workshop course at Calais. These courses were intended to help soldiers develop civilian skills that would assist them after returning home. He remained there until 25 January when he rejoined the 49th Battalion.

JANUARY TO APRIL 1919

During the following months the battalion's activities were largely administrative. Soldiers attended training courses, sports events and recreational activities, while equipment was returned, records completed and preparations made for the gradual return of personnel to Australia. The battalion itself was steadily reduced in strength as men were repatriated according to eligibility.

PREPARING TO GO HOME

On 19 April 1919 Paul was selected for return to Australia. Three days later he moved through No. 2 Australian Divisional Base Depot and proceeded to England. On 23 April he was posted to No. 4 Group at Hurdcott Camp on Salisbury Plain. There he waited with hundreds of other Australians for transport home, undergoing final medical inspections, administrative processing and various recreational and educational activities while awaiting a ship.

GOING HOME JUNE 1919

At last, on 18 June 1919, Paul embarked from England aboard the transport Luakopmund for the long voyage home to Australia. After more than two years of active service overseas, including wounds, illness and some of the hardest fighting of the war, he finally reached home soil.

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

DISCHARGED AUGUST 1919

Following the completion of the necessary discharge formalities, Paul Boland was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 21 August 1919, bringing his wartime service to a close.

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service Paul was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Blue Knob Rifle Club First World War Honour Roll

DEATH AND BURIAL

Paul died on the 27^th June 1985, in Queensland and is buried Mount Gravatt Cemetery and Crematorium, Nathan, Plot ANZAC-3-201

If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.