Cato, Vincent Arthur by Central Coast Council

Gosford District Casualties of World War One Bragg, EdmundArthur Allen Cato, Vincent

Service Number 1494 Service Number 23 Killed in Action 19th May 1915 Killed in Action 2nd May 1915 Gallipoli Peninsula Gallipoli

Gosford City Council gratefully acknowledges the voluntary efforts of Benalyn Campbell And Vivienne Tranter in compiling this resource

The information in this file has been extracted from official records held in the The Australian War Memorial and National Archives of Australia (ÂŠ Commonwealth of Australia [National Archives of Australia] 2013) Further information on this soldier may be found online at: Commonwealth War Graves The AIF project Content advisory: This file may potentially contain disturbing accounts of service-related injury and death, disease and family grief. Adult supervision is recommended for children using these resources. Individual files should be viewed within the context provided by wider research on service conditions in the 1 st AIF. This resource is presented by Gosford City Council for research purposes only. Please note that copyright for resources contained within remains with the original copyright owners.

NAME

Cato, Vincent Arthur

SERVICE NO

UNIT

2nd Battalion

RANK

Private

AGE at Enlistment

PLACE OF BIRTH

Thaine, Oxfordshire, England

ADDRESS OCCUPATION

Engine Driver

DATE OF ENLISTMENT

22 Aug 1914

PLACE OF ENLISTMENT

Randwick, NSW

PREVIOUS SERVICE

Royal Navy & Military Police 16th Inf.

NEXT OF KIN

Son Cecil Victor Cato, Niagara Park, NSW

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Height-5’7”.Weight-10st 3lbs. Chest-38 Complexion-Dark. Eyes-Blue. Hair-Dk Brown. Scar L/Knee C/E

RELIGION EMBARKED DISEMBARKED NOTES WOUNDED/ILLNESS

2 May 1915 Reported Missing

DIED

2 May 1915 Gallipoli

BURIED MEDALS DEPENDANTS PERSONAL EFFECTS

1914-15 Star-463, British War Medal-35363, Victory Medal-35102. Memorial Plaque & Scroll–300711 (South African Medal) Mother Elizabeth Cato & 3 children;- Alfred Arthur Cato, Elsie Florence Cato, Cecil Victor Cato. Disc, Purse, Coins, Badge./ Writing pad, Photos, 2 Cigarette cases, South African Medal, Coins, Bugle mouth piece, Tarbosch.

WILL CORRESPONDENCE

R R Boole- Boole’s Bargain Store Gosford Mother;- Elizabeth Cato

REMARKS

Cato was a widower. wife Mary A R (nee Turner) died 1914/12024 reg Picton parents James & Sophia

GOSFORD TIMES 2.4.1915. THE SOLDIER’S DON’T’S. ________ OF INTERNATIONAL LAW _________ Corporal V. A. Cato, of Gosford, now serving with the Expeditionary Forces in Egpyt, sends us the following typed “Soldiers Don’t’s” a copy of which has been supplied to each soldier:Don’t show the white flag unless your officer orders you to. Don’t stop firing or advancing because the enemy shows a white flag, till your officer orders you to. Don’t however, fire deliberately at the man showing the flag. Don’t have any friendly chat with the enemy; he is just as likely to be treacherous as not. Don’t kill a man who has thrown down his arms as a sign that he has ceased to resist. Don’t be heartbroken if you kill such a one by mistake. It is his fault for having resisted up till too late. Don’t fail to shoot a wounded man who continues to fight; he is quite right to do so, but you cannot be expected to treat him differently from a hale man. Don’t hide your weapons, or your uniform. Don’t spare an enemy who does the same; haul him to your officer and let him deal with him. Don’t rub or file your bullets; if you are caught with such bullets on you, you will be shot, and serve your right. Don’t shoot a spy off hand, he is doing a very plucky thing, and deserves a trial; all the same – Don’t let him off. And Don’t give him time to make up a story. Don’t become a prisoner of war if you can help it. They will be getting short rations by June, but if caught – Don’t resist your guard. Don’t refuse to work; you have no right to jib at any work except such as is connected with the fighting actually in progress. Don’t refuse to give your name and regiment; it doesn’t do any good, and your people won’t know what has become of you. Don’t fail to escape if you get the chance Don’t maltreat prisoners of war, when first captured, or take their private property. Don’t fail to shoot a prisoner of war who tries to escape. Don’t fail to shoot a prisoner of war trying to assist the enemy. Don’t fail to shoot a prisoner of war who assaults you viciously. Don’t fail to down a prisoner of war who resists you in any other way. Don’t torture a prisoner for information. Don’t give parole except through your officer. Don’t act treacherously, or in any way which has a hint of meanness in it. Don’t let yourself be caught by the others acting treacherously. Don’t be a brute because the enemy is one. If he breaks the laws, you may be sure that some suitable punishment will be thought out, and inflicted; but as for yourself – Don’t go beyond your rights, and do as you would be done by.

GOSFORD TIMES 2.4.1915. LETTERS FROM EGYPT. Corporal V. A. Cato, No.23 D Company, 2 nd Battalion, 11th Infantry, who enlisted from Gosford at the outbreak of the war, writes us as follows:Mena Camp Cairo, Egypt, Feb. 21. Just a line from an old soldier. Things are not too good here for the Expeditionary Force, but personally I am in the best of health. Up to date 164 deaths have occurred from various diseases, including several cases of smallpox, and we were all revaccinated, making the second time since I enlisted for the front. This country, so different from Australia, is full of interest. I have seen most of the sights about Cairo, have been on top and inside the Pyramids. We had a shower of rain the other day. I asked a native what was the rainfall for the year. He answered me in good English, “Well Sir, you see what has fallen that is all we have so far.” It wasn’t enough to wet a pocket handkerchief. The Museum is something wonderful – plenty of mummies and statues. We go out into the desert every day, and sometimes stop out on outpost duty. My teeth are getting worn down through munching the desert sand that gets mixed up in our food. I am forwarding copy of a list of “Soldiers don’t’s”, issued to each member of the force. (Published on another page). Am also enclosing a notice re the Emden. This was posted up on board our ship, the Suffolk, the morning after the German battleship sunk. You will see what a narrow escape we had, as our ship was in the rest of the convoy.

GOSFORD TIMES 18.6.1915. Private V. A. Cato, of Narara, who enlisted with the first contingent, is reported missing at Gallipoli, a telegram to that effect being received on Tuesday last.

NSW POLICE GAZETTE, 1908. April 1st 1908 Pg 94. Arthur Vincent Cato, charged on warrant with wife desertion, has been arrested by Senior-constable Morris, Gosford Police, on information supplied by Senior-constable Collis, Picton Police. Remanded to Piction and discharged. _______________________ Office of the Inspector-General of Police 1st April, 1908.

Abridged record/s courtesy of the National Archives of Australia (NAA) Series No: B2455 Item Barcode: 3220562