Private Clifford Clyde Afflick
Service #: 3102, 3102 A
Summary
BACKGROUND
Clifford Clyde Afflick was born on the 20th October 1891 in Milton, son of William & Mary Ann (Lawrence) Afflick. According to William’s 1943 funeral notice he had 5 brothers & 4 sisters. William had engaged in dairying in the Tweed for many years. Clifford’s brother, Ashley, also enlisted
ATTESTATION
Clifford travelled to Brisbane on the 23rd November1916 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was a married man with 2 children and gave his occupation as farmer. His next of kin was his wife, Annie, of Zara
He answered yes to Item number 13 on the attestation states- for married men, widowers with children and soldiers who are the sole support of widowed mother- do you understand that no separation allowance will be issued in respect of your service beyond an amount which together with pay would reach 8 shillings per day
Clifford 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
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
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, Clifford Clyde Afflick, 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
Clifford was 25 years 6 months old. He was 5ft 7 ½ inches tall (1.71m) and weighed 140 lbs (64kgs). He had a dark complexion, blue eyes and black hair. Clifford was Church of England and had a scar on his left hip. His eyesight was good
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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. Clifford was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 14th December 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 with the 52nd Battalion, 5th reinforcements with service number 3102
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.
Clifford had his teeth fixed while in camp and he was declared dentally fit on the 10th December 1916
VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM SYDNEY TO ENGLAND DECEMBER 1916
On the 21st December his unit caught the troop train from Brisbane to Sydney and on the 23rd December, they embarked on the HMAT Demosthenes. Alongside his comrades, Clifford 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.
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.
CODFORD TRAINING CAMP MARCH 1917
They disembarked at Plymouth on the 3rd March 1917. 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 Codford 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 Codford 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 at 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 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, Codford 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.
HOSPITALISED MARCH 1917
Clifford was admitted to Parkhouse Hospital on 30th March 1917- no details listed. The illness was only mild as he rejoined the camp on the 17th April.
FRANCE JUNE 1917
On the 14th June 1917 his unit proceeded overseas to France. After crossing the English Channel, the reinforcements usually landed at one of the great base ports such as Le Havre, Rouen, Boulogne or 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.
During an interim period, soldiers typically:
· Underwent medical inspections: To check for illnesses, infections, or conditions like venereal disease that might delay their training.
· 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.
The men then passed through reinforcement camps, the most famous being the enormous training complex at Étaples. Here they received further instruction specifically tailored to the conditions then prevailing on the Western Front. Training included trench routine, gas defence, grenade throwing, Lewis gun work, route marches and battlefield tactics. Officers were anxious to ensure that reinforcements arriving from England were familiar with the latest methods being employed in France, as battlefield tactics had evolved considerably since many had first enlisted.
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 JULY 1917
Clifford was taken on strength with the 52nd Infantry Battalion on the 4th July 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
Clifford joined the 52nd Battalion during a demanding period of the war. The battalion, part of the 13th Brigade alongside the 49th Battalion, had recently come through the Battle of Messines and was preparing for the next phase of the fighting in Belgium. During July, August and September 1917, the battalion spent its time alternating between front-line service, reserve positions, training, carrying parties and working parties in the Ypres sector. Conditions were dreadful. The battlefield was churned into mud by constant shellfire, roads were under observation from German artillery, and men endured continual bombardment, sleepless nights and the strain of living under the constant threat of death or injury.
SICK- WOUNDED IN ACTION SEPTEMBER 1917
On 25 September 1917, Clifford was recorded as "sick wounded in action." This wording often appears when a man was removed from the line suffering from a condition brought about by active service rather than a straightforward physical wound. The subsequent diagnosis of neurasthenia makes it likely that he had reached the limits of physical and mental endurance during the Third Battle of Ypres.
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
MEDICAL CHAIN
The following day, 26TH September, he was admitted to the 1st ANZAC Corps Collecting Centre. This was one of the first points in the evacuation chain behind the front. Here medical officers would assess men arriving from the line, determine the nature of their illness or injury, and decide whether they could quickly return to duty or required further treatment. By this stage Clifford was probably suffering symptoms such as exhaustion, insomnia, anxiety, tremors, headaches, poor concentration or other manifestations of what was then termed neurasthenia.
On 27 September he was admitted to the 15th Casualty Clearing Station. Casualty Clearing Stations were substantial medical facilities located well behind the artillery zone. They acted as miniature hospitals with operating theatres and specialist medical staff. In Clifford's case, doctors would have carried out more detailed examinations and observed his condition over several days. Since no physical wound requiring surgery appears in the record, the medical officers likely concluded that his illness was primarily nervous exhaustion caused by prolonged exposure to combat conditions.
By 1 October he had been transferred to a General Hospital at Étaples, probably one of the large British military hospitals serving the immense Étaples medical complex. On 2 October he entered the 26th General Hospital. Étaples was one of the largest hospital centres on the Western Front, treating thousands of wounded and sick soldiers at any one time. Here Clifford would have received rest, good food, medical supervision and removal from the stresses of the battlefield.
On 5 October he was transferred to No. 6 Convalescent Depot. Convalescent depots were designed for men who no longer required hospital treatment but were not yet fit enough to return to combat. Life there was considerably more relaxed than in a hospital ward. Men undertook light exercise, route marches, physical rehabilitation and gradual military training designed to rebuild their strength.
A particularly revealing entry appears on 13 October when the cause of his sickness was officially recorded as neurasthenia. During the Great War, neurasthenia was a broad diagnosis covering nervous exhaustion and psychological collapse brought on by the stresses of warfare. Today many such cases would be recognised as combat stress reactions or forms of post-traumatic stress injury. The diagnosis did not imply cowardice or malingering. Rather, it reflected the medical understanding of the time that prolonged strain, shellfire, danger and exhaustion could overwhelm a soldier's nervous system.
Throughout October and November, Clifford remained away from the front recovering. His transfer to the Base Depot at Étaples on 29 November indicates that medical authorities now considered him fit enough to begin the process of returning to active service.
MEDICAL BOARD
On 18 December he appeared before a Medical Board, probably at the hospital centre around Le Tréport or a similar medical facility on the Channel coast. Medical Boards carefully assessed whether men recovering from illness were capable of returning to field service. The Board evidently found Clifford fit enough to resume duty.
REJOINING UNIT DECEMBER 1917
On 20 December he was marched in from hospital at Le Havre, one of the major administrative bases for the British Expeditionary Force. From there he entered the reinforcement system that would return him to his battalion.
On 29 December he was marched out to rejoin the 52nd Battalion, and on 31 December 1917 he rejoined the unit in the field. By then the battalion was holding positions in the Ypres sector during one of the harshest winters of the war. After more than three months away from the front recovering from neurasthenia, Clifford once again found himself living in trenches, dugouts and reserve camps alongside the men of the 52nd Battalion.
His record illustrates one of the less visible casualties of the Great War. Unlike men wounded by bullets or shell fragments, soldiers suffering from neurasthenia often carried no obvious physical injury. Yet the diagnosis was serious enough to remove Clifford from the front for over three months, requiring treatment in hospitals, convalescent depots and review by a Medical Board before he was judged fit to return to active service.
When Clifford rejoined the 52nd Battalion on 31 December 1917, he returned to a front that was enduring one of the coldest and wettest winters of the war. Men lived in waterlogged trenches and damp dugouts, often wearing wet clothing for days at a time. Smoke from braziers, poor nutrition, exhaustion and continual exposure made respiratory illnesses common.
SICK LARYNGITIS MARCH 1918
On 2 March 1918 he reported sick with laryngitis. While often regarded as a minor illness today, laryngitis could be debilitating in trench conditions, causing severe throat inflammation, loss of voice, fever and difficulty swallowing. Medical officers quickly removed him from the line.
MEDICAL CHAIN
On 4 March he passed through the 13th Australian Field Ambulance, the first stage of treatment behind the front. Here he would have been examined, given rest, warm shelter and medication intended to relieve inflammation and prevent complications. The same day he moved to the 4th Division Rest Station, a facility designed for men suffering from illness, exhaustion or minor wounds who required observation away from the trenches.
His condition evidently failed to improve, and by 17 March he had reached the 2nd Casualty Clearing Station. Casualty Clearing Stations acted as fully functioning hospitals close enough to receive casualties quickly but far enough from the artillery zone to provide proper treatment. Doctors there would have recognised that his illness was becoming more serious than simple laryngitis.
The timing is particularly interesting. On 21 March 1918 the Germans launched their great Spring Offensive, the largest attack of the war on the Western Front. While the British Army was fighting for survival, Clifford was being moved further down the medical chain. The record appears to indicate transfer by ambulance train and subsequent admission to a General Hospital. Such transfers were common for men requiring prolonged treatment.
By 28 March he was admitted to hospital at Boulogne. The illness had now progressed beyond a simple throat infection. Respiratory diseases frequently moved from laryngitis into bronchitis or pneumonia, particularly in soldiers weakened by months of service.
On 2 April he entered the 10th Convalescent Depot at Écault, suggesting some improvement. However, only four days later, on 6 April, he was admitted to the 25th General Hospital with bronchitis. This indicates that his recovery had either stalled or suffered a relapse
Bronchitis could be a serious condition in 1918. Without antibiotics, treatment largely consisted of rest, warmth, fresh air, nursing care and careful monitoring for pneumonia. Doctors knew that many respiratory infections could quickly become life-threatening.
The fact that Clifford remained under treatment until 15 May reveals the severity of the illness. After more than five weeks in hospital he was finally transferred back to the 10th Convalescent Depot. There he gradually rebuilt his strength through exercise, military training and supervised rehabilitation.
DISCIPLINED MAY 1918
On the 18th May 1918 Clifford broke camp until approx. 12.30am on 19th May as well as being drunk. He was awarded 21 days FP1 by Lt Col Miles on 20th May and forfeited 22 days’ pay
FIELD PUNISHMENTS
Field Punishment No.1 and No.2 were forms of punishment that were generally used in the field throughout World War one whilst a unit was on active service. Field punishment was the most common form of punishment and was awarded under the army act to sentence people to detention & deduction from pay
FIELD PUNISHMENT NO 1
In Field punishment no.1, a soldier being kept in irons with both hands and their feet and secured to a wall or post so they could not escape. The period of time in which they were fixed to the wall could not exceed two hours in one day and must not run for three to four consecutive days as the conditions that they were placed under were already considered to be harsh on the body. The soldiers were constrained to the poles by ropes, straps or irons. During the soldier’s sentence to field punishment no.1, he would be also given hard labour, employment and restraint, carried out just like if he was given a prison sentence of hard labour.
A month later, on 15 June, he moved to No. 15 Rest Camp. These camps were essentially the final stage of recovery before a soldier returned to duty. Men undertook route marches, physical conditioning and refresher training while being assessed for fitness.
REJOINED UNIT JULY 1918
After more than four months away from the front, Clifford was finally marched in to his unit on 10 July 1918
TRANSFERRED TO 49th BATTALION- NEW SERVICE NUMBER JULY 1918
Only two weeks later, on 24 July, he was transferred from the 52nd Battalion to the 49th Battalion. By mid-1918 the AIF was suffering severe manpower shortages and battalions frequently exchanged men to maintain fighting strength. The addition of the letter "A" to his service number was an administrative measure to distinguish him from another soldier with the same number.
The 49th Battalion was then heavily involved in the great Allied offensives that began at Amiens on 8 August 1918.
LEAVE IN UK AUGUST 1918
Remarkably, almost immediately after joining the battalion, Clifford received leave to the United Kingdom on 15 August. Such leave was highly prized. For a few precious weeks he exchanged the mud and shellfire of France for the comparative safety of England.
REJOINED UNIT SEPTEMBER 1918
He returned to the battalion on 3 September 1918, just as the Australians were advancing through some of their most successful operations of the war.
BRONCHITIS OCTOBER 1918
Unfortunately, his health again failed him. On 10 October he reported sick with bronchitis and entered the 13th Australian Field Ambulance before transfer to the 48th Casualty Clearing Station. The autumn weather of northern France was once again taking its toll. By this stage the Allied armies were advancing rapidly and the German Army was nearing collapse, but Clifford's war was increasingly being fought in hospitals rather than trenches.
WAR ENDED- MORE ILLNESS
The Armistice arrived on 11 November 1918, ending the fighting. For many soldiers this marked the beginning of the journey home. For Clifford, however, another serious illness intervened.
On 20 February 1919 he was admitted to the 14th General Hospital at Boulogne suffering from pneumonia. Pneumonia was among the most feared diseases of the era. Even after surviving combat and earlier illnesses, a severe case could prove fatal.
Medical staff at Boulogne would have treated him with prolonged bed rest, careful nursing, oxygen where available, stimulants, nourishing food and constant observation. Recovery was often slow and uncertain.
On 2 March he was evacuated to England and admitted to the King George Hospital in London. This suggests that doctors expected a lengthy convalescence but believed he was stable enough for transfer across the Channel.
By June he was recorded as a private convalescent, indicating that the worst of the illness had passed. Nevertheless, pneumonia often left patients weak for months. Breathlessness, fatigue and reduced stamina were common.
On 10 July he was discharged to the Probationary Staff at Dartford and the following day transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital. These institutions specialised in the final stages of recovery and preparation for repatriation.
FURLOUGH SEPTEMBER 1919
A furlough from 1 to 15 September gave Clifford one last period of freedom before leaving Britain. Like many Australians awaiting transport home, he likely spent the time sightseeing, visiting friends, or simply enjoying civilian life after years of military service.
GOING HOME SEPTEMBER 1919
Late in September 1919 he embarked for Australia aboard the transport Port Denison. After arriving home on 17 November, the administrative formalities of demobilisation followed. Finally, on 2 January 1920, Clifford's military service came to an end.
What stands out about Clifford's story is that he spent relatively little time as a battle casualty but endured an extraordinary succession of illnesses. Neurasthenia, laryngitis, bronchitis and finally pneumonia removed him from active service for many months. Yet despite repeated setbacks, lengthy hospitalisations and several serious respiratory infections, he survived them all, returned to duty more than once, served with two battalions, witnessed the final year of the war, and ultimately made the long journey home. His record is a reminder that disease remained one of the greatest enemies faced by soldiers of the AIF, even in the final months of the Great War.
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 Clifford was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Parish Murwillumbah War First World Roll of Honour, Coolangatta Tweed Heads RSL roll and Bangalow MUIOOF No 212 First World War Honour Roll
DEATH AND BURIAL
Clifford died on the 6th June 1972, aged 80, at Atherton, Qld. He is buried in Atherton cemetery, Presbyterian Section C, plots 337- 364 with his wife at his side
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
Coolangatta Tweed Heads RSL roll, Parish Murwillumbah War First World Roll of Honour and Bangalow MUIOOF No 212 First World War Honour Roll
Buried Location
Atherton cemetery, Presbyterian Section C, plots 337- 364
