The Book: (plus research CD ROM)
FIGHTING NINETEENTH History of the 19th Battalion AIF 1915 -1918 Wayne Matthews & David Wilson
The AN&MEF – 1914 Formation of 2nd Div & 5th Bde - 1915 Egypt, Gallipoli & Suez Canal - 1915 The Western Front – 1916-1918 Disbandment Some “Characters” in the unit Researching AIF soldiers & Battlefield
touring
The AN&MEF formed in Aug 1914 to capture a German
signal station near Rabaul. An RAN operation, army were to be garrison troops. Sig station captured by Naval landing parties 11 Sept. Followed by problems of army discipline – questions asked in Parliament re flogging, looting. Force recalled in Feb 1915 and disbanded in Sydney; replaced by Tropical Force garrison; Many AN&MEF men immediately joined the AIF.
Major-Gen William Holmes, CMG, DSO, VD Born in 1862. Served in Militia, Boer War – as Major, awarded DSO. Senior civilian job with Water Board in Sydney. Commanded AN&MEF in 1914: accepted German surrender . Administrator until Feb 1915. Appointed Comd 5th Bde, 2nd Div as Colonel; to Egypt, Gallipoli, France. As Brigadier, temporarily Comd 2nd Div. Appointed Comd 4th Div Jan 1917. KIA German shellfire on 2 July 1917 while accompanying Premier Holman (NSW) on a visit near Messines. Noted for personal recon and bravery under fire; wore red-banded hat in action despite order to wear helmets.
Formation of 2nd Division and more light horse units
promised to UK Government in Feb 1915. Initially two infantry brigades (5th Brigade - NSW; 6th Brigade - Victoria, also one battalion each from SA and WA). 5th Bde training camp at Holsworthy from late Feb. Conditions in camp were “basic” with few amenities. Claims made that German internees in nearby camp were in better accommodation & conditions.
Organisation of 2nd Division (1916) HQ 2nd Division
5th Brigade 6th Brigade 7th Brigade
5th Bde units (Inf): 17th Battalion 18th Battalion 19th Battalion 20th Battalion
Formation commenced in March 1915 Total around 5,000 men, including a Field Ambulance Brigade HQ (2 Offr, 21 OR, plus Chaplain, Vet Offr) Commanded by Colonel W. Holmes (ex-AN&MEF), who
has the freedom to choose his own officers in the brigade.
4 x Infantry Battalions: 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Inf Battalions (1,000+ men each) Each battalion absorbed about 120 men from the
recently-disbanded AN&MEF
Recruiting began 3 March, 1915 under Lt Col Watson. Men sent from recruiting centres, e.g. Showgrounds &
regional centres to Holsworthy Camp (established 1811). Issued with blue overalls, a white sun hat, mess tins, blankets & groundsheet; lived in bell tents. Lots of drill; few weapons. In Nov 15, riots occurred in Sydney over conditions, leading to “6 o’clock closing” laws. Uniforms & weapons issued: new .303 rifle; musketry at Malabar range; route marches; & more drill! Battalion strength: 32 officers & 980 men, plus two Reinforcement drafts of 2 officers & 100 men.
Lt Col William Kenneth Seaforth Mackenzie, a Militia
officer appointed CO from 24 April 1915. (First CO,
Watson went to 24th Bn in 6th Bde).
Farewell parade on 24 Apr 15 - 5th Bde plus its Fd
Amb and 12th LH Regt marched through streets of Sydney. Main body left Sydney on 25 June 1915 on board HMAT “Ceramic” (a converted White Star liner - 2,800 pax). Training regime continued on the way to Egypt, via Colombo and the Suez Canal, arriving at Alexandria on 23 July 1915.
Lt Col William Kenneth Seaforth Mackenzie DSO, VD, Order of St Stanislaus (3rd Class) A Lawyer and long-serving Militia officer from Sydney. Second CO of 19th Bn from April 1915 to Feb 1917. Later Depot Commander & Legal Officer, HQ 2nd Division; returned to practice in Sydney. Founder of 19th Bn Association. Died 1952.
Major James Whiteside Fraser McManamey Second-in-Command; known as “Father Mac� to the troops. A barrister; from Glebe, NSW. Extensive pre-war Militia service; ex-President of NSW Rugby Union; rugby referee; played in first NSW vs QLD interstate game. KIA at Gallipoli on 5 September 1915 by Turkish shellfire.
Arrived Alexandria 23 July and moved straight to
Aerodrome Camp, Heliopolis outside Cairo. Issued tropical equipment & unit colour patches; more training before deployment to Gallipoli Peninsula: route marches, tactical ex, digging, drill, bayonet fighting, weapon training, musketry, etc. Some time off to see the sights… 2nd Division HQ under Major-Gen Gordon Legge not yet fully formed, but Div begins its move to Gallipoli on 16 August 1915. 19th Bn on HMAT “Saturnia” – a ‘dirty old coal ship’.
Mena District near Cairo 19th Bn at Aerodrome Camp
Compulsory tourist destinations
Arrived at Gallipoli via Lemnos a.m. on 21 August. 5th Brigade allocated under command of Gen. Godley’s
NZ&A Div as its reserve brigade. Coincided with fresh attacks on Hill 60 and ‘one more push’ would capture it. 18th Bn allocated to this task, with 19th Bn in reserve. 18th Bn attacked with 750 men, but suffered many casualties: 11 officers and 372 men – ‘an inauspicious start’. (Names listed on Mosman Memorial.) In early Sep, 19th Bn allocated to defence of Pope’s Hill /Post; remained there until Evacuation.
Pope’s Hill Gallipoli 19th Bn at Pope’s from Sept to Dec 1915. An isolated & exposed outpost at head of Monash Valley opposite Turk trenches of The Chessboard. The Bn used Leach Catapults and 2-inch Garland mortars here against the opposing
Note: this photo taken after bushfires ravaged the Peninsula
Ottoman forces.
19th Bn at Pope’s Post – Sept to Dec 1915 Another view of Pope’s Post at head of Monash Gully, opposite Turk trenches at “The Chessboard.” Note relative positions of The Nek, Quinn’s, Courtney’s and Steele’s Posts the ANZAC front line on Second Ridge.
Pope’s Hill – Stairs to the Front Line Photo of the steep ascent from Monash Gully to Pope’s Hill / Pope’s Post. Isolated position occupied until Evacuation with a garrison of 600 men in two parallel 150-yard trenches; vulnerable to fire on three sides. Stairway built by cutting steps into the hill with sand-filled ration boxes. This photo believed to have been taken by an officer of the 19th Bn.
STAIRS AT REAR OF POPE’S HILL
The Leach Trench Catapult used at Pope’s Post Mr Leach’s patented drawings of a trench catapult used at Gallipoli. 19th Bn inherited at least one of these weapons from 6th LHR who were at Pope’s Post before them. Could silently hurl a ‘bomb’ (grenade) up to 200 yards.
After rest on Lemnos during Dec 1915 – Jan 1916, the 1st
and 2nd Div moved back to Egypt; then sent with 10th Indian Div and new 8th Bde AIF to defend the Suez Canal from Ottoman forces. 2nd Div in central sector; 5th Bde at Duntroon Plateau; 19th Bn at Hill 353/‘Australia Hill’. Endless routine of trench-digging in the sand, training and desert route marches until mid-March 1916. Brit High Comd did not want AIF back in Cairo!! Also in early 1916, the AIF was re-formed by splitting many of the units of 1st Div to form new 4th and 5th Div.
Suez Canal Defence Zone (Jan to March 1916) Shows area of the Canal Defence Zone occupied by brigades of 2nd Aust Division before they moved to the Western Front. 5th Bde in area of Duntroon Plateau. The Ottoman Army attempted to take Suez Canal, but was driven back at the Battle of Romani in August 1916.
SUEZ CANAL DEFENCE ZONE - 1916
On 4 Feb 1916, an incident occurred at Katoomba camp
(19th Bn base camp) where eight men allegedly refused to take part in a route march with full packs. As this was a ‘collective’ act of disobedience, it was treated as a ‘mutiny’. All faced CM and were dealt with severely; sentences from 3 years to 18 months IHL. Sent back to Aust ‘under escort’ to Goulburn Jail; a public outcry ensued; sentences halved. Most returned to AIF. Brit High Command claimed this as yet another example of ill discipline in the AIF. Veiled hints that AIF would remain in the desert, not go to the Western Front to the ‘real fight’. Incident blackened the 19th ’s good name.
“Mutineer�
1612 Pte Edward Joseph King One of eight mutineers, Pte King of Warren, NSW received 18 months Incarceration & Hard Labour for his part in the incident. Re-deployed with 34th Bn. WIA twice, DOW in August 1918. My opinion: a severe over-reaction by SNCO and officers; poor communication, indifferent man-management in dealing with issues such as rations & poor living conditions. Too many NCOs and officers promoted too quickly to have necessary skills. AIF hierarchy under pressure to apply maximum penalties for all offences. An unfortunate incident that cast no-one in a good light!
2nd Div moved from Egypt to Western Front by ship,
then train from Marseilles in mid-March 1916. Arrived at Ypres Sector west of Armentières; “The Nursery Sector” - more training to learn art of trench warfare against the Germans. Men attended schools & courses for new weapons – mortars, MGs, grenades, gas, as well as unit training. All issued with Brodie steel helmets. 2nd Div and 5th Brigade first tour of trenches for two weeks in April in the Bois Grenier area. Trench routines, patrolling and raids conducted.
A properly constructed trench system - BEFORE
Trench system AFTER a battle & artillery fire
After their introduction to trench warfare in the
“Nursery Sector” near Ypres, the 19th Bn fought in two major actions: Pozières – July & August 1916
(450+ casualties) Flers / “The Maze” – November 1916 (400+ cas – unit reduced to “ineffective” status)
2nd Division Assault on Pozières – July & August 1916 Map showing position of battalions of 5th Bde in the village at the end of July 1916. AIF positions in blue, German trenches (OG1 and OG2) in red. Casualties: 2Div – 6846 total cas; 5Bde – 70 Offr, 1976 OR; 19Bn – 13 Offr, 440 OR killed, wounded or missing.
POZIĒRES VILLAGE - July 1916
Flers – last battle of the Somme Campaign – 14 Nov 1916 Allied attacks had stalled due to weather – freezing cold and endless rain. Brit High Comd ordered ‘one more push’ before calling a halt. 5th Bde (composite) attacked Gird & Bayonet Trenches, but only 19Bn made any gains; held on for 24 hours before relief; no resupply. Only 80 men left
19th Bn ASSAULT ON “THE MAZE” – 14-15 Nov 1916
standing out of 451 bayonets sent in four waves to attack.
“The Maze” at Flers – November 1916 Photo showing a section of German trench known as “The Maze” near Flers, France, after the battle. Captured and held for 24 hours without relief or resupply by the 19th Bn and elements of the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers on 14-15 Nov 1916. The 19th Bn suffered almost 400 casualties (total), including 4 wounded men taken POW.
19th Bn participated in several major actions in 1917: The Hindenburg Line – March (Bapaume) Lagnicourt – April (a victory to hold back a German thrust) Second Bullecourt – May (a huge disaster; 350+ total cas) Third Ypres / Passchendaele - Sept & November (Menin Road & Poelcappelle)
Recruiting The Sportsmen’s 1000 Recruiting Campaign of 1916 – 1917 to attract Sportsmen to enlist– this occurred during the divisive Conscription Referenda. Every State was to contribute a contingent of 150 men. NSW men recruited by 2Lts Leslie Seaborn (rugby) and Austin Diamond (cricket). This poster portrays Albert Jacka, VC from Vic (14th Bn). NSW draft (less the two officers) ended up in 34th Bn. The “Sports Bn” is unfortunately a myth…
Trench Warfare on the Western Front - Endless Mud Carrying out the wounded in relays in the most atrocious conditions. Charles Bean (& many others) described the winter of 1916-17 as “the coldest winter in living memory� and the harshest conditions endured by the AIF on the Western Front.
19th Bn participated in several major actions in 1918: Blocking the German Spring Offensive – April
(Storkey’s VC action at Hangard Wood) Advance from Villers-Bretonneux – August
(Framerville/Rainecourt and eastwards) Mont St Quentin – late Aug-September
(5th Bde captures Mt St Quentin) Beaurevoir Line at Estrées – October
(Last time in action)
Combat conditions in France & Belgium
Colourised photo of men from the 8th Bn (2nd Bde, Vic) taken somewhere on the Western Front. Note the muddy conditions, gas masks and officers in combat gear - the same as the men.
By late Sep 1918, Gen Monash decided to conform with
Brit Army practice of 3 x bn per brigade. Australian Corps short of recruits & reinforcements. One bn from each bde to be disbanded (total 7), but the men in those units ‘revolted’ and the decision was postponed until after final assaults on the last German defences on the Beaurevoir Line. 19th Bn was disbanded on 10 October 1918; men were distributed to each of the 17th, 18th and 20th Bns. Armistice followed in November and the focus was then on getting the AIF home to Australia.
POZIERES BAPAUME 1917 BULLECOURT YPRES 1917 MENIN ROAD POLYGON WOOD BROODSEINDE POELCAPPELLE PASSCHENDAELE HAMEL
AMIENS ALBERT 1918 MONT St QUENTIN HINDENBURG LINE BEAUREVOIR FRANCE & FLANDERS
1916 - 18
SUVLA GALLIPOLI 1915 EGYPT 1915-16 SOMME 1916-18
19th Battalion Regimental Colour (Militia, 1927?) Regimental Colour of the 19th (Militia) Battalion, presented post-war when the Militia was reorganised from 1923 onwards. It carries the ten Battle Honours allowed to be displayed on unit colours – those won by the 19th Bn AIF.
VC
OBE DSO MC DCM MM MSM MID Foreign -
1 1 5 30 (2 x bars) 20 85 (5 x bars) 8 19 6
(Belgium, France, Italy, Russia)
Supplementary List:
(Gazetted after Disbandment for awards earned whilst serving with the 19th Bn.)
MC
DCM MID CdeG (Belgium)
3 2 4 1
Every unit in the First AIF had its fair share of
“characters” – some good, some bad, some notable high-achievers, but most men just wanted to get the job done and go home. Every man had a nick-name; unfortunately most of these have been lost unless they appear in diaries, letters or post-war Association documents. More than 4,800 men served in the 19th Bn in 3½ years of its existence – now meet some of the characters …
2055 Cpl John Ignatius Mooney, KIA 30 August 1918
5662 Pte Stanley Rupert Matthews
Lt Col Cecil Pye, DSO A medical practitioner from Newcastle. Had served in Militia in infantry. Enlisted in the 17th Bn. Won DSO at Bapaume, 1916. Third CO of the Bn. KIA by German shellfire during Third Ypres on Anzac Ridge near Passchendaele 0n 4 Oct 1917. Arguably the best CO of the lot. Praised by Bean as ‘most capable’.
On the night of 6-7 April 1917 in the front line at
Hangard Wood (south of V-Bx), six men slipped away to souvenir wine from the town’s cellars. Town was still half-occupied by Germans; the six were captured & spent the rest of the war as POW. Declared “illegal absentees” and listed as AWL. On repatriation in 1918, each man gave wildly differing (read: inventive) stories about his capture in official statements to UK authorities. We discovered these 95-year old anomalies while researching personal files for the book.
Captain Percy Valentine Storkey, VC A lawyer working in Sydney, originally from Napier, NZ. Won his VC as a Lt at Hangard Wood near Villers-Bx, 7 Apr 1917. RTA 1919; became a District Court Judge. Medals bequeathed to Napier Boys High, but on display at the NZ Army Museum, Waiouru.
Lt Storkey’s assault on “lightly held” Hangard Wood A combined assault by a company each from 19th and 20th Bns on the night of 6-7 April 1917. Storkey, Lipscomb and 10 men capture 100+ German prisoners (24th Saxon Div), but their objective on east edge of the wood was untenable. Capt Clarence Wallach severely WIA; later DOW. Lt Storkey gets VC, Lt Lipscomb an MC.
HANGARD WOOD – April 1917
Lt Frederick Lipscomb, MC Enlisted as Pte, from Hornsby, NSW. Promoted directly from Pte to 2Lt in Dec 1916 - a fairly rare occurrence. With Storkey in the attack on Hangard Wood; WIA knee, won MC. Kept extensive diary & letters (used in book). Lived in Roseville. State Sec of RSSILA. Served in WW2 as a Captain.
2Lt Cecil Patrick Healy Olympic medallist (gold and silver for swimming) at 1908 Stockholm Games. Commercial traveller, noted lifesaver and rugby player from Manly, NSW. Jesuit schooling at St Aloysius College, Milsons Point. KIA 28 August 1918 leading his platoon, just before battle of Mont St Quentin. I am trying to find his family for a 2014-18 event in Assevillers, France?
5934 Pte Arthur Stace “Eternity Man” Enlisted as a drummer in late 1916; changed age and officially too short. Served as a s/bearer; only in front line for about 7 weeks, then ill with chest infections; evacuated to UK; employed as an orderly. RTA 1919. A “colourful” life until 1930 when he converted to Christianity and began writing “Eternity” around streets of Sydney. Died in 1967 aged 83.
Born in UK. Transferred to 19th Bn in Feb 1916; WIA and
taken POW at Second Bullecourt on 3 May 1917. Sent to the notorious ‘inescapable’ Holzminden Camp. A photographer, he obtained development chemicals & maps from camp guards by swapping goods from Red Cross parcels to make forged identity documents. 60 prisoners dug a tunnel under the wire to escape in July 1918, but the attempt failed. Post-war, Cash was decorated with MSM for his work in assisting these and other escapers. Died 1923. Lt Henry Fitzgerald, also 19th Bn, awarded MC for repeated escape attempts, one disguised as a German soldier – fined £12 at a German court martial!
2875 Pte John Richard Cash, MSM
German guards uncover the tunnel at Holzminden Camp
6350 Pte Norman Lloyd Post-War Artist An artist from Newcastle, Lloyd joined 19th Bn in late 1916. Seriously WIA at Polygon Wood, Sep 1917; discharged as medically unfit in May 1918. Returned to Europe postwar to live and exhibit; vey successful. Died 1983. 20 of his original field sketches ‘in action’ held by State Library of NSW. This sketch is of the village of Contay.
Lt Hunter Kirke, MC Family from Mosman area. (Hutchison family) Won MC at Morlancourt in June 1918 – leading a counterattack against a big German raid. Rugby – played half-back for AIF Team in 1919 Allied Games. Mother (Ellie)was a noted supporter & fund-raiser for AIF Comforts Funds (£38,000). HK went to PNG after war; escaped 600 miles overland from Wewak to avoid Japanese invasion.
‘James Henderson’ enlisted at AIF HQ London on 1 Nov
1917 claiming he was a stowaway on the Orsova with 10th Rfts of 19th Bn, but had no documentation. Served for a year with 19th Bn; WIA (gassed) in March 1918 and then transferred to 3rd Bn; RTA Nov 1919. In June 1938 he wrote to Base Records seeking info about a UK pension for previous service in British Army. In fact he was 34538 Cpl J. Burns of RA who went AWL in Feb 1917 to see his dying father in England. Enlisted 1899, a career soldier who served in India & China pre-war. An ‘Old Contemptible’ - called back to the Colours in 1914. While AWL, he fell in with 19th Bn men who ‘coached’ him with enough of a story to enlist in the AIF.
4195A Private James Henderson / Burns “The Stowaway� Photo of personal files of 34538 Cpl James Burns, Royal Artillery. Many UK WW1 service files were destroyed in the London Blitz in 1940, but some have survived (about 2040%) and are being digitised by the UK National Archives. You may be lucky if you are trying to trace a UK serviceman from WW1!
UK Service Documents burnt in The Blitz - 1940
3262 Pte Arthur Malcolm Quong Tart Several indigenous soldiers served with 19th Bn but QT was the only Chinese member; served May 1915 t0 July 1916; transferred to 4th Bn; severely WIA at Pozières. Son of Mei Quong Tart, a very prominent & popular Chinese merchant in Sydney. Shown here wearing Sgt stripes – but no evidence of promotion in his service file! Died 1926 due to war-related injuries.
3947 Corporal Glen William ‘George’ Warnecke A journalist from Armidale, NSW. Enlisted late 1915. Promoted Cpl; WIA at Pozières, July 1916 and badly WIA at Flers, Nov 1916; discharged unfit 1918. Friend of Sir Clive Packer; founder of “Australian Women’s Weekly” June 1933; later Ed-in-Chief of ACP. Died in Dublin 1981. This “Weekly” cover from Saturday, 11 November 1933. A Mosman lass???
Pte Bob Tidyman, 19th Bn, KIA Flers 1916 (RL Test player)
Lt Frank Cheadle 17th & 18th Bns, KIA 1916 (RL Test player)
Major Syd Middleton, ex-Wallaby (“Mr Sports”)
19th Bn Boxing Team, France 1917
SPORTSMEN - Soccer 1075 Sgt James “Judy” Masters A miner from Balgownie, NSW enlisted 1915 as a bandsman & s/bearer; promoted Sgt & Bandmaster. A prominent soccer player never received a yellow card! Australian Captain 1922-28. First team to wear the Green & Gold jersey. Died 1955 – a bullet from Pozières still in his body had damaged a lung.
AWM Roll of Honour –
Total 874 men KIA, DOW, Disease or Accident.
Officers:
Privates:
42 3 47 81 701
Total:
874
Warrant Offrs: Sergeants: Corporals:
Prisoners of War – Total captured: 37 Died as POW:
4
(Note: includes deaths from
various causes up to 1921 when the AIF was officially disbanded)
19th Bn Pozières Cross (recovered 1938)
Stained glass window – Lt Col Mackenzie
Battlefield Touring – UK to France & Belgium
An easy hop to and from the UK by air, ferry or the Chunnel to the AIF battlefields in France & Belgium. Self-drive or guided tours –it’s now an industry!
The AIF on the Western Front – 1916 - 1918 Essentially a triangle of AIF operations. Northern sector: Ypres, Messines, Passchendaele. Central sector: Armentières, Bullecourt, Fromelles. Southern sector: Amiens, Albert, V-Bx, Pozières, Bapaume, Mont St Quentin, Péronne, Montbrehain.
AIF OPERATIONAL AREA 1916 - 1918
How I can help you - AIF RESEARCH SERVICES: Battlefield guide for Gallipoli and the Western Front. Advice on battlefield tours, (particularly self-drive tours
in France & Belgium). Researching your AIF ancestors (handout available). Guidelines for your own research (handout available). Copies of “Fighting Nineteenth” available tonight, signed, for $50.
Aa
A