Volunteers of Essendon and Flemington, 1914-1918
This group of officers of the 37th Battalion was taken before the Battalion left for France in
November 1916. 2nd Lt James Charles Todd from Newmarket, Victoria is standing in the
middle row, far left. Australian War Memorial Collection. Other locals in this group are
Parker H C Sgt 715, of Essendon, DOW, and Capt James Arthur Lambden from Ascot Vale.
James Todd and Captain Lambden were awarded Military Crosses at the same time for their
work in France in 1917. http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/P00997.001
Todd J C RMS 1 James Charles 37 Inf Bn 21 Clerk Single Pres
Address: Newmarket, Norwood St, 20
Next of Kin: Todd, Helen Caden, sister, 20 Norwood St, Newmarket
Enlisted: 22 Mar 1916
Embarked: A34 Persic 3 Jun 1916
Prior service: CMF 58th Inf Regt
Awards: Military Cross, Mention in Despatches
Relatives on Active Service:
Mountain-W-J-Driver-25919 future brother-in-law, KIA
Word has been received from abroad that Warrant-Officer J. C. Todd, who, until enlisting, held a commission in the 58th Infantry (Essendon Rifles), has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant.
ROLL OF HONOR. (1916, September 14). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 6 Edition: Morning. Retrieved February 8, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74594135
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Flemington-Kensington Church News, May 1917
Lieut J C Todd, 37th Batt, has been awarded the Military Cross. Splendid! Robert Hunter is now a Lieut. also in the 37th Batt, having just secured his commission. Congratulations to you both, and may God keep you.
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Lieutenant James Charles Todd was recommended for a Military Cross by Brigadier-General W Ramsay McNicholl on 4 March 1917.
"At ARMENTIERES on the night 26th/27th February 1917, on the occasion of a raid by a composite Battalion of his Brigade on the enemy trenches, Lieut TODD was the officer in charge of the scouts. For some considerable time prior to the raid, he, with his scouts, patrolled NO MAN'S LAND, and obtained information which was of the utmost value to the operation. On the night of the raid, he covered, with his scouts, the assembly of the four raiding companies in NO MAN'S LAND; he controlled and managed the placing, in NO MAN'S LAND, of the tapes, which proved of such vale to all the raiding companies, and further, directed the laying of the Bangalore torpedoes, which ensured proper gaps being made in the enemy's front wire. He afterwards assisted in bringing back our wounded. His courage and devotion to duty are worthy of the highest commendation. (Strength of party, 21 Off., 804 O.R.) W Ramsay McNicoll, B G 10th A I B
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GALLANTRY RECOGNISED
For distinguished service in France, Lieutenant J. C. Todd has been
awarded the Military Cross. Lieut. Todd, who is the second son
of the late, Mr and Mrs A. Todd, of Newmarket, held a commission in the 58th
Essendon Rifles and for some time was Assistant-Adjutant at Seymour camp.
He left Australia as Warrant-Officer in the 37th (Vic.) Battalion in June, 1916,
and received his commission in England.
"GALLANTRY RECOGNISED" The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954) 21 April 1917: 1. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242691171.
Flemington-Kensington Church News, July 1917
Lieut T Dunn, 38th Battalion. Our friend left these shores in November 1915 with the 29th Battalion as Sergt. After about six months training and service in Egypt he was sent to France in June 1916. He has seen a deal of service on the West front since, and was wounded at Armentieres on the 26th February. We congratulate him on his recovery, and on receiving the second star on his shoulder. In a letter received a few days ago he says "The Brigade which I am now in has a good number of Flemington and Kensington boys in it. Among them is Jim Todd, who was awarded a MC for his splendid scouting works in connection with a raid in which I also took part.". He then mentioned several of our old Bible Class members.
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Officers of the 37th Battalion at Neuve Eglise, 14 January 1918. Lt Todd is seated fifth
from the right with ungloved hands.
Flemington-Kensington Church News, April 1918
Lieut. J. C. Todd, 37th Batt., sailed for England on 3rd June, 1916, as a Warrant Officer. On arriving the unit went into training at the Lark Hill camp, where so many of our lads have looked with wonder on the fascinating remains of the glories of Stonehenge. When in England he was promoted to 2nd Lieut. He crossed over to France in November 1916, and was soon in the firing line.
Lieut. Todd was awarded the Military Cross for the following reasons, which speak for themselves - "At Armentieres on the night 26th/27th Feb. 1917, on the occasion of a raid by a composite Battalion of his brigade on the enemy‘s trenches, Lieut. Todd was the officer in charge of the scouts. For some considerable time prior to the raid he, with his scouts, patrolled 'No-Man's-Land' and obtained information which was of the utmost value to the operations. On the night of the raid, he covered, with his scouts, the assembly of the four raiding companies in 'No-Man-'s-Land'; he controlled and managed the placing in 'No-Man-s-Land' of the tapes, which proved of so much value to all the raiding companies, and further, directed the laying of the Bongalore torpedoes, which ensured proper gaps being made in the enemy’s front wire. He afterwards assisted in bringing back our wounded. His courage and devotion to duty are worthy of the highest commendation."
At the same time our soldier obtained the two stars. On 16th February last he was received in the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Hospital suffering from a gunshot wound in the forehead. We are glad to say that, so far as is known, the wound is not serious.
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Sunken Road in front of Treux Wood, from which the Germans were forced by the 10th Infantry
Brigade in their capture of Marett and Treux Woods, on 28 March 1918. Lt Todd's head is above
the skyline on the right.
A smiling group of members of the 37th Battalion resting in the Sunken Road in front of Marett
Wood in France on 7 April 1918. Lt J C Todd is fourth from the left.
Mentioned in this publication
An article relating to Dewar J D 2nd Lt in the Flemington-Kensington Church News, December 1917
War Service Commemorated
Flemington-Presbyterian-Church
Essendon Gazette Roll of Honour With the Colours
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