Monthly Archives: August 2014

Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery – Belgium

Posted on August 30, 2014 | 1 comment

LIJSSENTHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY

Later on Thursday 28th August 2014 we drove to Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery in Belgium, which is located 12 km from Ieper (Ypres).

According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website http://www.cwgc.org/, the village of Lijssenthoek was on the main communication line between the Ypres battlefields and the Allied military bases in the rear, and was used for casualty clearing stations. Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery contains 9901 Commonwealth graves from the First World War, as well as 883 war graves from other nationalities.

Joseph Raymond McGuire, a labourer who joined the Coo-ees at Ashfield, is the only Coo-ee buried in this cemetery. He died of wounds on 29th September, 1917.

The photograph below shows Joseph Raymond McGuire’s headstsone (centre) at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.

Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium (Photograph: S & H Thompson 28/8/2014)

Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium (Photograph: S & H Thompson 28/8/2014)

A photograph of the headstone on Joseph Raymond McGuire’s grave will be added to his individual blog entry, and form part of a Roll of Honour for the fallen Coo-ees on this blog, after our return to Australia.

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Les Baraques Military Cemetery – France

Posted on August 30, 2014 | Leave a comment

LES BARAQUES MILITARY CEMETERY, SANGATTE

After our arrival in France on Thursday 28th August 2014 we picked up our second hire car, and drove the short distance to Les Baraques Military Cemetery at Sangatte in Calais, France.

According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website http://www.cwgc.org/, Les Baraques Military Cemetery contains 1303 Commonwealth graves from the First World War, as well as 250 war graves from other nationalities, and also 7 Second World War burials.

Percy Walter Holpen, a carter who joined the Coo-ees at Wellington, is the only Coo-ee buried in this cemetery. He died of illness on 26th November 1918 from influenza, while in hospital at Calais.

The photograph below shows Percy Walter Holpen’s headstsone (fourth from right in centre) at Les Baraques Military Cemetery.

Les Baraques Military Cemetery (Photograph: S & H Thompson 28/8/2014)

Les Baraques Military Cemetery (Photograph: S & H Thompson 28/8/2014)

A photograph of the headstone on Percy Walter Holpen’s grave will be added to his individual blog entry, and form part of a Roll of Honour for the fallen Coo-ees on this blog, after our return to Australia.

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Melcombe Regis Cemetery

Posted on August 26, 2014 | Leave a comment

MELCOMBE REGIS CEMETERY

On Monday 25th August 2014 we visited the Melcombe Regis Cemetery in Weymouth, Dorset, England.

According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website http://www.cwgc.org/, Melcombe Regis Cemetery contains 142 graves from the First World War, scattered in the general cemetery. 83 of these are for Australian servicemen. John Thomas Smith, from Wellington, who died of wounds, is the only Coo-ee buried in this cemetery (in the south west corner).

The photograph below shows John Thomas Smith’s headstsone (2nd from left in centre) at Melcombe Regis Cemetery.

Melcombe Regis Cemetery (Photograph: S & H Thompson 25/8/2014)

Melcombe Regis Cemetery (Photograph: S & H Thompson 25/8/2014)

A photograph of the headstone on John Thomas Smith’s grave will be added to his individual blog entry, and form part of a Roll of Honour for the fallen Coo-ees on this blog, after our return to Australia.

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Plymouth (Efford) Cemetery

Posted on August 26, 2014 | Leave a comment

PLYMOUTH (EFFORD) CEMETERY

On Sunday 24th August 2014 we visited the Plymouth (Efford) Cemetery in Plymouth, Devon, England.

According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website http://www.cwgc.org/, Plymouth (Efford) Cemetery contains 338 graves from the First World War, scattered in the general cemetery. Thomas Thorne (from Lawson), who died from illness, is the only Coo-ee buried in this cemetery.

As this is a large cemetery, it is difficult to locate his grave. However, we remembered where Thomas Thorne’s grave was located (on the northern side of the cemetery near the crematorium) from our previous visit to the cemetery two years ago.

Plymouth (Efford) Cemetery (Photograph: S & H Thompson 24/8/2014)

Plymouth (Efford) Cemetery (Photograph: S & H Thompson 24/8/2014)

A photograph of the headstone on Thomas Thorne’s grave will be added to his individual blog entry, and form part of a Roll of Honour for the fallen Coo-ees on this blog, after our return to Australia.

 

 

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Harefield (St. Mary) Churchyard

Posted on August 25, 2014 | 2 comments

HAREFIELD (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD

After our arrival in London on Sunday 17th August 2014 we picked up our hire car, and drove the short distance to Harefield (St. Mary) Churchyard, at Harefield, Middlesex, England, where Bill Hitchen from Gilgandra is buried.

An Australian flag marks Bill Hitchen’s grave 2nd from the left in the second row in the photograph below.

An Australian flag marks Bill Hitchen’s grave at Harefield (St. Mary) Churchyard. (Photograph: S & H Thompson 17/8/2014)

An Australian flag marks Bill Hitchen’s grave at Harefield (St. Mary) Churchyard. (Photograph: S & H Thompson 17/8/2014)

The photograph below of the Commonwealth War Graves section at Harefield (St. Mary) Churchyard from the Australian War Memorial website http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P02293.001 showing the same scene was taken about 1917 (based on the latest date of death that can be seen on  the headstones).

The Anzac Cemetery Harefield, Lawrence, photo [ca. 1917] (Photograph public domain from the AWM website: http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P02293.001)

The Anzac Cemetery Harefield, Lawrence, photo [ca. 1917] (Photograph public domain from the AWM website: http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P02293.001)

Bill Hitchen’s grave at the time this photograph was taken did not have a headstone, only a wooden cross. Note the position of the headstones on these graves. The headstones have been reversed at a later date, and part of the wall removed, following the expansion of the cemetery.

According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website http://www.cwgc.org/ Harefield (St. Mary) Churchyard contains 120 graves from the First World War and 6 graves from the Second World War. The First World War graves are mostly of Australian soldiers who died at Harefield Park in No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital. Bill Hitchen is the only Coo-ee buried in this churchyard.

A photograph of the headstone on Bill Hitchen’s grave will be added to his individual blog entry, and form part of a Roll of Honour for the fallen Coo-ees on this blog, after our return to Australia.

 

 

 

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Visiting the graves and memorials of the Coo-ees in England, France and Belgium

Posted on August 25, 2014 | Leave a comment

Visiting the graves and memorials of the Coo-ees

I am currently on holidays overseas with my husband Stephen. Included in our busy itinerary over the next few weeks is visiting the graves of the Coo-ees who died while on active service in England, France and Belgium during the First World War, and/or the memorials where their names are commemorated, if they have no known grave. This will include visiting approximately 27 cemeteries and memorials, including the Menin Gate at Iepers (Ypres) in Belgium, and the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux in France.

I plan to include a brief blog entry about each of these cemeteries and memorials, and the names of the Coo-ees who are buried or named there.

We are taking photographs of each grave, or name on the memorial, to include on each individual Coo-ee’s blog entry after we return to Australia, which will form a Roll of Honour for the Coo-ees on this blog.

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William Thomas HITCHEN

Posted on August 19, 2014 | Leave a comment

William “Bill” Thomas HITCHEN

Bill Hitchen (Photograph courtesy of Gilgandra Shire Library)

Bill Hitchen (Photograph courtesy of Gilgandra Shire Library)

Per his military service record (regimental no. 1677), William “Bill” Thomas Hitchen was born at Mudgee, N.S.W. Lowering his actual age of 51 years by several years, he gave his age as 44 years and 2 months, and his address as Bridge Street, Gilgandra, N.S.W. He gave his occupation as plumber. His description on his medical was height 5 feet 7 ½ inches tall, weight 180 lbs., with a medium complexion, light brown eyes, and fair hair. His religious denomination was Roman Catholic.  He claimed to have no previous military experience.

He was known as Captain Bill Hitchen on the Coo-ee March as he was the Captain of the Gilgandra Rifle Club before enlisting.

Bill Hitchen was one of the main organisers of the Coo-ee March (along with his brother Richard G. Hitchen), and he joined the Coo-ees at Gilgandra at the beginning of the march. His official enlistment date is the 10th October 1915. However, per his service record he did not complete his medical and attestation until the 24th February 1916 at Bathurst, after he assisted in organising the Kookaburra March from Tooraweenah to Bathurst in early 1916.

After the Kookaburra March he was allocated to the 2nd reinforcements to the 45th Battalion as a Corporal.

Corporal Hitchen departed Sydney on the HMAT A40 Ceramic on the 14th April 1916. He embarked from Alexandria on 6th June 1916, and disembarked at Plymouth, England, on the 16th June 1916.

He was admitted to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield Park on 21st June 1916 sick with Melanotic Sarcoma.  He also had Diabetes.

Corporal Hitchen died of his illness on the 3rd September 1916, and was buried at the nearby Saint Mary’s Churchyard at Harefield, England.

Bill Hitchen's headstone, Harefield (St. Mary) Churchyard (Photograph: S & H Thompson, 17/8/2014)

Bill Hitchen’s headstone, Harefield (St. Mary) Churchyard (Photograph: S & H Thompson, 17/8/2014)

His name is also listed on the Gilgandra War Memorial, Cooee March Memorial Park Gateway (Gilgandra), and the Gulargambone War Memorial.

 

 

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Letter from Donald Stewart in a German prisoner of war camp

Posted on August 7, 2014 | Leave a comment

Transcription of an article titled ‘Private Don. Stewart’ published in the Wellington Times, 9 November, 1916, p. 7.

‘PRIVATE DON. STEWART.
Mr. E. Stewart has received the following letter from his son, Private Don. Stewart, who is a prisoner in Germany, written on 12th August:— Just a few lines hoping you are all well as this leaves me at present. I was captured on the 20th July. We went into the trenches a couple of days before I was caught. We had a big charge on the 19th, and had very heavy losses. Out of about six of my section who tried to get out of a tight hole two of us got out alive, and God only knows how I got out of it. We are being treated as well as can be expected in the camp we are in. We get the same food as a German soldier. I saw Ted Hubbard before the charge, but I don’t know how he got on. He was a corporal. Morton Austin was captured also. He lives over the Macquarie bridge. I saw some of the Coo-ees in France, and they were in action before we were. The Fifth Division were the first Australians to charge. You can send any news of Les, when yon write. I heard of his battalion when in France, but I never saw him. If you think it worth while you can send me some cigarettes and eatables — the smokes if anything at all. I have written to England for parcels, and they ought to be here next week, so we will not be so badly off. I received the paper that was sent from home, and saw in it that auntie had received the letter I threw overboard. I sent a couple addressed to home, but don’t know whether you received them or not. We live here in houses, and they are very clean and warm. We have a bed made of matting with two blankets. We have a warm bath every week and our clothes are steamed. We don’t do any work, and I bet I will be lazier than ever when I get back. That means I will be pretty lazy. I suppose it is pretty cold at home now; I wouldn’t mind having a fox hunt now. I suppose you have still got Prince. I hope he can catch a fox when I get back. I have told you all I can, and think I will have a job to fill in the next page, but I will try. I have still got the pocket books you gave me, and the best way I can find to fill in time is copying out music. We often play cards all day long. Smokes are hard to get, so we have to wait until some parcels come. We are allowed to write four postcards and two letters a month, and I will write them home with one to Blayney now and again, so I will leave it to you to tell all you know.’

Click here to view the article on Trove: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137411974

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Donald Singleton STEWART

Posted on August 7, 2014 | 3 comments

Donald Singleton STEWART

Donald Stewart (Sunday Times, 8/10/1916)

Donald Stewart (Sunday Times, 8/10/1916)

Per his military service record (regimental no. 4600), Donald Singleton Stewart was born at Wellington, N.S.W. He gave his age as 18 years (instead of his actual age of 16 years and 9 months), his marital status as single, and his occupation as grocer. His description on his medical was height 5 feet 8 inches tall, weight 9 stone 5 lbs., with a fair complexion, blue eyes, and fair hair. His religious denomination was Methodist.  He was known as one of the Wellington recruits, and joined the Coo-ees on the road after the Coo-ees had passed through Wellington. He was attested by Captain Nicholas “eight miles east” of Molong [at Boomey] on the 22nd October 1915, and completed his medical at Molong on 22nd October 1915. He claimed that he had previous military service with the Militia.

After completing the Coo-ee March he went to Liverpool Camp as reinforcement for the 13th Battalion.

On his embarkation roll his address at time of enrolment was Park Street, Wellington, N.S.W., and his next of kin is listed as his father, E. Stewart, Park Street, Wellington, N.S.W.

Private Stewart departed Sydney on the HMAT A70 Ballarat on the 16th February 1916 as 14th Reinforcement for the 13th Battalion. He arrived in Egypt on the 22nd March 1916. On the 1st April 1916 he was transferred to the 54th Battalion.

On the 19th June 1916 Private Stewart left Alexandria aboard HT Caledonian bound for France, arriving at Marseille on the 29th June 1916.

On the 20th July 1916 Private Stewart was reported missing in action after taking part in the Battle of Fromelles. On the 12th August 1916 Private Stewart was reported to be a prisoner of war in Germany. He was interned at Dulmen, Germany (a prison camp in Westphalia), then later detained at Schneidemuhl, Germany.

One of the youngest of the Coo-ees, he had his 17th birthday in Liverpool Camp, and his 18th and 19th birthdays as a prisoner of war in Germany (Wellington Times, 19/9/1918, p. 3).

After the end of the war, Private Stewart was repatriated to England on the 18th December 1918.

Private Stewart departed England on the 3rd May 1919 for return to Australia aboard the steamer Leicestershire, disembarking at Sydney on the 22nd June 1919. He was discharged on the 14th August 1919.

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William John Luther HOWARD

Posted on August 5, 2014 | Leave a comment

William John Luther HOWARD

Per his military service record (regimental no. 4802), William John Luther Howard was born at Crookwell, N.S.W. He gave his age as 24 years and 10 months, and his address as Mountain View, Biddon, Gilgandra, N.S.W. He gave his occupation as Farmer. His description on his medical was height 5 feet 9 ¾ inches tall, weight 11 stone 2 lbs., with a dark complexion, light blue eyes, and brown hair. His religious denomination was Methodist. He completed his medical on the 27th October 1915 at Gilgandra, (after the Coo-ee March had started), and was not attested until after the March had finished, at Liverpool on the 13th November 1915. He claimed to have had no previous military service.

Private Howard joined the Coo-ees at Bathurst. A telegram in the official correspondence of the March from A.H. Miller in Gilgandra to Major Wynne on the Coo-ee March dated 28th October 1915 advised that Howard had been sent to Bathurst the night before to meet them (presumably by train). His name was listed as one of the Bathurst recruits in The Bathurst Times (29/10/1915, p. 2).

After completing the march he went to Liverpool Camp as reinforcement for the 13th Battalion.

Private Howard departed Sydney on the HMAT Star of England on the 8th March 1916. He arrived in Egypt on the 11th of April 1916.

On the 7th June 1916 Private Howard left Alexandria aboard the Transport Huntspill bound for France, arriving at Marseille on the 14th June 1916.

After arriving in France Private Howard was sent to a Machine Gun Training School on 30th June 1916. After completing training he was posted to the 12th Machine Gun Company on the 12th August 1916, when it was engaged in heavy fighting around Pozieres.

Private Howard was admitted to hospital with influenza on 1st January 1917, returning to duty on 26th January 1917.

He was appointed Lance Corporal on the 9th October 1917 when his unit was resting out of the line at Ypres, Belgium.

On the 1st April 1918 his unit was redesignated the 4th Machine Gun Battalion.

He went on leave to the United Kingdom on 7th September 1918. He returned from leave on the 26th September 1918.

Lance Corporal Howard began his return to Australia aboard the Transport HMAT Commonwealth on the 17th April 1919. He arrived in Australia on the 19th May 1919.

He was discharged on the 12th June 1919.

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