Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/273/1 - 1918 - 1937 - Part 26

June 1, 1934 REVEILLE 17

War Veterans’ Graves at Albury

How the death of a Digger tramp on the roadside gave

inspiration to the Albury Sub-Branch of the R.S.L. in

its decision to trace and maintain the graves of war

veterans buried in the local cemetery has been told in

Reveille;  but the ramifications of work which the decision

entailed may be judged only from the following facts:—

The first move of a sub-committee, consisting

of a member each from the C. of E., R.C., and 

Presbyterian denominations, was to secure the
names of all Great War veterans buried in

the Albury Cemetery. Search of hospital, ceme-

tery trust, and undertakers' records were with¬

out result, so, with the permission of the
proprietors, search was made of the files of

“The Border Morning Mail" from 1915 to

1933,  and from 6120 papers, the funerals of 44

Diggers were discovered who had been

buried in Albury Cemetery from outlying dis

tricts, their funerals not having been adver-

tised in the local paper.

This made the total of known burials 52,

and with the assistance of the sexton, each
grave was located and a note made as to
condition: 27 were neglected and 25 in good
order. The next work was to obtain the actual
date of death, and this was done with the assistance (gratis) of
the local registrar.

 

In order to obtain accurate regimental particulars of each man
application was made to the Repatriation Department for a headstone
on each of the unattended graves. The outcome was that the Re-
patriation Dept. agreed to supply headstones over two graves, where
death was due to war injuries, and it furnished regimental details
in regard to the other deceased soldiers. The roll was then drawn
up in an alphabetical book, and the first stage of the work was
completed in eight months.

 

As each grave was the absolute property of the purchaser, no im-
provements could be carried out until sanction had been obtained.

From Repatriation and undertakers' records the next-of-kin were
located, and to each a letter was sent explaining that thev Alburv
Sub-Branch had decided to place headstones on each of the unattended

graves, and seeking their permission (as owner of grave) to carry
out the work. It was intimated to them that on receipt of favourable
reply a photo of grave as it would appear when finished, also a copy
of the inscription proposed to be placed on headstone, would be for¬
warded; any extra lettering on headstone they desired to be paid
for by them at 8/6 per dozen letters. Two of the 27 letters were
sent to England, and the heartfeit replies received from relatives amply
repaid Albury for its efforts. Three of the people communicated with
decided to equip the graves at their own expense.

 

From a local monumental mason headstones were secured free, the
cost for inscription and erection being £2/17/6 per stone. The Defence
Department, as the result of personal representations, granted permis
sion to have “Rising Sun” inscribed on the headstones, provided the
top of the stone was rounded instead of squared, in order to distinguish
it from the official stone.

To finance the scheme £ 150 was required, and so well was the
appeal organised that it was closed in three weeks, with £ 200 in
hand. It was agreed that a headstone alone would not be sufficient to

protect the graves, and tenders were invited from three local monu¬
mental masons for 8ft. x 4ft. x 12in. x 7in. kerbing round each
grave, covering each grave with three inches concrete, and on top
with marble chips.

The tender of the monumental mason who donated the headstones
was accepted at £4/15/- per grave, maning a total cost of each
grave £7/12/6, and total price of contract, approximately £ 170/15/-,
leaving a handy balance for further use on unattended graves.
As planned, all graves were completed by Anzac Day, when a
service was held in the Albury Cemetery, presided over by the Mayor,

assisted by the President of the Albury Sub-Branch. The Albury
Town Band, combined choir, and a firing party from the 40th Battery
were present. Each war veteran’s grave was covered with an Aus-

tralian flag or Union Jack, according to place of enlistment, and was

removed by a Boy Scout on the last note of “The Last Post,” and

renlaced, together with a wreath of rosemary, on the first note of
“Revellle."

These expenses incurred in placing the appeal for funds before the 

public, and in organising the dedication service, were met by donations

from two Diggers.

 

LIEUT.-COLONEL NEELY.

Lieut.-Colonel G. H. Neely, D.S.O. and Bar, M.C. and Bar, French

C. de G., who died at the Naval and Military Club, London, on March
31, aged 48, had the distinction of having served almost continuously
in the front line from early 1915 until the Armistice. He fought
with the 6th Bn. London Regt. at Loos, and being promoted major

at the end of 1916, commanded his battalion in the worst of all

battles on Passchendaele Ridge. He also commanded the London Irish,

and after the war received a regular commission in the Highland Light

Infantry, retiring in 1933.

 

In Memoriam : Our Pals
"We Will Remember Them"
BLACKLER, Pte. John Cecil (2110, 17th Bn.), killed in action
at Bois Grenier, June 13, 1916.
KENDALL, Pte. George William (5169, 49th Bn.), killed in
action at Messines, June 7, 1917.
MITCHELL, Gnr. John (20845, 12th A.F.A. Bde.), drowned
at sea, June 4, 1919.
WEINGOTT, Pte. Samuel (127, Ist Bn.), died of wounds
received at Anzac, June 5, 1915.
3rd Battalion.—Killed in action: Lieut. Colin Smith, M.C.; Cpl.
of a member each from the C. of E., R.C., and
Norman Lee, M.M.; Pte. W. Adams.—(Inserted by Lieut. P.
Kinchington, Dunning Ave., Rosebery.)
Notice of death anniversary in respect of any soldier who
died in July of any year, during or since the war, should
reach the Editor of “Reveille” by June 23, together with remit-
tance of 1/- for insertion.  Address to R.S.L. Headquarters,
Wingello House, Sydney.

 

G.W.WHITECHURCH

 

The passing of George Willis Whitechurch, at the Repatriation

Hospital, Caulfield, cast a gloom over the ward in which he had
faced nobly with fortitude and forbearance the sufferings of a long
and painful illness. Possessing a keen sense of humor and quick at
repartee, George was responsible for many
bright moments and friendly arguments in
his ward; and this cheerfulness and good
humor he evinced right up to a week or two

of his death.

At the outbreak of war, then a sturdy lad

of 18 years, he was working for his father

on a farm at Avenel (Vic.), and was among

the first to enlist, embarking in October,

1914. with original “B” Squadron of the 4t)

A.L.H., in transport No. 18 (s.s. “Wiltshirer").

He served on Gallipoli until the evacuation,
and later joined the cyclists' unit. He had

over two years' service with the Anzac Cyclist

Bn., for Corporal Whitechurch was not away
from his unit on account of sickness or wounds
until April, 1918, when he was gassed at

Corbie.

Returning to Australia after the Armistice,

he successfully conducted a dairying business
in Melbourne, but this he was forced to re-

linquish owing to III-health — an aftermath of his strenuous war

service and the effect of gas.

*George left a widow and three children, to whom he was devoted.
That he was so highly esteemed by all with whom he came in

contact, and that war service was the cause of his untimely death,

must be some consolation to those he has left behind.

The writer of this paragraph is indebted to Lieut. Arno Symons and

Lieut. H. J. Thornton, of the 4th A.L.H.R., for supplying particulars

relative to Cpl. Whitechurch's war service.

—E. G. Blair, Ward 7, Repatriation Hospital, Caulfield.

 

Mr. JOHN CORBETT.

One of our most esteemed and constant readers, Mr. John Corbett,
who lived in the Basses Pyrenees, France, and who always had glowing
praise for “Reveille,” died on March 22. Notice of his death was
sent to us by Major C. H. Howell, of the Imperial Army, who lived

in the same district. Mr. Corbett, who was 83, was formerly a bank

manager at Ballarat (Vic.).

ANZAC EVE FESTIVAL.

The second Anzac Eve Festival Performance was given at the Sydney
Conservatorium on April 24 in the presence of Lady Game. The pro-
gramme included the winning choirs singing the Festival Song, “Anzac
Day," and the verse-speaking choirs speaking the Twenty-third Psalm.
The winning one-act play, “Scrubby Reforms," by Mr. C. Hansby Read, was
played by the Junior Theatre League and gave a dramatic story of three
returned soldiers in a miners' camp. Last year's winning play,
Toast is Anzac, Gentlemen," by Miss Kitty Winter, was again produced
by the Independent Theatre. Mr. Raymond Beatty sang delightfully, and
the Lightfoot-Burlakov School brought the programme to a close with a
beautiful tableau, “The Spirit of Peace." Lady Game distributed the

prizes.

LEGACY AWAITS CLAIMANT.
Arthur Gordon Shand (N.Z.E.F.), who came to Australia in 1920,
communicate with “Reveille.” A legacy awaits him in N.Z
Roy Sharwood, who wa sa sergeant-major at Broadmeadows (VIc.)
in 1915, training A.I.F. men, communicate with “Reveille.

18 REVEILLE  June 1, 1934

Monument Wood and an Unofficial Armistice
(By Capt. G. D. Mitchell, M.C., D.C.M., late 1Oth and 48th Bns., A.I.F.)

JUST after midnight on May 3, 1918, we filed out of
the reserve trench and over the railway. We were

to attack Monument Wood at 02.20.

Was in a stinking bad temper. My platoon was 28
strong; and fourteen of them were new reinforcements¬
kids, dumped on to me twelve hours before.

Three months previously they were in Australia. Of 
poor physique, they were not intended for infantry units;
nor were they trained. In the few hours of daylight
had tried to ram some musketry into them. It took a
bottle of wine to stave off an epileptic fit, when I saw two
of them try to ram the clips as well as the cartridges
into the magazine. Why, thought I, should I be afflicted
with an untrained rabble in my fourth year of war; and
Anzac leave months overdue—and all for a rotten little
attack on a narrow sector that would draw a concentra-
tion of all enemy artillery within miles.

Could visualise the big hefty-artillery Germans swing
ing the trails of their 77’s and 5.9’s, saying, Komm, we
will blow these verdomt Englishers to Hell.

As we trudged over the sleepers to the rattle of equip
ment and the sound of bumping rifle butts, I pondered over
A sudden tattoo of bombs and rifle fire 40 yards to the right. It was
Kipling's “Islanders”:

"Sons of the sheltered city—unmade, unhandled, unmeet - 
Ye pushed them raw to the battle as ye picked them raw from the
street,
And what did ye look they should compass? Warcraft learned in
a breath?
Knowledge unto occasion at the first jar view of death?"

Reached the railway bridge near our hop-over point. A mob of ele
phants would have climbed the bank more quietly. The recruits had not
developed their eyes to night work. They stumbled and fell over obstacles
that we old hands could see clearly. Poor blighters—it must have been
a black night of terror for them.

A guide met me. Led us over the front line trench. He immediately
mixed my men with McDowell's in the dark. Then mixed us up in a
lot of barbed wire. My language should have melted the wire.
Placed each man flat with his head pointing to Fritz. "When we charge,
go that way.

Didn’t take long, but the left platoon was moving about looking like
haystacks in the light of the flares. They collected. Several machine
guns opened, and they went down like wheat before the reaper.

Flares were going up from the enemy like fury. He might just as well
have issued us an invitation and made it quite formal. We found later
that he had packed the line with Jaegers and had one machine-gun to
every two of our men.

0200, we were settled down and the playful Jaeger was parting our
hair with M.G. ricochets, just to show what he could do if he tried.

A flare dropped against my ribs and still burned. The hard white light
must have shown me up to the wide

world. The heat was penetrating
took a deep breath, then let go.
but I was scared to bat an eyelid.
Started counting the tenth parts of
seconds till a shower of bullets would
arrive. But the flare went out and
I was still whole.

0210. Comparative peace. 0213
0214, 0215. The whizz of our shrap
nel. Six eighteen-pounders fired for
three minutes, then stopped.

The only harm they did was to
blow up several of McDowell's men
Nine platoon had had no casualties
—yet. Found time to be sorry for
the recruits. This would be hell for
them. But was still sorrier for myself.
We were astounded at the poor-
ness of the barrage. Just enough
to wake Fritz up properly.

Zero hour was 0200. The illum- 

inated dial of my watch showed 2.17

The attack at Monument Wood, as pictured by Rupert Barrie, D.C.M.,
of the 48th Bn., A.I.F.

 We had failed already. Half hoped that someone with brains and

sufficient authority would call the show off.

02.18. 02184. Ten seconds to go. Blast these little hop-overs!

Five-four-three-two-one. Zero.

Raised my head. Not a move anywhere. If we are wise we will lay

low and say nowt. Ten seconds and no move. Imlay must be gone or

he would have set things moving. Fifteen seconds. McDowell's voice

"Advance C Company." Blast it! That's torn it. "Advance nine

Platoon.”

All the typewriters in the world going together. A dozen flares over

our heads. A line of bursting bombs at the Fritz wire. Bullets sizzling,

squealing and buzzing.

An enormous Fritz officer plain to the light, galloping along his

parados, yelling fire orders in a voice that outdid the bombs.
“Ruddy little hero, aren’t you," says I to myself, “cantering across shell

holes to do battle for your King and Country when you would sooner be

home in bed.”

Arrived in front of the Fritz wire. It was picked out in showers of

sparks from end to end by the German M.G. bullets. It was untouched

and a perfect barrier.

Looked around for my platoon, to give Fritz some of his own medicine,

but lo and behold!—there was not a man above ground.
"Well I ain’t no thin red hero," thinks I, and slips into a juicy deep

shell hole.

A sudden tattoo of bombs and rifle, 40 yards to the right . It was

Captain Cumming and three men who rushed vainly at the enemy trench.

By the light of bursting bombs I saw them fall.

Took stock of the enemy line and what I saw made me rage again.

He had had the cheek to hoist his machine-guns into the open in front

of the trench. The crews sat and knelt around them—big black blobs.

The riflemen stood between, firing from the hip. Every seventh or eighth
man was throwing bombs like clockwork. They were bursting behind me.

Had brought a rifle and bandolier.

Bull Voice the officer was still dashing up and down giving orders.

Took a snap shot at him before settling down to serious work.

The nearest gun was thirty feet away. No need for sights at that

range. Gave them a magazine and another. They went out of business.

Started on the next until the 50 bandolier was spent. Just at this stage

Tom Davis, my batman, arrived with a bag of rations, a corporal, and

a reinforcement. Sent the corporal back to dig up any rifle grenadiers he

could find, keep them well back, and drop Mills into the line. He did

so with excellent results. A Fritz screamed at the first burst.

Took the reinforcement's spare bandolier.

The reinforcement let out a yip and sat back in the shell hole. "What's

up?" I asked, far too busy to knock off my 20 to the minute shooting to

have a look. I'm hit. "Where?" "In the arm.’ You must have

tin pants on. Five minutes in action and you get a Blighty.  Hop it.”

He hopped.

With a rush and clatter, my Lewis gunner arrived. “Now," I said, “we

will really do something. Gimme the gun.”

Flattened the bipod to keep it low,

Took a deep breath, then let go.

Shades of persecuted Loots ! The

stupid cow had put on a drum of

anti-aircraft ammunition — tracer

one in four.

A line of light from the gun

muzzle showed our position to the

world at large.

As the last bullet was leaving the

barrel, I was sliding back on to my

sit-down out of harm’s way.

Dante knew nothing. Every gun

converged on to our shell hole. One

or two M.G.'s can make things un

pleasant, but when 20 converge, it

behoves the wise to emulate the

rabbit.

Bombs landed all round the lip

of the shell hole, but none came in.

(Continued on next page) 

June 1, 1934 REVILLE 19

Capt. G.D. Mitchell

M.C., D.C.M., who

tells this thrilling

story of the attack on

Monument Wood, was

a member of the orig-

inal 10th Bn. He en-

listed on September 5,

1914, and was trans-

ferred to the 48th Bn.

on October 31, 1916,

being commissioned on
April 22, 1917. A
native of Thebarton

(S. Aust.), he now

lives in Queensland.