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Wallace Owen MacEwan was born 4 February 1892 in Bodalla, New South Wales, son of Thomas Andrew & Hannah (Merryweather) McEwan. His birth surname was registered as MacEwan, as was his marriage & death but Wallace used McEwan in his application. According to NSWBDM He was the eldest of 6 other siblings.

ATTESTATION

Wallace travelled to Sydney on 24^th September 1914 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was 22 years and 7 months old and a single man. He gave his occupation as police constable. His next of kin was his mother, Hannah, of “Newtown”, Murwillumbah. 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, Wallace Owen McEwan,  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 8 ¾ inches tall (1.74m), weighed 165 lbs (73kgs), with a sallow complexion, brown eyes & dark hair.  His eyesight was good. Wallace was Presbyterian and had a vaccine scar on his left arm and a scar on the first finger of his right hand

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 on 19^th December 1914 at Liverpool. He certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with.  He states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him to 6^th Light Horse Regiment, 2^nd Light Horse Brigade with service No 299

TRAINING CAMP HOLSWORTHY

Following his enlistment in September 1914, Wallace was posted to the newly raised 6th Light Horse Regiment, a unit drawn largely from men of New South Wales. The regiment assembled and undertook its initial training at the great military encampment at Holsworthy, on the outskirts of Sydney. Here, amidst the dust and heat of the training grounds, Wallace would have been introduced to the demanding life of a light horseman—learning horsemanship, mounted infantry tactics, rifle drill, and the discipline required of a mounted soldier

Wallace began his military training amid the dust and bustle of one of New South Wales’ busiest camps. The Light Horse Depot was a lively place — rows of tents and stables stretched across the paddocks, with constant movement as new recruits learned the routines of mounted service.

Wallace would have spent his first weeks learning the fundamentals of soldiering: drill, physical fitness, and discipline, before moving on to the skills that defined the mounted man. 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. The instructors — many veterans of earlier campaigns — were firm but fair, ensuring each man could care for his mount as well as himself.

Horsemanship was only one part of the training.

Wallace 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.

By December 1914, Wallace would have been a confident and capable Light Horseman — fit, disciplined, and bonded with his horse

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 EGYPT DECEMBER 1914

On 21^st December 1914 they embarked on the HMAT A29 Suevic.  Alongside his comrades, Wallace 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

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.

SAILING WITH HORSES

When Wallace stepped aboard the Suevic 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 Suevic had been fitted with rows of stalls. Each morning at first light, Wallace 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. Wallace, 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 Egypt. 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 FEBRUARY 1915

Wallace arrived in Egypt with the 6th Light Horse Regiment on about 1 February 1915 after the regiment's voyage from Australia. The 6th Light Horse formed part of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade and established itself in the great training camps around Cairo, particularly at Maadi and the desert training areas near the pyramids.

When the troop train from the ship finally rattled into the siding near the camp, Wallace found himself staring at an extraordinary sight — the vast Pyramids looming on the horizon, their ancient stones glowing gold in the late afternoon sun. Rows of khaki tents stretched out across the sand, the dust curling in little eddies around the tent pegs.

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: Egypt's heat made the heavy wool uniforms uncomfortable. As a result, lighter clothing was often issued or obtained locally. Soldiers frequently wore:

ü Khaki cotton shirts without the tunic

ü Lightweight drill uniforms made from cotton

ü Shorts on some occasions, particularly in camp

ü Pith helmets or sun helmets for fatigue duties and work in the sun, although the slouch hat remained the iconic Australian headgear

·      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. Then formal training began

Life at this camp was nothing like Enoggera back home. Here, the desert heat was intense even in the early hours, and the days began with the bugler’s call well before sunrise. The men formed up on the sandy parade ground, rifles over their shoulders, boots sinking into the powdery surface as they marched in formation. Drill sessions were longer and harder than anything they had experienced in Australia — endless turns, wheeling movements, and column changes designed to make the battalion move as a single, disciplined unit.

Weapons training was constant. Francis practised rapid loading and firing with his Lee–Enfield until the action felt like second nature. Bayonet drills took on a fierce intensity: lunging, parrying, and withdrawing in perfect rhythm under the watchful eye of the instructors. There was musketry practice at the range, too, where the sound of rifle fire cracked sharply across the desert, the targets standing out as black specks against the glaring sand.

Route marches tested endurance. Fully equipped with packs, rifles, and webbing, the men marched for miles through the heat haze, learning to pace themselves and conserve water. Sand found its way into every seam of clothing, into boots and rifles, and the men soon understood that maintaining their kit — keeping it clean and in working order — could mean the difference between life and death.

There was also instruction in trench construction and maintenance. Under the relentless sun, Wallace helped dig and reinforce shallow practice trenches, learning how to build firing steps, drainage channels, and parapets. Though the work was exhausting, it gave the men an idea of the conditions they would soon face on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

Evenings brought some relief. After the day’s training, Wallace and his mates might head into Cairo, where the narrow lanes bustled with traders calling their wares and the air was rich with the smell of cooking fires, sweet pastries, and tobacco smoke. The muezzin’s call to prayer echoed over the rooftops, mingling with the laughter of soldiers from across the Empire. On rest days, they visited the Pyramids and posed for photographs, the Sphinx silent and inscrutable behind them. Yet even in those moments of wonder, the reality of war was never far away. News from Gallipoli trickled back to camp — of heavy casualties, of comrades who had not returned. Each man knew their time was coming. Although they had enlisted as mounted troops, there was considerable uncertainty about how the war would develop, and the regiment spent the early months of 1915 preparing for service wherever it might be required.

APRIL 1915

When the Australian infantry sailed for Gallipoli in April 1915, the Light Horse remained behind with their horses. Military planners initially believed mounted troops would be of little use on the steep and broken Gallipoli Peninsula. However, the heavy casualties suffered during the first weeks of fighting quickly created a need for reinforcements. Orders were therefore issued for the Light Horse regiments to proceed to Gallipoli as dismounted troops, leaving their beloved horses in Egypt. Like thousands of other Light Horsemen, Wallace exchanged the role of mounted soldier for that of infantryman.

MAY 1915

On 15 May 1915 Wallace embarked for the Gallipoli Peninsula with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. The 6th Light Horse landed around 20 May and was attached to the Australian forces defending the Anzac position. The regiment was allotted a sector on the exposed right flank of the Anzac perimeter, an area of steep gullies, scrub-covered ridges and trenches often separated from the Turkish lines by only a few yards.

During the month that followed, Wallace's life would have been dominated by trench warfare. The men endured constant sniping, shellfire, bombing attacks, fatigue parties carrying ammunition and water, repairing trenches under cover of darkness, and lengthy periods standing-to before dawn and after sunset when enemy attacks were most likely. Conditions were primitive. Water was scarce, flies were everywhere, and the smell from unburied dead in the narrow valleys was often overwhelming. Sleep came only in short periods between duties.

JUNE 1915 WOUNDED IN ACTION

By June 1915 the Anzac front had settled into a grim stalemate. Although there were no major offensives involving the 6th Light Horse at that exact time, casualties occurred daily from enemy fire. A soldier could be killed or wounded while carrying rations, repairing parapets, acting as a sentry, or simply moving along a communication trench. The regiment's role was primarily defensive, holding vital sections of the line and ensuring the Turks could not break through into the Anzac beachhead. It was during this hazardous routine that Wallace was wounded on 19 June 1915, suffering a gunshot wound to his left thigh.

MEDICAL CHAIN

He was evacuated through the well-established Gallipoli medical chain. First, he reached a Casualty Clearing Station, where the wound would have been examined, cleaned and dressed. The following day he was transferred to the hospital ship Gascon, one of the vessels stationed offshore to receive wounded men from the beaches. On 21 June he arrived at No. 2 Stationary Hospital on Mudros, the great Allied base on the Greek island of Lemnos. Here he received more extensive treatment and recovery away from the battlefield.

His wound evidently required a lengthy period of convalescence, as on 16 July he was transferred onward to Malta. Malta served as one of the British Empire's principal medical centres during the Gallipoli campaign, and thousands of Australian wounded passed through its hospitals. There Wallace would have benefited from better facilities, specialist surgical care if required, and a longer recovery period than was possible closer to the front.

REJOINED UNIT SEPTEMBER 1915

By 26 September 1915 he had recovered sufficiently to be classified fit for duty once more and was available to return to military service.

When Wallace was declared fit in September 1915, the Gallipoli campaign was entering its final phase. The 6th Light Horse remained on the peninsula until the evacuation of Anzac in December 1915. Whether Wallace actually rejoined the regiment at Gallipoli or was delayed by administrative and medical arrangements is often difficult to determine from the records, but by the time he was again serving with the regiment the entire force was preparing for withdrawal.

DECEMBER 1915

The successful evacuation of Gallipoli took place during December 1915. The 6th Light Horse was among the units withdrawn to Egypt, where the Australian mounted troops immediately began rebuilding their strength after the losses of the campaign. The regiment was reunited with its horses and resumed its mounted role. Training recommenced almost immediately, but the strategic situation had changed dramatically.

JANUARY HOSPITALISED

By early 1916 the British Empire faced a new threat when Ottoman forces threatened the Suez Canal. The Australian Light Horse became a key component of the defence of Egypt. During the period between Wallace's return to duty and his admission to hospital on 4 January 1916, the regiment was occupied reorganising after Gallipoli, absorbing reinforcements, caring for horses, and conducting intensive mounted training in preparation for operations in the Sinai Desert.

His admission to hospital on 4 January 1916, with no diagnosis recorded, was not unusual. Many soldiers were admitted for relatively minor illnesses that today might never require hospitalisation. The Egyptian winter brought outbreaks of influenza, bronchitis, dysentery, enteric complaints, and various respiratory ailments. Soldiers were living in crowded camps and often moving between dusty desert environments and cold winter nights.

REJOINED UNIT FEBRUARY 1916

Whatever Wallace's complaint, it was evidently not serious as he returned to duty on 23 February.

MARCH 1916 HEADQUARTERS ANZAC MOUNTED DIVISION

A significant change occurred on 21 March 1916 when he was taken on strength of Headquarters, Anzac Mounted Division.

This transfer was almost certainly related to his civilian occupation as a police officer. The newly formed Anzac Mounted Division was a large organisation consisting of Australian and New Zealand mounted brigades together with artillery, engineers, medical services, transport and headquarters staff. Such a formation required men with experience in discipline, administration, investigations, traffic control, prisoner escort duties and military policing.

At divisional headquarters Wallace would have left the routine life of a trooper in a fighting regiment and entered a more specialised role. Headquarters personnel were responsible for maintaining order across a force numbering many thousands of men spread over vast areas of Egypt and Sinai.

HOSPITALISED INFLUENZA APRIL 1916

Only a month later, on 23 April 1916, he was admitted to hospital suffering from influenza. This illness appears to have been more severe than his January complaint. Influenza 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 first to the New Zealand General Hospital at Kantara on 24 April. Kantara was an enormously important military centre on the Suez Canal. It served as the gateway between Egypt and the Sinai front and contained hospitals, supply depots, railway facilities and military headquarters. Thousands of troops passed through the area every month.

TRANSFERRED TO RED CROSS HOSPITAL APRIL 1916

When Wallace's condition required further treatment, he was transferred on 29 April to the British Red Cross Hospital at Montazah, near Alexandria. The Montazah hospitals occupied a healthier coastal environment than the crowded canal zone camps and were frequently used for convalescence. Patients benefited from sea air, better accommodation and a more relaxed recovery environment than was possible closer to the front.

DISCHARGED MAY 1916

He was discharged from hospital on 12 May 1916.

MAY TO JULY 1916

The period between his discharge and promotion on 31 July was one of intense activity for the Anzac Mounted Division. The division was heavily involved in operations protecting Egypt and pushing eastward into Sinai. The mounted brigades fought at actions such as Romani and conducted extensive reconnaissance, patrol and security operations across enormous stretches of desert.

As a member of divisional headquarters, Wallace would not necessarily have participated directly in every mounted patrol, but his duties likely involved the administration and policing of a large field formation. Military police responsibilities included:

·      supervising camps and bivouac areas;

·      regulating military traffic;

·      escorting prisoners;

·      investigating offences;

·      controlling stragglers;

·      enforcing military regulations;

·      maintaining discipline during troop movements;

·      providing security around headquarters installations.

The work demanded reliability, literacy, judgement and experience dealing with people—precisely the qualities expected of a civilian police officer.

PROMOTED TEMPORARY SEERGEANT JULY 1916

On 31 July 1916 Wallace was promoted temporary sergeant while in charge of the Mounted Military Police attached to Headquarters Anzac Mounted Division, replacing Sergeant McBride during that man's illness.

This appointment was a significant vote of confidence. A temporary sergeant responsible for military police duties at divisional headquarters carried substantial responsibility. The Mounted Military Police acted as the eyes and ears of senior commanders in matters of discipline and order. They supervised military traffic across desert tracks, controlled movements around headquarters, handled prisoners and absentees, and ensured that orders affecting thousands of mounted troops were properly enforced.

The timing is noteworthy because the Anzac Mounted Division was then preparing for what became the Battle of Romani in August 1916, the decisive action that halted the Ottoman advance toward the Suez Canal. Headquarters staff worked under immense pressure coordinating troop movements, communications and logistics. Wallace's police detachment would have been involved in regulating movement along roads and tracks crowded with mounted units, transport columns, artillery and supply trains.

AUGUST TO NOVEMBER 1916

From August through November 1916 the division remained heavily engaged in Sinai operations. Following the victory at Romani, the mounted troops advanced eastward across the desert toward the Ottoman frontier. This required the construction of railways, pipelines and supply depots while the mounted brigades conducted continual patrols and reconnaissance.

Throughout this period Wallace's responsibilities as acting sergeant would likely have increased. Military police were essential in managing the growing volume of troops moving across Sinai and maintaining order within a force operating hundreds of kilometres from its base.

TAKEN ON STRENGTH DECEMBER 1916

His service during these months evidently impressed his superiors because on 5 December 1916 he was formally taken on strength of the Anzac Provost Corps.

The Provost Corps was the military police branch of the army. For Wallace, this represented a natural progression from civilian police work to specialised military police service. The corps was responsible not only for discipline but also for traffic control, investigations, prisoner handling, security duties and the enforcement of military law. By late 1916 the mounted forces were preparing for operations that would eventually carry them across Sinai into Palestine, and experienced provost personnel were increasingly valuable.

EARLY 1917

By early 1917 Wallace was no longer serving as an ordinary Light Horse trooper. His transfer to the Anzac Provost Corps and employment with Mounted Military Police had placed him in a specialised role that drew heavily upon the skills he had acquired as a civilian police officer before the war. While the mounted brigades were engaged in the advance across Sinai and into Palestine, Wallace's work centred on maintaining discipline, regulating military traffic, supervising prisoners and ensuring the smooth functioning of headquarters and communications areas.

APRIL 1917 HOSPITALISED INFLUENZA

On 24 April 1917 he was admitted to No. 3 Australian General Hospital suffering from influenza. This occurred during a busy and important phase of the Palestine campaign. Only days earlier the First Battle of Gaza had been fought, and military hospitals throughout Egypt and the Canal Zone were crowded with both battle casualties and soldiers suffering from illness. Influenza was a constant problem among troops serving in the Middle East. Dust, extreme temperature variations, overcrowded camps and the continual movement of men between units created ideal conditions for respiratory diseases.

No. 3 Australian General Hospital was one of the principal Australian medical facilities in Egypt. Here Wallace would have received rest, nursing care, observation and treatment aimed primarily at preventing complications such as pneumonia or bronchitis. Although influenza was often regarded as a routine illness, it could remove a soldier from duty for weeks and occasionally prove fatal.

DISCHARGED MAY 1917

On 12 May 1917 he was discharged Class A and sent to Tel el Kebir.

A Class A discharge from hospital indicated that he had recovered sufficiently for full military duty. Tel el Kebir was one of the largest Australian training and reinforcement centres in Egypt. Thousands of Australian soldiers passed through the camp after leaving hospital, returning from leave or awaiting allocation to units. The camp acted as a holding and administrative centre where returning soldiers could be medically assessed, equipped and processed before rejoining their commands. Following the necessary paperwork and administrative procedures, Wallace rejoined his unit on 19 May 1917.

At this stage the mounted forces were engaged in the prolonged struggle for southern Palestine. After the costly First Battle of Gaza in March and the Second Battle of Gaza in April, both sides had settled into a period of preparation and consolidation. The British and Dominion forces spent much of mid-1917 improving supply lines, constructing railways and water pipelines, training reinforcements and preparing for renewed offensive operations later in the year.

TEMPORARY CORPORAL JULY 1917

On 12 July 1917 routine orders of the Anzac Mounted Division appointed Wallace temporary corporal while employed with the Mounted Military Police at Divisional Headquarters, Kantara.

Kantara was one of the most important military centres in the Middle East. Situated on the eastern bank of the Suez Canal, it served as the principal logistical gateway to the Sinai and Palestine fronts. Vast quantities of supplies, ammunition, horses, vehicles and personnel passed through the area. The military police stationed there performed duties that were vital to the operation of the entire campaign.

Wallace's responsibilities likely included:

·      regulating military traffic moving between Egypt and the front;

·      controlling railway stations, roads and embarkation points;

·      supervising prisoners and military detainees;

·      investigating disciplinary matters;

·      locating absentees and stragglers;

·      assisting with security around divisional headquarters;

·      enforcing military regulations affecting thousands of troops.

The appointment reflects the confidence his superiors had developed in his abilities. Military police work demanded tact, firmness, reliability and administrative competence.

PROMOTED TO TEMPORARY SERGEANT JULY 1917

Only weeks later, on 31 July 1917, routine orders promoted him temporary sergeant while in charge of the Mounted Military Police detachment.

This was a considerable responsibility. As the senior non-commissioned officer of the detachment, Wallace would have supervised other provost personnel, organised patrols and duty rosters, reported directly to superior officers and ensured the efficient execution of military police functions. The position required leadership as well as policing skills.

The promotion came during a critical period. General headquarters was preparing for the offensive that would eventually break the Gaza-Beersheba line later in 1917. The volume of troop movements through Kantara increased enormously as formations assembled, supplies accumulated and preparations accelerated. Maintaining order and controlling traffic became increasingly important as thousands of men and animals moved through the Canal Zone.

TAKEN ON STRENGTH AS SERGEANT DECEMBER 1917

On 10 December 1917 he was formally taken on strength of the Anzac Provost Corps with the rank of sergeant in Cairo.

This effectively confirmed the role he had already been performing. The promotion recognised both his experience and his value to the military police organisation. By this stage British and Empire forces had captured Beersheba, broken through at Gaza and entered Jerusalem. The military administration of Egypt and the occupied territories was becoming increasingly complex, creating an ongoing need for experienced provost personnel.

HOME LEAVE FEBRUARY 1917

On 19^th February Wallace requested leave to visit his sister in Australia. She had developed lung trouble (consumption now known as tuberculosis) and needed to be moved to a colder climate, even though it was felt that she only had three months to live. His mother was to sell their home and move the family, but they were all very dependant on Wallace, whose father had died in 1912, and his siblings were three sisters and a 13-year-old brother.

As well. His sister, whose husband was killed in France 4 months before, lived with her mother, and they all needed his help

Such leave was uncommon and generally granted only under special circumstances. By this time Wallace had served overseas for almost three years. He had fought at Gallipoli, been wounded, survived several bouts of illness and undertaken increasingly responsible duties with the military police. The approval of leave suggests both good service and a compelling family reason.

While you have the voyage details to insert, it is worth noting that obtaining leave to Australia from the Middle East involved a substantial administrative process. The journey itself required travel through the Suez Canal and across the Indian Ocean before reaching Australia, and relatively few serving soldiers were granted such an opportunity during wartime.

LEAVE APPROVED FEBRUARY 1918 GOING HOME FEBRUARY 1918

Leave approval was confirmed on 14 February 1918 and on the following day, 15 February, Wallace departed Suez aboard the transport Ulysses.

After more than three years overseas, he finally headed home. By the time he sailed, the Palestine campaign was continuing northward, but Wallace's military career was drawing to a close. His service had evolved from that of a Light Horse trooper to that of a senior military policeman responsible for maintaining discipline and order within one of the Australian Army's most important mounted formations.

ARRIVED MELBOURNE MARCH 1918

He arrived in Melbourne on 18 March 1918. Australia in 1918 was very different from the country he had left in December 1914. The war had touched virtually every community. Casualty lists filled the newspapers, recruiting campaigns continued and the bitter conscription debates had divided the nation. Wallace returned not as an inexperienced volunteer but as a veteran who had served at Gallipoli, in Egypt, Sinai and Palestine.

DISCHARGED APRIL 1918

On 3 April 1918 he was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force. His discharge brought to an end more than three years of wartime service. During that period, he had progressed from trooper in the 6th Light Horse Regiment to sergeant in the Anzac Provost Corps, a role that made full use of his pre-war police experience. His service included active operations at Gallipoli, a serious gunshot wound to the thigh, repeated hospitalisations through illness, and important responsibilities within the military police organisation supporting the mounted forces in the Middle East.

By the time he left the Army, Wallace had become part of the professional framework that helped keep the Australian mounted formations functioning effectively throughout one of the most successful campaigns fought by Australian troops during the First World War. His record illustrates how the Army recognised and utilised civilian skills, transforming an Australian police officer into a trusted senior non-commissioned officer of the military police in a theatre of war thousands of miles from home.

JULY 1918- LOST KIT

Wallace’s private kit of his personal belongings did not arrive before he caught his ship home and he wrote to the Defence Dept in Melbourne from his post at Copmanhurst Police Station on the 2^nd July 1918 enquiring about its whereabouts and requesting it be forwarded to him at the Police Station.  Coincidentally, it had been found and was despatched on the same date. The package contained 1 leather jacket, 1 small flag, quantity of military notes etc, postcards, 1 fur hatband, 1 muffler, 2 leather mittens, envelopes, letters, 1 arm band, 1 Arabic book, 1 Housewife, 1 pr goggles, broken, 1 tin containing 2 photo albums, quantity of developing powders, photographic paper etc, 1 small knife, 2 pr socks and 1 tin Hypo (a type of gas mask)

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service Wallace was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Surry Hills NSW Police Force Roll of Honour WWI

POST WAR LIFE

Wallace married Catherine Agnes Kerr in Coonabarabran in 1923. He died on 21st May 1964 in Marrickville of Parkinson’s disease which deteriorated his heart. He is buried in the Clarence Lawn Cemetery, South Grafton, memorial 48618742

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