Volunteers of Essendon and Flemington, 1914-1918

 

Brigadier General H.E. Elliott CB CMG DSO BA LLM, Australian

War Memorial Collection http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/H15596

 

Elliott H E    Lieut Col        Harold Edward             7 Inf Bn    36    Solicitor    Married    Pres       

Address:    Northcote, Darebin Rd, "Dalriada"   

Next of Kin:    Elliott, CF, Mrs, wife, "Dalriada", Darebin Rd, Northcote   

Enlisted:    17 Aug 1914       

Embarked:     A20 Hororata 19 Oct 1914   

Prior service: Commanding Officer of the 58th Inf Regt (Essendon Rifles) in 1914, and invited to raise the 7th Battalion AIF.

Awards:  CB, CMG, DSO, DCM, Croix de Guerre, Order of St. Anne of Russia. Mentioned in Despatches (7).

 

Go to Elliott-H-E-Lieut-Col-page-2

 

Elliott was promoted to Brigadier General prior to his return to Australia.

 

King George's Sound, WA. 1914-10-27. Ships of the first convoy of transports carrying the first contingent of troops of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and New Zealanders, prior to leaving Albany for Egypt on 1 November 1914.

 

King George's Sound, where the first convoy assembled in 1914.  Courtesy of Rod Martin 2015.

 

 

Colonel Elliot in Egypt, prior to the landing.  Museums Victoria Collections

https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/items/1561807

 

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OUR SOLDIERS

IN EGYPT.  

WITH THE AUSTRALIANS.  

 

A member of the Essendon Rifles,  of B Company, 7th Battalion, writes to us as follows, from Mena house, Egypt, with reference to a humorous   incident that happened to the Commanding Officer, Colonel H. E. Elliott,  late of the Essendon rifles.

 

He says: "Some of the men in this battalion have lost their hats, and as the Colonel is very particular, he has been at them for some time past to get other hats from somewhere or other.  Things reached a climax on Tuesday,  when the Colonel told the men they must get hats "by hook or by crook".   Wednesday afternoon being a holiday, we were all resting in our tents when the rumour spread around the  camp that the Colonel's hat had been stolen. This was confirmed a few minutes later when an ultimatum came from the C.O. to the effect that if the hat were not handed back at once the battalion would have to drill all the afternoon. As the hat was not forthcoming we were all paraded, but after each hat and each tent had been inspected we were dismissed. That evening we found posted up in the mess room the following poem by some unknown but budding artist:

 

THE C.O.'S HAT.  

In the Seventh there's excitement;  

Searching in great despair

Searching every tent and private,  

Rushing here, there, everywhere;

Not looking for Turk or German,

Or any common foe like that.

Somebody collecting vermin,  

Went and pinched the C.O.'s hat.

 

All, anxious to show devotion  

And catcha the thief, whoe'er he be;

Some were thinking of promotion,

Others dreaming a V.C..

But the culprit was too clever,  

Though he did it on his pat.

Says he: "The officers will never find

Where I've the C.O.'s hat."  

 

Now then, Colonel, keep your eyes out

If again that he should rob,  

Nothing I would be surprised at-

He might best you for your job.

 

The Colonel took this all in good part. Next time he went on parade he had a new hat and he "barracked" those without hats, telling them he only took one day to make up his loss, whilst they had not made up theirs after having several weeks to do it in.

 

OUR SOLDIERS. (1915, March 25). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 2 Edition: Morning.. Retrieved September 6, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74588202

 

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Essendon Gazette, 29 April 1915.

 

OUR SOLDIERS
The following is a letter to Cr. J F. Henderson, from Colonel Elliott :

 

Seventh Battalion A. I. Force.
Mena Camp, Pyramids,
Cairo, Egypt, 18/3/15.

 

Dear Sir,-

Your letter of the 29th January, duly came to hand by the last mail.  I read it out to the boys, who were delighted to hear that you had been able to contradict the newspaper scandal as to their behaviour here. In point of fact, the behaviour of the Division here, and I speak as one who has had considerable experience both with Colonial Irregular Forces and with men of the the Regular Army, was, in my opinion, exemplary. Capt. Bean stated the cases of misconduct were confined to about one or two per cent. Judging from my own Battalion, and I would not say it is better or worse than any other battalion in the Division in this respect, this is exaggerated, as I find, on working it out, that the percentage of cases of gross misconduct is under 1/2 per cent. ln every one of these cases I find that the root of the trouble lies in the fact that these men had given way to drink. ln extenuation of their conduct, I desire to point out that practically all the misconduct occurred during the Christmas festivities, when, even at home a certain amount of insobriety is tolerated. I want you to realise, also, that the liquor trade here in Egypt is absolutely under no restriction whatsoever. There are no licenses, and it is quite a common thing to see barrows laden with beer and other spirits being wheeled through the streets for sale and every tram coming from Cairo to here at night is boarded by natives with bottles of beer for sale. ln addition there is no inspection or adulteration of foods act; consequently, the vilest concoctions are sold to the troops as genuine liquor. For example, bottles, which by the label on them should contain Black and White or House of Commons brand of whisky, have been found to contain a mixture of methylated spirits and other filth. The method employed is to drill a very small hole in the bottom of a bottle, out of which the contents are drained, and it is then filled in the same manner, the hole being closed with a little putty smeared over so that it will not be noticed.

 

These mixtures are retailed to the troops, particularly to anyone of them who is at all intoxicated, at a vary low figure; sometimes as low as threepence per bottle, with as you may imagine, disastrous results. Since writing to you, our training has continued here on the same lines, with the exception, that in addition to the leave mentioned in my last letter, the privilege of a whole day's leave in Cairo has been granted weekly to those whose conduct has been good.  Also for a period, from the 3rd to the 13th February, we were employed on the Suez Canal, attached to the 11th Division Indian Frontier Force under General Wilson.  Our boys were intensely keen to get into action, and on arrival at Ismailia we were informed that we would be inaction either that night or earl next morning, and instructed to remain under arms all night. However, as you will have been fully informed by now, the Turks, instead of coming on, retired hastily, and although some of the men occupied the trenches for several days, the majority of the Battalion remained in reserve at Ismailia and returned to Mena when it was ascertained that all danger of a further advance by the Turks had vanished.  Although we were greatly disappointed at not firing a shot, we were pleased at being selected with the 8th Battalion as the first Australians to be sent to the scene of action.  As it turned out we were also the only Australian who were sent, with the exception of the 3rd Company Australian Engineers (NSW), who had been for a month previous engaged in constructing pontoon bridges for use on the Canal and actually came under fire or very near it, inasmuch as Turkish shells were bursting beyond them at some 200 to 300 yards distance. 

 

Since our return here the behaviour of the men, with the exception of the few cases I have mentioned, has been exemplary and the work in the field has received the highest praise from the Brigadier, Colonel McCay, and this afternoon General Walker, who is Chief of Staff of General Sir William Birdwood, General Officer Commanding the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, referred in very flattering term to the work of the Battalion during a retirement in front of another Brigade who were attacking us. With the exception of Corporal Eastwood, who is in hospital at Alexandria, all the Essendon boys are in splendid health and with hardly an exception have gained weight and their parents and friends would be delighted with their robust appearance.

 

I forgot to mention that Captain Jackson who has now been promoted to the rank of Major, Mr Swift and some 80 of the Essendon boys were detailed by me to escort some 200 Turkish prisoners from the Canal up to Cairo.  The result of their close association  with these men was to give our boys a profound contempt for the Turkish Army, and some of them expressed the opinion that they could beat riff raff like these with an old hat.  There is no doubt that these prisoners had a most wretched, bedraggled appearance, foot sore and ragged as they were, and with no proper equipment; moreover they appeared to have been half starved.

 

Since our return from Ismailia, we have been constantly expecting to receive orders to embark, but, so far, we are still in uncertainty as to our ultimate destination and the date of our departure from Egypt. I desire, on behalf of myself and the boys, to thank you for your kindly interest in their welfare.  All were greatly interested in your news of the doings of the Essendon City Military Association, particularly in regard to the establishment of the swimming bath at the Drill Hall.  Perhaps the fact that one of our chief difficulties here is to obtain a proper bath, as water supply is very limited and dust and sand more than plentiful, had something to do with their enthusiasm at this piece of news.

Kindest regards to Mrs Henderson, the Mayor, Mrs Goldsworthy, and other friends.

 

Yours very sincerely,

 

H E ELLIOTT

 

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The Argus Monday 3 May 1915

 

THE CASUALTIES.
CAREERS SUMMARISED.
Lieut.-Colonel H. E. Elliott, one of the best-known Victorian citizen soldiers, is an old Ballarat boy, being a son of Mr. T. Elliott, of that city. He was educated at the Ballarat College, of which he was dux prior to proceeding to the Melbourne University to enter upon the course for the degree of Bachelor of Arts. While he was studying there the South African War broke out, and he enlisted as a private. In South Africa he gained the distinguished conduct medal, and returned as a sergeant. Upon his return to Victoria he completed his course, taking a law exhibition (first year) and graduating as a Master of Arts and a Master of Laws. He now commands the 7th Victorian Battalion of Colonel McCay's 2nd Infantry Brigade. He was in charge of the Essendon battalion. He got the distinguished conduct medal in South Africa for the smart capture of a party of Boers.  

 

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1514145

 

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Essendon Gazette, 6 May 1915

 

Slightly Wounded

Lieutenant Colonel H E Elliott, Commander of the 7th Battalion, and well-known as the head of the 58th Infantry (Essendon Rifles). The wounded soldier is 37 years of age and is very popular, not only at Essendon but everywhere else. He saw active service in the Boer War, fighting in Rhodesia, the Orange River Colony, the Transvaal and Cape Colony. He received the distinguished conduct medal; the King's medal, 2 clasps; and the Queen's medal, 4 clasps".  He is favourably known as a member of the firm of Roberts and Elliott.  He is married and has a family.

 

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Essendon Gazette  3 Jun 1915

 

Our readers will welcome the news that Lieut. Colonel Elliott, who was wounded in the landing at Gallipoli on the 26th of April, has recovered, and left Cairo to rejoin his regiment on 26th May.

 

Lieut- Col H E Elliott (Slightly Wounded).  Essendon Gazette 13 May 1915.  Elliott is

pictured here in his 58th Inf (Essendon Rifles) uniform.

 

 

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The Argus 9 June 1915 

 

BEACH LIKE SANDRINGHAM.
Colonel H E Elliott 7th Battalion writing to his wife and family who live in Northcote, from Heliopolis Hospital on May 3 and 7 sends the following description of the landing at the Dardanelles -

"We stayed in Lemnos, an island about 50 miles from the Dardanelles until Saturday, April 24, and then at daybreak on the Sunday we commenced to land under a heavy shrapnel fire from the enemy's guns. Practically all of the battalions had little steamers provided by the warships but the 7th Battalion which was the head of the main body to land had to row ashore. Some of the boats. particularly those belonging to Major Jackson's boys, the Essendon boys, were fired on while the men were in the boat by machine guns, and many were killed and wounded. Major Jackson was hit three times I am told, but only in the arms, and no bones were broken. The landing was led by the 3rd Brigade but they were late somehow. The navy had experienced difficulty in the pitch dark locating the landing place. When day broke they had only just landed   and were driving the Turks back off the cliffs on the beach. The formation was something like Sandringham. There was a narrow strip of beach and high cliffs, which  rose in successive ridges to 400ft or more.  What a scramble it was to get to the top! We were weighed down with three days' rations and packs. We threw the packs on the beach and left them. Five or six Maxims were captured by the first men ashore also a couple of field guns. Of course we suffered heavily. Major Jackson, Lieut Chapman, and Lieut Heron and Lieut Heighway with 30 or 40 men were struck down as they left the boats. Major Blezard received a severe wound in the shoulder as he went up the hill and shortly after I got a bullet through the right foot below the ankle. Fortunately it broke no bones but it laid me out for the time. Afterwards I heard of other officers being killed and wounded and about 200 or 300 of the men being wounded. It was reported that some of the officers reported dead were not killed outright but only wounded. I heard that Colonel McNichol did great work before he too was wounded and recommended for the D S O. Major Bennett was also hit. Sergeant Walker was hit on the head by a shrapnel bullet, and looked a fearful sight. He was literally bathed in his own blood, but the wound, after having been dressed and the bleeding having been stopped, was even less serious than my own.

 

Colonel Elliot with Captains Blezard and Finlayson in Egypt before the Gallipoli campaign.  Museums Victoria Collections https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/items/1707531

 

GOING BACK SHORTLY
We in the hospital are practically all healed up again and are going back to the front in a few day's time. The nurses, both on the hospital ship and here, can not do enough for one. We were very fortunate in being hit close to the beach and being sent back at once. Afterwards men lay for a couple of days in some cases. They did not seem to have sufficient doctors aboard the ships in some eases only three doctors and no nurses and the men suffered dreadfully. In the fighting the boys behaved wonderfully. Owing to the scrub which covered everything the Turks were able to return all the time, and we never saw any except a few who got knocked up climbing the hills and surrendered or were bayoneted by the Australians.  As a rule the Turks were dead scared of the bayonet and abandoned everything - machine guns, &c, to get away. This was very fortunate for us as if they had held us firmly I do not think a man would have got away alive. The Engineers did some great work building a pier so that the artillery, etc, could land. Numbers were knocked out but they kept on, and on Sunday night some of the guns got ashore and did good work. The Turks made a number of very strong counter attacks and but for their fear of the bayonet might have driven our boys right out. As it was the left was pushed back almost to the beach but here the naval guns took a hand and inflicted great loss on the enemy. Most of the very severe cases were left at Alexandria. There are very few officers left in my regiment and I am anxious to get back for that reason".
 

 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1523052

 

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Essendon Gazette 24 June 1915

 

The following is a copy of a letter from Lieut-Col H E Elliott to Cr  J. F. Henderson:-  

 

Maadi. Egypt.

 

I have to thank you for the kind wishes expressed in the cable  sent by Capt Duigan to me regarding my wound.  You will be pleased to know that the people of Essendon have every reason to be proud of their representatives. The present "B" Coy, (formerly "C and D" Coys) under Major Jackson led the way into the fight. Owing to some miscalculation, the naval tows which were supposed to meet our transport at 4.45 a.m., failed to turn up, and as the enemy's guns were getting our range and the shells bursting near the ship, Commander Somerville, the naval transport officer, instructed me to get the men ashore in the ship's boats.  Major Jackson, with some 35 Essendon boys, took the first boats and led the way, two others followed, then I came myself.

 

The leading boat got under machine gun fire and suffered dreadfully; I believe only three men were not either killed or wounded in her. But,  although exposed to this dreadful fire, not a man wavered. Some of the men rowing, although hit two or three times, kept their oars, and still rowed on,  determined to reach the shore, which they did, and forced the Turks to retire. Owing to the way the Battalion landed in fragments, as it were, I had the greatest difficulty in getting them into any sort of order,  but eventually collected some 400 of them and received orders to reinforce the right of the line, which I did. All the men behaved wonderfully well.  They seemed to have no more thought or fear of the shells or bullets than if they were on a  picnic. I was very shortly afterwards wounded myself, as were the great majority of the officers. In fact, the air was so full of lead that it was almost impossible stand up and avoid being hit.

 

I am pleased to say that I have now practically recovered,  and will return to the front in a day or two, which I am most anxious to do, as I can obtain no news as to how my boys are faring. I know they have taken part in some desperate fighting, but apparently their losses have not been so great as on that first Sunday.  I hear, however, that another 1500 wounded are expected in to-day or tomorrow, and I greatly fear there will be many of the 7th among them.  Truly we will need the prayers of those at home and we will need, too, many of those at home to replenish our ranks before all is done. I am pleased to be able to tell you that Sergt Kenneth Walker and Corporal Charles Cowan are quite recovered from their wounds and are impatient to get back to the front impatient to get back to the front again. The latter had a miraculous escape, and his tunic was shot almost to ribbons by a machine gun, and he received a  bullet through the right cheek and one through the left ear. Walker was struck on the top of the head with a  shrapnel bullet, which stunned him and caused the loss of a great deal of blood, but did not penetrate the skull, and he recovered very rapidly. Both are  brave lads, and if they survive will do well.  It is impossible for me to get any list of casualties yet. The authorities here are very reticent about  the matter. I think they are afraid to let the  full extent of our losses to be made public at once until our eventual victory is assured, of which I have no doubt, though,  no doubt, it will cost us very dear. I will probably write to the Mayor when I have ascertained which of the Essendon boys have been killed or wounded. I know Lieut Chapman is gone.  He was shot through the groin and died on the ship on the way here, and was buried at sea. He was all that an officer could be and his loss will be greatly felt amongst us.

 

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Essendon Gazette 2 Sep 1915

 

CORRESEPONDENCE.

ESSENDONS HEROES.
(To the Editor.)
Sir,———I have just received a letter from an officer at the front, but owing to the new censorship regulations, I am not permitted to mention his name nor anything which will disclose his identity. The following extracts should interest Essendon residents, and anyone interested may see the letter by
calling on me:——

 

"Kenneth Walker repeatedly distinguished himself under fire, particularly by rescuing men buried in the trenches  by the Turkish shell fire, and by leading a party of bomb-throwers to eject  some Turks who had seized one of our  trenches. It was while rescuing some men of the 6th Battalion that he was

wounded. "Another Essendon man,  Sgt. Geo.  Garner, exhibited great courage and calmness, which won the admiration of the brigade.  "Another Essendon boy, who has done excellent work in the fighting line is L. Cpl. Ransom. He is always cool and ready to volunteer for any job, however dangerous.   "Sgts. Charlie Cowan and Gilchrist are doing very well. Had they been a little older they would have received commissions before this. "L.-Cpl. Hoare   has just been slightly wounded."

 

Yours, etc.,
J. F. HENDERSON.

 

Note:  Although the letter writer is unidentified, Henderson often received letters  from the 7th Battalion CO, Pompey Elliott, and had them published.  In the absence of information to the contrary, it is likely that this letter was also Elliott.

 

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Essendon Gazette 9 Mar 1916

 

ESSENDON'S BRAVE BOYS

 

The following letter has been received from a prominent officer*, addressed to Cr. J. F. Henderson:

 

No. 2 Ward,

Heliopolis Hospital,

January 2, 1916.

 

Dear Mr. Henderson,

 

I have to acknowledge receipt of your letters of the 3rd and 15th July.   I have been long in answering them I am afraid. They arrived in August during all the confused and dreadful fighting at the Lone Pine and else where. Consequently, at the moment I was unable to find time or opportunity to reply to them. Subsequently, when things had got a bit quieter, and partly no doubt as a result of the fatigue, exposure and excitement of the fighting, I suffered from a severe attack of pleurisy, and was sent away on the 29th August to Malta, and subsequently to Devonport, in England. During my convalescence, I visited a number of relatives whose whereabouts I had ascertained through some family solicitors, and had a most enjoyable time. I have been given sick leave until the end of November, but finding myself very much improved in health, I asked to have a medical board at the end of October, and was pronounced fit for service on the 10th November, and left England on the Olympic for Mudros, which was then our base, on the 14th November, arriving there on the 22nd November. The 7th Battalion was then on shore for a rest, but although I pointed this out, I was not permitted, owing to some excess of red tapeism, to join them, and was actually being sent back to Egypt, when I managed to get a letter through to our Brigadier, and was eventually permitted to join the Battalion which had in the meantime returned to Anzac. However, I did eventually join them, and took part in the retirement.

 

That this was a success will always appear to me a miracle. Everyone fully expected that it would be a repetition of the landing, but for some extraordinary luck or interposition of Providence in our favor, the Turks allowed us to withdraw without attacking us, and apparently without discovering our retreat until many hours after every single man had embarked. You will be interested to know that an Essendon boy contributed a little towards this success. The 7th Battalion formed part of the rear guard of the right wing, and young Scurry, of Moonee Ponds (whom you may remember as an officer of the Essendon Rifles, but who came over here as a N.C.O. of the 7th Reinforcements, as he was considered too young for a commission), suggested to me a means of firing rifles mechanically after every man had left the trenches, and so deceiving the Turks as to the actual time of our departure. I at once sent him along to General Chauvel who has succeeded General Bridges and General Walker in charge of the First Division. The General arranged for a demonstration of the device before the Army Corps Staff, who adopted it with great success. Major Nicholson, G.S.O. 1st Division, has promised me that some recognition, such as mention in dispatches, will be given to Scurry. The device was a very simple one, consisting merely of a piece of string passing from the trigger of a rifle over an arm. To the end of the string was attached an empty tin. Above this another tin full of water was placed with a hole in it so that the water would drip slowly into the lower one. By weighting the lower can suitably, it was found possible to fire the rifle at any interval up to an hour, when sufficient water had dropped into the lower can to pull the trigger. The adoption of the device cost us only 50 or 60 damaged rifles, which were left lashed to our parapets, and so adjusted as to keep up an occasional shot every few minutes up to an hour along the whole length of the line. It was simply an adaptation of the well-known principle of the hour glass, but the suggestion was a timely and invaluable one and succeeded excellently.

 

There are still a few of the Essendon lads with us. A lad named Bowtell Harris, who was originally a signaller, has done exceptionally well. He is now our grenade officer, i.e., he has charge of the regimental "suicide club" as the bomb throwers are called. He has repeatedly shown possession of the best qualities of leadership, and on the occasion of the retirement, volunteered to be the last man to leave our trenches, and to cover the retreat of the Battalion (if necessary) with his bomb throwers. I would not be surprised, provided he survives, if he earns a V.C. before his return home.

 

Corporal Ransom is still with us, and is the picture of health. Sergeant Gilchrist has also returned to duty. All of them were in the thick of the Lone Pine fighting, as also was Sergeant Cowan, but he is now away ill. Lieutenant Wardrop, of the Essendon Rifles joined us with Scurry as an N.C.O., and has done good work as assistant to the Regimental Intelligence Officer, where his faculty of drawing stands him in good stead. My groom, an Essendon lad named Powell, who was left behind in Egypt to look after my horses, was very anxious to get to the front, and left without permission to join the regiment. However, he had no luck, and was arrested at Mudros, and sent back to his post.  

 

You will have heard of Lieutenant Ken. Walker and Captain Permezel. Both died very bravely during the defence of Steele's Post in July. Walker repeatedly distinguished himself, and was mentioned in orders for bravery. He was pierced through the body by a fragment of shell while digging out some men who had been buried by shell fire. Captain Permezel, although he had his leg carried off by a six-inch howitzer shell, and was dying, calmly took out his notebook and sent me a report asking that another officer be sent to take his place.

 

Majors McCrae and Jackson, both of whom have been twice wounded, are back with the regiment, and well, as is Captain Swift. His younger brother is also with us and well. His elder brother, who was in the 14th Batt., was killed in August. Lieutenant Barker -Walker's cousin -- who won the D.C.M during the landing, is back with us after a turn in hospital, but looks far from being strong, but insists on sticking it out. Lieutenant Heron, late of the Essendon Rifles, who was twice wounded, and has lost one of his eyes, returned to us, but I had to send him back to Base duty. His spirit was excellent, but at night he was practically blind and so useless to us. Captain Tubb, as you will have heard, got the V.C. during the defence of Lone Pine. He had charge of the Essendon Rifles detachment at Euroa, and came out with the 7th Battalion as our transport officer, but after we lost so many officers during May and June I was glad to transfer him, at his own request, to the firing line.

 

Another Essendon lad, Corporal Webb, did splendid service at Lone Pine. I believe he has recently been granted the D.C.M., but deserved the V.C. However, as the 7th were given four V.C.'s for that fight I suppose it was necessary to draw a line some where. Corporals Webb and Wright [1]  distinguished themselves particularly by building up overhead cover and throwing back Turkish bombs all night, at a particularly dangerous place in the line until Wright was killed, and Webb had his hand blown off.

 

Corp. Burton, the lad who was killed while helping Captain Tubb and Corporal Dunstan to re-build the barricade across a Turkish trench which had been already blown in with guncotton three times, and all the defenders killed except those three, was a B Company man, but I am not sure that he came from Essendon. In fact I have heard he also came from Euroa. Tubb, who was wounded in the head and arm, is now in England.

 

But these were only incidents of a fight in which practically every man who took part distinguished himself at one time or another. The 7th Battalion went into action on this afternoon with 511 rank and file and 16 officers. By noon next day we had lost 344 rank and file (killed and wounded) and 12 officers, of whom one was killed and the remainder seriously wounded. And this slaughter took place in narrow trenches where the dead and wounded lay, and were mangled with bombs and shells and were trodden on by their comrades who were sent to man the parapets in their stead. Lieutenant Symons, the fourth man to get the V.C. on this day, comes from Brunswick, and used to be in the old 5th A.I.R., as a sergeant. He is undoubtedly one of the coolest and bravest men in the force. I observed   him many times under heavy shell fire at Steele's Post in July. He had repeated narrow escapes, and on one occasion was buried alive by a six inch howitzer shell without shaking his nerve.

 

At Lone Pine, after six officers had been struck down, and a great many men lost in the defence of an isolated sap, the Turks made a charge and got into the trench. I sent my Adjutant to rally the men, called up some reinforcements from the supports, recalled Symons from the post he had held with great bravery all night, and ordered him to retake the sap. In the mean time, my Adjutant, Lieutenant Bastian, after a hand-to-hand fight with a Turk, whom he shot dead just in time to escape being bayoneted, had been severely wounded by a bullet, and the men were again giving way. Symons rushed down the sap at the head of his men, shot the first two Turks he met dead with his revolver, and drove out the remainder. Finding that the extreme end of the sap, where all this had taken place, was really untenable, he fell back about 15 yards, where there was some overhead cover, which would give protection against the bombs, and there built up a second barricade to cover the old one. This was all done under hot fire and many men were lost. When the barricade was almost complete, the Turks managed to throw kerosene or something of the kind into the trench on the barricade and head cover. It became necessary to pull the barricade down and get out side and extinguish the fire, then rebuild the barricade. This was at length accomplished and the Turks got such a reception, that although the fight continued at other points until half-past eleven or twelve o'clock, they did not dare, after about eight o'clock, to again attack this sap, and from being the worst spot in the line it be came quite secure. Symons was, of course, wonderfully fortunate. Up to the 29th August he had been in every action with the regiment, and had not received a scratch. Lieuts. Borrowman, Dyett, Fisher, Young, Hamilton and Edwards (who is said to have shot ten Turks from the parapet before they killed him), West (the old University Football captain, who had his skull fractured by a bomb and was unable to stand-but blind and dizzy as he was, kept his post until forcibly removed by the stretcher-bearers, whose efforts he resented), Bastian my adjutant, who, after doing splendid service with me all night, rallied the men at a critical moment, and paved the way for Symons' successful charge. All then fell in the defence of the post, and in other and lesser wars, their efforts could have been suitably recognised, but it becomes impossible here.

 

There was a lad named Shadbolt, too. He was put to hold a post with four or five reinforcements who had just joined the day before. A shower of bombs, which these her lads had never seen before, came over and they all fled back up the trench. Shadbolt remained, and although desperately wounded, held the saphead until the men were rallied and sent back - no quick and easy task in the darkness, with bombs and shells bursting round and amongst them. The lad had previously given evidence of exceptional coolness and bravery, and I had marked him down for, early promotion, but he has been sent to Australia unfit for further service.

 

Another officer who did splendid work at Steele's Post was Lieutenant N. Greig. He was a Wesley College boy, and latterly was a master at Scotch College. His parents live, I believe, at Penshurst. About the 13th July an attack was to be made on the Turkish trenches at Cape Helles. In order to distract attention from this, we at Anzac were directed to make a demonstration or feint attack on the Turkish lines in front. The object of these feint attacks was, of course, to induce the Turks to use up part of their reserves in repelling them, and preventing their renewal. Thus they would have less men immediately available to repel the real attack at Cape Helles. The peculiarity about these feint attacks is that the more successful they are, i.e., the better they attain their object the worse for those who take part in them. The attacking parties are kept as weak in numbers as possible, and are directed to attack boldly and recklessly, as if expecting, reinforcements, so as to deceive the enemy. If the enemy is deceived, and rushes up his reserves to repel the attack (which is precisely what is desired), no reinforcements are sent, and the parties are left to get back the best way they can-mostly they are wiped out - but that is part of the General's scheme, and they are only the pawns. If they gain the General one half hour for his main plan to be executed, their deaths are not in vain. The 7th Battalion happened to be in the line, and as part of the scheme, I was ordered to send a small party out at dawn to attack the "German Officers' Trench," a T-shaped work, opposite the lines we then held. Most of the officers volunteered, and from them I selected Greig and allowed him to choose his own party. The attack was made. It was entirely successful. The Turks in their advanced work were completely surprised, and fled down the communication trench with considerable loss. But their supports rushed up armed with hand grenades, with which we were then poorly supplied. In a very little time everyone in Greig's party, including himself, was more or less seriously wounded (two of them, Corporals Beath and Cameron, dying as they regained our trenches). It became necessary to retire, and Greig sent his men back gradually. Finally there was only himself and another man left. This man got back all right, but Greig himself never reappeared. The last man reported that Greig ordered him to retire (he was wounded), and the last he saw of his officer was that he was standing at the turn of the trench firing his revolver at the Turks to keep them back. Greig was then bleeding from a wound in the head. An observer further up our line of trench reported that he thought he saw Greig come back to the point where he had entered the Turkish trench, and run first one way and then the other as if he had got confused as to the direction of our trenches (a very easy matter), and then disappear. Whatever his fate, it is clear that he sacrificed his own life to get time for his men to get away. There is a bare possibility that he was taken prisoner; but he has not been reported, and prisoners are not taken as a rule at a time like that. Probably when his revolver was empty he would be rushed, and shot or bayonetted by the Turks. I sent in a report of the matter to the General, and his gallantry was mentioned in orders but so far no reward has been named for him. There are numbers of other cases of bravery in my own Battalion alone, apart from what one hears of others, but I must bring this letter to a close.

 

Remember me very kindly to Mr. and Mrs. Goldsworthy, Mr. Lyons, Mr. Mott, and all other Essendon friends whom I trust to see before another year is out. During the retirement I slipped while descending one of the valleys and ricked my leg rather badly, with the result that I have been in hospital for over two weeks. I am, however, mending rapidly, and will soon be back with the boys. I was greatly interested in your account of the recruiting campaign, and in the patriotic efforts of the Essendon people. The results are splendid.

 

Egypt, February 3, 1916.

 

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I have your letter of the 17th Dec., 1915, and was very interested to hear your news. We are having a fairly easy time at present. I am not permitted to disclose our exact whereabouts. With regard to those you ask particulars of, viz., Sergeant G. F. Greig, Private A. J. McArthur and Private E. Danaher, I may say, concerning Greig, that about six months ago I wrote to Mrs. Greig and gave a full report of his death. I regret very much if my letter miscarried. Sergeant Greig went through the landing safely and distinguished himself by his coolness and gallant bearing. He was promoted to be Company Sergt. Major, vice C.S.M. Baker, severely wounded. He accompanied the regiment to Cape Helles, and joined in the famous charge of the 2nd Brigade, under Colonel McCay. He had a curious premonition of his own death before going into action. He went to his officer, 2nd Lieutenant Bastin, before going into action, shook hands, and bade him "Good-bye." "I am going out this time," he said. Bastin said, "Nonsense, don't talk like that," but Greig replied quite seriously but calmly, "No, I feel that I am going to be killed. The advance was immediately ordered, and Greig and his officer went forward with the front line. The line paused for a moment or so at the most advanced British trenches, and then at the Brigadier's command, once more sprang forward. About 100 yards beyond this trench Greig dropped dead, shot through the brain, never even moving again. It may comfort his people to know that, facing his death so gallantly and well, he died instantly and painlessly. Had he lived, he would have undoubtedly been promoted to commissioned rank. Owing to his death, his promotion to Company S.M. was not ,I believe, confirmed in Battalion orders as it should have been, but the then Commanding Officer, Colonel Gartside, was killed; the Adjutant, the Signalling Officer, and all the original officers except two were struck down in the charge; and all the papers were lost. If there were any dependents, and, the question of his rank is raised, I shall be glad to obtain evidence of his promotion.  

 

Private Danaher was in one of the three leading boats on the day of the landing. He was not one of the oars men, and was consequently facing the enemy. He received a machine gun bullet in the face, just above the mouth. The bullet passed out of the back of his head, and he fell forward, dead without making a sound.   Private McArthur was in the same boat, and was one of the crew. The boat was caught in the machine gun fire, and a bullet passed clean through his neck as he rowed, and then through his thigh, severing the artery. Sergeant Bastin, the Platoon Sergeant, saw the blood spurt out, and attempted to rise to render first aid, but was so encumbered by the bodies of the fallen, that he could not get to his feet. McArthur saw his face and read his intention. "Don't bother with me, Sergeant,"- he called out "I am done for," and it was so. In about four or five minutes at the outside, he fell forward dead but until death relaxed his grasp on the oar he kept on rowing and keeping the stroke. He was a member of the Essendon Rifles - a Sergeant--and I am proud indeed of him and the manner of his death, which deserves to be recorded in the annals of his regiment for all time. As I wrote to you in an earlier letter, he was not alone in his heroic determination. Several others, rowing with their backs to the fire were hit again and again, yet never ceased to row till they dropped dead at the oar. Thus they kept the machine guns busy and by their determination and heroism in keeping on thus unswervingly into the teeth of this terrible fire, they saved the other boats from appreciable loss. You can congratulate McArthur's parents on his magnificent heroism. If death in battle be a glorious end, then to the very fullest extent was this glory won by this brave little cheery red-haired laddie.    It is heart-breaking to think that it  is all wasted now, for want of a few extra tons of shells. I have now almost completely recovered from the accident to my leg, and the boys are in good form again.

 

A number of other Essendon boys have recently joined us. I hardly know them yet, but Rogerson and Ryan I have seen. One of the old boys, Sergeant Durham, volunteered for the Camel Corps, and was accepted. I was sorry to lose him, but it offered prospects, of advancement, so I could do no less than help him along.  

 

Kindest regards to all Essendon friends.

 

ESSENDON'S BRAVE BOYS. (1916, March 9). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 4 Edition: Morning.. Retrieved January 26, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74592204

*  The details of this officer's medical condition and movements in hospitals match the record of Col H E Elliott.

[1] 1062 Cpl Frederick Wright of Elsternwick, aged 26. died 8/8/1915.

 

 

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Essendon Gazette 4 May 1916

 

OUR SOLDIERS  

 

The following is the text of a speech   delivered by Lieut.-Col. H. E. Elliott,  at a dinner given in honour of his promotion:-

 

Lieut.-Col. H. E. Elliott, upon relinquishing command of 7th Battalion,   on promotion, desires the following message to be communicated to all ranks:-  

 

Officers, N.C.O.'s and Men of the 7th Battalion:

It is with the utmost Is regret I am obliged at length to sever to my official connection with all who   have served under me in this unit. At an address which I delivered to officers and N.C.O.'s of the Battalion at  Broadmeadows very shortly after its formation, I expressed the opinion that the material from which the regiment was formed was identical in character with that from which Oliver Cromwell formed his famous Ironsides, whose proud boast it was, after 15 years of service, that during that  period no enemy had ever seen their backs. I asserted it rested with the officers and N.C.O.'s to make from that material an army equal to that of Cromwell's. I pointed out that it had been said Australia would never submit to discipline. I asserted that, to the contrary, provided that the reason for discipline was given and understood, they would cheerfully and an eagerly submit to it. I can give you no greater praise than to assure you that you have fulfilled in every respect the expectations I then formed   of you. You have cheerfully submitted to the severest discipline imposed on any regiment in the Australian army, recognising that it was imposed for no capricious desire for punishment, which is distasteful to me; but with a deliberate intention of making you the best regiment in that army. I have been especially severe on absentees without leave. I have done this deliberately because, in the first   instance, an absentee, without leave is a shirker on those of his comrades who do his work during his absence, and as such deserves no sympathy; and, secondly and, mainly, because I have always had before my mind the shocking examples furnished by the American armies in the Civil War of 1860,   where, in a force similar in all respects to ours, until very severe repressive measures were adopted, thousands systematically absented themselves without leave, even at the gravest  emergencies. The battle of "Bull's Run", in fact, was lost by the Federal army, because upwards of 20,000 men were absent without leave on the day of the battle. It would be boastful to assert that we have become the best regiment in the Australian army, but let these facts speak for themselves: Up to date we have, as shown by official records, suffered over 100 casualties in killed and wounded more than any other battalion, one only excepted; and this we lead by over 50. Yet today there is no regiment more efficient and ready for service than the 7th. Moreover, in spite of the fact that, owing to the whole of the senior officers of the 7th Battalion being disabled from death or wounds on the day of the landing at Gallipoli, although our total casualties were  greatest, no recommendations were made for the many gallant acts performed by members of the Battalion on that day, whilst in other regiments  many rewards were granted; and that at Krithia also, where our casualties were greatest, no full recom........

 

Yet our men have achieved greater rewards than any other battalion. You have never yet failed to accomplish any task set you.  With the assistance of the officers of the battalion, I have drawn up a reorganisation scheme to form the nucleus of the 59th Battalion. Though it will be hard for those named for transfer, as it is for me, to sever their connection with the 7th, I appeal to them to put their sentiment aside and firmly resolve to make the old 7th proud to tell that the 59th Battalion sprang from this Battalion. Let each regiment give a cheer when it meets the other in the field or on the march, and feel proud to know each one wherever they meet.  To each and all of you, I tender my sincerest thanks for the cheerful readiness with which you have always carried out my commands and wishes,   in the camp, in the trenches or on the field. I desire no better compliment, praise or reward.  

 

(Signed) H. E. ELLIOTT.  

Dated at Serapeum on the 15th day of February, 1916. 

 

OUR SOLDIERS. (1916, May 4). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 1 Edition: Morning.. Retrieved January 29, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74592817

 

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Essendon Gazette 21 Sep 1916

 

OUR SOLDIERS

 

A prominent officer, writing from France to Mr J F Henderson, says:

 

"The boys in our brigade have been grouped territorially, i.e.:-All the Bendigo men in the brigade are in one company, the Ballarat men form two companies and the Geelong boys are all together. The result has justified the movement already. Every man is amongst his own friends, and it was magnificent to watch them moving into battle. The Guards themselves could have done no better. The British brigades on our right and left are  full of admiration at the conduct of the boys. In all the brigade not a man wavered. The casualty lists will speak for themselves you see them.

 

We have just had on the 19th inst., a bloody engagement with the Germans. Another of the Essendon officers, Major G. G. McCrae (he was Capt of C Co. in Essendon) has gone. He was only 20 at the time, and was in command of the 60th Battalion, and in a few days would have been gazetted Lt-Col - one of the youngest to hold that rank in the Army. Capt. Jackson, - another of the Essendon Rifles officers - is also now Lt.-Col., but unfortunately his health is not good, and he is being invalided to England. Another Essendon Rifle officer, Capt Duigan, has succeeded Major McCrae in command of the 60th Battalion. Still another - Major Denehy - who had the Rifle Co at Rutherglen is now in command of the 58th Battalion. Capt Swift and others are still with the 7th Battalion. I have heard good accounts of them, particularly Bowtell-Harris, who is making a great name for himself.

 

The fighting was desperate, and I know Australia will be shocked when she gets the news. I think our own Division alone will have lost quite as many as we lost at the Dardanelles. The 60th Battalion, which was composed entirely of Melbourne men, and companies representing various suburbs, fought wonderfully well, as did the 58th Battalion of Brunswick, Northcote, Preston and outlying districts to ..... Those two Battalions led the way, and not even the charge of 8th Light Horse on Walker's Ridge at the Peninsula was better than the way wave after wave of them sprang over the parapets and dashed across the open. The 60th broke through the German lines and captured some prisoners, but owing to our heavy losses we were obliged to withdraw to our old lines and wait for the artillery to more completely pulverise the enemy's front.

 

Here,  just as at Gallipoli, the enemy places its machine guns very well, and he has heaps of them, and his use of them is particularly fiendish. They sweep and sweep again the plain of no man's land, while a wounded man raises arm or leg, and their only hope of existence is to lie like the dead around them. Last night they tried to entrap a sentry of ours. A man dressed in our uniform was wandering aimlessly about as if confused or blinded. At .... three of our men started out to .... him. When almost to him they were received with a volley from hid den German snipers close by, which forced them to retire, and we believe that the wounded man was either tied up there by those fiends to attract our men, or that it was one of their men dressed in our uniform, who was used to decoy our boys out into the open. Tonight we shall try to teach them a lesson.

 

OUR SOLDIERS. (1916, September 21). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 3 Edition: Morning.. Retrieved February 9, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74594199

 

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Essendon Gazette 23 Nov 1916

 

HONOURS FOR AUSTRALIANS. RUSSIAN ORDERS CONFERRED.

 

At the Essendon Council on Monday even ing. Cr. S. Pynor (Mayor) moved that the congratulations of the Council be conveyed to the relatives of Brigadier-General Elliott and Corporal S. F. Lumb, the recipients recently of Russian military honours, With regard to Brigadier-General Elliott the order conferred was known as that of St. Anne of Russia, and Corporal Lumb, whose relatives reside at Lorne street, Moonee Ponds, had been awarded the Russian Order of St. George. Cr. Cole seconded the motion, referring to the bond of sympathy that existed between the Essendon boys and Brigadier General Elliott, and expressing gratification at Corporal Lumb's recognition by the military authorities. The motion was carried unanimously.

 

The news regarding the distinction conferred on Brigadier-General Elliott was conveyed in a letter from the latter to Mr. J. F. Henderson, which enclosed the following congratulatory message received from General W. R. Birdwood:

 

"1st Anzac Corps,"

18th Sept. 1916.

"My dear Elliott,-Just a line to tell you how very glad I am to hear that you have been awarded the Order of St. Anne of Russia as a small recognition of all the real good work you have put in for us for many a long day now. My heartiest congratulations to you on it, and the best of good wishes.

"Yours sincerely,

"W.R. BIRDWOOD."  

 

HONOURS FOR AUSTRALIANS. (1916, November 23). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 6 Edition: Morning.. Retrieved March 18, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74600871

 

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FROM THE FRONT

 

The Essendon Citizens' Military Association has received a letter, dated 19th April, from France, from Brigadier-General H. E. Elliott, from which the following extracts are taken, viz.:

 

Dear Mr. Woods,

Your very kind letter of 5th February last duly reached me. It gave me very great pleasure indeed to hear from you, and to know that you are still carrying on the good work for which your Association was founded. I thank you and your executive very much for your congratulations and good wishes towards myself. We are all, indeed, longing to be at peace and home again. Nevertheless, our experiences of the last few weeks have more than ever established the fact that there can be no peace with the Germans until they have been utterly beaten. Forced to relinquish a part at least of the invaded territory, they have left such a waste and ruin as no army ever left be fore. In the villages which we occupied one after another, not a house or cottage stands or even a dove-cot remains. Even old historic ruins of no military importance of any kind - old windmills hundreds of years old - have all been deliberately blown up. The wells from which these poor people depended have been blown in and utterly destroyed, and those retained for use until the last moment fouled with nightsoil and stable manure or poisoned with lysol.

 

But what exasperated us all more than anything was the wanton destruction of orchards-particularly of old fruit trees trained along the walls. Had these walls been blown down and the trees destroyed with them no one could have made any comment, but some of these old stone walls take a lot of destroying, so they were left, but every tree - some of them must have been a hundred years old - was sawn through with cross-cut saws a foot or so above the ground. The reapers and binders and thrashing machines had their woodwork burned away and the cogs and wheels destroyed by small charges of high explosive. In short, everything that human brain or human ingenuity could carry out for the purpose of making the most utter ruin conceivable was thought of and carried out by the enemy. When we took Bapaume the Town Hall was fairly intact, and it was taken possession of by the Red Cross people. All went well for a few days, and then a clockwork mine went off and buried about 30 people in the ruins.   Our men are getting very bitter against the Germans at the way they are going on. 

 

In the recent fight my own brigade did especially well, and received the telegraphed congratulations of the Army General and the Commander-in-Chief, and each visited my Headquarters to express their appreciation of the boys' fine work. A number of machine guns were captured, and I hope to have at least two of these, with their mountings, deposited in your local Drill Hall. I am sure the presentation of these trophies, besides being a means of preserving them, would do a great deal towards the first three objects of your Association. That those objects have been achieved, to a great degree by your Association in the past is, I think borne out by the record of the Essendon rifle boys. I hope to make a full record of them all some day, and I am certain no citizen unit has anything like the record of the Essendon Rifles. If you ask why, I will say that it was greatly due to the efficient military training they got before the war. That efficiency was due to the fact that by the interest of the citizens of Essendon, and particularly of your Association in them, their training was made attractive to them, and the "Esprit de Corps," their love and honour for their unit was thus encouraged and stimulated.

 

I am well aware that the honours granted to me by the Czar and our own Sovereign are due entirely to the bravery and self-sacrifice of my men of the c? battalion, and more latterly of this brigade. That spirit does not come of itself. It had its beginning in the Essendon Rifles. They carried it to the 7th Battalion, who, few though they had become by this time,  carried the leaven with them to this brigade, and it quickened and it grew until there is no unit in all the A.I.F. that has the "Esprit de Corps" of this brigade. 

 

You may remember that I made a point of marching in the Essendon Rifles. Not so long ago a high British officer met one of my battalions on a road in France. That night he was lecturing to a school of officers on march discipline. He said: "Gentlemen. I have been out here since the commencement of the war. To-day I have seen an Australian battalion whose march discipline was perfect. It exceeded anything I have ever seen either in the British, French or any other army." I could never have got the same excellence of training but for the efficiency of the Essendon Rifles and for their officers,   N.C.O.'s and men who joined with me.   I should never have got this same excellence of training in this brigade but for  men who followed me to it. As I said before, it is to them and their "Esprit de Corps" I owe all the honours I have gained in this war, and whatever reputation I  may possess. Their "Esprit de Corps" I owe to you, Gentlemen, for the enthusiasm which you continue to display in the cause for which your Association was formed. You may well be proud of the results.

 

FROM THE FRONT. (1917, July 12). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 4 Edition: Morning. Retrieved May 19, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74603121

 

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