TIMELINE March 1917

Friday, 2 March 1917

Private Jack Henry HUNT (45^th Battalion) was evacuated to England aboard the Hospital Ship Aberdonian from Boulogne, France, with Trench Feet.

Private Joseph John WILLIAMS (13^th Battalion) was sent to the 8^th Australian Field Ambulance in France suffering from Scabies, and he was moved to the 5^th Rest Station later that day with Influenza. He was later moved to the 5^th General Hospital at Rouen with Trench Fever.

Saturday, 3 March 1917

Private Jack Henry HUNT (45^th Battalion) was admitted to the Voluntary Aid Hospital at Cheltenham, England, with Trench Feet (severe).  (He was later transferred to the 2^nd Southern General Hospital where the third toe of his right foot was amputated).

Monday, 5 March 1917

Private Lewis Reginald DUFF (45^th Battalion) was promoted to Lance Corporal.

Wednesday, 7 March 1917

Private Cyril Roy MCMILLAN (45^th Battalion) went to the 12^th Australian Field Ambulance in France suffering from Trench Feet. He was moved to 3^rd Australian Field Ambulance the same day.

Private Roy McMillan (Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, 11/5/1918)

Private Joseph John WILLIAMS (13th Battalion) was sent to a Casualty Clearing Station with Trench Feet.

Thursday, 8 March 1917

On 8th March Private Cyril Roy MCMILLAN (45^th Battalion) was admitted to the 45th Casualty Clearing Station with Trench Feet.

Trooper Francis Noel WHITE (6th Light Horse Regiment) departed Port Suez about the NZ transport Willochra for return to Australia.

Friday, 9 March 1917

Private Bert KILDUFF (4th Pioneer Battalion) was admitted to the 8th Australian Field Ambulance in France for dental treatment.

Sunday, 11 March 1917

Private Cyril Roy MCMILLAN (45^th Battalion) was placed aboard the 9^th Ambulance Train and moved to the 3rd Stationery Hospital at Rouen, France, with Trench Feet.

Private Thomas SHAW (4th Pioneer Battalion) arrived back in Australia at Sydney aboard the Kanowna.

Monday, 12 March 1917

Private Alfred WARDROP (45^th Battalion) had his left foot amputated 3 inches above his ankle at the St John’s Ambulance Brigade Hospital at Etaples, France.

Private Joseph John WILLIAMS (13th Battalion) was placed aboard the Hospital Ship Grantully Castle at Le Havre for evacuation to England (Trench Fever).

Tuesday, 13 March 1917

Private Cyril Roy MCMILLAN (45^th Battalion) was placed aboard the Hospital Ship Warilda for evacuation to England with Trench Feet.

Private Alfred WARDROP (45^th Battalion) was evacuated to England on the HS Gloucester Castle sailing from Le Havre, following the amputation of his left foot.

Private Joseph John WILLIAMS (13^th Battalion) was admitted to the 2nd Southern General Hospital at Bristol in England (Trench Fever).

Private William CAIRNS (13th Battalion) was sent to the 13th Australian Field Ambulance suffering from Influenza.

Wednesday, 14 March 1917

On 14th March 1917 Cyril Roy MCMILLAN (45^th Battalion) was admitted to the Kitchener Military Hospital at Brighton, England, with Trench Feet.

Private Andrew James MCGREGOR (2nd Australian Field Bakery) was admitted to the 30th General Hospital at Calais France suffering from Myalgia.

Andrew James McGregor (Daily Telegraph 22/9/1916)

Private Alfred WARDROP (45^th Battalion) was admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital (recovering from amputated left foot).

Friday, 16 March 1917

Private William Charles WALKER (54th Battalion) was admitted to the Wareham Isolation Hospital in England suffering Mumps.

Saturday, 17 March 1917

Private Charles Henry HUNT (45th Battalion) departed England about the H.T. Beltana bound for Australia, suffering from Pleurisy and Rheumatism.

Private Daniel LYNCH (13th Battalion) departed England aboard the H.T. Beltana bound for Australia, for discharge for being over age and debility.

Private Bert KILDUFF (4th Pioneer Battalion) was discharged from the 8th Australian Field Ambulance following his dental treatment earlier in the month, but was readmitted on the same day suffering Urethral Stricture.

Sunday 18^th March 1917

On 18th March Private Bert KILDUFF (4th Pioneer Battalion) was transferred to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station with Urethral Stricture.

Wednesday, 21 March 1917

Private Bernard COYTE (13^th Battalion) was sent to the 13th Australian Field Ambulance in France with Influenza.

Bernard Coyte, ca. 1915 (Photograph: Australian War Memorial P09199.001)

Private Bert KILDUFF (4th Pioneer Battalion) was transferred by ambulance train to the 1st Australian General Hospital with Urethral Stricture.

Private Andrew James MCGREGOR (2nd Australian Field Bakery)  was discharged and returned to his unit.

Thursday, 22 March 1917

Private Archibald MCINTYRE (56th Battalion) was evacuated to the 5^th Divisional Rest Station in France sick.

Friday, 23 March 1917

Private Archibald MCINTYRE (56th Battalion) was admitted to a Casualty Clearing Station.

Saturday, 24 March 1917

Private Archibald MCINTYRE (56th Battalion) was diagnosed with Bronchitis.

Sunday, 25 March 1917

Private Archibald MCINTYRE (56^th Battalion) was diagnosed at the 2/1^st South Midland Casualty Clearing Station in France with Cerebro Spinal Meningitis.

Monday, 26 March 1917

Private Archibald MCINTYRE (56^th Battalion) died of his illness, and was buried in the Puchevillers British Cemetery, France.

Archibald McIntyre’s headstone at Puchervillers British Cemetery, France (Photograph: S & H Thompson 5/9/2014)

Tuesday, 27 March 1917

Private Jacob Isak PALMGREN (34^th Battalion) arrived at Devonport in England from Australia aboard the Anchises, and marched into the 12th Training Battalion at Codford, England, the same day.

Thursday, 29 March 1917

Private Bernard COYTE (13^th Battalion) was admitted to the 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station in France with Brocho Pneumonia.

Friday, 30 March 1917

Private Bert KILDUFF (4th Pioneer Battalion) was placed on the HS Gloucester Castle at Le Havre, France, for evacuation to England with Urethral Stricture.

Private William CAIRNS (13th Battalion) was admitted to the 5th General Hospital at Rouen, France,  suffering  from Cystitis.

Saturday, 31 March 1917

Private Bert KILDUFF (4th Pioneer Battalion) was admitted to the 5th Southern General Hospital at Portsmouth, England, with Urethral Stricture.

Timeline February 1917

Thursday, 1 February 1917

Private Alfred Rupert Clyde LINGSTROM ( Gilgandra Coo-ee, Anzac Mounted Division Signal Squadron) was sent to hospital sick.

Private Henry James Naughton BLAKEMAN  (Lithgow Coo-ee, 54th Battalion) was sent to the 15th Australian Field Ambulance suffering Trench Feet.

Sunday, 4 February 1917

Private Francis Charles FINLAYSON (Parramatta Coo-ee, 13th Battalion) was killed in action while the 13th Battalion was taking part in an attack on the German trenches in the vicinity of Guedecourt, France.  He has no known grave.

Private Finlayson’s name on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France (Photograph: S. & H. Thompson 7/9/2014)

Private Joseph Francis HEALEY (Blayney Coo-ee, 13th Battalion) was wounded in action for the second time, near Guedecourt, France, with a gunshot wound to the left knee.

Private William Stirling MASON (Springwood Coo-ee, 13th Battalion) was wounded in action near Guedecourt, France, with multiple shrapnel wounds to his right arm.

Lance Corporal John Graham WATSON (Springwood Coo-ee, 13th Battalion) was wounded in action  near Guedecourt, France, with a gunshot wound to the right leg.

Sunday, 5 February 2017

Private Joseph Francis HEALEY (Blayney Coo-ee, 13^th Battalion) was admitted to the 12th Australian Field Ambulance.

Wednesday, 7 February 1917

Private Stanley Everard STEPHENS (Gilgandra Coo-ee, 13th Battalion) was slightly wounded in action whilst the Battalion was in action near Guedecourt, France. He was one of 51 wounded this day another 21 members of the Battalion were killed.

Stanley Everard Stephens (Photograph courtesy of M. Stephens)

Private William Stirling MASON (Springwood Coo-ee, 13th Battalion) was admitted to the 3rd Canadian Stationery Hospital at Bologne, France.

Lance Corporal John Graham WATSON (Springwood Coo-ee, 13th Battalion) was admitted to the 10th General Hospital at Rouen, France.

Friday, 9 February 1917

Private Joseph Francis HEALEY (Blayney Coo-ee, 13^th Battalion) was admitted tot the 8th General Hospital at Rouen, France. Later that day he was sent to Le Havre and placed aboard the Hospital Ship Formosa for evacuation to England.

Private William Stirling MASON (Springwood Coo-ee, 13th Battalion) was placed aboard the HS Princess Elizabeth for evacuation to England.

Saturday, 10 February 1917

Private Joseph Francis HEALEY (Blayney Coo-ee, 13^th Battalion) was admitted to the 2nd Birmingham War Hospital in England.

Private William Stirling MASON (Springwood Coo-ee, 13th Battalion) was admitted to the Norfolk War Hospital in England.

Sunday, 11 February 1917

Lance Corporal John Graham WATSON (Springwood Coo-ee, 13th Battalion) was placed aboard the HS Aberdonian for evacuation to England.

Monday, 12 February 1917

Private Henry James Naughton BLAKEMAN  (Lithgow Coo-ee, 54th Battalion)  was placed aboard the 15th Ambulance Train and transferred to the 12th General Hospital at Rouen, France.

Tuesday, 13 February 1917

Lance Corporal John Graham WATSON (Springwood Coo-ee, 13th Battalion) was admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital at Wandsworth, England.

Wednesday, 14 February 1917

Private Alfred Rupert Clyde LINGSTROM (Gilgandra Coo-ee, supplementary list, ANZAC Mounted Division Signal Squadron) was admitted to the 14th Australian General Hospital at Abbassia.

Thursday, 15 February 1917

Private Stanley Everard STEPHENS (Gilgandra Coo-ee, 13th Battalion) re-joined his Battalion near Mametz in France.

Monday, 12 February 1917

Private Alfred Rupert Clyde LINGSTROM (Gilgandra Coo-ee, supplementary list, ANZAC Mounted Division Signal Squadron), was sent to hospital sick.

Tuesday, 20 February 1917

Private Thomas William EVANS (Dubbo Coo-ee, 45th Battalion) was wounded in action for a second time with a gunshot wound to the head.

Private Alfred Rupert Clyde LINGSTROM (Gilgandra Coo-ee, supplementary list, ANZAC Mounted Division Signal Squadron) was transferred to a Convalescent Depot.

Wednesday, 21 February 1917

Private Harold Brooks DAVIS (Ashfield Coo-ee, 45th Battalion) was wounded in action, when he received multiple gunshot wounds when the 45th Battalion was engaged in action at Guedecourt, France, and he was evacuated to the 45th Casualty Clearing Station.

Thursday, 22 February 1917

Private Thomas Henry TURVEY (Gilgandra Coo-ee, supplementary list, 45th Battalion) for his action of the night of 22/23 February near Guedecourt, France,  was subsequently awarded a Military Medal.

Private T. H. Turvey, of Gilgandra “Coo-ees”, awarded Military Medal (Newspaper unknown, 1917)

Friday, 23 February 1917

Private George Elsie EWENS (Blayney/Bathurst Coo-ee, 45th Battalion) was wounded in action near Guedecourt, France, for a second time with a shrapnel wound to his finger.

Lance Corporal James MAHER  (Gilgandra Coo-ee, supplementary list, 45^th Battalion) was wounded in action near Guedecourt, France,  with a gunshot wound to the left ankle and buttock.

James Maher, 1915 (Photograph courtesy of L. Leo)

Private Alfred WARDROP (Gilgandra Coo-ee, 45th Battalion) was wounded for a second time with a gunshot wound to the left leg, which was amputated.

Sunday, 25 February 1917

Private Thomas William EVANS (Dubbo Coo-ee, 45th Battalion) was placed aboard the 21st Ambulance Train and conveyed to the 11th Stationery Hospital at Rouen, France.

Private George Elsie EWENS (Blayney/Bathurst Coo-ee, 45th Battalion) was placed aboard the 21st Ambulance Train and conveyed to the 10th General Hospital at Rouen, France.

Monday, 26 February 1917

Lance Corporal James MAHER (Gilgandra Coo-ee, supplementary list, 45th Battalion) was placed on the 31st Ambulance Train and taken to 26th General Hospital at Etaples, France.

Private Alfred WARDROP  (Gilgandra Coo-ee, 45th Battalion) was placed aboard the 31st Ambulance Train and was taken to St. Johns Ambulance Brigade at Etaples, France.

Alfred Wardrop (Courtesy of Gary Wardrop)

Tuesday, 27 February 1917

Private Harold Brooks DAVIS (Ashfield Coo-ee, 45th Battalion) was evacuated by the 21st Hospital Train to the 6th General Hospital at Rouen, France.

Private Jack Henry HUNT (Gilgandra Coo-ee, 45^th Battalion) was evacuated to the 45th Clearing Station suffering from Trench Feet  he was later sent to England, where the third toe of his right foot was amputated.

Wednesday, 28 February 1917

Private Harold Brooks DAVIS (Ashfield Coo-ee, 45th Battalion) died of his wounds in the 6th General Hospital, Rouen, France.

Harold Brooks Davis’ headstone at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France (Photograph: S. & H. Thompson 7/9/2014)

Private Allan Allan James DENMEAD (Bathurst Coo-ee, 53^rd Battalion) embarked for France from England.

Private Jack Henry HUNT (Gilgandra Coo-ee, 45^th Battalion) was evactuated and placed aboard the 9th Ambulance Train and moved back to the 3rd Canadian General Hospital at Bolonge France.

Private Sidney James De Courcy HEUSTON (Wellington/Orange Coo-ee, 45th Battalion) was discharged medically unfit in Australia. (Private Heuston had been wounded in action on 6^th August 1916 in the Battle of Pozieres, suffering a gunshot wound to his right leg).

Pte. S. Heuston (The Globe and Sunday Times War Pictorial, 14/10/1916)

TIMELINE October 1916

Saturday, 7 October 1916

Privates Thomas ANDERSON and Archibald MCINTYRE embarked from Sydney on the HMAT A40 Ceramic, and arrived at Plymouth on 21^st  November 1916.

Tuesday, 10 October 1916

1^st anniversary of the start of the Coo-ee March at Gilgandra on Sunday, 10th October 1915. Click on the following two articles to read what was published in newspapers at that time:

The Coo-ees part in the fray anniversary of the start The Bathurst Times, 10 October, 1916, p. 4.

Anniversary of their start The Sunday Times, October 8, 1916, p. 9.

Friday, 13 October 1916

Privates James Burke and Robert Clyde CAMPBELL arrived on the HMAT A18 Wiltshire.

Sunday, 15 October 1916

Lance Corporal Maurice Bertram FREE was wounded in action in Belgium with a shrapnel wound to his chest.

Thursday, 19 October 1916

Private Joseph ARMSTRONG (who had initially been reported as having been killed in action after the Battle of Fromelles), was reported to be a prisoner of war in Germany on this day.

Wednesday, 25 October 1916

Privates Allan James DENMEAD and James O’NEILL embarked from Sydney on the HMAT A11 Ascanius, and arrived at Devonport in England on 28^th December 1916.

Thursday, 26 October 1916

Acting Sergeant Stanley Everard STEPHENS, Acting Sergeant Thomas Walter DOWD, and Acting Corporal Francis Charles FINLAYSON arrived at Plymouth in England on HMAT A14 Euripides, as reinforcements for the 13th Battalion.  Leo Ambrose STINSON (20th Battalion) and Albert Warren PEARCE (1^st Battalion) also arrived on the same ship.

Stanley Everard Stephens (Photograph courtesy of M. Stephens)

Percy Edward BLACKWOOD re-enlisted in the AIF at Dubbo (who had been discharged at Liverpool on 6^th April 1916 after the Coo-ee March).

Friday, 27 October 1916

Patrick Joseph O’LOUGHLIN (O’LOUGHLEN) re-enlisted at Dubbo (after having being discharded at Liverpool on 29^th November 1915 medically unfit, with varicous veins).

Saturday, 28 October 1916

Trooper William Solomon CISSMAN arrived in Australia after being sent home from Egypt with club foot.

Tuesday, 31 October 1916

2^nd Lieutenant John Robert LEE embarked from Sydney on the HMAT A8 Argyllshire, and arrived in England on 10^th January 1917.

Lieutenant J. R. Lee (Sydney Mail, 3/3/1920)

TIMELINE June 2016

Thursday, 1 June 1916

William Allan Luther PHILPOTT left Alexandria in Egypt on the HMT Transylvania, and arrived in Marseilles in France on 8^th June 1916.

Friday, 2 June 1916

Harold BAXTER, Harold Brooks DAVIS, William Emerton HUNTER, Alan Chesher JOHNSON (Alan Cheshyre JANION), Spencer John LETCHER, Joseph Raymond McGUIRE,  Jack MORRIS, Rowland John WILSON , and 22 other Coo-ees embarked at Alexandria in Egypt with the 45^th Battalion aboard the Transport Kinfauns Castle bound for France, and arrived at Marseilles on 8^th June 1916.

Sunday, 4 June 1916

Andrew James MCGREGOR,  John QUINN, Percy Walter HOLPEN,  Joseph PARRISH , Samuel LUKE,  Oliver James HARMON, Karl Alex Frederick NIELSON , John Thomas SMITH, Walter James GOODLET,  John Herbert WATTS, Edward Joseph MCGARRY, and 20 other Coo-ees left Egypt on the HT Scotian, and arrived in Marseilles on 11^th June 1916.

Monday, 5 June 1916

William Hilton SAUNDERS (Wongarbon Coo-ee in the 4th Division Ammunition Column) wrote in his diary: ‘Struck all our tents & my section No. I left camp for Railway station 3 pm & loaded our train in intense heat. Left for Alexandria 5 p.m. and arrived wharf about midnight. Loaded our horses on the Horseboat & then went aboard G062 P.S.N.C. Oriana”. [1]

Tuesday, 6 June 1916

William Thomas HITCHEN left Alexandria in Egypt [ship unknown], and disembarked at Plymouth, England, on 16^th June 1916.

Wilfred Ernest MCDONALD,  Ernest Charles Norman MAY, William Hilton SAUNDERS,  Arthur Charles REID, father and son Lightfoot Lamonby HAMPSON and Charles Alfred HAMPSON , and 2 other Coo-ees left Alexandria in Egypt with the 4^th Division Ammunition Column on the Transport Oriana, and arrived in Marseilles on the 13^th June 2016. William Hilton SAUNDERS wrote in his diary: “Rest of D.A.C. arrived & came aboard 9 a.m. About 4 p.m. left the wharf & anchored out near harbour entrance”. [2]

Victor QUINTON, John TARLINGTON, Denis Roy GREEN, and Colin David WREN (4th Pioneer Battalion) proceeded to join the B.E.F. in France, and boarded the Transport Ionian at Alexandria in Egypt, and disembarked at Marseilles on 15^th June 1916.

Wednesday, 7 June 1916

James CRAWFORD, Leslie Webster GREENLEAF,  Alan John Burnett EASTERBROOK,  William Joseph MUNRO, William Henry GRIFFITHS (13^th Battalion), and 6 other Coo-ees, left Alexandria aboard the Transport Ionian bound for France, and disembarked at Marseilles on 14^th June 1916.

James Gerald CAMERON,  William John Luther HOWARD,  Jack Henry HUNT,  James MCKEOWN,  Laurence Leslie MAGUIRE,  Lewis LEOVILLE, and 4 other Coo-ees left Alexandria in Egypt on HT Huntspill, and arrived in Marseilles on 14^th June 1916.

Monday, 12 June 1916

William Hilton SAUNDERS wrote in his diary about his arrival at Marseilles in France on the HT Oriana: “Arrived at Marseilles about 8 a.m. Anchored out till afternoon when we went in and moored to wharf. Very pretty scenery from boat: towering white cliffs. Railway running round side of mountain & large chemical works built on side of steep cliffs”. [3]

Tuesday, 13 June 1916

William Hilton SAUNDERS wrote in his diary about disembarking from the HT Oriana at Marseilles and travelling by troop train in France: “D.A.C. disembarked early & waited on the wharf till 3 p.m. Marched to troop station & left just before sundown. Went through very long tunnel & then were running through lovely green fields & orchards. Very picturesque & thickly populated. Change from Egypt”. [4]

Friday, 16 June 1916

Thomas THORNE is admitted to the Devonport Military Hospital in Devonport, England, sick with Pneumonia.  [The date he arrived in England from Egypt is not recorded in his service record].

Mrs Thorne with her son Thomas Thorne who joined at Lawson (Mirror of Australia 13/11/1915)

Sunday, 18 June 1916      

Thomas THORNE died of illness with Pneumonia at Devonport Military Hospital. He was the first of the Coo-ees to die while on active service overseas during the First World War. Acting Sergeant Thorne was buried at Plymouth (Efford) Cemetery in Plymouth, Devon, England, on 21^st June 1916.

Thomas Thorne’s headstone at Plymouth (Efford) Cemetery, England (Photograph: H. Thompson 24/8/2014)

Maurice Bertram FREE, John Edward Leslie HOURIGAN, Ernest Stephen TAYLOUR, and 8 other Coo-ees left Alexandria in Egypt on HT Kinfauns Castle, and arrived at Marseilles on 29^th June 1916.

Monday, 19 June 1916

Charles William Gordon CONROY,  Donald Singleton STEWART, John MARTIN,  Joseph Patrick WALLIS,  Joseph ARMSTRONG, William Charles WALKER,  Edwin Joseph FULLER, Henry James Naughton BLAKEMAN, and James Birrell DAWSON left Alexandria aboard the HT Caledonian, and arrived at Marseilles on 29^th June 1916.

Wednesday, 21 June 1916

William FARTHING (13^th Battalion) and William Thomas HITCHEN  (45^th Battalion) were both admitted to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield in England, sick.

[1] William Hilton Saunders, 1916 WWI diary, 5 June 1916.

[2] William Hilton Saunders, 1916 WWI diary, 6 June 1916.

[3] William Hilton Saunders, 1916 WWI diary, 12 June 1916.

[4] William Hilton Saunders, 1916 WWI diary, 13 June 1916.