FAMILY LIFE

Daniel Robert Venn was born on 12 November 1895 in Sassafras, Tasmania, son of Daniel & Ellen Venn. By 1916 his parents were farming at Uki

APPLICATION

He was single farmer, eager to do his bit. He travelled to Brisbane on 10^th July 1916 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his father, Daniel, of Uki. His medical showed he was 20 years 8 months old, 5ft 7 inches tall (1.7m), weighed 155 lbs (70kgs), with a fair complexion, brown eyes & light hair. His eyesight was good & was dentally fit

The Examining Medical Officer stated that Daniel “can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service.”  On the second page of the Attestation Paper, he made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Daniel Robert Venn, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War … SO HELP ME, GOD.” 

He was Methodist and had a scar on his right forearm, one across his left ankle & on the first finger of his left hand.  He was enlisted as a private into the 9th Battalion, 21st Reinforcement with service No 6603

9^TH INFANTRY BATTALION

The 9th Infantry Battalion, also known as the "Fighting Ninth," has a proud history within the Australian Army. Its origins trace back to 1867, when it was formed as part of the Queensland Volunteer Rifle Corps. Over time, it evolved into the 9th Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) during World War I. It symbolizes courage, dedication, and service to Australia

TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA

As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together
Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the men received their vaccinations for smallpox, rabies & plague, then a recruit 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 would take several months

The recruits were issued with their uniform: a khaki woollen jacket, heavy cord breeches and the famous slouch hat – turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge. A soldier’s equipment also included a dixie (mess tin), water bottle, mug, .303 Lee-Enfield rifle and bayonet

VOYAGE OVERSEAS

On the 21st October 1916 the recruits left Brisbane sailing upon the HMAT Boonah. The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. On-board, Officers organised rigorous training drills and exercise sessions for the men. They were expected to do their own washing, sweep the decks and carry out other chores

Attempts at breaking up the boredom, apart from the regular drill, varied. Shipboard activities included regular church parades and concerts. Troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection. Sports and recreation included boxing, deck quoits, draughts. Also, the commanding officer's morning inspection; kit inspections; submarine drill; recreation such as the on deck 'open air' library, deck billiards, pillow fighting and card games including Nap. As well, conditions on the ships were cramped and the risk of illness was constant. 

Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. Many of the troops experienced bouts of seasickness on the voyage. The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

LARKHILL TRAINING CAMP

The troops disembarked on 10^th January 1917 and were marched into Larkhill training camp.  They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in the Salisbury Plains training camp, the volunteers left their old lives farther behind. They began their training with physical fitness exercises, they were taught individual and unit discipline, how to follow commands, how to march, some basic field skills and how to safely handle his weapons.  Later, as soldiers specialised in a particular area (for example, machine gunner or signaller) they would be trained in specific skills and would take part in practice manoeuvres and sham fights. They would spend many hours learning training in the use of bayonets, anti- gas training and guard duty along with lectures on camouflage or trench warfare and much more

HOSPITALISED PUO FEBRUARY 1917

During this time, on 15^th February, Daniel was admitted to Fargo Hospital with PUO, often classed as “pyrexia of unknown origin” when individuals suffered from a febrile illness that relapsed in five-day cycles. Larkhill Camp, like many other military training grounds, had soldiers exposed to harsh weather. Cold, wet, or muddy conditions, common on Salisbury Plain, could lead to an increased risk of hypothermia, infections, or illnesses that caused fever as a secondary symptom. The sanitary facilities in training camps were often rudimentary, and the spread of infections was common. If soldiers were living in overcrowded conditions with limited access to proper hygiene, it increased the risk of illness and fever.

CONVALESCENCE IN COMMAND DEPOT

After hospital stays soldiers were marched into command depots. Here they would convalesce but continue with drilling & training as the technology and techniques were rapidly changing and soldiers had to be up to date when they were ready to rejoin their units. This ensured they did not lose their sharpness for battle and that a unit’s cohesiveness was retrained.

TAKEN ON STRENGTH MAY 1917

As Daniel had missed his initial training, he was not able to join his unit until 11^th May 1917

TRENCH WARFARE

The recruits now found themselves fighting the German in trench warfare. On the Western Front in 1914–1918, both sides constructed elaborate trench, underground, and dugout systems opposing each other along a front, protected from assault by barbed wire. The area between opposing trench lines (known as "no man's land") was fully exposed to artillery fire from both sides. Attacks, even if successful, often sustained severe casualties. Trench warfare created a living environment for the men which was harsh, stagnant, and extremely dangerous. Not only were trenches constantly under threat of attack from shells or other weapons, but there were also many health risks that developed into large-scale problems for medical personnel. Apart from the inescapable cold during the winters in France & Belgium, trenches were often completely waterlogged and muddy, and crawling with lice and rats

The time soldiers spent in the trenches varied depending on factors like their army's rotation system and the intensity of the conflict in their sector. On average:

·      Front-line trenches: Soldiers typically remained here for about 4–6 days at a time. This was where the fighting was most intense and the conditions were the harshest.

·      Support and reserve trenches: After time on the front line, soldiers were rotated to these positions for around 6–12 days. These trenches were set further back and offered slightly better conditions.

·      Rest periods: Soldiers were then moved away from the trench system entirely for rest, training, and recovery, often lasting several weeks, depending on operational needs.

The rotation system helped prevent complete physical and mental exhaustion, but the constant dangers of trench life meant there was rarely any true respite.

THE SECOND BATLE OF BULLECOURT APRIL TO 17^TH MAY 1917

The 9^th was engaged in the second battle of Bullecourt. This was Daniel’s introduction to fighting in the trenches. Despite the failure of the first attack on 11 April 1917, a few weeks later General Gough once again tried to break the Hindenburg Line at Bullecourt. On 3 May 1917 the 2nd Australian Division attacked with the British alongside. Although the brigade on the right faltered under deadly machine-gun fire, the 6th Brigade got into the enemy’s trenches and, despite heavy shellfire and counter attacks, bravely held on. The 1st Division relieved the 2nd, and soon the 5th Division took its turn. Finally, after more than a week, the Germans gave up these blood-soaked fields. Then the depleted Australian battalions were withdrawn to recover. The furious fighting, which in the end only advanced the line a kilometre or so, had been at the heavy cost of another 7,000 Australian casualties. 'The Second Bullecourt (battle) was, in some ways, the stoutest achievement of the Australian soldier in France'.

THE BATTLE OF MENIN ROAD 20^TH TO 25^TH SEPTEMBER 1917

The 9th returned to Belgium in September; the battalion fought in various major battles. The Battle of Menin Road was an offensive operation, part of the Third Battle of Ypres on the Western Front, undertaken by the British Second Army to take sections of the curving ridge, east of Ypres, which the Menin Road crossed. This action saw the first involvement of Australian units (1st and 2nd Divisions AIF) in the Third Battle of Ypres. The attack was successful along its entire front, though the advancing troops had to overcome formidable entrenched German defensive positions which included mutually supporting concrete pill-box strongpoints and resist fierce German counter-attacks. A feature of this battle was the intensity of the opening British artillery support. The two AIF Divisions sustained 5,013 casualties in the action

THE BATTLE OF BROODSEINDE 4^TH OCTOBER 1917

They engaged in the battle of Broodseinde, the most successful Allied attack of the Third Battle of Ypres. Using bite-and-hold tactics, with objectives limited to what could be held against German counter-attacks, the allied devastated the German defence, prompted a crisis among the German commanders, and caused a severe loss of morale in the 4th Army. Preparations were made by the Germans for local withdrawals and planning began for a greater withdrawal, which would entail the abandonment by the Germans of the Belgian coast, one of the strategic aims of the Flanders Offensive.

THE BATTLE OF POELCAPPELLE 9^th OCTOBER 1917

5 days they also participated in the battle of Poelcappelle. Also called the first battle of Passchendaele, the battle of Poelcappelle was launched on 9 October with the ridge upon which Passchendaele stood as its objective. Like earlier battles in the Ypres offensive, the aim of the Poelcappelle attack was to secure a series of objectives in turn, protected by a heavy artillery barrage; the troops involved would be drawn from the 49th and 66th British, and 2nd Australian Divisions. Rain, however, had begun to deluge an already poorly drained battlefield, and adequate numbers of guns were unable to be brought within range. The infantry's advance also wallowed in the mud. The Australians were able to secure some of their objectives for a short time, but, with little artillery support and both flanks open, they were forced to withdraw. The 2nd Australian Division sustained 1,250 casualties in the battle.

THE BATTLE OF PASSCHAENDELE 12^TH OCTOBER 1917

3 days later they join in the battle of Passchendaele. After mid-1917, and following mutinies in the over-strained French Army, the British Forces had to assume an even greater role in the war on the Western Front. For Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, the British commander-in-chief, this provided an opportunity to launch an offensive that he had long wanted. Attacking from Ypres in Belgium, he planned to drive the Germans from the surrounding dominant ridges and even hoped to reach the Belgian coast. Following on the success at Messines in June, he unleashed his great attack on 31 July 1917. Fighting went on, often in appalling weather and despite crippling losses, until November. Finally, with the army stuck in muddy fields churned up by the artillery fire, the bloody offensive came to an untidy close. Many would afterwards call this offensive, a series of battles, after the name of the village that had become the last objective – 'Passchendaele'.

MESSINE RIDGE EARLY 1918

The battalion remained in Flanders in the Messines sector of the front into early 1918. the area around Messines Ridge in Belgium remained a significant part of the Western Front during World War I. Following the successful Allied capture of the ridge in June 1917, the region became a defensive position for the Allies. Australian troops, including the 3rd and 4th Divisions, were stationed there during the winter of 1917–1918, enduring harsh conditions such as freezing temperatures, mud, and constant shellfire. The area saw continued skirmishes and artillery exchanges as both sides prepared for larger offensives. The Germans launched their Spring Offensive in March 1918, which shifted the focus of fighting away from Messines to other parts of the front.

LEAVE IN ENGLAND

On 18^th March 1918 Daniel was given leave in England and returned on 10^th April 1918

THE BATTLE OF HAZEBROUK 12^TH TO 15^TH APRIL

In mid-April, however, the 9th Battalion along with other units of the 1st Australian Division, was rushed back to northern France to help contain an enemy breakthrough aimed at the vital town of Hazebrouck. The Battle of Hazebrouck was part of the German Spring Offensive during World War I, specifically within the Battle of the Lys. Hazebrouck, a key railway hub in northern France, was vital for Allied supply lines.

The German forces launched a major attack, breaking through weakly defended sections of the British line, particularly where Portuguese divisions were stationed. The British and Commonwealth troops, including the 1st Australian Division, were ordered to hold their ground despite being low on reserves. The battle saw fierce fighting, with Australian and British forces successfully defending Hazebrouck and preventing a German breakthrough

The battle was significant in halting the German advance towards the Channel ports, ensuring continued Allied supply routes. It is sometimes referred to as a "forgotten battle" despite its importance in the broader conflict. There they remained until August 1918.

HOSPITALISED INFLUENZA JUNE 1918

On 17^th June 1918 Daniel was admitted to the 3^rd Field Ambulance with influenza. A Field Ambulance was a mobile front line medical unit (it was not a vehicle), manned by troops of the Royal Army Medical Corps.

This was a dangerous disease to have in an area with a lot of people who would continue to spread the infection. Many people died with this disease which could cause trouble breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, seizures and/or severe weakness or muscle pain.

There was no effective medical treatment for Influenza. The Army Nurse Corps was critical for soldier’s care. Symptom management by skilled supportive nursing care was the best predictor of positive patient outcomes and decreases in mortality rates. This care consisted of duties such as administering medications, monitoring vital signs, fever control, providing hydration, rest, dressing changes, open-air therapy, bed baths, clean bedding, feeding, back and chest rubs with camphorated sweet oil, and cleaning the ward. He was transferred to the 4^th General Hospital in Etaples. He rejoined his unit on 5^th July 1918

BETWEEN BATTLES

Between battles, battalions engaged in a variety of critical activities to recover, prepare, and maintain their effectiveness. Some of the key activities included rest & recovery, continuing their training, maintaining their weapons & uniforms, building & reinforcing the trenches & dugouts & barbed wire defences

They also conducted patrols and reconnaissance to gather intelligence on enemy movements and maintain control over no-man's-land & engaged in activities like writing letters, playing games, and sharing stories to bond as a unit and maintain their spirits. This downtime between battles was essential for ensuring that battalions could perform effectively when called back into action.

WOUNDED IN ACTION

On 10^th August 1918 Daniel received a gunshot wound to his left hand

HOSPITALISATION AND CONVALESENCE

He was admitted to hospital and then went to a command post for convalescence and training.

DISCHARGED TO A.I.B.D

He was discharged to the A.I.B.D on 5^th September 1918. This was the Army Infantry Brigade Depot". During WWI, many regiments and brigades had depots where soldiers were trained, rested, and prepared for front-line service. The Infantry Brigade Depot would have been a central location where soldiers could be assigned to a particular unit, receive training, or be equipped.
WAR ENDED

The end of the war was in sight and on 11^th November the fighting was officially over so he prepared to return to Australia. After the Armistice, the Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes insisted Australian troops be repatriated (returned home) as quickly as possible. This logistical challenge was enormous with 135,000 troops brought home from Britain in 147 voyages, and 16,773 troops from the Middle East in 56 voyages, mostly on a first come, first go basis. There was a lack of suitable ships to transport personnel home and many had to wait many months before they were headed back to Australia.

GOING HOME

However, Daniel remained in the AIBD whose role had shifted from training and deployment centres to processing, medical, administrative, and demobilisation hubs, ensuring a smooth return to civilian life for thousands of Australian soldiers. Their role was vital in transitioning from war to peace and laying the groundwork for veterans' support in the 1920s. Daniel returned home on the Ormonde, disembarking on 4^th August 1919. He was discharged 12^th September 1919

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service Daniel was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Loyal Uki Lodge HR & Uki Tweed River South Arm War Memorial

HOME LIFE

Daniel married Hazel Arnold in Lismore in 1923 and they had a daughter in 1924. They had lived in Commissioners Creek since his return from the war. Daniel died on Monday 22nd October 1928, aged 32 years

Tweed Daily   Wed 24 Oct 1928  Page 2 

OBITUARY

Daniel underwent an operation on 19th October for appendicitis, and as he was an unusually fine specimen of manhood, in the prime of his life, little fear was entertained by his relations. However, he had been gassed at the war, and it was the after effects of this that caused his collapse after passing safely through the operation. The funeral took place in Lismore 23^rd October 1928, of Mr. Daniel Robert Venn, aged 32 years. Mr. Venn was a returned soldier, and resided at Uki since his return from the war. He was a member of the Masonic order, and the funeral was of a military and Masonic nature. The funeral was largely attended, Messrs. A. E. Kimber and C. A. Wilson representing the Lismore branch of the Returned Soldiers' League. Pall bearers were Bros. A. Lowe, R. E. Walls, and R. Armour (Masonic), and D. Brown, H. J. Mc Intyre, and, G. Fuller (returned soldiers). The "Last Post" was sound ed by Mr. Elwyn Roberts. The Rev. S. W. Bonnor conducted the service and Worshipful Bro. Grant (Lodge Uki) the Masonic services. He was buried in the East Lismore (Lismore) General Cemetery
Methodist Portion. The late Mr. Venn is survived by a widow and a daughter.

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