PERSONAL LIFE

William Charles Peacock was born on 11^th July, 1894 in Bega, son of John & Mary Jane Peacock. According to NSW BDM he had 4 sisters. His parents are listed on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district. Before William entered training camp he married Eva May Gardener on 20^th July 1918 at the Methodist Church, Murwillumbah. Willliam had enlisted in 1916 but his mother died and his father was ill so he had to return home.

ATTESTATION

William left his home in Crabbes Creek on 2^nd July 1918 to travel the 15 miles to Murwillumbah to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was born in Bega, was 24 years and a single man. He gave his occupation as farmer. His next of kin was his father, John of Crabbes Creek. He stated he had enlisted in the 5^th/49^th Reinforcements but had been discharged due to his mother’s death

His next of kin was then changed due to his marriage on 20^th July and now showed his wife, Eva, of Billinudgel, as his next of kin

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

OATH

On the second page of the Attestation Paper, he made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, William Charles Peacock, 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 ½ inches tall (1.76m), weighed 145 lbs (66kgs), with a dark complexion, blue eyes & dark brown hair.  His eyesight was good and he was dentally fit. William was Methodist

 

CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER

This is completed during the recruits training ay Rifle Range, Enoggera. He certifies that the attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He accordingly approved, and appointed him to 6^th Reinforcements with service No 64374. William’s final posting was with the 2^nd Light Horseorse

 

TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA

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

Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the men received their vaccinations for smallpox, rabies & plague, then a recruit had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave

Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.

This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training would take several months

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

VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM SYDNEY TO EGYPT

On 14^th October 1918 his unit caught the troop train from Brisbane to Sydney and on 16^th October they embarked on the HMAT Malta. Alongside his comrades, William 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 Suez

DISEMBARK SUEZ NOVEMBER 1918

ARMISTICE SIGNED 11^TH NOVEMBER 1918

.After embarking from Sydney aboard HMAT Malta on 17 October 1918, William found himself at sea during a pivotal moment in history. The troops disembarked at Suez on 22^nd November 1918. By the time the guns on the Western Front had already fallen silent. The Armistice had been signed just over two weeks earlier, bringing an end to four years of devastating war. Like many late reinforcements, William arrived overseas to find that the fighting he had trained for was now over.

CENTRAL TRAINING DEPOT MOASCAR

Disembarking at Suez, William was sent to the Central Training Depot at Moascar, a large camp near Ismailia that served as the administrative and training centre for the Australian Light Horse in Egypt. There, men were sorted, medically examined, and held in readiness while the Army decided where they were most needed. With the war ended, most new arrivals were retained for garrison duties or simply held pending repatriation orders.

SECOND LIGHT HORSE DECEMBER 1918

On 28 December 1918 William was formally allotted to the 2nd Light Horse Regiment, one of the veteran units of the Australian Mounted Division that had fought in Sinai, Palestine, and Syria. He moved to join them early in the new year, being taken on strength in the field on 11 January 1919. Although there was no further active service, the regiment still had important work to do — maintaining order in the region, guarding prisoners, and helping with the gradual winding down of the AIF’s presence in the Middle East.

GOING HOME MARCH 1919

By March 1919, with his short overseas service complete, William was among those selected to return to Australia for discharge. He embarked from Kantara aboard H.T. Ulimaroa and sailed for home, one of the thousands of men who had answered the call too late to see battle but whose willingness to serve was nonetheless recognised and valued by their comrades and their country.

FOR HIS SERVICE

William was discharged on 13^th May 1919. For his service he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal

---

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

We do not have any additional documents or pictures related to this individual.