FAMILY LIFE

Henry William Joseph Gill (known as Harry, which name he used when he enlisted) was born 1891 in Lismore, son of Henry William Joseph Gill Snr & Catherine (Cregan) Gill. Both he and his father were called Harry. Both is parents are on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district.

When Harry’s mother, an Irish immigrant Catherine Stevens, aged 28, lost her first husband, she had no idea what to do next. Having four small children, remaining at the hotel she ran in a remote Queensland settlement was out of the question.
With the help of her sisters, she picked up the pieces and forged ahead into a succession of new towns and new adventures, each one a step into the unknown.
Catherine and new husband, Henry Gill, wound their way to Murwillumbah, their new home. Soon thereafter, it was the Gill children who had their own battles, through times of war and the Great Depression. Catherine, has lived on the Tweed since 1893. Both his parents are buried at Murwillumbah Cemetery
The Gills of Murwillumbah is a historical novel based on a true story. It follows one family’s journey through Queensland and New South Wales from the 1880s to the 1940s.

ATTESTATION

Harry travelled to Brisbane on 2^nd September 1914 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was born in Lismore, was, 23 years old and a single man. He gave his occupation as farmer. His next of kin was his father, Harry, of Murwillumbah and he had spent 7 years in the 5th Australian Light Horse Regiment. During the years before the First World War, many men served in these units as part of Australia’s part-time militia or citizen forces. The 5th Australian Light Horse was a mounted regiment, meaning the men were trained to ride and fight on horseback. Their duties included:

·      military drills and training camps

·      horsemanship and mounted manoeuvres

·      rifle practice and discipline training

·      learning scouting, reconnaissance and communications work

Before 1914 these units were not full-time soldiers, so members usually continued with their normal civilian occupations while attending regular parades and annual camps.

Having seven years in the 5th ALH would have given your soldier valuable military experience before enlistment in the AIF. He would already have understood military discipline, rifle handling, riding skills and field training, which often helped such men adapt quickly to active service.

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, Harry Gill, 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

His medical showed he was 5ft 9 inches tall (1.75m), weighed 135 lbs (61kgs), with a dark complexion, brown eyes & brown hair. His eyesight was good. Harry was Roman Catholic

CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINATION

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

CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER

This is completed during the recruits training. Harry’s was undertaken at Enoggera on the same day as his enlistment. The 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 to 2^nd Light Horse Regiment with service No 520

TRAINING AT ENOGGERA

Due to Hary’s extensive knowledge he undertook basic training at Enoggera. He was taught to ride with a military saddle, to control his horse at all paces, and to manoeuvre in close formation. Daily sessions included mounting and dismounting at speed, guiding the horse with knee and rein, and practising extended trots and canters across open ground.

Henry learned the use of the Lee-Enfield rifle both on foot and in the saddle, as well as the sword or bayonet for close work. He was trained to move quickly from mounted to dismounted action — the Light Horse fought on foot, using their horses mainly for mobility. Camp life also included route marches, stable duties, grooming and feeding routines, cleaning tack and gear, and long days of drill under the Australian sun.

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 six shillings a day

VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM BRISBANE TO EGYPT

On the 24^TH September, 1916, 22 days after enlisting, he left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Star of England A 15.  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.

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.

 SAILING WITH HORSES

When Harry stepped aboard the Star of England he was not only beginning his own long journey to war but also taking responsibility for a living companion — his horse. Unlike the infantrymen who embarked with little more than their rifles and kit, the Light Horsemen spent much of the voyage tending to the animals that would carry them through future battles.

Below decks, the ship had been fitted with rows of stalls. Each morning at first light, Harry and his comrades made their way down into the cramped, airless hold to feed, water, and clean up after their horses. The heat, smell, and flies could be overpowering, but the routine was strict and unrelenting: feed measured out carefully, water rationed, and the heavy work of mucking out stalls done daily to keep the animals healthy. When weather allowed, the horses were brought on deck to stretch their legs, led slowly around the ship, or lifted in slings to keep their muscles supple.

The rest of the day was divided between horse duty, parades, and training. On deck, the men drilled with their rifles, practised bayonet work, and kept up their physical fitness. The ship was crowded, hammocks and bunks jammed together, and meals were plain—bully beef, hard biscuits, and tea—but the men kept themselves occupied with cards, writing letters, or impromptu concerts. Seasickness was common, especially in the early days, and many struggled with the reek of horseflesh combined with the rolling sea.

There were lighter moments, too. The men organised boxing matches and games, and the bond between soldier and horse grew stronger each day. Alexander, like many of his regiment, came from country life and was used to handling horses; brushing down his mount or leading it carefully around the deck gave him a small sense of normality amid the voyage’s monotony.

The journey was not without loss. Some horses sickened and died despite the best efforts of their handlers and veterinary officers. Their bodies were solemnly hoisted up from the holds and buried at sea, a sight that reminded the men of the fragility of both beast and soldier in the campaign ahead.

CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY

The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

SIGHTS AT SEA

On the way to Egypt the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.

SECURITY

By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes.

APPROACHING EGYPT

After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the sandy training grounds of Egypt, preparing for what lay ahead.

EGYPT SEPTEMBER 1914 TO MAY 1915

The regiment arrived in Egypt on 9 December 1914.  From their arrival until May 1915, Harry would have been based mainly around the great training camps near Cairo and Alexandria, particularly at Maadi and the desert training areas. The Light Horse regiments spent these months settling horses, continuing mounted training and adapting to desert conditions. The men practised:

mounted manoeuvres and scouting

·      rifle and bayonet training

·      outpost and reconnaissance duties

·      route marches through desert country

·      camp construction and military discipline

The 2nd Light Horse Regiment was also involved in the defence of Egypt and the Suez Canal during the period when the Ottoman Empire threatened an attack across the Sinai Desert. Although large-scale fighting had not yet begun for them, the regiment remained on constant readiness and undertook patrols and defensive duties.

By May 1915 the Gallipoli campaign was desperate for reinforcements. Because the terrain at Gallipoli was unsuitable for mounted troops, the Light Horsemen left their horses behind in Egypt and prepared to serve as infantry. On 9 May 1915 Harry joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (MEF) at Alexandria prior to embarkation for Gallipoli. The regiment sailed shortly afterwards and landed at Anzac on 12 May 1915.

GALLIPOLI MAY TO OCTOBER 1915

After leaving Alexandria in May 1915, Harry and the 2nd Light Horse Regiment sailed for Gallipoli as reinforcements for the hard-pressed Anzac forces. The regiment landed at Anzac Cove on 12 May 1915, but, like all the Light Horse units at Gallipoli, they left their horses behind in Egypt and fought as infantry.

The 2nd Light Horse Regiment was sent almost immediately into the harsh and dangerous conditions of the Anzac trenches. During May and June, the regiment occupied defensive positions around Quinn’s Post, Pope’s Hill and Russell’s Top — some of the most exposed sections of the Anzac line. Their days were filled with trench maintenance, carrying supplies and water, repairing parapets damaged by shellfire, and enduring constant Turkish sniping and bombing attacks. Nights were often even busier, with patrols into no-man’s-land and working parties digging communication trenches and strengthening defences.

Throughout the winter months conditions became increasingly miserable. The men suffered from heat, flies, dust and disease during summer, followed later by bitter cold, rain and mud. Food was limited, water scarce and opportunities for proper rest almost non-existent. Illness became widespread, with dysentery, rheumatism and exhaustion affecting large numbers of troops.

HILL 60 AUGUST 1915

In August 1915 the regiment took part in the great Anzac offensive designed to break the deadlock. The 2nd Light Horse Regiment was heavily involved in the fighting around Hill 60, one of the final major actions of the Gallipoli campaign. The fighting there was savage and confused, fought at close quarters in cramped trenches under continual shellfire. Casualties were severe and the regiment lost many experienced men.

After the August offensive failed, the campaign settled once again into trench warfare. By September and October the survivors were physically worn down by months of continuous strain. It was during this exhausting period, after enduring the hardships of Gallipoli since May, that Harry was evacuated sick to hospital on 30 October 1915 suffering from rheumatism and lumbago.

HOSPITALISATION OCTOBER 1915 RHEUMATISM

After the exhausting months at Gallipoli, Harry’s service took a very different turn. Like many of the Light Horsemen evacuated from the peninsula, he was suffering from the physical strain brought on by exposure, poor conditions and continual hard work. On 30 October 1915 he was admitted to the 2nd Australian General Hospital at Ghezireh, Cairo, suffering from rheumatism. Ghezireh, situated on Gezira Island in the Nile, had become one of the major Australian hospitals in Egypt during the campaign.

His condition appears to have lingered, for on 11 December 1915 he was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Heliopolis with lumbago, a painful lower back complaint often aggravated by long marches, sleeping in trenches and heavy military work. The following day, 12 December, he was discharged back to duty at Heliopolis. By then the Gallipoli evacuation was underway and the AIF was reorganising in Egypt.

TAKEN ON STRENGTH IST LIGHT HORSE MACHINE GUN MARCH 1916

On 1 March 1916 Harry was taken on strength with the 1st Light Horse Machine Gun Section. Machine gun units were specialised detachments trained to operate and maintain the regiment’s Vickers guns, providing concentrated fire support for mounted troops. Men selected for these sections were often regarded as reliable and technically capable soldiers.

Only days later, on 9 March 1916, he was attached to the AASC, the Australian Army Service Corps, specifically connected with Headquarters Postal Corps duties. This suggests Harry had been moved into administrative or transport-related work rather than front-line mounted service. The Postal Corps played an essential role in maintaining communication between soldiers and home, sorting and transporting enormous quantities of mail throughout Egypt and the various theatres of war.

HEADQUARTERS JUNE 1916

By 26 June 1916 Harry was at Moascar, the vast military camp near Ismailia on the Suez Canal. His records describe him as a 1st Light Horse man attached to the Australian Base Post Office. From there he marched out to the APM’s Compound — the Assistant Provost Marshal’s compound — an area associated with military administration, movement control and discipline. This indicates that by mid-1916 Harry was firmly employed in support and headquarters duties within the expanding Australian military administration in Egypt, work that was vital to keeping the AIF functioning efficiently as thousands of troops moved between training camps, hospitals and active fronts.

DISCIPLINED DECEMBER 1916

On 29^th December 1916 he received his first disciplinary charge viz: when on active service committing a civil offence that is to say stealing, in that at Moascar on 15^th December 1916 stole 9 cases of beer, the property of the Egyptian Expeditionary Forces. There was an alternative charge listed but illegible.

Pleaded Guilty to the first charge, and not guilty to the alternative.  Found guilty on both charges.

PUNISHMENT

Harry’s punishment was:

·      4 months Hard Labour

·      Stopping of pay amounting to 87 pounds (a very large sum at the time) to make good the stolen property

Military hard labour punishments usually meant the soldier was confined and made to perform physically demanding fatigue duties rather than normal military service. This could include:

·      digging

·      carrying stores

·      camp construction

·      cleaning duties

·      labouring work under guard or supervision

Stealing nine cases of beer was considered a serious military offence, especially in wartime Egypt where discipline problems around alcohol were common amongst troops on leave in Cairo and Alexandria. The AIF authorities were often quite harsh in sentencing offences involving theft, drunkenness or disorderly conduct because they were trying to maintain discipline amongst thousands of soldiers stationed far from home.

PUNISHMENT COMMUTED FEBRUARY 1917

The sentence was commuted to 3 months Field Punishment No 2. & stoppage of pay ON 2^ND February 1917.

FIELD PUNISHMENT NO 2

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

In Field punishment no.2, the soldier could be kept in irons to prevent his escape, however was not allowed to be tied to a fixed object, carried out in the units if the punishment was sentenced to less than 14 days. They had to undergo hard labour, made to march in full order with packs and rifles twice daily, usually morning and afternoon. The soldier’s rifle equipment was inspected and if not satisfactory would be further punished.  Soldiers under field punishment no.2 were not allowed to smoke or drink any rum; pay was also lost during this time. If the prisoner messed up, they were sent straight to the bottom of the leave roster and also did at least an hour pack drill every day. The prisoners were only allowed blankets and to sleep on the floor and were under guarded supervision in a room from between the hours of 6pm and 6am. 

EARLY 1917 SINAI AND PALESTINE

During early 1917 Harry remained attached to the large Australian military establishments in Egypt as the mounted units prepared for operations in the Sinai and Palestine campaigns. On 24 March 1917 he was taken on strength at the Compound, most likely connected with the administrative and training depots that handled reinforcements and specialist instruction for the Light Horse and supporting units.

SCHOOL OF INSTRUCTION APRIL 1917

On 7 April 1917 Harry attended the School of Instruction at Zeitoun, remaining there until 21 April. Zeitoun, near Cairo, had become one of the AIF’s principal training centres. At the School of Instruction he would likely have undertaken further military courses connected with machine gun work, discipline, signalling or administrative duties. Such schools were designed to improve efficiency and prepare experienced soldiers for the increasingly mobile operations being carried out across the Sinai Desert into southern Palestine.

REJOINED 1^ST MACHINE GUN MAY 1917

By 7 May 1917 Harry had rejoined the 1st Machine Gun Squadron at Shellal. Shellal was an important Allied base in southern Palestine near the Wadi Ghuzzee, supporting preparations for the attacks on the Turkish Gaza-Beersheba line. Life there was demanding. The men endured intense heat, dust storms, flies, poor water supplies and long periods maintaining equipment, training horses and supporting forward operations. Machine gun units were especially important in the desert campaign, providing rapid fire support for mounted troops during advances and defensive actions. However, the harsh climate and continual strain again affected Harry’s health and on 31^st May 1917 he was admitted to hospital suffering from arthritis and bronchitis.

ARTHRITIS MAY 1917

After rejoining the 1st Machine Gun Squadron at Shellal on 7 May 1917, Harry returned to the demanding conditions of the Sinai-Palestine campaign. Shellal was a busy forward base supporting operations against the Turkish positions around Gaza. The men worked in exhausting desert conditions, coping with intense heat, dust, flies and continual movement between camps and forward areas. Machine gun squadrons were required to keep their Vickers guns operational at all times while supporting mounted patrols and defensive positions across the desert front.

The strain soon told on Harry’s health once more. On 31 May 1917 he was admitted to the 54th Casualty Clearing Station suffering from arthritis while serving with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. Casualty clearing stations were mobile medical units positioned not far behind the fighting front, providing immediate treatment before men were either returned to duty or evacuated further to the rear.

BRONCHITIS JUNE 1917

Only two days later, on 2 June 1917, Harry was transferred to the 26th Casualty Clearing Station suffering from bronchitis, indicating his condition had worsened or become complicated by respiratory illness. On the same day he was transferred again to the 36th Stationary Hospital at Kantara (often written Kazar or Kantara in records), situated near the Suez Canal. Stationary hospitals were larger and more permanent medical facilities where soldiers could recover over longer periods.

TAKEN ON STRENGTH JUNE 1917

After nearly a month recovering from illness, Harry was finally discharged and on 27 June 1917 was taken on strength at Moascar, the great training and reinforcement camp near Ismailia in Egypt. There he would likely have undergone further recuperation and light duties while awaiting either return to active service or further posting orders.

Following his recovery at Moascar, Harry continued serving with the Light Horse machine gun units during the Palestine campaign. On 30 June 1917 he was taken on strength from hospital at Moascar with the 1st Light Horse Regiment details, indicating he had recovered sufficiently to return to military duty after his lengthy period of illness.

RAFA JUL 1917

On 14 July 1917 he was transferred to Details at Rafa, the important desert outpost on the Sinai-Palestine frontier. Rafa served as a staging and supply area supporting the mounted forces operating further into Palestine. Life there revolved around transport work, camp duties, training and maintaining the long supply lines necessary for desert warfare.

DETACHED TO CAMEL DUMP AUGUST 1917

By 4 August 1917 Harry, then serving with the 1st Australian Machine Gun Squadron, was detached for extra regimental employment at the Camel Dump at Rafa. This was an important logistical role. The Camel Transport Corps carried vast quantities of water, ammunition, food and engineering supplies across areas where wheeled transport was unreliable. At the camel dump Harry would likely have been involved in organising stores, loading supplies and supporting the movement of transport columns essential to the mounted advance.

REJOINED UNIT SEPTEMBER 1917

On 15 September 1917 he ceased this extra employment and returned to his unit at Marakeb. During this period the mounted divisions were preparing for the great offensive that would eventually break the Turkish defensive line at Beersheba and Gaza later that year.

After returning to his unit at Marakeb on 15 September 1917, Harry became part of one of the most successful periods of the Australian Light Horse campaign in Palestine. The mounted forces of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force were preparing for General Allenby’s great offensive against the Turkish defensive line stretching from Gaza to Beersheba.

During September and October, the 1st Australian Machine Gun Squadron supported the Light Horse brigades as they trained, patrolled and prepared for the coming advance. Machine gun squadrons played a vital role in mounted warfare. Their Vickers guns provided covering fire during attacks, protected exposed flanks and defended captured ground once the cavalry had moved forward. The work was physically exhausting, with men and horses operating in heat, dust and water shortages while constantly moving camp across the desert front.

OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 1917 – FALL OF BEERSHEBA AND GAZA

In late October and early November 1917, the offensive finally began. The mounted troops participated in the advance on Beersheba and the breaking of the Gaza line. Although the famous mounted charge was carried out by the 4th Light Horse Brigade, all mounted units, including the machine gun squadrons, were heavily engaged supporting attacks, defending positions and pursuing retreating Turkish forces. Harry’s unit would have spent long days moving forward with the advance, bringing machine guns into action where resistance was strongest.

Following the fall of Beersheba and Gaza, the mounted divisions pushed northward across southern Palestine. The campaign became one of continual movement. Camps shifted regularly as the Australians advanced through rough country toward Jerusalem. Men endured cold nights, rain and muddy conditions that replaced the earlier desert heat. Horses required constant care and watering, while the machine gun teams had to haul heavy guns, tripods, ammunition and spare parts over difficult terrain.

DECEMBER 1917 CAPTURE OF JERUSALEM

By December 1917 the British and Empire forces had captured Jerusalem, a major symbolic and military victory. The mounted units then spent the winter months conducting patrols, reconnaissance and outpost work in the hill country and plains surrounding the city. Turkish counter-attacks remained a constant threat and the line was far from quiet.

EARLY 1918 JORDAN VALLEY

Early 1918 brought further operations in the Jordan Valley. The climate there was notoriously unhealthy, with extremes of heat, mosquitoes and disease affecting many troops. Machine gun squadrons continued supporting mounted patrols and defensive positions while the Allied forces carried out raids east of the Jordan River against Turkish communications and railway lines.

HOSPITALISED MARCH 1918 NO DETAILS

Months of continual campaigning, harsh living conditions and exposure gradually weakened many men. It was during this demanding phase of operations, after serving through the advance from Gaza toward Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley fighting, that Harry again became ill and was admitted to hospital in March 1918 while serving with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. He was transferred through the 66th and then the 76th Casualty Clearing Stations, before being diagnosed with mumps at Ludd on 20 April 1918. After treatment he was returned to duty on 26 April 1918.

REJOINED UNIT

Following his recovery, Harry joined the Machine Gun Training Squadron at Moascar on 17 April 1918 and shortly afterwards returned to the 1st Machine Gun Squadron. By 18 May 1918 he had rejoined the training squadron at Solomon’s Pools, south of Jerusalem, an area used by mounted troops for rest, training and water supply duties during the later stages of the Palestine campaign.

PROMOTED TO TEMPORARY SQUADRON QUARTERMASTER SERGEANT AUGUST 1918

By mid-1918 Harry was still serving with the 1st Australian Machine Gun Squadron during the final stages of the Palestine campaign. On 16 August 1918 he was promoted to Temporary Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant (T/SQMS), replacing Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant McDonald who had proceeded to the Cadet School of Instruction. This was an important senior non-commissioned appointment within the squadron.

As Temporary Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant, Harry’s responsibilities would have centred on the supply and administration of the squadron rather than front-line fighting alone. He would likely have supervised the issuing of rations, ammunition, clothing, horse equipment and general stores, while also helping manage transport and the movement of supplies to the machine gun sections in the field. In a mounted unit operating across Palestine, keeping men, horses and guns supplied was vital work and required experienced, dependable soldiers.

HOSPITALISED AUGUST 1918 NO DETAILS

However, almost immediately after receiving the promotion, Harry again became ill. On 17 August 1918 he was admitted to hospital sick. Two days later, on 11 August according to the hospital entry date recorded retrospectively in the documents, he was discharged to duty from the 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance. Because he had been evacuated sick, he temporarily reverted to the rank of Trooper, as temporary appointments were commonly relinquished when a soldier left his unit through illness.

REJOINED UNIT 14^TH AUGUST 1918

After recovering, Harry quickly rejoined the 1st Australian Machine Gun Squadron on 14 August 1918 and resumed his appointment as Temporary Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant upon rejoining the unit. This suggests his illness had only been brief and that the squadron still considered him capable and reliable enough to continue in the important administrative role during the final months of the campaign.

JORDAN VALLEY LATE AUGUST 1918

By late August 1918 Harry was serving with the 1st Australian Machine Gun Squadron in the Jordan Valley, one of the harshest theatres of the Palestine campaign. The Jordan Valley was infamous amongst the troops for its suffocating heat, dust, mosquitoes and unhealthy conditions, and sickness remained common even when active fighting was limited

HOSPITALISED AUGUST 1918 & REJOINED UNIT SEPTEMBER 1918

On 31 August 1918 Harry was again evacuated sick to hospital from Wadi Auja. As before, evacuation from the unit caused him to revert temporarily to the rank of Trooper. He was treated through the 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance and discharged to duty on 4 September 1918. Shortly afterwards he rejoined the squadron at Tel el Sultan and resumed his appointment as Temporary Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant upon returning to duty.

BATTLEOF MEGIDDO SEPTEMBER 1918

At this stage of the war the mounted divisions were preparing for what would become the final great Allied offensive in Palestine. Throughout September 1918 the Australians participated in the advance that shattered the Turkish armies during the Battle of Megiddo. The mounted troops then swept rapidly northwards through Palestine into Syria in one of the most dramatic cavalry advances of the war. Machine gun squadrons moved continuously with the mounted brigades, often covering enormous distances while supporting attacks, guarding prisoners and protecting supply columns.

Harry’s later entries reflect this constant movement. In October and November 1918, he appears to have been repeatedly marching in and out of camps and administrative depots, including Moascar, Belah and Rafa, as units reorganised following the Turkish collapse and the signing of the Armistice with the Ottoman Empire on 30 October 1918.

One entry notes his attachment to the 14th Light Horse Regiment at Rafa during November 1918, suggesting temporary duties while the mounted units concentrated and prepared either for occupation duties or eventual return home. Another entry records service with Rest Camps at Belah, where exhausted troops were often sent for recuperation after the long campaign through Palestine and Syria.

GOING HOME DECEMBER 1918

By December 1918 Harry had returned again to Moascar, the great Australian camp in Egypt that processed thousands of troops awaiting repatriation after the war. On 23 December 1918 he marched out for embarkation duties connected with his return journey. His record notes his original embarkation aboard the Star of England in 1914 and the long years of service that had followed across Gallipoli, Egypt, Sinai and Palestine.

On the 23^rd December 1918 Harry sailed home from the Suez on the HR Argyllshire.  He disembarked on 2^nd February 1919 and was discharged on 15^th April 1919

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

For his service Harry was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Dungay Public School WWI Honour Roll

AFTER THE WAR

Henry married Kathleen Mary Shields on the 19th July 1920 in Queensland. Henry died 21st November 1965 in Murwillumbah and is buried in Murwillumbah Catholic Cemetery together with his wife, who died in 1938. Sadly, their son, Edward, born 18 May 1921, missing believed killed in action Malaya Feb 1942; and another John, born 6 April 1932, was killed in action Korean War 4 Sep 1952

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