FAMILY LIFE

Cecil McDonald Mann was born on 20^th March 1896 in Cudgen, son of George Mann & Esther Ellen (Butler) Mann. According to NSW BDM he was one of 11^th children. His brother, Edgar, enlisted in the 4^th Australian Pioneer Battalion. His father, one brother & one sister are buried in Murwillumbah Old Cemetery. His father and several of his family are listed on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district

ATTESTATION

Cecil travelled to Brisbane on 4 September 1914 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was born Cudgen, was, 19 years and 7 months old and a single man. He gave his occupation as farmer. His next of kin was his mother, George, of Chinderah

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, Cecil McDonald Mann, 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 inches tall (1.72m), weighed 132 lbs (60kgs), with a fair complexion, grey eyes & fair hair.  His eyesight was good. Cecil was Church of England

CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER

I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -

Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.

He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description

I consider him fit for active service

CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER

The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him to Ammunition Column 3^rd Field Artillery Brigade with Service number 2291

FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE

A field artillery brigade was responsible for providing mobile fire support to the infantry. Equipped mainly with 18-pounder field guns, the brigade’s role was to bombard enemy trenches, destroy machine-gun positions, cut barbed wire, and support attacks or defend against enemy assaults. The artillerymen lived and worked under extremely dangerous conditions, often operating their guns in exposed positions while under constant shellfire. At Gallipoli the terrain made artillery work especially difficult, with guns dragged into cramped positions overlooking steep gullies and narrow beaches.

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

Australians 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 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 25^th September 1914 the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Rangatira. Alongside his comrades, Cecil 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.

SLEEPING & LIVING ARRANGEMENTS

Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.

Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.

DAILY ROUTINE

Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic—drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.

MEALS

Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.

HEALTH & SANITATION

Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.

THE VOYAGE EXPERIENCE

Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. To keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.

The troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection

CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY

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

SIGHTS AT SEA

On the way to Egypt 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.

EGYTIAN TRAINING CAMP

Although Cecil’s attestation states he joined the AIF on 1 March 1915, he had already sailed for Egypt aboard the troopship Rangatira on 25 September 1914, indicating he was probably among early reinforcements or had prior militia involvement before formal attestation paperwork was completed. After arriving in Egypt, he would have undergone intensive artillery training. This included gun drill, ammunition handling, range estimation, signalling, horse management, and learning how to work as part of a gun crew. The artillery brigades trained around the camps near Cairo and Heliopolis, where the Australians prepared for the coming Gallipoli campaign.

JOINED UNIT JULY 1915

When the Australians landed at Gallipoli in April 1915, artillery support was desperately needed, but moving guns ashore was slow and hazardous. Cecil did not join his unit at Gallipoli until 11 July 1915. Between disembarkation in Egypt and this date, he was most likely still training with reinforcement drafts and waiting transport to the Peninsula. Reinforcement artillerymen were commonly held in Egypt for months while casualties at Gallipoli created vacancies in existing batteries. During this period he would have continued practising with the guns and preparing for active service conditions.

Cecil entered one of the harshest battlefields of the war. The artillery positions at Anzac were cramped and constantly shelled. Gun crews worked in choking dust and intense summer heat, hauling shells by hand along steep tracks and firing in support of the infantry holding the ridges above Anzac Cove. Between 11 July and his transfer on 12 August 1915, Cecil was probably attached to brigade headquarters or temporarily employed with another battery while awaiting formal posting.

TRANSFER TO 7^TH BATTERY AUGUST 1915

On 12 August 1915 he was transferred to the 7th Battery on the Gallipoli Peninsula. This occurred during the great August Offensive, one of the largest Allied attacks of the Gallipoli campaign. The Australians and New Zealanders were fighting desperately around Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair, and Hill 60 in an attempt to break the stalemate. The artillery batteries were firing almost continuously to support attacks and repel Turkish counterattacks. Gun crews were prime targets for Turkish snipers and shellfire because silencing the Allied artillery was a major enemy objective.

WOUNDED IN ACTION AUGUST 1915

On 21 August 1915 Cecil was wounded in action, suffering gunshot wounds to the arms. The timing strongly suggests he was wounded during the fighting connected with the Battle of Hill 60, fought between 21 and 29 August. Even artillerymen could be struck by sniper fire or shrapnel while serving their guns in exposed positions. After being wounded he would first have received treatment at a regimental aid post or a field dressing station near the beach. From there stretcher bearers likely carried him down the crowded gullies to one of the casualty evacuation points near Anzac Cove.

TRANSFERRED TO SS ARCADIAN AUGUST 1915

Two days later, on 23 August 1915, he was admitted aboard the hospital ship Arcadian. Hospital ships acted as floating medical centres anchored offshore. Wounded men were ferried from the beaches by lighter or small boat, often under dangerous conditions. Once aboard, Cecil’s wounds would have been cleaned and dressed, and doctors would assess whether he could recover locally or needed evacuation to Egypt or England. The absence of further hospital entries may indicate his wounds, while painful, were not considered severe enough for long-term hospitalisation, or that later records were lost or entered separately. Many Gallipoli medical records are incomplete because of the enormous number of casualties and chaotic evacuation system during the campaign.

WEYMOUTH CAMP 

By late 1915 Cecil was back in England at Weymouth, a major staging and training area for Australian troops.  By the time Cecil reached Weymouth he had already survived Gallipoli, been wounded, and evacuated from the Peninsula. Weymouth, on the south coast of England, became one of the major Australian training and staging centres during the war. Thousands of soldiers passed through its camps, hospitals, and depots while recovering from wounds, awaiting reassignment, or preparing for further service overseas.

For Cecil, daily life there was probably very different from the chaos of Gallipoli, yet still heavily regulated by military routine. His days would likely have included medical inspections, physical drill, route marches, artillery refresher training, fatigue duties, and periods of leave into the town itself. Soldiers stationed at Weymouth often spent long periods waiting for orders, especially during the reorganisation of the AIF after the Gallipoli evacuation. This waiting could become monotonous and frustrating, particularly for veterans who had already experienced front-line combat.

The camps around Weymouth were crowded with Australians recovering from illness or wounds, and morale could fluctuate greatly. Many men enjoyed the comparative comforts of England after the hardships of Gallipoli, visiting local pubs, theatres, and cafes, while others struggled with homesickness, boredom, or the strain of prolonged military discipline. Christmas and New Year were especially difficult periods for soldiers far from home.

DISCIPLINED

From 23 December 1915 to 4 January 1916 he went absent without leave. Weymouth camps were crowded and discipline could be difficult over the Christmas period, especially among men recovering from Gallipoli service or awaiting redeployment. When he was charged on 7 January 1916 with “deserting his unit while under orders for active service,” the wording sounds severe, but military authorities often used the term “desertion” for extended AWL periods when a soldier failed to return promptly while under movement orders. The relatively light punishment — forfeiture of 12 days’ pay — suggests the offence was not regarded as a genuine attempt to permanently abandon service.

JOINED 4^TH DIVISIONAL FIELD ARTILLERY MAY 1916

On 2 May 1916 Cecil proceeded to join the 4th Divisional Field Artillery at Serapeum and Tel-el-Kebir in Egypt. These were major Australian camps located near the Suez Canal. Following the evacuation from Gallipoli, the AIF underwent major reorganisation and expansion in Egypt. The newly formed 4th Division required artillery units, and experienced Gallipoli veterans like Cecil were invaluable. At Serapeum and Tel-el-Kebir he would have resumed artillery training, helping prepare the division for eventual service on the Western Front in France, where artillery would become one of the decisive weapons of the war.

JOINED 2^ND DIVISIONAL AMMUNITION COLUMN REINFORCEMENT MAY 1916

On 10 May 1916 Cecil joined the 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column Reinforcements and embarked aboard the hospital ship Scotia for overseas service. The Divisional Ammunition Columns, usually abbreviated to DAC, were responsible for transporting artillery ammunition from railheads and supply dumps up to the batteries near the front. It was exhausting and dangerous work involving horse teams, wagons, ammunition limbers, and constant movement under shellfire.

MAY 1916 TO JULY 1916

Between 10 May and 7 July 1916 Cecil was travelling from Egypt to Europe and then undergoing further preparation in England before deployment to France. Troops arriving from Egypt were commonly processed through camps on Salisbury Plain, where they received updated equipment, further training, and instruction in trench warfare conditions very different from Gallipoli. Artillery reinforcement men also had to familiarise themselves with the vast ammunition supply systems used on the Western Front. By this stage of the war the fighting in France depended upon enormous quantities of shells, and the DAC units operated continuously to keep the guns supplied during offensives.

TAKEN ON STRENGTH WITH 4^TH DIVISIONAL AMMUNITION COLUMN JULY 1916

On 7 July 1916 Cecil was taken on strength with the Divisional Ammunition Column and posted to No. 4 Section in France. This was during the opening phase of the Battle of the Somme, one of the largest battles of the war. The artillery was firing unprecedented numbers of shells, and ammunition columns worked day and night hauling supplies forward over shattered roads churned into mud by rain and shellfire. Horses and men alike suffered terribly from exhaustion. Cecil’s work would probably have involved driving wagons, loading and unloading shells, caring for horses, and moving ammunition under dangerous front-line conditions.

Between 7 July and 14 August 1916, while attached to No. 4 Section, Cecil was settling into the routine of the Western Front and proving himself in active service conditions. On 14 August he was officially “mustered gunner,” meaning he was formally classified and recognised in the artillery role. By then he would have become fully integrated into the artillery supply organisation supporting the guns during the Somme fighting.

TRANSFER TO 1^ST DIVISIONAL SIGNAL COMPANY SEPTEMBER 1916

On 5 September 1916 Cecil transferred to the 1st Divisional Signal Company. This marked a major change in duties. Signal companies were responsible for military communications — the vital systems that allowed commanders to direct troops, artillery, and supply units during battle. The signallers laid and repaired telephone lines, operated telegraph and wireless equipment, carried written dispatches, and maintained communications between headquarters and front-line units. It was highly skilled and dangerous work because enemy shellfire constantly cut communication lines.

From September 1916 until October 1917 Cecil probably served as a linesman or signaller attached to forward positions. Signal men frequently worked at night repairing telephone wires damaged during bombardments. They often had to crawl through mud-filled trenches or across exposed ground under fire carrying reels of cable and repair equipment. During major offensives the survival of communications was crucial, as artillery barrages and infantry attacks depended upon accurate signals being passed between units.

Throughout this period the 1st Division fought in some of the harshest battles on the Western Front, including the later Somme operations, the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line, and the terrible fighting in Belgium during the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917. Conditions in Flanders were appalling, with endless mud, shattered villages, flooded trenches, and constant shellfire.

MILITARY MEDAL OCTOBER 1917

Cecil was recommended for the military medal on 5^th October 1917 for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in maintaining communication under heavy fire, It was promulgated in the Commonwealth Gazette No 31 dated 7^th March 1918

WOUNDED IN ACTION BELGIUM OCTOBER 1917

On 17 October 1917 Cecil was wounded in action in Belgium, suffering a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The date places him in the aftermath of the fighting around Passchendaele, where Australian divisions were heavily engaged near Broodseinde and Poelcappelle. An abdominal wound was extremely serious in the First World War because of the high risk of internal injury and infection. After being wounded he would first have been treated at an Advanced Dressing Station before evacuation through casualty clearing stations to a larger hospital.

By 24 October he had reached the 57th General Hospital in France. General hospitals were large medical centres located well behind the lines, often staffed by doctors, surgeons, nurses, and orderlies working under enormous pressure. Here Cecil would have undergone surgery or further treatment for his abdominal wound while doctors assessed whether he was fit for evacuation to England.

EVACUATED TO ENGLAND NOVEMBER 1917

On 1 November 1917 he was transferred to England aboard the hospital ship Ville de Liege. Hospital ships crossing the Channel transported wounded men from France to British hospitals. The journey could still be uncomfortable and dangerous, particularly for abdominal cases, but England offered far better facilities for long-term recovery.

ADMITTED TO KITCHENER MILITARY HOSPITAL NOVEMBER 1917

The following day, 2 November 1917, Cecil was admitted to Kitchener Military Hospital. Located at Brighton, this hospital specialised in treating wounded servicemen from across the Empire. Large military hospitals such as Kitchener handled surgery, infection control, rehabilitation, and convalescence. Men with abdominal wounds often faced lengthy recovery periods because complications could easily develop. Cecil would likely have spent weeks confined to bed, slowly regaining strength under close medical supervision.

TRANSFER TO DARTFORD DECEMBER 1917

On 11 December 1917 he was transferred to Dartford. This was probably part of his convalescent and rehabilitation process. Dartford, in Kent, contained military hospitals and recovery depots where wounded soldiers continued treatment after leaving major hospitals. Men there gradually rebuilt their strength through light duties, medical observation, and physical conditioning. After severe wounds, soldiers were often moved through several institutions as they recovered.

TRANSFER TO HURDCOTT DECEMBER 1917

On 17 December 1917 Cecil was sent to Hurdcott Camp on Salisbury Plain. Hurdcott was one of the large Australian training and command depots in England. Soldiers recovering from wounds were frequently posted there while awaiting medical review, further training, or reassignment. Life at Hurdcott was far less dangerous than the front, but still strictly military. Men undertook light drill, medical parades, route marches, and refresher training while authorities determined whether they were fit to return to active service or required further recovery. For many veterans, camps like Hurdcott represented an uncertain period between the trauma of the front line and the question of whether they would be sent back into battle again.

DISCIPLINED FEBRUARY 1918

Cecil was absent without leave from 14^th February 1918 to 17^th February 1917 and forfeited 3 days’ pay

ENGLISH TRAINING DEPOT MARCH 1918

On 8 March 1918 Cecil marched out to the English Training Depot and was attached to the Signal Section at Clifton. By this stage he had recovered sufficiently from his abdominal wound to resume military duties, although men returning from serious wounds were often carefully assessed before being sent back to France. Clifton was associated with Australian signal training and reinforcement activities in England, where experienced soldiers refreshed their technical skills before rejoining operational units.

At the Signal Section he would likely have resumed instruction in field communications — laying telephone lines, operating switchboards, repairing damaged cables, and maintaining communications equipment. The army placed enormous value on experienced signalmen because reliable communications were essential during the increasingly mobile operations of 1918. Veterans like Cecil, already familiar with front-line conditions, were especially useful in training newer reinforcements while also preparing themselves for return to active service.

RETURN TO FRANCE APRIL 1918

On 22 April 1918 Cecil was at the Clifton hospital beds and was then ordered to proceed overseas to France. This brief hospital reference may indicate a final medical inspection or short period of observation before embarkation. Soldiers returning to France after major wounds were carefully examined to ensure they were physically capable of front-line service. Once cleared, Cecil crossed the Channel back into the war zone at a critical moment.

He marched in from England on 24 April 1918. At this time the German Army had launched its great Spring Offensive, attempting to win the war before large numbers of American troops arrived. Australian divisions were heavily engaged in defensive fighting across northern France, and experienced men were urgently needed to replace casualties.

ATTACHED TO 1^ST DCC APRIL1 918

On 27 April 1918 Cecil was attached to the 1st DCC pending absorption in the field. The abbreviation likely refers to a Divisional or Corps communications organisation connected with signal operations. While “pending absorption,” he was probably temporarily employed with a signals detachment until formally posted into a permanent role. During this period, he may have been assisting with maintaining communication lines between headquarters and front-line formations during the fast-moving operations of 1918.

The work of signalmen had become even more dangerous by this stage of the war. Unlike the static trench systems of earlier years, the fighting in 1918 often involved rapid advances and withdrawals, meaning communication lines had to be constantly relocated and repaired under fire. Signalmen frequently worked in exposed areas, carrying reels of wire across shattered ground while artillery shells and machine-gun fire continued around them.

HOSPITALISED NO DETAILS APRIL- MAY 1918

On 18 May 1918 Cecil rejoined his unit from hospital, although no details survive regarding the reason for his admission. It may have been a minor illness, exhaustion, or complications related to his earlier abdominal wound. Temporary hospital admissions were extremely common on the Western Front, particularly among men already weakened by previous wounds and years of service.

REJOINED UNIT MAY 1918

By September 1918 the war was turning decisively in favour of the Allies. Australian troops were involved in the great advances that broke through the Hindenburg Line and forced the German Army into retreat. After nearly four years of service, including Gallipoli, the Somme, and Passchendaele, Cecil’s war service was drawing to a close.

GOING HOME SEPTEMBER 1918

On 24 September 1918 he embarked at Taranto in Italy aboard the troopship Kashmir for return to Australia. Taranto was commonly used as an embarkation port for returning Australian soldiers from the Mediterranean theatre. Men returning home often travelled through Italy after leaving France or England. The voyage home was long but carried immense emotional significance for veterans who had survived years of war. For Cecil, it marked the end of an extraordinary service career spanning Gallipoli, the deserts of Egypt, the mud of the Western Front, severe wounds, and years of duty in some of the harshest conditions faced by the AIF.

CLOTHING AND NECESSITIES GIVEN TO SOLDIERS FOR SOLDIERS PROCEEDING TO AUSTRALIA FOR DEMOBILISATION

Badges Hat                    Badges Collar (2)                    Bags kit universal

Bags kit sea                   Braces (pair)                            Brush, shaving

Brush, tooth                  Breeches M.S (Military service)

Cap comforter (warm cap)                                           Comb, hair

Disc identity with cord                                                  Drawers (2 pairs)

Great Coat                     Hat, Khaki fur                          Hat, white

Holdall                           Housewife (compact sewing kit)

Jackets Cardigan           Jackets S.D (service dress)

Leggings 1 pair             Laces, leather 1 pair

Puggarees, small (a traditional Indian head wrap, worn in warm conditions

Puttees, 1 pair (cloth bandages worn by soldiers, to provide support and protection for the lower leg)

Razor                              Shirts, flannel (2)                   Socks, 3 pairs

Singlets (2)

Strap chin                      Soap piece                               Suit, working

Towels, hand (2)

Titles “Australia” (4)-
Australian soldiers and non-commissioned officers wore an “Australia” title at the base of their shoulder straps. Each serving soldier also wore unit titles above this which indicated the units to which they belonged

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service Cecil was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal 

HOME LIFE

Cecil married Gladys Isabell Ruth McNeill in 1921 in Kempsey.

WORKED FOR THE BULLETIN

Cecil worked for the Bulletin from 1925-1960. At the time of his retirement he was associate editor of the magazine. During his 35 years with the Bulletin Mann wrote for every section with the exception of the financial pages. He was editor of the Red Page for a time and also fulfilled the role of theatre critic. He published 236 novels, had 14 books written about him and his work. His notable works include “Best Stories of Henry Lawson” and “Best Australian Short Stories” which showcase his talent in capturing the essence of Australian culture and storytelling. He also worked for the Sydney Morning Herald

ENLISTED IN WORLD WAR 11

On 11^th March 1943 Cecil enlisted at North Sydney in the 7 Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps part time duty as a bombardier and was discharged on 9^th April 1944

DEATH

Cecil died on 21^st January 1967 in Concord Hospital aged 70. He is buried in Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium

North Ryde, Plot Anglican Monumental L9 Plot 6, together with his wife

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