FAMILY LIFE

Cyril Auckland McNaught was born in Bega in 1895, son of Alexander & Ellen Caroline (Grant) McNaught. He was one of 7 children, with at least 11 step brothers & sisters from his father’s previous two marriages. His brother, Alexander, also enlisted in WWI. There is no record of when the McNaught family moved to Murwillumbah but they settled in Uki. His brother, Alexander, also enlisted by sadly died of pneumonia while in Enoggera training camp

ATTESTATION

Cyril was single school teacher, eager to do his bit. He travelled to Liverpool on 22^nd September 1915 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his father, Alexander, of 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, Cyril Auckland McNaught, 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 20 years 4 months old, 5ft 8 inches tall (1.72m), weighed 158 lbs (71kgs), with a fair complexion, blue eyes & fair hair. Cyril was Presbyterian and had a circular scar under the side of his right thigh.  

CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER

The medical examiner certifies 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

This is completed during the recruits training. Cyril was in Liverpool training camp when this was completed on 8^th January, 1916. 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 as a private into the 9^th Infantry Brigade Headquarters with service No 15”

THE 9TH INFANTRY BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS

The 9th Infantry Brigade Headquarters of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in World War I functioned as the command and coordination center for the brigade’s operations. It oversaw four infantry battalions and support units, managing combat operations, logistics, planning, intelligence, and communication.

The 9th Brigade HQ was responsible for:

·      Command and Control: Issuing orders to its battalions and coordinating attacks, defences, and troop movements.

·      Reacting to battlefield developments and reporting to 3rd Division HQ.

·      Planning Operations: Drafting operational plans in accordance with divisional and corps orders.

·      Coordinating with artillery, engineers, machine gun companies, and medical units.

·      Liaison and Communication: Maintaining contact with subordinate units and higher command via runners, telephone lines, pigeons, and signallers.

·      Gathering intelligence and battlefield reports.

·      Logistics and Supply: Ensuring timely delivery of ammunition, food, water, medical aid, and other supplies.

·      Coordinating movement and billeting of troops during rotations.

·      Battlefield Coordination: Often located in dugouts or bunkers just behind the front lines.

·      Monitored progress of attacks (e.g., via observation posts or reports from forward units).

·      Directed reserves or adjusted plans during battle.

Recruits destined for the 9th Infantry Brigade Headquarters and its component battalions trained at various major training camps in Australia, primarily in New South Wales. 

MOORE PARK TRAINING

Like many Sydney recruits, Cyril's first military experience would have been at the large recruiting and assembly depot at Moore Park. This was often the starting point where new recruits were medically examined, attested, issued with their service number, uniforms and basic equipment, and introduced to military discipline.

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

During his time there, Cyril would have learned:

·      Basic drill and marching.

·      Saluting and military etiquette.

·      Physical training.

·      Care of equipment and uniforms.

·      Elementary rifle instruction.

·      Camp routines and discipline.

For many men, Moore Park was their first experience living away from home under strict military control.

LIVERPOOL TRAINING CAMP

After initial processing, recruits were generally sent to the huge Liverpool Military Camp, the principal training centre in New South Wales during the war. Liverpool was the real "soldier-making" camp, where recruits underwent intensive military training. Conditions were often rough, with large numbers of men housed in tents and exposed to dust, mud and extremes of weather.

At Liverpool, Cyril would have spent much of his day engaged in:

·      Squad and company drill.

·      Route marches carrying equipment.

·      Musketry and rifle practice.

·      Bayonet fighting.

·      Field engineering tasks.

·      Guard duties.

·      Entrenching and digging trenches.

·      Tactical exercises and mock attacks.

·      Physical conditioning.

As a member of Brigade Headquarters rather than an infantry company, he may also have received instruction in clerical, signalling, transport or administrative duties, depending on his eventual appointment. Liverpool was where soldiers learned to function as part of a military organisation rather than as individual

RUTHERFORD CAMP, NEAR MAITLAND

Once units became more organised, many New South Wales formations moved to Rutherford Camp in the Hunter Valley for more advanced collective training before embarkation.

Rutherford had been used for military training before the war and became an important AIF camp. The camp was remembered for its tent accommodation, dusty conditions, flies and generally spartan facilities.

At Rutherford, training was usually conducted on a larger scale than at Liverpool. Cyril would likely have participated in:

·      Brigade and battalion manoeuvres.

·      Extended route marches.

·      Field exercises over open country.

·      Practice deployments and battlefield movement.

·      Communication exercises between units.

·      Camp administration and headquarters procedures.

·      Final preparations for overseas service.

The purpose of Rutherford was to weld individual companies and headquarters staffs into a functioning brigade capable of operating in the field. Men often spent weeks living under canvas while conducting increasingly realistic military exercises. He was placed on the clerical staff there.

VOYAGE OVERSEAS SYDNEY TO ENGLAND MAY 1916

On the 9^TH May 1916, Cyril and other recruits left Sydney sailing upon the HMAT Aeneas. 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.

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. In an attempt 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, where the ship would refuel & take on supplies, 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. The danger was greatest in the Western Approaches near Britain, where U-boats patrolled choke points like the English Channel and Irish Sea.

EGYPT

After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. They could only wonder at the sights and sounds they could see as they watched the ship being refuelled and goods taken on board

ENGLAND

About a fortnight later the men finally saw the green shoreline of England. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the training grounds of England, preparing for what lay ahead.

ENGLISH TRAINING CAMP

Cyril was marched into the English Training Camp for further training.  While infantry battalions focused on field combat and trench routines, brigade HQ staff received specialized training in:

·      Operational planning and battle orders.

·      Signals and communications (field telephone, Morse code, runners).

·      Logistics and supply chain coordination.

·      Artillery coordination and liaison with engineers.

·      Intelligence gathering, map analysis, and reporting.

·      Medical evacuation planning

·      Live-fire exercises, trench warfare simulation, and coordinated divisional manoeuvres

ATTACHED TO 3^RD DIVISION HEADQUARTERS AUGUST 1916

On 1^st August 1916 Cyril was attached to the 3^rd Division Headquarters.

The 3rd Division Headquarters of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in World War I was the senior command structure responsible for coordinating and controlling the operations of the entire 3rd Australian Division, including its infantry brigades, artillery, engineers, medical, and logistics units. The Division HQ was the brain and coordination hub of all military activity within the 3rd Division. It handled:

·      Strategic and Tactical Planning-designed and issued operational orders to brigades (e.g., for attacks, withdrawals, patrols). Coordinated the timing of assaults, support by artillery, and logistics flow.

·      Command and Control-maintained communications between corps-level HQ and subordinate brigades. Oversaw the implementation of orders and battlefield adjustments. Evaluated intelligence and issued situational reports (SITREPs).

·      Support and Administration-managed supply, reinforcements, transport, and equipment for the division. Oversaw medical evacuation, rationing, and troop welfare. Handled discipline, personnel movements, and commendations.

·      Liaison with Other Units- worked with British and other Allied forces to coordinate operations. Liaised with corps artillery and logistics units for major offensives.

FRANCE NOVEMBER 1916

Cyril proceeded overseas to France on 25^th November 1916. After completing its training in England, the 3rd Division Headquarters and its subordinate units arrived in France in late 1916 and spent two years directing some of the Australian Corps’ fiercest fighting on the Western Front.

DECEMBER 1916
The 3rd Division HQ moved from the Somme “nursery” sector into the line at Armentières, relieving seasoned British units. Divisional staff acclimatized to trench warfare, learning to coordinate the complex logistics, signals, and artillery arrangements of the Western Front.

FEBRUARY–APRIL 1917

The division rotated through quieter sectors to gain experience; HQ rehearsed planning “limited objective” raids and coordinated creeping barrages in practice attacks.

PROMOTED TO SERGEANT AA ORDNANCE CORPS APRIL 1917

On 4^th April 1917 he was promoted to Sergeant of the AA Ordnance Corps. This unit’s function was

·      Supply Chain Management: requisition, transport, and issue of ordnance stores to front-line units.

·      Technical Services: first-, second- and third-line repairs; calibration and proofing of weapons; parachute rigging and petroleum handling.

·      Explosives Disposal: demolition, cratering and safe destruction of shells and mines.

The Australian Army Ordnance Corps (AAOC) in World War I was a strictly non-combatant, “behind-the-lines” formation. Its personnel—

·      Were trained and equipped to store, issue and repair weapons, ammunition, and equipment

·      Operated base and sub-depots at ports and railheads, and mobile workshops closer to the front

·      Handled salvage and disposal of unexploded ordnance

They did not take part in infantry assaults or fixed-wing cavalry actions. Although their depots and workshops were sometimes shelled or raided, AAOC soldiers did not serve as a fighting battalion or regiment. Their contribution was logistical and technical, ensuring that front-line units could fight effectively—but they themselves had no battle honours.

Cyril spent the war engaged in this unit.

WAR ENDED

After the Armistice on 11 November 1918, the Australian Army Ordnance Corps rapidly shifted from supplying front-line operations to winding down its wartime establishments and supporting the demobilisation of the AIF. Key activities included:

·      Scaling down ordnance depots and workshops- within days of the Armistice, AAOC depots at railheads and ports began to reduce their stocks of weapons, ammunition, clothing, and equipment. Unserviceable or surplus stores were earmarked for sale, salvage or return to Britain. At the same time, the newly-formed Australian Ordnance Mobile Workshops started closing their forward repair shops, stripping down heavy equipment for shipment or disposal

·      Supporting the Demobilisation and Repatriation Branch. On 16 November 1918, the AIF’s Demobilisation and Repatriation Branch was created under Major-General Sir Cyril Brudenell White (with Monash as Director-General from 21 November).

 AAOC officers and NCOs were seconded to this Branch to:

Ø Inventory and clear ordnance holdings in France and the UK

Ø Organise the issue of civilian clothing and travel kits for returning soldiers

Ø Coordinate transport of heavy equipment back to depots or to embarkation ports Anzac Portal.

·      Occupational duties in Germany. While most AIF units awaited shipping back to Australia, a small contingent—among them ordnance detachments—served in the British-run occupation of the Rhineland. These AAOC personnel maintained supply points and workshops for the occupying forces until relief by Canadian and British units Anzac Portal.

·      Repatriation of personnel and final closures. Throughout late 1918 and into mid-1919, AAOC detachments were progressively stood down:

Ø Workshops were dismantled and materiel crated for return or sale

Ø Depots were handed back to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps or local authorities

Ø AAOC ranks were gradually released from service as soldiers embarked for Australia

Cyril spent some time in France undertaking this work. By late of 1919, the AAOC in Europe had completed its demobilisation tasks, closed all its wartime installations, and the last of its personnel had been repatriated.

GRANTED LEAVE SEPTEMBER 1919

Cyril was granted leave from 2^nd September to 30^th September in London. He was granted this to teach at the London Day Training College in Southampton Row, London. 

RESUMPTION AND EXPANSION OF TEACHING PROGRAMMES
With the Armistice two months behind them, LDTC staff under Principal John Adams restored the full-day elementary teacher training courses that had been curtailed during the war. They also re-opened their demonstration school (Cromer Street) to give returning students the in-class practical experience that had been suspended. LDTC introduced new modules on child welfare and education for evacuated or war-affected children, reflecting broader concerns about social reconstruction. Evening and short-course options were also trialled to accommodate part-time trainees and those returning from service

GOING HOME

Cyril returned to Australia on the Benalla disembarking 19^th November 1919 and was discharged 23^rd January 1920.

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, John was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Bellinger First World War Roll of Honour

HOME LIFE

Cyril married Frederina Watson in Bellingen in 1920. He died on the 29th July 1964 in Manly and is buried Frenchs Forest Cemetery, Plot Section: Pbn Row: A Plot: 51

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