Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/258/1 - 1914 - 1927 - Part 4

From Dr Antill Pockley.

Diagram - see original document

Thomas	of Bond's pty. wd.
Sullivan
Street k

Moffatt k	of Gillans pty.
Skillen. w

Courtney k.

Williams k.

Ellwell k

Pockley k.

6k  3w.

396.

30 September 1925.

Mr. W. Kember,

13, Sixth Street,

Clyde. N.S.W.

Dear Sir,

In going through the records of the fighting in New 

Guinea I find that it is stated, according to one account, that

Captain Pockley (the doctor who was killed) passed to you his

Red Cross brassard.  We are endeavouring to obtain the absolute

and correct facts concerning the fighting in New Guinea, and I

should be much indebted to you if you would let me know whether

this was the case and, if so, what you remember of the
circumstances.  I realise that it must be difficult to remember

clearly events of long past; but any assistance that you could

give me to correct or add to the narrative would be greatly

valued.

In order to save you trouble in replying, I enclose

an addressed envelope.

Yours faithfully,

C.E.W. BEAN

[*Historical Note

New Guinea*]

Bulls Road

St Johns Park

Canley Vale

N.S.Wales
[*Please return to
CE.W.B*]

Sir,

As you requested me to give

you my account of what I know

of the operations in New Guinea

I will try my best to do so in 

the most natural way I can.

well on landing from the "Warrego"

with another Stoker sand two seamen

and a leading seaman we moved 

forward and I was the first

man dropped for communicating

links with orders to follow and

keep in sight the next man we

kept advancing untill I noticed

the next man ahead signalling the

advance at the double when I

reached him Williams AB. of the

Navel Reserve he told me he had

seen a lot of natives in amongst

a cocoa-nut plantation on the right

hand side of the road he thought 

he saw some of them with rifles 

so I told him to cover them

(2

and went up to them to

see what they were  they

appeared to me to be hoeing

amongst the palms so I left them

Williams went ahead to his

original position still advancing

not long after I heard a

shot and doubling ahead I found
Williams lying in the road
shot.  I think the shot entered

in right breast and out of

left side he cried out for

water which I gave him and

he asked me to carry him

back which I did for about

8 or 9 hundred yards. Before

carring him back I took

bolt out of his rifle and hid

it in bush. I then bandaged

him up as well as I could

and waited for Doctor. who 

was ahead.  by that time

reinforcements were coming up

from destroyers some armed

with rifles some with revolvers

and others with cutlasses

(3)

I asked for the Doctor to be

sent back as soon as possible

I went back and got Williams

rifle for one of the men who

had a cutlass, then by that 

time Doctor Pockley came back

and attended to Williams
he thanked me for bringing 

him back and said nothing

could be done for him and

told me to get help and

take Williams back to the base

which I did previous to

starting Doctor Pockley took

his red cross brassard from 

his arm and put it round

my white hat. I asked him 

how he would manage without

one he said he would be

alright not long after arriving

at base Doctor Pockley arrived

also shot through chest and

out at the small of the back

I spoke to him and from

what I understood him to

say.

(4)

he was shot about the

same place as Williams

from the nature of the 

wounds I think they must

have been shot from a

tree with dum-dum or

explosive bullets and that

is my own experience of

the affair.  after a few

weeks I gave the Brassard 

to (Eng: LA. Dial) to send 

to Doctor Pockley's Mother

I remain

Yours Obediently

William Kember

Confidential

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE,

DUNTROON. FEDERAL TERRITORY.

5^th June 1925

Dear Bean

I am sorry not to have returned

these portions of the New Guinea History

which you were good enough to forward for

my perusal and remarks  before this

but we have been somewhat disorganised

with floods and so on.

I return them to day with my

remarks attached - you will note that

I mention having a plan of the mine

this was one made by Lt Good by showing

location of trenches and also where

some of the 'Encounter's' shells

fell. if you do not have a copy

I will send mine.

I think the History is extraordinarily

good and most accurate and am

2

very grateful for the justice done

to my Brigadier and close personal

friend William Holmes - no one

knows as well as I do the devoted

labour he gave to his task and the

utter unselfishness of the man - I

have never met an officer with

a higher conception of duty nor one

with more devotion to his Country.

The soul of honour, he could not

realise that others were not always

so high received.  Every officer on his

Staff loved him and the loyalty of

the military officers was shown by

them expressing to give evidence at a

Court of enquiry re "looting" at the

end of the campaign because they

considered it an insult to their Brigadier

Holmes however let them know that

he desired the fullest evidence to be

given as we feared nothing

The injustice with which the Expedition

was treated remains a crying scandal

his Xmas greetings to us. as well

sent to the AIF in 1914  no word

of thanks when we came back only

abuse. - the Government of the day treated

us cruelly and I can give the names

of four of the officers who when going

away again with the A.I.F. said it was

their duty to do the best for their Country

but hoped they would not come back 

three of them remained in Gallipoli or

France.  Sir Gerald Strickland

was the exception he came to see

us off and gave a luncheon to the

Senior officers in their esteem.

To the day of his death Genl Holmes

hoped that his final despatch and

mentions would be sent to the

War Office but this was refused

to the last