Private Stearment Carthy
Service #: 2869
Summary
BACKGROUND
Stearment Carthy was born in 1896 in Murwillumbah, son of James & Christina. According to NSWNDM he had 2 sisters and one brother. His father is named on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district
ATTESTATION
Stearment travelled to the Royal Showgrounds enlistment centre on the 4th 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, James, of Burringbar.
He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia
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, Stearment Carthy, 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.”
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MEDICAL EXAMINATION
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 Dubbo Depot Battalion with service number 2869
DUBBO TRAINING CAMP
The recruits would have arrived at Dubbo as civilians from all walks of life—farm labourers, clerks, labourers, tradesmen and station hands—and the Army's first task was to turn them into soldiers.
At Dubbo, the recruit’s day would have begun early, often before sunrise. Reveille would sound, followed by breakfast and a full day of instruction. The first lessons were basic military discipline. Recruits learned how to march, form ranks, salute officers, obey commands instantly and maintain their equipment. Much of their time was spent on the parade ground.
The Army placed enormous importance on drill. To a modern observer it can seem pointless, but drill taught men to move together, follow orders automatically and develop discipline. Officers believed that men who could maintain order on a parade ground were more likely to maintain order under fire.
Stearment would also have received extensive rifle training. The standard weapon was the .303 calibre Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle.
The recruits learned:
· Rifle handling and safety.
· Loading and unloading.
· Aiming and sight adjustment.
· Rapid-fire techniques.
· Cleaning and maintenance.
· Musketry exercises.
Many recruits came from rural backgrounds and were already familiar with firearms, but military marksmanship was a specialised skill requiring considerable practice.
TRANSFERRED TO 58TH BATTALION 7TH REINFORCEMENTS AUGUST 1916
On the 28th September he was transferred to the 58th Battalion, 7th reinforcements and he and the other recruits caught the troop train to Sydney to continue their training in Liverpool Camp
LIVERPOOL CAMP
They had already been through the basics and now had to learn even more. Just like Dubbo, reveille would sound, followed by breakfast and a full day of instruction. They would have undertaken route marches carrying increasing amounts of equipment. These marches toughened the men physically and accustomed them to carrying heavy loads over long distances. They also helped identify recruits who were unlikely to withstand the rigours of active service.
Bayonet training was particularly emphasised. Instructors taught recruits how to attack enemy trenches using thrusts, parries and butt strokes. Much of this training took place against straw-filled dummies. The Army wanted men to develop aggression and confidence before facing combat.
Fieldcraft training was also introduced. Bernard would have learned:
· Digging trenches.
· Constructing defensive positions.
· Use of cover and concealment.
· Sending military messages.
· Guard duties.
· Camp sanitation.
Sanitation was considered critical. Disease had killed more soldiers than bullets in many previous wars, so recruits received instruction in cleanliness, water discipline and camp hygiene.
Because they had enlisted after the Gallipoli campaign, instructors could draw upon real battlefield experience. Many training staff were veterans who had returned from Gallipoli wounded or sick. Their lessons were often practical rather than theoretical, based on what they had actually experienced under fire.
When the recruits embarked, they were not yet a fully trained infantryman by later-war standards. Rather, they had mastered the fundamentals of soldiering. The Army expected much of his advanced training to occur after arrival in Egypt.
In their time at Liverpool, it was a whirlwind introduction to military life. They learned military discipline, rifle handling, drill, bayonet fighting, route marching and fieldcraft. By the time the men boarded their troopship they were already beginning to think and act like a soldier of the AIF.
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 SYDNEY TO ENGLAND NOVEMBER 1916
Stearment embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Afric on 3 November 1916 bound for England. Alongside his comrades, he 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.
HURDCOTT TRAINING CAMP
After arriving in England in January 1917, Stearment was posted to the reinforcement camp at Hurdcott, one of the large Australian training depots on Salisbury Plain. Here he spent almost three months completing the final stages of his preparation for active service. 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.
They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in the English training camp, the volunteers left their old lives farther behind.
Training involved trench warfare techniques, bayonet drills, live fire exercises, gas mask use, and coordination with British units.
The parade grounds, rifle ranges, gas training areas, bayonet fighting pits, and mock trench systems were built to simulate battlefield conditions. The training included the use and maintenance of the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle, grenade throwing (often live grenades) & Lewis Gun handling and section tactics
Regular drilling included building and occupying practice trenches, night operations and trench raids & rotations simulating life under shellfire and gas attack.
Gas Warfare Training was very important and they were trained in the use of PH-type gas helmets and box respirators & drills in gas chambers using low concentrations of chlorine or phosgene to acclimate soldiers.
Close-combat techniques using bayonets — aggressive training with thrusts, parries, and charges were held
Tactical training included understanding platoon and company movements & signals training (flags, lamps, runners).
The recruits’ daily life began early with reveille at dawn, PT, then drills. Route marches in full kit were common — often 10–15 miles across the chalky countryside. Evenings often included lectures or maintenance. Pay parades, church services, and mail from home offered some morale boosts however the cold, wet conditions were physically hard, and sickness was common (influenza, bronchitis, trench foot-like conditions).
Use of Mills bombs and defensive bombing techniques in dugouts or trench corners was carried & section-level manoeuvres with live ammunition — dangerous but essential for battlefield realism
Training at Hurdcott was tough, realistic, and intense. It forged untested Australian recruits into soldiers ready for the horrors of trench warfare on the Western Front. While some men found it exhausting and bleak, it undoubtedly helped save lives once they reached the trenches of the Western Front. The harsh English winter of 1916–17 made conditions uncomfortable, with cold winds, mud and snow adding to the difficulties of camp life.
FRANCE MARCH 1917
On 20 March 1917 he left England for France and crossed the Channel to the great reinforcement base at Étaples. Six days later, on 26 March, he was taken on strength of the 58th Battalion. At this time the battalion was preparing for operations associated with the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line and was heavily engaged in patrols, trench duties and attacks against well-defended positions.
Stearment served through much of 1917 as the battalion fought in Belgium during the bitter fighting around 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
WOUNDED IN ACTION SEPTEMBER 1917
MEDICAL CHAIN
On 25 September 1917, during the period leading up to the Battle of Polygon Wood, he was wounded in action by a gunshot wound to his left arm. Evacuated from the battlefield, he was admitted to the 7th Casualty Clearing Station on the following day before being transferred to the 5th General Hospital at Rouen.
His wound was sufficiently serious to require treatment in England and on 29 September he crossed the Channel aboard a hospital ship. On 1 October he was admitted to the 1st Southern General Hospital at Birmingham, one of the principal military hospitals caring for wounded Australian soldiers. As his condition improved, he was transferred on 12 December to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield, where many Australian casualties underwent rehabilitation and convalescence in more comfortable surroundings
Although recovering, it became apparent that he would not be fit for further active service. On 19 January 1918 he was transferred to the Australian Command Depot at Sutton Veny, where medical boards assessed soldiers' fitness and determined their future employment. Following examination, the decision was made to return him to Australia. GOING HOME MARCH 1918
He embarked aboard the transport Durham Castle on 13 March 1918 and sailed for home after more than a year overseas.
DISCHARGED NOVEMBER 1918
Despite returning to Australia, Stearment remained officially on the strength of the Australian Imperial Force while his medical condition and discharge arrangements were finalised. His service eventually came to an end when he was discharged on 9 November 1918, only two days before the Armistice brought the Great War to a close.
For his service Stearment was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Burringbar War Memorial
AFTER THE WAR
Stearment married Alice Rotenberry in Glen Innes in 1925.
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
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Buried Location
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