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Newall-H-R-Cpl-801 (redirected from Newall H R Cpl 801)

Page history last edited by Lenore Frost 2 months ago

Volunteers of Essendon and Flemington, 1914-1918

 

Lieutenant Harold Robert Newall,  best man

for his friend, Captain J R Greeves, taken in

France on 28 Dec 1918.  Detail from group

photo.  Courtesy of Mrs Barbara Germon.

 

Newall H R     Cpl    801    Harold Robert              31 Inf Bn    30    Importer    Single    C of E       

Address:    Ascot Vale, Mirams St, 12   

Next of Kin:    Newall, Robert, 12 Mirams St, Ascot Vale   

Enlisted:    5 Jul 1915       

Embarked:     A62 Wandilla 9 Nov 1915   

Awards:  Mentioned in Despatches

 

Lieutenant Harold Robert Newall

 

by Lenore Frost

 

Newall embarked for overseas service as a corporal on 9 November 1915, arriving at Suez on 7 Dec 1915.  31 Battalion embarked from there to join the BEF in Alexandria.  While at Ferry Post in Egypt, Newall was promoted to sergeant.  It was a further three months before the troops were embarked for France, arriving at Marseilles on 23 June 1916.

 

31 Battalion were moved up to Belgium, and on 16 July were billeted near Fleurbaix (Fromelles).  The following day they were to participate in an assault on German lines, but the attack was postponed until 19 July.  On this day the Battalion diarist recorded:

 

“Bombardment on both sides during the day.  Assault launched at 6 pm.  Enemy’s position captured and an attempt made to consolidate during the night”.

 

The next day, 20 July, he wrote “Both flanks were broken and a general retirement to our original lines was necessary.  Casualties very heavy.  Battalion withdrawn from front line and billeted at Fleurbaix”.

 

The Battalion strength, recorded on June was 30 Officers and 995 Other Ranks.  At the end of the assault at Fleurbaix, on 25 July 1916, the Battalion strength was 11 officers, 501 Other Ranks.

 

The AWM website in fact states that the 31 Battalion casualties at this time were 572, thus losing half of its strength.  The Battalion played no major offensive role for the rest of the year, though it did spend periods in the front line.   The diarist recorded on 25 July, after the devastation of their Battalion, that a board of officers was appointed to enquire into losses, and ‘also to dispose of deceased officers’ effects, Honours Rewards, etc.’    This was a shocking initiation into trench warfare  for Newall, having arrived in France only one month earlier, and into the trenches only two days before the battle. 

 

On 16 August 1916 Newall was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, and to full Lieutenant on 26 November of that year.

 

1917 was a comparatively quiet one for the Battalion, the only major engagement being Polygon Wood, near Ypres, Belgium on 26 September.

 

Newall took five days’ leave in Paris in June 1917, and in July was sent to England to join 8 Training Battalion at Hurdcott.  Further training was undertaken at the School of Musketry on Hayling Island, and with 14 Training Battalion at Codford.  It was April 1918 before Newall rejoined his Battalion in France.

 

31 Battalion remained mainly in reserve in 1918, but participated in the battle of Amiens on 8 August, and continued to press the retreating Germans throughout August and September. 

 

Australian troops of the 31st Battalion, 8th Infantry Brigade standing beside a captured

enemy train to which was attached a 28cm German railway gun, during the progress of the

Australian attack. Lieutenant H. R. Newall is on the left.  Harbonnieres, 8 August 1918.  AWMm E02781

 

The last major action of the Battalion was the attack on the Hindenburg Line across the top of the 6 kilometre long St Quentin Canal tunnel.  31 Battalion was resting and retraining out of the line when the war ended.  Harold was Mentioned in Despatches by Sir Douglas Haig on 8 November 1918.

 

Local Sportsman

Harold Newall was a member of both the North Suburban Cycling Club in Moonee Ponds and the Essendon Rowing Club. Between 1905 and 1907 he had a few mentions in various Victorian newspapers, competing in short distance cycle racing – at Broadford in the half mile race in 1905; in the ANA race of one and a half miles at Warragul in 1906; and an ANA 2 mile race and a one mile race at Melton in 1907.

 

From October 1913 Newall began to be noticed in senior coxed fours with the Essendon Rowing Club. In all races Newall was denoted as the stroke. This is an important position in the boat, seated at front of the crew, from whom the other rowers take their stroke rate.

 

At the 1913 Henley on Yarra Regatta, in the Steward’s Challenge Cup, Senior Fours, Essendon easily won its heat, going through to the final.   ‘Torrens took the trophy to South Australia after a hard struggle with Essendon, the race being in doubt until the last ten strokes. Won by a canvas’.[1]   Born in 1885, Newall was aged 28 at this encounter, and weighed in at 11 stone 5 pounds ( 72 kg).  He was five feet 8 inches in height.

 

In April 1914 at the Bairnsdale Easter Regatta in ‘boisterous weather conditions’, the Essendon senior four came second to Wendouree. Newall had dropped 5 lbs to 11 stone.[2]   

 

At the Annual General Meeting of the Essendon Club in October 1914, the report mentioned that at the Henley on Maribyrnong meeting, ‘This Regatta proved another success in every way from an oarsman's point of view. Some good racing was witnessed. The management diverged somewhat from previous regattas in holding the Four-oared event in conjunction with the Essendon and Footscray Rowing Clubs; two from each club in each boat. The diversion proved very satisfactory to all concerned. The winners from your club were H. R. Newall (str.), R. Mullett (2). Runners up: C. Mitchell (3), S. Park (2). Both winners and runners-up were the recipients of very handsomely-designed medals’.[3]

 

In the Victorian Pair Oar Championship, held on the lower Yarra in November 1914, Newall and his partner, A F Wishart, came in seventh in the coxed pairs.[4]

 

Probably Newall’s most significant achievement in seniors’ club rowing came at the Victorian Rowing Association’s Regatta held on the Yarra on December 1914. 

 

The chief race of the day, the senior fours, attracted six very evenly-matched crews, both heats being splendidly contested, but Essendon, the winners of the final, were undoubtedly the best crew, and H. R. Newall, the stroke, showed splendid judgment. The Banks crew, after winning their preliminary heat after a hard fought-out race, rowed disappointingly in the final. All these crews, with the probable addition of Nagambie and Ballarat, will meet next Saturday over a two and a half mile course for the champion four-oared race, and a very interesting contest should result.[5]

 

The Banks crew beaten by Essendon in this race included in its number Harry Ross-Soden, who later became a coach of the AIF Henley crews in 1919.

 

On New Year’s Eve at Nagambie, the Essendon senior fours, consisting of A F Wishart, G Sullivan, A S McGregor and H R Newall (stroke) won their race by a length and a half.

 

In an Albert Park Regatta in February 1915, with his pairs partner A F Wishart in the crew, the Essendon senior fours won easily against the Civil Service crew.  At this point Newall’s weight was noted at 11 stone 12 lbs (75 kg).  

After a successful day’s racing at Geelong in February 1915, the Essendon Gazette reported:

 

The Essendon Club had a most successful day, winning the Senior Eight, Maiden Eight and Maiden Four. In the Senior Eight they got off to a good start, and Essendon were the first to show out from Albert Park and Ballarat, and at the half mile had a good half length, with Albert Park and Ballarat about level. This order was maintained till about 150 yards from home, when Ballarat threw out a challenge and began to move up. The rowing of all crews was beautiful at this stage. Essendon to a man responded to the call of their stroke to quicken, and "took her home" by the margin of half a length amid the tumultuous cheering of their supporters on the bank. Mr. H. R. Newall was lifted out of the boat and duly chaired to the dressing sheds. The personnel of the crew was R. Jackson, 10st. (bow); J. Grieves, 11 st. 2lbs. (2); A. Kelly, 10st. 8lbs. (3); J. Richardson, 11st. (4); A. F. Wishart, 12st. 3lbs. (5): G. Sullivan, 13st. 6lbs. (6); F. McGregor, 13st. 10lbs. (7); H. R. Newall, 11st. 12 lbs. (stroke); W. Irving, cox. [6]

 

Within weeks this champion crew had broken up, and never rowed together again.  

 

Australians learnt of the crushing casualties at Gallipoli in May 1915, and many young men rushed to enlist to avenge their mates when recruitment recommenced some weeks later.  It is notable that six of the nine men in that boat enlisted in the AIF in July 1915:

 

Lieutenant W A Kelly enlisted on 12 July 1915 with 6 Inf Bn, and was killed in action in Belgium in September 1917;  Sergeant R E Jackson enlisted on 14 July 1915 and served in the 31 Inf Bn;  Sergeant J Grieves enlisted on 12 July 1915, and served with 14 Inf Bn;  Sergeant A F Wishart, Newall’s partner in pairs, who enlisted on 5 July 1916,  served with the AASC; W Irving the cox, who is unidentified as yet; and of course Harold Newell.

 

Henley Peace Regatta, 1919

Newall had one further rowing career highlight, undoubtedly his most significant one, after the war had ended, when he rowed with an Australian crew at the Henley Peace Regatta on Thames in 1919.

 

“ROWING.

THE KINGS GOLD CUP

Oarsmen throughout the Commonwealth will (says a Melbourne exchange) learn with much satisfaction that success has attended the efforts of the Victorian Rowing Association to secure the King's Cup as a perpetual trophy for the inter-State eight-oared race. This historic trophy, which is a handsome gold cup, was presented by His Majesty for the eight-oared race at Henley peace regatta on the Thames in 1919. The race was open to crews of the armies of the Allies and America, France, Cambridge University, Oxford University, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia (two crews) were represented. The two AIF crews were drawn in the first heat, the No. 1 crew, stroked by Captain H C Disher, of Melbourne University Boat Club, being the winners, the No 2 crew was stroked by Lieutenant H R. Newall, of the Essendon Rowing Club.

 

 The combined AIF rowing crews, taken in May 1919.  Newall is in the back row,

second from the right. Captain Disher is seated in front of Newall, at the end of

the middle row. Australian War Memorial Collection, D00643.

 

 

In the semi-final the Australians defeated Cambridge, after a desperate race, and in the final on 5th July they defeated Oxford by a length, in 7 min 7 sec which was the fastest time of any race during the regatta. After the cup was presented to Captain Disher it was taken charge of by the military authorities, who claimed it for the War Museum.

 

On their return to Australia, the members of the winning crew, who hailed from five States of the Commonwealth expressed a desire that the cup should be made a perpetual trophy for the inter-State race. The inter State rowing conference at Brisbane last year endorsed the proposal, and approached the Defence Department with a view to securing the cup. The War Museum committee, however, contended that the crew was not entitled to the cup which was to be placed in the War Museum despite the fact that it was not a war trophy. The War Museum committee also decided to seek the concurrence of His Majesty in its action in retaining the cup for the museum. The secretary of the VRA Mr E Kenny, then had a petition prepared and signed by Captain Disher, setting out all the facts. The petition concluded with a request that His Majesty might indicate his wishes as to the disposal of the cup. Advice has just come to hand that His Majesty desires the cup to be utilised as a perpetual trophy for the annual eight-oared championship of Australia.

 

Whilst highly delighted with the result of their efforts, prominent members of the VRA consider it regrettable that they should have been compelled to appeal to His Majesty in a manner such as this. They contended all along that the trophy was the property of the crew, and, being won after the armistice was not a war trophy. Moreover, the VRA suggested to the War Museum committee that the cup be held in the War Museum for eleven months of the year, and taken out for the month in which the race is rowed, going round to each State in turn; but even this proposal was rejected”.[7]

 

AIF No 2 Crew

Standing: Cpl JK Cogle (6), Sergt EJ Harrison (3), Sergt GM Penny (2), Lieut H Ross-Soden (coach),

Lieut HA White (4), Major WA Audsley, DSO (5). Seated: Gunner JA Begg (7), Lieut HR Newall (str),

Lieut O J Wood (cox), Lieut J Howieson (bow). Source:  History of Australian Rowing.

 

A very detailed and absorbing account of the AIF rowing crews that were formed in 1919 to compete at the Henley Peace Regatta  can be read at the History of Australian Rowing website, written by Andrew Guerin.    Guerin explains the exhaustive process gone through to select two AIF teams, with the whole of the AIF from which to recruit - in theory.  In practice, men were keen to return home, and others could not always be released from their duties to join the training squad.  Nevertheless, it was a considerable achievement for Harold to have been selected to row in a representative crew for the AIF.

 

 Henley, England. July 1919. The Australian second eight rowing crew in

training on the Thames, in preparation for the Royal Henley Regatta in July 1919.

Lieutenant Newall is directly in front of the cox in the stroke position. AWM D00714

 

The final of the Henley Regatta was held on 5 July 1919, the fourth anniversary of the day that Harold enlisted in the AIF. The No 2 crew was unlucky in that it was drawn in the first heat with the No 1 AIF crew.  The No 1 crew was the stronger one, so the No 2 team had no further opportunity to compete against the other allied rowing crews at Henley

 

The Australian Crew won the Henley Regatta King's Cup.  The King's Cup is still the Australian Rowing Championships' Perpetual Trophy.

 

Newall,  again as stroke of the AIF No 2 team, also participated in an Inter Allied Regatta held in Paris on 17 and 18 July 1919.

 

Newall's service record shows that on 14 March 1919 he was sent from France to AIF Headquarters in London, and shortly afterwards attached to the Sports Control Board for duty - in this way he was detached from his Battalion to participate in training and racing for the King's Cup, and later the Allied Regatta in Paris.  He returned from the Paris Regatta  on 21 July 1919, and three days later was married in the Tisbury Parish Church, Wiltshire,  to Violet Lilian Gauler, aged 24.  Newall by this time was aged 34.  He was granted indefinite leave until space was found on a ship, and he and his bride then returned to Australia on the Osterley, arriving on 27 September 1919.  His appointment was terminated on 5 January 1920.

 

Harold returned to his pre-war occupation of importing. He and Violet lived in Market St, Essendon for many years.

 

_____________________________________

[1] The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931)  Monday 27 October 1913.

[2] Bairnsdale Advertiser and Tambo and Omeo Chronicle (Vic. : 1882 - 1918) Friday 17 April 1914.

[3] Flemington Spectator (Vic. : 1914 - 1918) Thursday 10 September 1914.

[4] Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1914 - 1918) Saturday 21 November 1914.

[5] The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954)  Saturday 12 December 1914.

[6] The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918) Thursday 25 February 1915. 

[7] The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954) Saturday 6 August 1921 

 

Sources: 

Australian War Memorial - Embarkation Rolls, Unit War Diaries

Australian Electoral Rolls

History of Australian Rowing

National Archives of Australia - service records.

National Library of Australia - Trove for digitised newspapers.

 

 

Mrs. R. Newall, of Ascot Vale, has received a cable message from her son, Sergeant H. R. Newall, stating he has received his commission. Prior to enlisting, Leutenant Newall was a well-known member of the Essendon Rowing Club.

 

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 9, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74594135

 

Mentioned in this publication:

The Oarsmen: The Remarkable Story of the Men Who Rowed from the Great War to Peace, by Scott Patterson.  Hardie Grant, Melbourne, 2019.

Send-off by the North Suburban Club, in the Essendon Gazette  14 Oct 1915.

 

War Service Commemorated

Essendon Town Hall L-R

Ascot Vale State School

Essendon Rowing Club

North Suburban Cycling Club

St Pauls Anglican Church, Ascot Vale

Essendon Gazette Roll of Honour With the Colours

Regimental Register

 

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