2015 Newsletter
ISSN 1035-7343
LEETON FAMILY & LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY INC
Unveiling Memorial to Herbert Fanstone
(Family together with Rod Steedman & CMDR D Woods)
MEETINGS HELD: Third Thursday of each month – 10.30am (No Meetings January)
WHERE: Leeton Shire Library – Local History Room
MEMBERSHIP: Joining Fee: $5.00 Single – $15.00 Family – $20.00
OFFICE BEARERS:
President: Wendy Senti
Vice President: Margaret Knight
Secretary: Helen Anderson
Treasurer: Karleen Reilly
Librarian: Lyn Middleton
Public Officer: Lyn Middleton
Research Officers: Wendy and Karleen
Publicity/Newsletter: Wendy, and Others.
Committee: Executive plus others.
BDM’s Mary Williams
RESEARCH ENQUIRIES:
Only enquiries enclosing S.S.A.E. will be answered. A minimum charge of $15 for each enquiry.
Non Members may submit Research Inquiries to the Newsletter – cost $2.
The Newsletter is produced –May/June – cost $3.
Email: leetonfamilyandlocalhistory@gmail.com
Find us on Facebook: Leeton Family & Local History Society Inc.
AIMS & OBJECTIVES:
To Promote Family & Local History Research
To purchase materials to assist our members to trace their family trees.
To collect early records, photographs and information of Leeton Shire (and the surrounding irrigation area).
To assist in educating the public of the importance of preservation of early history.
ATTENTION:
Articles appearing in this Newsletter MUST NOT BE REPRODUCED without the written permission from the Leeton Family & Local History Society Inc.
DISCLAIMER:
LEETON FAMILY & LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY INC ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INFORMATION PROVIDED OR THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS NEWSLETTER.
FOR SALE:
Leeton Farm Registers Microfiche – P O A
Irrigation Recorder Film – P O A
Index to BDM’s -(extracted from Murrumbidgee Irrigator)
1915-1950 $32-50 includes post & handling
1951-1975 $37.50 includes post & handling
1976-1999 $34.50 includes post & handling
All three Indexes posted together $90.
Applications for Employment W C & I C 1911-1922 $10 + P & H
Leeton–Whitton Cemetery Transcriptions & Burial Records 1913-2000 $30 + P & H
Leeton 100 Years – Thanks for the Memories (343 page pictorial book pub 2013) $35 + $15 P&H
Yearly Calendars (Current year $15 all others half price)
ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO POST OFFICE BOX 475 LEETON NSW 2705
We acknowledge our Logo has been adapted from a © design by Don Graham
NEW ROOMS:
Our Society has been offered a room at the library to establish our Local History Room. We will be moving into this room as soon as we can move our collection and once it is organised we will open for the general public for a couple of hours each week at an agreeable time with the library.
CENTERARIES:
We have several organisations celebrated or are going to celebrate 100 years of existence during 2015.
The St Josephs Catholic Church held a dinner to celebrate their centenary whilst the St Peter’s Anglican Church held a bell ringing to reign in their 100 year celebration of services held in Leeton.
The local Show Society will be celebrating their 100th show in October as well as Wamoon Public School holding a Reunion weekend over the long weekend in October for past and present students.
LEETON’S HIGHEST DECORATED SERVICEMAN
Walter Ernest Brown VC DCM
Service No 1689A + NX35492
Born 3 July 1895 New Norfolk Tasmania the son of Sydney F & Agnes M (Carney) Brown. After attending school inTasmania he worked as a grocer until 1911 when the family moved to Petersham NSW where he remained in similar type of work until enlisting on 11 July 1915.
He was initially assigned to the 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment at Tel-el-Kebir, before being transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps in Egypt January 1916. After being transferred to France he was assigned to the 55th Battalion, taken on strength and transferred to the 20th Battalion at Kebir in July 1916.
He served in the 1st and 2nd Field Butcheries in May 1917 when again the unit was taken on strength. His transfer back to the 20th Battalion took place in July 1917 and he joined them in Belgium while they were stationed in the line around St Omer. During September and October 1917, Brown took part in the fighting around Passchendale and it was for his actions during this time that he was later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
On 19 October he was promoted to Lance Corporal and was later wounded with slight gunshot wound to the head. He was transferred to the clearing centre at Calais and on his return to his unit shortly after on 7 April 1918 he was promoted to the rank of Corporal.
On 6 July 1918 at Villers-Bretonneux, France he performed the deed for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross: ‘Brown had rushed a machine-gun post armed with a hand grenade, taking one officer and 11 men prisoner under heavy machine-gun fire’.
In August 1918 he was wounded and attended the clearing centre at Rouen for treatment before being transferred to a Repat Hospital in England to convalesce.
After this incident Brown remained at the front until the end of the war, and despite being wounded again in August for the second time with a gunshot wound to the knee, he attended the clearing centre at Rouen for treatment. On his return to the unit on 13 September 1918 he was promoted to sergeant. In October he returned home to Australia on furlough. After non Military employment leave in England for the Bioscope Operating training he rejoined his 20th Battalion in France.
He returned on the ‘Nestor’, was repatriated before being discharged on medical grounds in February 1920 where he returned to civilian life. Brown went to live in Sydney, New South Wales and during this time undertook a number of different lines of work up until 1930 when he moved to Leeton to take up a position as a water-bailiff in the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission until he re-enlisted in the 2nd WW in 1940.
Brown lied about his age claiming to be born 1900; enlisted as a gunner under his real name in the 2/15th Field Regiment Royal Australian Artillery and declared he had no previous military experience hoping to avoid attention as he wanted to be in action on the front line. Although his identity became public knowledge, the military authorities allowed him to continue serving. He was briefly promoted to lance-sergeant, but requested to revert to the rank of gunner. His unit was sent to Malaya in August 1941 where they were attached to the Australian 27th Brigade, and then to Singapore in February 1942 following the Japanese attack on Malaya where he was reported missing on 28th. He is believed to have been killed in action on that date, although his body has never been recovered.
His Memorial is at Kranji War Cemetery in Singapore.
OUR ANZACS
Leeton Veterans who appear on our War Memorial and were lost during WW1 while serving at Gallipoli
Ralph Ernest BAILEY Service No 248
Born c1892, Winchester Hampshire England.
Son of W C Bailey Hampshire England (and later Bendigo Vic).
On 18 August 1914 he enlisted in the 4th Btn Ambulance Imperial Force ‘C’ Co. and Embarked for duty overseas on Euripides on 20 October 1914.
On 4 April 1915 he was promoted to Lance Corporal.
On 25 April 1915 he was wounded in action near the Dardanells.
From wounds received in action at Gallipoli, Ralph died on 27 April 1915 on board HMTS Lutzow.
Commemorated at Lone Pine Memorial Gallipoli.
Lone Pine Memorial
Charles F R BOSWARD Service No 958
Born c1889 Sydney. Father W G Bosward of Paddington.
Occupation – Clerk with WC&IC
He served with the 4th Btn ‘C’ & ‘F’ Company’s.
Enlisted 2/9/1914 and embarking on 20 October on ‘Europides’ the same year for service abroad.
He was promoted to Corporal on 4 April 1915 then Lance Sergeant on 4thAugust 1915 a few days before being wounded at ANZAC Cove on 13th August. He died the next day at the 3rd Field Ambulance station at Beach Base from his wounds, a compound fracture of the left leg received as his Btn was being relieved from the trenches by the 2nd Btn. He was buried in the Beach Cemetery at the Southern Point of ANZAC Cove by Rev J C McPhee.
Before enlisting he worked as an Officer with the WC&IC in Leeton.
Memorial plaque for Bosward at Anzac Cove. (D Pluis)
Beach Cemetery Anzac Cove.
494 Sgt John Alexander DIGBY Service No 494
Worked as an Officer in WC&IC Leeton Office.
Son of F S Digby who was Sub Manager & Clerk in Charge of Records in the Irrigation Commission in Leeton.
He enlisted in the 13th Battalion ‘E’ Company.
He was promoted to Sergeant on 2 October 1914 and was killed in action at Gallipoli on 3 May 1915.
His bodied was recovered and buried on 24.5.1915 in the trenches on the Gallipoli Peninsular by Chaplain W Grant.
Lone Pine Memorial Gallipoli.
959 Campbell James DITCHBURN Service No 959
Brother to William S Ditchburn who worked together at WC&IC Leeton.
Campbell enlisted on 2 September 1914 and embarked on the ‘Euripides’ on 20 October 1914 for active service at Gallipoli.
On 5 May 1915 he was killed in action on the Gallipoli Peninsular.
Lone Pine Memorial Gallipoli.
1940 Vernon Robert DOBBIE Service No 1940
b c1890 Brunswick Vic
He enlisted at Liverpool on 26 January 1915 and gave his NOK as his brother S E Dobbie of Farm 309 Leeton. He had served for eighteen months in the Wellington Engineers in NZ prior to enlisting .
He embarked on 25 June 1915 and served with the 1st Btn 1st Australian Division and transferred on 5 August to the 5th Reinforcements
He was severely wounded and died on 9th May 1915 and is buried at sea between Anzac Cove Alexandria and Malta.
Lone Pine Memorial Gallipoli.
1209 Morton Osborne DOUGLAS Service No 1209
Wife Susanna E H Douglas and they had two known children. Occupation stated as labourer.
He enlisted on 21 September 1914 and embarked to the war front on the ‘Europides’ on 19 October 1914.
On 11 May 1915 he was admitted to 4th Field Ambulance sick and when discharged 12th May he marched in for service in the Dardenelles.
He was serving with the 4th Btn ‘H’ Co when he was killed in action sometime between 6th and 9th August 1915 at Gallipoli.
He is buried in Lone Pine Memorial Cemetery.
He appears on Leeton’s Honor Roll published in the Murrumbidgee Irrigator of 11 June 1915 as being a recruit despatched from Leeton between the dates of 1/10/14 and 31/12/14.
Beach at Gallipoli
517 Hedley Vernon George KITCHIN Service No 517
Born in Tasmania
He enlisted on 17 September 1914 and embarked on 5 April 1915 on Troopship Galeka to the Gallipoli campaign.
He was a Lance Corporal when reported wounded on 25 April 1915, which was revised to wounded and missing the next day.
A Court of Enquiry held on 24.4.1916 found that Vernon Kitchin was Killed in Action on 25 April 1915 at Gallipoli.
Lone Pine Memorial Gallipoli.
761 Albert Edward MEGGY Service No 761
b 1894 Paddington NSW the son of Percy & S M Meggy
He enlisted at Kensington NSW on 24 August 1914 and after training in Australia embarked for Gallipoli on 5 April 1915.
On 19 May he received gunshot wounds to his thigh and admitted to hospital in Mustapha. He rejoined his unit on 20 June on the Gallipoli Peninsular and sometime between 6th and 12th August was reported missing in action during the Lone Pine charge. At an enquiry he was found to have been killed during this time.
Lone Pine Memorial Gallipoli.
Alberts brother Douglas Acland Meggy who enlisted in June of 1915 and embarked to France was wounded and reported missing in July 1916.
At a Court of Enquiry he was found to have died in the field (KIA) between 22nd – 27th July 1916. He is buried at Pozieres British Cemetery.
White Cross at British Cemetery Pozieres
1631 Roy Gough SHEARER Service No 1631
He was born Jamestown SA.
He enlisted at Liverpool on 16 December 1914 and stated his next of kin as Sybil Shearer.
He embarked on 11 February 1915 for Gallipoli joining the 4th Btn 3rd Reinforcements on 25 May. Early in August he was wounded with gunshot wounds to his face, abdomen and arm. He was transported to the Hospital Military Ship ‘Delta’ at sea where he died on 7th August. He was buried at sea.
Lone Pine Memorial Gallipoli.
353 Eric Allan VANCE Service No 353
Clerk at C B C Bank of Sydney Leeton Branch. He enlisted at Randwick on 5 August 1914 the son of Captain E B M & J B Vance. He embarked 5th April for the Gallipoli campaign.
On 1 March he was promoted to Lance Corporal. By early May 1915 he was reported missing.
At a Court of Enquiry held on 24 March 1916 he was pronounced killed in action on or around 2nd May 1915.
His bodied was recovered and buried at Baby 700 Cemetery North East of ANZAC cove.
Eric’s father Capt EBM Vance (who was the first Doctor in Leeton)
Baby 700 Cemetery Anzac Cove
1295 Clement Wallace WALTER Service No 1295
b Candelo NSW the son of George C & Jessie J Walter of Moruya and Condobolin.
He enlisted at Randwick on 1 September 1914 and embarked on 20 October to the Gallipoli Peninsular serving in the 3rd Btn ‘B’& ‘G’ Co’s.
On 1st May 1915 he was promoted to Lance Corporal and whilst serving on the Dardenelles 19th May was killed in action.
He was buried in 22nd Parade Ground Cemetery by Rev W McKenzie. Later the body was exhumed and reburied at 4th Btn Parade Ground, a half mile to the east of Anzac Cove Gallipoli.
4th Btn Parade Ground Cemetery
343 Thomas WILLOUGHBY Service No 343
b Myrtleford Vic the son of John Willoughby.
On his enlistment papers he stated his occupation as butcher. He enlisted at Rand SA.
After Training in the Military Forces he joined the 1st Btn, was posted as Private and embarked for service overseas.
On 21 May 1915 he received a gunshot wound to the skull and died as a result of the wounds on the Hospital Ship Galeka positioned off the cove. He was buried at sea by Chaplain F J Mills.
Hospital ship ‘Galeka’
(Acknowledgement: Several photos in this article from various online sites)
Known Leeton Veterans That Came Home from Gallipoli
Arthur T Adams ‘MM’ Service No 752
Henry Jack Aliendi Service No 641
Kenneth Bain Armstrong Service No 339 WC&IC employee
Richard Earl Barker Service No 679
Frederick P H Barrett Service No 1383
Olaf Murray Barker Service No 467
John Victor Bias Service No 1750 WC&IC Employee
Michael J Broadhurst Service No 252 Farm 1088, 1921-28 & Farm 1031, 1927-37
Roderick C Brown Service No 1021
Angus B Bullock Service No 853
L/Cpl James R Browne Service No 1323 WC&IC employee Farm 1157, 1922-37
Lt Col William T Charley Farm 137
Marcus R Clarke Service No 582 Farm 1224 1922-40
Joseph Coelli Service No 1820
John Croll MM DCM Service No 3609
Richard Parker Crozier Service No 1506 Farm 1100 1921-29 then to Griffith
Gustaff (George) Dahlstrom Service No 1322
Gideon F Dare Service No 1507
Robert T Davidson Service No 657 WC&IC employee
Reginald E Dexter Service No 548
William E (Bert) Ekin Service No 1132
Oliver C Freudenstein Service No 6754 Farm 1701 1930-37
Archie L Fullgrabe Service No 3523
Herbert A Gaynor Service No 1671
Cpt Walter Richard Gilchrist Service No 208 WC&IC employee
Harold G Hansen Service No 1334
Tpr. William Joseph Hazleton Service No 328 Farm 1051 1922-37
William Thomas Henham Service No 2621
Cpl. Christopher Holt Service No 730 Farm 1451 1922-56
Dvr. Hugh Mack Jenkins Service No 2438 Farm 1441 1922-36
Hugh P McElvogue Service No 552
Lt Randolph G F McMahon Service No 1029
John Maley Service No 44
Hector Markey Service No 3207 Farm 968 1921-26
Frank H Marks Service No 32321
John Innes Noad Service 67443 Farm 1118
Harry Paine Service No 1169 Farm 1119, 1922
Sydney Thomas Randall Service No 4883
Sgt Kenneth B Rogers-Harrison Service No 181 Farm 1132, 1921
Thomas Roycroft Service No 2012
William H Sayers Service No 1099 Farm 929, 1920-28 & Farm 1468, 1930-47
Henry L Shea Service No 331
William R Simpson Service No 374
Pt John Alex Stewart Service No 2679
1208 Alfred S West Service No 1208
Herbert West Service No 662 Farm 1575
Sgt Roy I Wunsch Service No 918
Other known Gallipoli Veterans who lost their lives during WW1 who had some association with Leeton.
Charles W Baker Service No 106 KIA France
John V Bias Service No1750 KIA France
George Melrose Service No 2035 KIAGallipoli
Following two are probably on Narrandera Monument although listed in Murrumbidgee Irrigator Roll Of Honour 1916
Sgt Frank J Nicol ServiceNo 2707 KIA France
John P Sives ServiceNo 2228 KIA France
CEMETERY WALK
During Heritage Week we conducted a special event with the unveiling of a memorial for Herbert Fanstone the first Director of Naval Works for the Australian Government and a cemetery walk featuring WW1 veterans.
We liaised with the Navy who made funding available and along with a donation from our Society and family members, a fitting memorial has been erected on the unmarked grave.
Cmdr Desmond Woods and his wife represented the Navy, Rev Father Robert Murphy of St Peter’s Anglican Church, John Power representing Leeton RSL, Mayor Paul Maytom, Deputy Mayor George Weston, Rod Steedman ex Navy who liaised with the Navy on our behalf, members of our Society and some seventy visitors from many parts of the state gathered for the ceremony to bless the newly erected memorial.
Leeton RSL Sub Branch President, John Power laid a poppy on each of the veteran’s graves while Leeton RSL Sub Branch Women’s Auxiliary President, Heather Whittaker laid rosemary.
Information on Herbert H FANSTONE
Herbert Fanstone was born c1873 at Salisbury England the son of George & Elizabeth (nee Crooke) Fanstone.
After leaving school he was articled at Portsmouth, Hampshire as an Architect, Civil Engineer & Surveyor. He completed his five-year indenture in 1896.
He married Annie Lavinia Ursell at Gosport UK and they had one son – Douglas.
Prior to coming to Australia in 1910 he designed dockyards for the British Navy at Bermuda and Kingston in Jamaica before transferring to the Rosyth Naval Works on the Firth of Forth in Scotland.
Soon after arriving in Australia he was one of twenty in 1911, who applied for a position in the Naval Scheme within the Commonwealth Government. He was the successful applicant and was appointed as the first Director of Naval Works for the Commonwealth Government; thus the commencement of Naval activity in Australia. During his term he designed the Henderson Naval Base on Cockburn Sound Fremantle in 1913, extensions to the Flinders Naval Base at Western Port Bay, Melbourne & the Naval Base in Brisbane.
His career ended in 1916 as the result of an accident on Sydney Harbour when travelling in a motor launch travelling from Garden Island to Cockatoo dock yard when the launch collided with a vehicle ferry. As he was stooped over plans on a table in the launch the cabin came crashing down on his back and he and the coxswain, the only two on the launch, were thrown into the water. After they were rescued it was found that Fanstone had suffered damage to his spine which made him a semi-invalid so ending his career.
After his wife died he moved to the Leeton area in the early 1950’s living with his son and daughter in law but despite his injury got around until blindness forced him to become housebound.
He was an artist in water colours and some of his favourites were of the West Indies where he had worked prior to coming to Australia.
He died in 1964 at the grand age of ninety one years.
(A little bit of repetition but would like to include Commander’s address in full.)
Address given by CMDR Desmond Woods:
Unveiling Ceremony at Leeton Cemetery NSW – Sunday 26 April
Herbert Fanstone: Navy’s First Director of Works
Herbert Fanstone was born in Salisbury in Wiltshire in 1873. He completed his five years of indentured articles in 1896 and qualified as a Civil Engineer. He worked on the development of naval dockyards in Scotland, at Rosyth and in Jamaica. It would be hard to imagine two more different climates than the Firth of Forth and the Caribbean. Perhaps he enjoyed the warmth of the West Indies because in 1910 he migrated to Australia. His dockyard engineering expertise and experience were quickly made use of by the Commonwealth Naval Board who appointed him as a probationary Director of Naval Works in August 1911. He was the first to hold such a Commonwealth Government appointment in Australia.
His first project was the expansion of the old Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney Harbour. This was urgently needed because it was to become the maintenance repair dock for Australia’s first torpedo boat destroyers. One of these was built in UK, disassembled and shipped to Australia, partly to train dockyard men in how to assemble one. This new naval capacity was a nation building project of great significance to the young Commonwealth and the Navy. Two hundred thousand pounds was allocated for this new construction work at Cockatoo; an enormous sum in 1912.
Fanstone’s work at Cockatoo was supplemented by his designing of the Henderson Naval Base, Cockburn Sound, Fremantle. Admiral Henderson identified Australia’s need for a naval base in the West and it was Fanstone’s job to design one. He and Henderson confirmed the best location on Cockburn Sound. The Australian Marine Complex is now located there in the suburb named Henderson and is one of the largest ship building precincts in Australia.
Fanstone was also engaged in preparing the designs for what would become Flinders Naval Depot at Westernport Bay in Victoria. In winter this bleak location may have reminded him of his days in Scotland. The naval base at Westernport is now HMAS Cerberus the new entry training establishment for the RAN. It has been the front door of the Navy for generations of our sailors. He also did the preliminary work for a naval base at Brisbane. Clearly he was a man who was making a major contribution to the future of the RAN. He would have been reporting directly to Admiral William Creswell, the First Naval Member of the Commonwealth Naval Board of Administration. We now consider Creswell to have been the father of the RAN and Fanstone was a key member of his team.
His tenure was cut short due to a serious accident in April 1916 when the naval motor launch in which he was travelling between Garden Island and Cockatoo Dockyard collided with a vehicle ferry. The cabin of the launch crashed down on his back as he was examining maps. The resulting spinal injuries left him a semi-invalid and his career with Navy was over. His job required him to inspect the works that he was designing and planning and at a time when assistance with restricted mobility was not available he was unable to continue in his post.
The reputation of pioneers is often overtaken by those who come after them and enlarge on the work that they started. This seems to have been what happened to Fanstone. Because his career was cut short he did not receive due recognition that he was the guiding hand behind the Navy’s future dockyards and bases. Perhaps this would have been different if is he had been able to complete the work that he had started so well.
In this centenary period, 2014 – 2018, when we are remembering the RAN’s operations in WW1, we should remember that an Australian fleet needs dockyards and trained and dedicated workers. Our dockyards are strategic national assets in peace and war. Particularly during the Second World War in the Pacific 1942 – 45 our ships, and those of our allies, depended on Cockatoo dockyard where their battle damage was repaired so that they could return ready to renew the fight.
Herbert Fanstone made his contribution to preparing Australia for the wars at sea of the twentieth century. He lived long enough to have the satisfaction of seeing that he had laid the foundations of the Navy’s ability to do its job, which is now, as it always has been – to Fight and Win at Sea.
Navy is pleased to have been able to assist family and friends with overdue recognition of Herbert Fanstone’s work and a headstone for his hitherto unmarked grave.”
Unveiling ceremony. L-r Rev Father Robert Murphy, LF&LHS President Wendy Senti, John Power RSL, Rod Steedman, members public, Mrs Woods and Cmdr Desmond Woods (in uniform) and Fanstone family members.
Following this ceremony, members of LF&LHS conducted their cemetery walk featuring servicemen and women who served their country, returned to our shores and are now buried in Leeton cemetery.
Family members present were invited to step forward and place small posies in remembrance of their loved ones.
The posies contained: a sprig of Pine to represent the Lone Pine, Gum Leaves for Australiana, Fern for New Zealand, Wheat a symbol of Australia, Rosemary for remembrance, Red Poppy for Flanders poppy found in the fields where our soldiers fought and Rice as our local symbol.
The following are excerpts of stories from each of the graves we visited.
Alfred Richard W BALDING
Service No 95400 (WW2 NX36632) Born 1899He was only nineteen years old in 1918 when he enlisted at Narrandera. He trained for several months at the Recruits Depot at Broadmeadows in the 1st Depot Battalion. He embarked for the front but the ship was recalled due to the war ending and he was discharged on 29 December 1918.
After the war he leased Farm 133 where he had a dairy cow and grew things to become self sufficient. He sold milk to his neighbours to earn money to buy other things he couldn’t grow. He married Myra Wall and they had a large family. He was granted Farm 272 Leeton.
He re-enlisted for service in the WW 2 at Wagga in 1940 and served overseas and was known to be in the Middle East in 1941. He died in 1963 aged 64 years.
Bernard Leonard ‘Len’ REILLY
Service No 11527He was born 1893 Newmarket, Cambridge England to parents Edward John Reilly (hotel keeper) and Edith Emily Blanch Reilly (nee Chapman). He had two brothers, Harold & Cliff who both served in the navy and a sister Gladys.
At 15 he joined the Merchant Navy travelling around the world twice. He was on the Royal Mail Ship Tahiti a 7,585 ton ocean liner built in 1908 to carry mail as well as over 500 passengers and cargo. When war broke out it became a troopship. He always told everyone he jumped ship in Sydney to see a world champion boxing fight, so his story goes.
Len enlisted in the Australian Army on 6 October 1915 at Holsworthy at the age of 23yrs, listing his occupation as seaman.
Two months later, he embarked at Sydney per HMAT ‘OSTERLEY’ on 15 January 1916 for service overseas with the 5th Australian Field Artillery Brigade.
During his service he was kicked by a horse in 1917 at Somme River, suffered Trench fever while serving in France, which at one stage landed him in Kitchener Hospital, Brighton UK for a month.
He also served at Ypres in France 1918.
He returned to Australia on the ‘Nestor’ on 20/3/1919 and Discharged medically unfit on 15 September 1919.
The Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area was being established when Len moved to the area to work for C R McKenzie & Co, widening the main canal in the early 1920’s. It was while he was working on the canal, that he met the lovely Edith Bessie Pepper who lived at Fivebough. They were married in Sydney, and had five children: Harold (Hal) WW11 veteran, Bernie (deceased), June (now McGregor), Ray (deceased) and Don (Vietnam veteran).
On returning to the area they purchased Farm 277 Yate Rd. Work for Len was at the WC&IC (Water conservation & Irrigation Commission) on ‘the gang’ maintaining the irrigation channels supplying the water to the farmers.
Following retirement from the WC&IC, Len sought ‘employment’ at Lanham’s garage keeping the workshop floors clean. Many stories were told, many yarns believed. He remained there until his late 80’s when ill health resulted in his second retirement. He died in Leeton Hospital in 1986 aged 93 years.
Private Thomas Darchy
Service No 4072He was born in 1880 at Tarcoola Station on the Darling River, Pooncarie NSW.
The Darchy family managed Tarcoola Station of some one million acres for the Phelph brothers & Australian Mortgage, Land & Finance Company from 1881-1918 until the lease ran out. The property was then divided up.
Thomas was the son of Michel & Fanny (Nee Moore) Darchy.
At 36 years of age, Thomas enlisted on 8/2/1917 in Sydney and embarked 16/5/1917 on the steamship ‘Beltana’ bound for the front arriving in Durban, South Africa on 13 July 1917.
He served with the 1st Pioneer Battalion 11th Reinforcements.
He received gunshot wounds to his right hand and his right leg twice whilst serving in France during 1918.
He returned to Australia in April 1919 and was discharged 9 June 1919.
The State Library of NSW holds Thomas’s war diary, describing his journey through the war from Jan 1917 to May 1919.
After Thomas came to Leeton from Deniliquin in the early 1920’s he took up Farm 504 at Murrami which he continued to work until his retirement to Wamoon where he died in 1952.
He lived an active life and was associated with many organisations connected with public life of the community and advancement and welfare of the district. He became a Director of the Leeton District Hospital, he served as Director on the Narrandera Pastures Protection Board, and was a Shire Councillor for ten years. He organised the Murrami Golf Club picnic tournaments and was involved with the Show Society donating a trophy for the sheep section in 1937. He was an active member of the Rice Growing Organisations holding various executive positions.
Thomas was a keen Anthropologist from the time he lived up the Darling and had met Mr R L Black a well known Leeton identity and fellow anthropologist who had visited stations along the river searching for Aboriginal artefacts. Tom collected many artefacts on R L Black’s behalf.
Thomas died in 1952 aged 72 years.
Tarcoola Homestead
Lieut Colonel William T CHARLEY
Gallipoli Veteran -Being a Commissioned Officer no numbers were allottedHe was born Ballarat, Vic c1871 His first wife was Mary Elizabeth Charley (d1925). His second Wife who he married in 1929 was May W Moggridge (Widow of late JWA Moggridge)
He attended Roseworthy Agricultural College SA where he was Dux in his final year. He moved to NSW where he lectured at Hawkesbury Agricultural College and worked on his brother’s Richmond property , Major Phillip Charley’s ‘Belmont Park Estate’.
He served in the South African Boer War.
Before enlisting in WW1 he was a founding member of the Hawkesbury Squadron of the NSW Lancers and was elevated to the rank of Captain.
He enlisted on 1st October 1914 at Liverpool and was to command A Squadron 6th Light Horse Brigade as Captain.
He sailed for Egypt with the 2nd Light Horse Brigade where he gained rapid promotion from rank of Captain to that of Lieutenant Colonel. He saw action in Gallipoli in 1915 and while there he invented an apparatus, known as the kangaroo rifle plate, which enabled riflemen to easily gauge the angle for firing at night. After attending the Imperial Inventions Board in England and explaining how to use it, his invention was adopted and used extensively. He also served in Palestine during 1916 and Egypt in 1918. In December 1918 he embarked from the Suez per H T Argyllshire bound for Australia.
On returning to the MIA from the war he took up Farm 137 ‘Merlegrove’ in the Stony Point area where he grew fruit trees as well as growing and harvesting fruit. He was involved in local organisations, as a Fruit-grower Representative on the Yanco Settlers Executive Board and was Vice President of the RS&SIL of A in 1922. He attended the local dances and was involved in fundraising for different organisations until his death in 1932 aged 64 years. He is buried beside his first wife Mary Elizabeth who died in 1925.
Henry NOLTE
Service No 6804 POWborn Albury NSW 1887 son of Henry F C Nolte(of German Descent) & Mary (nee Heffernan)Nolte of Farm 36 Leeton.
He enlisted on 2nd November 1916 at Cootamundra and embarked on 17th November with the 7th Battalion 22nd Reinforcements and proceeded overseas to France.
He was posted in the 67th Battalion in France on 28/4/1917 where they were taken on strength. He served with the 37th Battalion 3rd Division, and the 7th Btn.
On 30th August 1918 he was reported missing while in France. On the Frankfurt List it stated that he was wounded and was being held as a ‘Prisioner of War’. Whilst in Germany he had shrapnel removed from his body. By the end of November he was repatriated to England and returned to Australia on 16 March 1919. He had only limited flexibility in his arm from the gunshot wound that he suffered.
On his return to the MIA area he worked on his father’s property as a labourer.
He married Isabel Sangster in 1920 at Narrandera. They took up Farm 1176 but due to war injuries he was unable to carry on and was admitted to Randwick Repatriation Hospital where he passed away in September 1921 aged 34 years. The farm was forfeited in 1922.
Henry’s brother who was named Hans, had to produce five letters from various sources stating his loyalty to Australia because of his German name before he could enlist in the Army. He enlisted at Narrandera on 15 March 1918 at 19 years of age after first trying in May 1917. He served as a Gunman in the Trench Mortar Battery.
Sydney Thomas (Tom) RANDALL
Service No 4883 Gallipoli VeteranBorn on 28.4.1892 at Sittingborne, in Kent, England the son of Thomas & Annie (Fryer) Randall. His occupation was listed as Hospital orderly.
Before coming to Australia, Syd spent two years in the Kent Cyclist Battalion.
He enlisted in Perth on the 18 June 1915 and embarked on 25 June with the Australian Army Medical Corp.
On 30 August 1915 he transferred to Gallipoli where he served in the 1st Casualty Clearing Station (ACCS) between August and December of 1915 at Anzac Cove before the Gallipoli evacuations took place.
He transferred to the 1st Australian General Field Hospital in September 1915.
During his time working at the Military Hospitals he met Dr Alan F. Jolley who served as Colonel-in-Charge of the 9th Field Ambulance Brigade and when Syd returned to Australia to take up farming, who should his Doctor be, but Dr Jolley who started a practice in Leeton in 1920 soon after returning from the war. Dr Jolley went on to become the Government Medical Officer & Repatriation Officer until 1940. He also enlisted for WW2.
In March 1916 whilst serving in Northern France, Syd’s unit was taken on strength. He then proceeded from the 1st Australian General Hospital to Australian Casualty Clearing Station (ACCS) and served in the field at Armentieres, the Somme & Flanders.
In July 1917 whilst on furlough in England he transferred back to the 1st Aust Gen Hosp. During 1918 he continued working in the 1st Aus Gen Hosp but now at Rouen in France. Here they dealt with the general battle casualties.
In November, he was transferred to London for duty at the Luton Wardown VAD Hospital to assist with severely injured soldiers. The war casualties were bad with eight deaths in several days during his time there.
On 3rd December he was ordered to report to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford which was used as a casualty clearing station with some 1400 beds. The twenty-four nurses cared for some 1800 patients—many of whom were badly wounded.
Sister Jean Nellie M Walker of Tasmania acted as Matron when the hospital opened in 1916. She was awarded the Royal Red Cross (RRC) for her services to nursing. Grace Wilson from Qld was also Matron there for a time, she is also a very well decorated Sister receiving the RRC as well as in December 1918 she received the Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to nursing, hospitals and the war effort.
After spending time in hospital at Fovant in Wiltshire England, Tom marched out to the field on the 24 March 1919.
On his return to Australia on the troopship ‘China’, in May 1919 he was on the Medical Core Staff. He was discharged on 31 July 1919.
When Tom returned to Australia he was living at Drummoyne NSW and worked in a Munitions factory.
On moving to Leeton in 1923 he was granted Farm 1183 which proved to be too small and was deemed to be less than Home Maintenance size by 1938.
On 7th May 1938 Tom was granted Farm 1177 which had had a part surrendered and added to Farm 1195. Part of Farm 1176 had been added to 1177 in 1930 when owned by R A Struck who had lots of problems with seepage and frost destroying his vines.
In 1960 Tom purchased Farm 1173 near the Merungle Hill School which is still owned by a grandson to this day.
In Leeton in 1926, Tom married Mary Keely who was born in Wigan Lancashire Eng in 21.5.1901. The first Yanco Agricultural High School Headmaster Ernest Breakwell (1922-28) employed her to care for his three children as his wife was Matron and Supervisor of meals for students and teachers at the school.
He died in 1977 aged 85 years.
Herbert Henry ‘Harry’ SHELTON
Service No 3477Born 1893 Westminster London England. He married Dorothy M Cadman in 1926 and they had seven children. His mother was Jessie Shelton of Battersea England.
He came to Australia in 1909 as a Barnardo Boy with Wally Burnard, a well known Murrami relic.
Harry was working in the Old Junee area prior to his enlistment.
He enlisted 13 November 1916 aged 23 years and trained in ‘A’ Company 2nd Btn, as well as in 54th Battery C Coy & B Coy at Liverpool, prior to Embarking on the ‘Anchises’ in January 1917 for England.
He marched into Hurdcott Training Camp in England before proceeding to France in March 1917. In December his unit was taken on strength. In April 1918 he was sick and in hospital suffering from shell shock after a shell exploded close by while he was asleep in the trenches. He was in and out of field hospitals and finally admitted to Fulham Military Hospital in March 1918. From there he went to the 1st Australia General Hospital for recuperation.
In May 1918 he was discharged back to his unit and the following year returned to Australia on the ‘Leicestershire’ arriving at Domain Anzac Buffet Sydney 3rd May 1919.
He took up Farm 979 in 1922 after returning from the war then had Farm 1091, 1930-31 and Farm 1075 from 1935.
Though he and fellow Barnardo boy Wally Burnard lived and worked in different parts of the state and served in different battalions they ended up fifteen years later being neighbours at Murrami.
Harry died in 1969 aged 75 years.
His son was present to lay flowers of remembrance.
SGT Roy I WUNSCH
Service No 918 Gallipoli Veteranb 1893 Son of E Lewis Wunsch of Wagga. His occupation on enlistment was listed as Grocer.
Whilst at school he served in the School Cadets and after war was declared he was one of the first volunteers to enlist on 12 August 1914 at Randwick.
He embarked on 18th October 1914, en-route to the Gallipoli Peninsular. He was one of the original ANZACS landing at Mena camp before moving to Lemnos Island prior to the landing on Gallipoli.
Whilst fighting the Turks at the landing, he was wounded with shrapnel to the shoulder and he suffered a perforated eardrum. After treatment and a fortnight at Mena Camp he returned to the trenches in Gallipoli and on a charge to Lone Pine he was wounded in the left knee. He was admitted to No2 General Hospital in August of 1915 before being transferred to St Patrick’s Hospital in Malta. On 18 October 1915 he went to England to a convalescent camp at Epsom as the gunshot wound to the left knee was severe.
By February 1916 he returned to the field in France and in the July was promoted to Lance Corporal whilst in the Expeditionary Force. He was again wounded at Pozieres not long after his promotion and was transferred to hospital back in England where he spent five weeks recuperating.
He returned to the firing line in Broadseine Ridge at Ypres in October 1916.
In January 1917 he was promoted to Corporal then five months later to Sergeant.
He was wounded for the fourth occasion with shrapnel wounds to the right shoulder and again went to England to recover. He didn’t have much luck as he was injured for the fifth time in May of 1918 at Strazeele, Hazebrouck near Armentieres in France, this time in the leg by a high explosive shell. He was treated at Great Worley Hospital near London and was not allowed to return to France, so being invalided he returned to Australia in December 1918 on the hospital transport ship ‘Leicestershire’ and was discharged on 24 March 1919.
He returned to Wagga where his family lived where he was a keen fisherman and shooter.
He was the Manager of Trims Leeton until sometime in the 1950’s when he was replaced by Mr Hurst of Griffith. In the 1960’s when the Golden Apple opened their bigger store he worked as a cleaner until his retirement.
He was married and had a son (Qld) and a daughter who is now a Lawyer in Canada. ( His grandson Ken – who served in the Navy keeps in touch with Bill Barwick who placed flowers on the grave.)
He died in 1977 aged 83 years.
A copy of a letter written by Roy from his hospital bed at Mena Camp describing his time at the landing on Gallipoli Penninsular published in a Wagga Historical Society book.
Richard Earl BARKER
Service No 679 Gallipoli VeteranBorn in 1896 in Sydney. His parents were Edwin George & Sarah Barker who lived at ‘Euraba’ Farm 170 Stoney Point Leeton NSW.
He enlisted on 22 August 1914 and posted as Private Barker in the 1st Battalion. He embarked on HMAT Afric landing in England on 18 October where he contracted measles and was in isolation at No 2 General Hospital to recover.
After training in England he sailed in ‘Minnewaska’ on 5th April 1915 in the first contingent to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Forces on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
Between 25th and 29th April of 1915 he was severely wounded receiving a bullet to the chest fighting at Gallipoli. He was admitted to the Military Hospital at Ras-el-Tin Alexandria then transferred on 16 May to hospital ship ‘Goorkha’ then to 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester England for further treatment to his war wounds.
After recovering in hospital he was discharged for service on 15 July 1915 only to return to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, Middlesex England the next day with heart problems.
On 14th August 1915 he was discharged from hospital and on the 8th October, having been declared unfit for duty was sent home to Australia. He was discharged from the Army on 6 April 1916 and granted a War Pension of £26 pa.
He was living on Farm 170 in 1918 in the Stoney Point area and our records show he was still there in 1942.
In 1924 he married Alison Thompson.
In the late 1930’s he took on the position of Honorary Inspector of Fisheries patrolling the Murrumbidgee River from Narrandera and downstream from Yanco for illegal fishing and catches as well as checking places that sold fish.
He was Secretary of the Stoney Point P & C Association in the 1930’s.
He enlisted for service in the 2nd World War having the rank of craftsman in No 3 Workshop Company, Australian Electrical & Mechanical Engineers from February 1942 till April 1944.
He passed away in 1967, 72 years old, survived by his wife Alison and children Bruce & Rosemary. Rosemary was present to lay flowers on his grave.
Cpt Sydney J HINTON MC Ex Imperial Soldier
Service No WW2 NX70873He was born at Lewisham England in 1893 the son of Herbert D & Eliza R (nee Allen) Hinton. He was educated at St Dunstan’s College in London.
Before coming to Australia Syd was employed at Lloyd’s Bank London. He joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1912 and was called up in 1914 and was at the relief of Antwerp.
In 1916 he transferred to the Royal Field Artillary.
In 1917 he was awarded the Military Cross for ‘conspicuous gallantry at Nieuport’ during service at Flanders, Belgium.
He married Winifred in 1919 in England before migrating to Australia in 1920 with her and their first child, settling first in Tumut then in 1922 settled on Farm 369 in the Wamoon area where he stayed until 1929. With the reconstruction of farms in the late 1920’s he took up Farm 1700 Gogelderie.
Syd & Win had three children in total with one being well known author ‘Pat’ Burge present here with us today.
Prior to the outbreak of WW2, with Alec Johnston, he formed the Leeton Militia Group. In 1940 he spent time on the AIF Instructional Staff and also in 1941 time as an AIF Transport Officer escorting troops to the Middle East and Singapore He then assisted with Repatriation and Legacy.
Syd’s son, Reginald P Hinton, also enlisted in WW2 and paid the ultimate sacrifice whilst serving with the RAAF losing his life in 1942.
At the ‘fall of Singapore’ Syd was picked up at sea and transported to Ceylon.
He was an original Director of the Rice-Grower’s Co-operative Mills and was President of the Leeton RSL Sub Branch for many years and often led marches for Anzac Day. He was elected Director of the MID Co-operative in 1954. He supported the Leeton Town Band and other community organisations.
He died in 1958 at the age of 65 years.
His daughter & grandson were present to lay flowers.
John C CROLL MM DCM
Service No 3609 Gallipoli VeteranHe was born 9 April 1895 in Adelaide SA and he stated his occupation as farm labourer.
He enlisted at Woomerlang Vic on 16 September 1914 at 19½ years old. He embarked on 2nd February 1915 after training with 11th Field Artillery Brigade.
He served in Gallipoli in 1915 with the 1st Divisional Ammunitions Column and the 3rd Field Artillery Battery.
On 14th July he was injured and taken to the Military Hospital in Cairo. He rejoined his unit in October at Alexandria.
In March 1916 his unit was taken on strength and he was transferred to the 43rd Battery and promoted to Sergeant. He was promoted again on 22 October 1916 to Corporal.
In August 1917 whilst serving at Ruined Farm in France he was awarded the Military Medal for ‘Bravery in the Field’ the Citation reads ‘At Ruined Farm in the St Eloi Sector he at great personal risk unhesitatingly and successfully assisted in extinguishing four dumps of ammunition set alight by hostile shell-fire on the morning of 17th July 1917’.
On 8 October he received a gunshot wound to the hand and evacuated to Boulogne. He recovered quickly and proceeded to Belgium a week later. In December of 1917 he joined the 11th Field Artillery Brigade and was slightly wounded.
In October 1918 whilst fighting in France he was gassed and to recover was sent to Ipswich, England from where he was transferred to Suffolk Military Hospital.
On 22 November 1918 whilst serving in France he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal ‘for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during the attack of the Hindenburg Line South of Vendeuille in Northern France on 29 September 1918’.
He returned to Australia in January of 1919 and was discharged 28 April 1919.
He purchased Farm 321 Wamoon from Alfred Pascoe in 1919 where he grew forty acres prunes. He was successful in the Leeton Agricultural Shows with his dried prunes receiving first prize on a number of occasions.
He was involved with local organisations and was Vice President of the local Leeton Branch of the RSSILA .
He married Dorothy R Hewton in April 1933.
He died in Leeton in 1959 aged 64 years. (submitted by J C Croll)
R Charles ‘Charlie’ RUNGA MM
Service No 5476
Born at Naracoorte in 1889 the son of Charles and Eliza (nee Bourne) Runga. He had two brothers Arthur & Frederick.
Charlie was a fine cyclist and he worked as a farm labourer before enlisting at Mildura Vic on 28 February 1916. He embarked on the Europides on 4th April 1916 with the 17th Reinforcements 6th Battalion.
After extensive training in England he embarked for France on 22nd October 1916 reaching his 6th Btn at the end of December where it was performing rear area fatigues near Albert.
In late January 1917 Charlie experienced action for the first time when he entered the trenches and his battalion rotated in and out of the front line until early March. Later the battalion spent time in the trenches near Fremicourt (France) after which his battalion participated in the Second Battle of Bullecourt in May and the Battle of the Menin Road in September.
On 26th October 1917 he was wounded in both arms at the Second Battle of Passchendale in Belgium and was sent to England to recover his injuries which took six months. He also participated in the Battle of Amiens then was again wounded this time in a gas attack on 23 August 1918 in the battalions attack near Herleville Wood as part of the Second Battle of Bapaume. It was whilst recovering in England he heard that he had been recommended for the Distinguished Conduct Medal but was awarded the higher Military Medal .
His citation read:
‘For conspicuous Gallantry at Herleville where he came under heavy fire when he dashed forward with a small party and succeeded in capturing two hostile machine guns and sixteen men. Later that day he again dashed forward alone over seventy yards of open ground under extreme enemy point blank fire and succeeded in bombing the enemy from a communication trench and enabling the remainder of his platoon to continue their advance. The latter feat was a heroic example of utter disregard of personal safety and the desire at all costs to worst the enemy’. He was one of two servicemen of aboriginal descent chosen to serve as the Kings Guard at a Ceremonial Parade prior to returning to Australia in July 1919. He was discharged in October 1919. After receiving his Military Medal Award at Government House in January of 1920 he was passing the medal around a group of men in Swanston Street when the medal was not returned. It is not known if it was ever returned to Charlie. After the war Charlie returned to the Wimmera district for a time before travelling widely around NSW.
In 1937 he was Church Deacon and treasurer of the Darlington Point Mission Church which he had helped construct at ‘Warangesda’. In the late 1930’s he married Emily Glass (nee Kennedy) a Wiradjuri woman who already had several children.
Charlie helped at other missions and built and maintained churches at Cowra and at Moonahcullah Mission near Deniliquin in the 1940’s.
He passed away at Leeton on 21 March 1956 aged 66 years.
RSL representative John Power laid flowers of remembrance.
Henry William G BENNETT
Service No 6951He was born in 1895 at Narrandera, the son of George & Philadelphia Bennett. He was the brother-in-law of G McEachern of Farm 766 a well known Leeton name in the early days.
He was a labourer with the WC&IC for two years prior to enlisting.
He enlisted for service on 18 October 1916 as a twenty year old. He embarked on the ‘Benalla’ on 9th November 1916 bound for France. He served with the 1st Battalion 23rd Reinforcements.
When he first served in France in 1917 he was in and out of hospital with influenza and scabies.
He was wounded with a gun-shot to his right hand in April 1918 and was invalided to England for four months. On his return to France he again spent time in hospital for another month.
In November of 1918 he transferred from the 1st battalion to the AIF Depot Head Quarters.
On 12 April 1919 whilst on furlough in England he married Olive Mary Short the daughter of Walter James Short of Tidworth England.
He returned to Australia in September 1919 and was discharged on 3 November 1919.
He was granted Farm 1151 in 1921 and in 1927 his house on the farm was destroyed by fire.
The farm was badly affected by seepage which affected his fruit trees. He sold the farm to K R Tully as it was not suitable for growing fruit and after this found employment with the Leeton Shire Council.
He passed away in 1952 aged 57 years. His wife remarried several years later.
The press reported that in 1958 his WW1 badges were found in a bag of clothes at a second hand store in Sydney.
His great granddaughters were present to lay flowers of remembrance.
Lance Corporal Charles W PIKE
Service No 1602He was born in 1877 at Campbell’s Creek, Castlemaine Vic the son of George M and Annie M (nee Bramley) Pike.
He was a blade sheep shearer, had an interest in Corriedale sheep and was also a cycle champion of Victoria winning a race between Ballarat and Melbourne. He rode his bike to the wool sheds when he was a contractor shearer.
He arrived in Leeton in 1912 from Dookie Vic. He held Farm 58 Fivebough from 1912-1930.
He served in the Boer War and was in the Infantry for two years prior to enlisting in July of 1915. On his forms he stated his occupation as a clerk.
He embarked on 9 November 1915 on the ‘Wandilla’ bound for Suez. On arrival he discovered he had mumps so was hospitalised for two weeks. He rejoined his unit in January 1916 at Serapeum, Egypt.
Serapeum Camp on Sinai Dessert
By June 1916 he transferred from Alexandria with his unit to Marseilles.
On 1 October 1917 he was appointed Lance Corporal while serving in France.
In August of 1918 he was wounded by gunshot to his ankle and feet and spent time in Norfolk War Hospital in England to recover. By December he was still recovering in the Auxiliary Hospital at Barefield.
On16 March 1919 he embarked on ‘Creritza’ but got transhipped at Alexandria onto the ship ‘Dunluce Castle’ heading for Australia. He was discharged 5th August 1919 unfit with a disability due to gunshot wounds to his feet.
He took up Farm 1697 in 1930 which he share-farmed for a short period. The farm is still run by family members to this day. Charles’s interest in Corriedale sheep continued and he was a breeder of good quality Border Collie sheep dogs which he trained and sold.
He played Aussie Rules Football for Fivebough and played tennis and cricket for the South Gogelderie teams.
He supported the Leeton Agricultural Show as a member and as a steward.
He passed away in 1951 aged 74 years.
His daughter Ida joined the Australian Army Nursing Service in 2nd WW and was mentioned in despatches to the South West Pacific Region. She later enlisted for a further two years serving with the Occupational Forces in Japan.
His son was present to lay flowers on his grave.
Daniel DOWNIE MM
Service No 4823Daniel was born 1888 in Ranock, Scotland migrating to Australia c1908 and believed to be on the ship ‘Waratah’ with his father Peter Downie.
He married Leah Guest in 1933 the daughter of John & Hannah (nee Shannon) Guest.
His trade was listed as a stonemason.
He enlisted in the Australian Army 8th September 1915 at Holdsworthy as a 27 year old and trained with the 10th & 18th Battalions.
He embarked for overseas on 14 April 1916 on HMAT Ceramic A 40 and in September of that year joined his battalion in the fields of France. After succumbing to trench feet he spent some time in hospital and then at the Perham Downs Training camp. In 1917 he also spent time in Hurdcott Military Hospital which was staffed by Australian Medical Services.
In November 1918 he was awarded the Military Medal for ‘conspicuous good service, bravery in the field and devotion to duty in the field near Joncourt, north of St Quentin’.
The citation reads: ‘On the night of 3 October 1918 a new Head Quarters was being established at Joncourt . Downie, a signaller, was laying cables to it and under heavy artillery fire mended the lines spending at least fifteen minutes doing so with twenty shells bursting within metres of him.’
After his return to Australia (on the ‘Ajana’ on 19 August 1919) and being discharged on 2nd December 1919 he took up Farm 1081 in 1921 which he held for three years before selling to H L Tooth to go back to fruit picking. For a time he was living on Farm 261 Leeton.
He was appointed ‘Small Debts & District Court Bailiff’ in 1925, a position which he held for four years. He used his talents to help re-establish the Leeton Town Band and for a period was secretary, establishing the Band Hall and also helped raise funds for the local hospital and the Catholic Church. He was also involved in the Riverina Amateur Swimming Association.
It wasn’t long after his marriage to Leah that he took sick and after spending time in Leeton Hospital made a partial recovery. Later as a last resort he was taken to Narrandera hospital, where despite the close attention of the nursing staff and his wife, his health gradually declined and he passed away on 11th December 1933 aged 45 years.
Sapper HERBERT WEST
Service No 662 Gallipoli VeteranHe was born at Mordiallic Vic on 25 May 1888.
He enlisted at Colac Vic 22 February 1915 at 27 years of age. He embarked on 8th May 1915 and proceeded to join the MEF at Gallipoli 30 August 1915. His Regiment, the 23rd Battalion were in the thick of the fighting. At the end of 1915 he was transferred from Gallipoli to Alexandria on the sick list suffering from pneumonia. In January 1916 he proceeded to Ghezireh Egypt where the wounded from Gallipoli were sent to recover.
On 24 March 1917 he received gunshot wound to his left arm and was invalided to England at 3rd General Hospital at Wadsworth. He transferred to 67th Battalion while at Perham Downs recovering.
On 16 August 1917 he rejoined his unit 23rd Battalion and embarked overseas to France.
He was a bit of a rebel according to his file, drunkenness and away without leave and other demeanours for which he had his pay deducted.
During 1918 he served with his battalion in France and on 7th December went to England for his leave break.
He returned to Australia in August of 1919 and was discharged on 13 October 1919.
He applied for his war medals while working for Tully Bros of Tootool NSW. The medals went missing in the post. He was living at Farm 1575 in 1927.
In his Obituary it states he worked on several stations in the Carrathool area, also that he worked at Griffith Base Hospital as a wards man before coming to Leeton and served in the Garrison Battalion.
In 1948 there is a letter on his War file addressed to him c/- Leeton District Hospital
He died in Leeton in January 1950 aged 62 years.
His Granddaughter & Great granddaughter laid flowers in memory.
Martin Clement DUNBAR
Service No 1466He was born 1896 Horsham Vic the son of Arthur and Annie (nee Williams) Dunbar of Bendigo Vic.
He married Lynette E Skeers of Wagga in 1927 and they had five children.
He enlisted at Holsworthy NSW on 24th August 1915 at 21 years old and embarked on 1st November 1915 to France
19/2/16 he marched out to Serapeum, Maadi in France and in March of 1917 he suffered with ulcers in his eyes and was in and out of hospital for months. In July 1918 he contracted Malaria and was in Gaza to re-cooperate.
3rd August 1917 he rejoined unit and transferred to Cairo where his unit was taken on strength and he was admitted to hospital at Kantara.
On 10 August he was with the Divisional Training Unit and were again taken on strength at Moascar. Three days later his rank was changed to Trooper – Driver.
In November he was temporarily promoted to Corporal in the field.
In April 1919 his rank reverted to Driver on evacuation to hospital as he suffered another casualty in the field.
On 2nd May he entered the Rest Camp before marching out to the Australian Base Depot at Port Said.
As there were not enough ships bringing servicemen home, Martin and his brother, who, incidentally was in the same regiment, got caught up in a rebellion in Egypt.
On 17 July Martin embarked on the ‘Dunluce Castle’ at Suez for return to Australia.
He was discharged on 10 November 1919.
He was a labourer for a time after the war at Ganmain.
In 1925 he came to Leeton and found employment with the WC&IC at their workshop as a truck driver. After twelve years he took up farming at Murrami. He was on Farm 416 1939-47 then Farm 1735.
During 1940 he together with W Henham, T Darchy, H Shelton, Taylor and others enrolled in the local Defence Corp.
He died in 1960 aged 65 years
His Son laid flowers and other family members were present.
Joseph Clement COELLI
Service No 1820 Gallipoli VeteranBorn c1895 at Mooroopna Vic.
On his enlistment papers he states he was a farm labourer and owing to the account of his parents predeceasing him at this time, his two brothers gave consent for him to enlist. His next of kin was listed as his brother Peter Coelli of Coolamon.
He enlisted on 27 January 1915 at 19½ years old.
He embarked for the front on 17 March 1915 serving in the 1st Btn 4th Reinforcements.
By May he transferred to the 13th Btn 4th Reinforcements at Gallipoli.
On 17 July he was unwell and was transferred to hospital. He was again transferred to hospital in Mudros in September suffering from foot problems
On December 2nd suffering from jaundice he was again hospitalised.
On 5th February 1917 he was wounded in the field on the second occasion, suffering from shell shock when serving with the 13th Btn.
On 24 May he was accused of being disobedient by appearing on parade unshaven so lost two days pay. He was also penalised for other demeanours during the next few months.
On 29 October 1917 he was promoted to Lance Corporal.
Early in 1918 he had several stints in hospital on sick leave.
On 29 April 1918 he transferred to the Machine Gun Corp and attended machine gun training at Grantham Depot in England.
After returning to the battlefront he was again injured in November of 1918 and was sent to Weymouth Military Hospital in England for treatment.
On 12 December 1918 he boarded the ‘Nestor’ and returned to Australia.
He was discharged on 19 April 1919.
His son Bede enlisted at Leeton for service during WW2.
On his return from the war he took up a Soldier Settler property at Weja in the West Wyalong district. Joseph married Malvena Heidtmann in 1922 and they were very involved in the community and Jo played most sports. During the depression the family suffered financial difficulty and they moved to Farm 138 Leeton where Joseph grew vegetables which he sold to the Fiumara family for their roadside stall now known as the Golden Apple Supermarket.
He was also a woodcutter and spent a lot of his time collecting and cutting timber into blocks which he sold on to his local customers.
He had two grandsons called up for the Vietnam War.
He died in 1968 aged 73 years.
Family members were present to lay flowers of remembrance.
