Percy Gartside (Kilsyth): On this day he decides to enlist in the AIF but this only begins a series of strange events where, over the next three years, he is discharged as medically unfit four times, then re-enlists under three different names and then deserts on a number of occasions, is on the run, imprisoned and escapes. Eventually in April 1918 the AIF send him to England but he spends

Pte George Milne (Lilydale), 6th Battalion: In camp in Egypt. In a letter to his mother in Lilydale – ‘Am fortunate in landing here at this time of year, on account of holidays, and have made full use of same in seeing all I could. Cairo is an eye-opener; a very mixed population; abounds with smells, mostly from their viands, which they have cooking in front of their shops, also

Pte Donald Fergus Scott (Mt Evelyn), 6th Battalion: In hospital in Egypt. In a letter to his father in Mt Evelyn – ‘You will be pleased to hear that although I am unfit for further active service in an infantry regiment, I have been transferred to the motor transport service for this hospital as motor mechanic. I have not been well lately but are alright now. The matron arranged for

Pte George Milne (Lilydale), 6th Battalion: In camp in Egypt. In a letter to his mother in Lilydale – ‘First mail from Australia in today, and everyone expectant, but few letters to hand, probably on account of a few days only separating mail from our departure. To-night, to keep men in camp, concert and ring contests are being held; and a glass of beer to each man. Tomorrow will be

Britain declares war on Germany as a result of its invasion of neutral Belgium. Being part of the British Empire, Australia is also at war and commits to supporting Britain in the conflict.

Alfred Niblett (Lilydale): When the war begins he is 29 years old and living and working in Lilydale, he had arrived from England just two years earlier. Being on the Imperial Army Reservist list he reports for duty at the British Consulate in Melbourne on this day and is accepted. He would soon be sent for training alongside the AIF at Broadmeadows, and then sail for England with the first

Harold Hughes (Montrose): After finishing his schooling at the Montrose State School he worked for the London Bank in Geelong, where he became a Lieutenant in the Senior Cadets at Geelong. He then went on to university studies in England and was here when the war started. On this day he enlisted in the Universities and Public Schools Corps in London, he is 19 years old.

The Australian Imperial Force (AIF) is formed, it is to be an expeditionary force of 20,000 full time volunteers to go overseas to serve in the conflict.

Ralph Goode (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a grocer at Hutchinson’s Store in Lilydale to enlist in the AIF. He is 26 years old and is the first man from both Lilydale and the Shire of Lillydale is join the AIF. Stoker James McClure (Yering), HMAS Pioneer: He is part of the crew that captures the German steamer ‘Neumunster’ west of Rottnest Island. He is the first man from the

William Aicher (Mt Evelyn): Even though his parents were both born in Germany, he doesn’t hesitate to leave his job as a metal spinner to enlist in the AIF. He is 22 years old and is the first man from Mt Evelyn to join the AIF. Frederick Davies (Kilsyth): Leaves the family property ‘Valley Farm’ in Kilsyth to enlist in the AIF. He is 22 years old and is the

Lyndon Watt (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a clerk at the Lilydale Railway Station to enlist in the AIF, he is 19 years old. Leopold Muir (Wandin): Leaves his job as a farm labourer around the Wandin district to enlist in the AIF, he is 22 years old. John Taggart (Wandin): Leaves his job as a driver around the Wandin district and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is

The Broadmeadow Army Camp is officially opened as the site of the main camp for the reception and training of recruits for the AIF from Victoria. Pte Frank Kingsley-Norris (Lilydale), 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance: In an excerpt from his auto-biography ‘No Memories for Pain’. ‘From Broadmeadows Station we shambled along in the rain for about a mile and turned into camp. There was only one short metal road in the

Charles Noden (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a carpenter to enlist in the AIF, he is 19 years old. Arthur Bedbrook (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a groom and gardener and enlists in the AIF, he is 27 years old. Harry Matthews (Seville): Leaves his job as a traveller and enlists in the AIF. He is 21 years old and is the first man from Seville to enlist in the

Howard Guttmann (Olinda): Even though his parents were both born in Germany, he doesn’t hesitate to leave his job as a labourer and enlist in the AIF, he is 26 years old. He is also the first man from Olinda to enlist in the AIF during the war. Arthur Fenton (Mt Dandenong): Leaves his job as a dairy man to enlist in the AIF, he is 19 years old and

Arthur Mattingley (Wandin): Leaves his job as a blacksmith in Wandin to enlist in the AIF. He is 46 years old and married but tells the authorities he is only 38 years old. Thomas Mackay (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a driver in Lilydale and his home in Croydon to enlist in the AIF, he is 26 years of age. Harry Hoadley (Olinda): Leaves his job as a cook and

Frank Nicholls (Wandin): Leaves behind the family farm in Queens Rd, Wandin to enlist in the AIF, he is 23 years old. Lance Matthews (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a horse breaker and enlists in the AIF, he is 23 years old. Leopold Muir (Wandin): Although allotted to the 6th Battalion, he is discharged as medically unfit due to the condition of his teeth. He later re-enlists in July 1915.

Stoker James McClure (Yering), HMAS Pioneer: Is part of the crew that captures the German vessel ‘Thuringen’ off Rottnest Island. James Metcalf (Mooroolbark): Leaves his job as a farm labourer in Mooroolbark and enlists in the AIF, he is 19 years old. Richard Grossman (Mt Dandenong): Leaves his job as a carpenter and enlists in the AIF, he is 24 years old. Harold Ritchie (Kilsyth): Leaves his studies to enlist

Ordinary Seaman Samuel Rouget (Wandin): He is transferred from HMAS Melbourne to HMAS Protector, a gunship that had been in service since the Colonial days. On this day he left Sydney as part of the crew of HMAS Protector to escort the two new Australian submarines, AE1 & AE2, as a unit of the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force, assembled to capture the German New Guinea colonies.

Sr Alice Card (Olinda): She is on the staff of the American Ambulance Hospital when it opens at the Lycee Pasteur in Neuilly sur Seine, France with 170 beds. Later that month they get their first patients, French soldiers wounded in the fighting at Marne. She would serve here throughout the war and is possibly the first Australian nurse to go into active service in the war.

Adolphus Geiger (Lilydale): Was living in Perth, WA when he left his job as a motor mechanic to enlist in the AIF, he is 23 years old.

Clyde and Walter Hoffman (Montrose): Both twin brothers enlist in the AIF on the same day, they are 21 years old.

John Mounsey (Seville): Leaves his job as a labourer in South Australia where he is living and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 45 years old and a widower with children.

Albert Lockwood (Silvan): Leaves his job as a blacksmith and enlists in the AIF, he is 18 years old and is the first man from Silvan to join the AIF. Although accepted and allotted to the 3rd Signal Troop, he is later discharged for refusing to be vaccinated against smallpox prior to going overseas. Percy Whyte (Olinda): Leaves his job as a horse driver and enlists in the AIF, he

Reg Peisley (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a harness maker and enlists in the AIF, he is 29 years old.

Ordinary Seaman Samuel Rouget (Wandin): On board the HMAS Protector, he is in Rabaul Harbour when the surrender of the German New Guinea colonies is signed. The HMAS Protector is acting as one of the guard ships. Donald Lord (Mt Evelyn): Leaves his job as a motor mechanic and enlists in the AIF, he is 26 years old and married.

Joseph Sies (Wandin): Leaves his job as a coach builder and enlists in the AIF, he is 19 years old. Fremont Tabbut (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a boot maker and enlists in the AIF, he is 23 years old and originally from Minnesota in the USA where he had served for a time with the American Marines before immigrating to Australia.

Herbert Read (Seville): Leaves his family’s property ‘Tecoma’ in Seville and enlists in the AIF, he is 22 years old. John Rose (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer to enlist in the AIF, he is 22 years old.

William Colville (Wandin): Leaves his job as a horse breaker to enlist in the AIF, he is 40 years old. William Teese (Mt Evelyn): Leaves his job as an engineer and enlists in the AIF, he is 41 years old and married. Pte Frank Kingsley-Norris (Lilydale), 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance: In an excerpt from his auto-biography ‘No Memories for Pain’. ‘We had been in camp about six weeks when

Leonard Lawlor (Coldstream): Leaves his family’s farm in Coldstream to enlist in the AIF, he is 21 years old.

James Whyte (Olinda): Leaves his job as a drover and enlists in the AIF, he is 33 years old and married. He had previously served in South Africa during the Anglo-Boer with the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles. His brother Percy had enlisted a few weeks before.

Michael McCristal (Lilydale): Leaves his job on the railways to enlist in the AIF, he is 25 years old.

Pte Arthur Sangston (Lilydale): While still at Broadmeadows Military Camp he is discharged from the AIF as ‘not likely to become an efficient soldier’.

Robert Purves (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer to enlist in the AIF, he is 28 years old. Nathaniel Davidson (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a boundary rider to enlist in the AIF, he is 28 years old.

Barney Gilson (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a butcher to enlist in the AIF, he is 35 years old.

Gilbert Mounsey (Seville): Leaves his job as a stockman in South Australia to enlist in the Australian Light Horse, he is 22 years old. Another three brothers would later follow him and enlist as well. His father, John Mounsey, had been a local volunteer who had served in the Anglo-Boer War.

Herbert Mackin (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a farrier and enlists in the AIF, he is 29 years old and married.

John Casson (Kilsyth): Leaves his job with the railways and enlists in the AIF, he is 21 years old. Lt Harold Hughes (Montrose), Royal Warwickshire Regiment: Having enlisted in England, he is gazetted to become a Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He had previously served as a Lieutenant in the Senior Cadets in Geelong.

Article published in the ‘Lilydale Express’ – OUR SOLDIERS. PRESENTATIONS AT THE CAMP. The President of the Lillydale Shire (Cr Wallace), Crs Hughes, McGhee and Blair, Messrs Phillips, Milne, Simpson, Janson, and A Stallworthy (hon sec), journeyed to Broadmeadows Military Camp on Thursday, 15th inst, and presented a very serviceable leather wallet and a typewritten letter under the seal of the shire council and signed by all the councillors, the

Iver Hamilton (Mt Evelyn): Leaves his job as an overseer and enlists in the AIF, he is 25 years old.

Over the coming days hundreds of soldiers board troopships around Australia and set sail for the convoy’s meeting point just off the coast of Albany, Western Australia. The following local men were part of that first convoy. In Sydney the loading of AIF troops for the first convoy begins. HMAT Argyllshire Dvr Leo Maxwell (Wandin), 1st Field Artillery Brigade

In Melbourne the loading of AIF troops for the first convoy begins. HMAT Wiltshire Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance Pte William Johnson (Mt Evelyn), 2nd Field Ambulance Pte Harry Allen (Mt Evelyn), 2nd Field Ambulance Pte Harry Matthews (Seville), 2nd Field Ambulance Trp John Taggart (Wandin), 4th Light Horse Regiment HMAT Hororata Cpl William Aicher (Mt Evelyn), 6th Battalion Pte Horace Allen (Mt Evelyn), 6th Battalion Pte Henry Hunt

HMAT Armadale Dvr James Whyte (Olinda), 1st Australian Reserve Park Dvr Percy Whyte (Olinda), 1st Australian Reserve Park HMAT Karroo Gnr Alfred Niblett, (Lilydale), Royal Field Artillery HMAT Shropshire Gnr Arthur Fenton (Mt Dandenong), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade Gnr Howard Guttmann (Olinda), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade Dvr Albert Street (Gruyere), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade Cpl Arthur Chapman (Wandin), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade Shoeing-Smith Hugh Wilson (Coldstream), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade

HMAT Orvieto Drv Harry Hoadley (Olinda), 5th Battalion Pte Frank Nicholls (Wandin), 5th Battalion Sgt William McLeod (Lilydale), 5th Battalion Pte Frank Olle (Gruyere), 5th Battalion Pte Arthur Newman (Yering), 5th Battalion Pte James Metcalf (Mooroolbark), 5th Battalion Spr Charles Noden (Lilydale), 2nd Field Company Engineers Spr Joseph Sies (Wandin), 2nd Field Company Engineers

William Lysaght (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a butcher and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 24 years old old.

Albert Briers (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a butcher and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 21 years old.

James Currie (Seville): Leaves his job as a motor engineer and enlists in the AIF, he is 37 years old. He had previously served with the Queen’s Edinburgh Volunteers in Scotland. Richard Pendlebury (Seville) – Leaves his job as a painter and enlists in the AIF, he is 22 years old. Charles Campbell (Kilsyth) – Leaves his orchard at Kilsyth and enlists in the AIF, he is 29 years old.

HMAT Ascanius Pte Walter Clegg (Wandin), 11th Battalion

Thirty-eight Australian troopships and ten New Zealand troopships, making up the first convoy, leave Albany, Western Australia bound for Egypt. All of them would travel further than any army in history to defend the British Empire. Sadly though, of the forty-six local soldiers on board the first convoy, twelve would never see Australia again, their fate being a grave in a cemetery overseas. Able Seaman Robert Croydon McComas (Montrose): Is

Dvr Adolphus Geiger (Lilydale), 1st Division Motor Corps: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on board the HMAT Freemantle. Pte Thomas Williams (Lilydale), 11th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on board the HMAT Ascanius. Pte Alexander Bonney (Lilydale), 11th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on board the HMAT Ascanius.

George Williams (Lilydale): At the time he is living at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada where he is working as a carpenter. He leaves his job to enlist in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, he is 25 years old.

Stanley Nicholas (Lilydale): Leaves his property in Murrindindi, NSW and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 39 years old and married.

Able Seaman Robert Croydon McComas (Montrose), HMAS Sydney: Is part of the crew of the HMAS Sydney when they engage in a naval battle with the German ship Emden. The enemy ship is run aground on the Cocos Islands and captured. He later writes to his family saying: ‘if ever I was proud to be an Australian it was the day we captured the Emden’. Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale),

Ernest Clow (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a shoemaker and enlists in the AIF, he is 20 years old. Gnr Alfred Niblett, (Lilydale), Royal Field Artillery: On board the HMAS Karroo, in a letter to a friend in Lilydale –‘I suppose you have all heard about the Sydney smashing up the Emden off Cocos Island. It was a blessing all round to have that boat out of the way; it meant

Lt Harold Hughes (Montrose), Royal Warwickshire Regiment: Sails from England to France and is attached to the 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry. He would be promoted to Captain in February 1915. Duncan Campbell (Wandin): Leaves his job as a canvasser and enlists in the AIF, he is 21 years old. Felix Hargrave (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 22 years old.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On board the HMAS Wiltshire, from his diary – ‘Land in sight at daylight, dropped anchor off Colombo at 2pm. Hundreds of natives in their katamarangs and sampans to see us, a wonderful sight. Colombo from the sea is a beautiful sight some very fine buildings. A five funnel Russian cruiser, ‘Akold’, here, also Sydney and numerous other boats. At night it’s like

Ordinary Seaman Nolan Footit (Gruyere): Is transferred to HMAS Una, a sloop that was a former German motor launch, and sails with it as part of the crew for the next few months around the waters of New Guinea. Kavan Lawlor (Coldstream): Leaves his job as farrier’s floorman and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 30 years old. His older brother Leonard has already enlisted.

Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: On board the HMAS Benalla, in a letter to his mother: ‘On the 20th of November we were inoculated against typhoid. The life on board ship is fairly easy, chiefly lectures, physical drill etc’.

James Mackie (Seville): Born in Scotland, he had only been in Australia for three years when he leaves his job as a baker at his father’s store in Seville to enlist in the AIF. He is 19 years old and requires his father’s permission to go overseas. In giving his consent his father writes to the authorities that he ‘had great pleasure in granting him my permission to join the

Norman Mounsey (Seville): Leaves his job as an engine cleaner in South Australia and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 23 years old. One brother had already enlisted and another two would follow later. His three brothers would serve with the 9th Light Horse Regiment while he would be with the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance.

Noel Syme (Gruyere): Leaves his job as a farmer in the Gruyere district and enlists in the AIF, he is 23 years old. His grandfather is David Syme, the founder and proprietor of The Age.

Ordinary Seaman Samuel Rouget (Wandin): Is transferred to HMAS Fantome, a Cadmus class sloop, and would spend the next few months as part of the crew as they undertake survey operations around Australian waters as well as performing a number of patrols around the Asia-Pacific region. Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On board the HMAS Wiltshire, from his diary –‘We are well into the Red Sea, I’ve had

Norman Fitzpatrick (Lilydale): Attempts to enlist in the AIF but is rejected on account of varicose veins.

James Rushton (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 23 years old.

George Vale (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a miner and enlists in the AIF, he is 36 years old.

The first convoy arrives at Alexandria, Egypt. Eventually the men will be disembarked and most are sent to Mena Camp, Cairo next to the famous Pyramids.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On board the HMAS Wiltshire, from his diary –‘Great satisfaction, leave granted for squads of fifty men ashore at a time in charge of officers. Great disappointment, all leave stopped owing to some men breaking ship and swimming ashore previous night, also pelting native water police with potatoes. On account of this we weighed anchor at 10am and put out to sea and

Sgt Noel Syme (Gruyere), 1st Australian Clearing Hospital: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Kyarra.

Pte Donald Fergus Scott (Mt Evelyn), 6th Battalion: At Mena Camp, Cairo. In a letter to his parents – ‘We disembarked at Alexandria and went by train to Cairo and then marched out to the present camp (about 10 miles) in full marching order – rather a long way after being seven weeks in the boat. We are right under the Pyramids and Sphinx almost – only a hill between

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: In a letter to his family – ‘I had a grand trip but am not sorry to be off the boat. We were on board eight weeks, all but a day – a long time. How it was that we were so long on the trip, was on account of being anchored at Port Said and Alexandria waiting for a berth at the

George Ingram (Seville): Leaves his job as a carpenter and enlists in the AIF, he is 30 years old and married. Having previously served with the artillery in the militia he is soon seconded to the Tropical Force to help man the guns on Matupi Island in Rabaul Harbour.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: At Mena Camp, Cairo. From his diary – ‘At daylight what a sight, nothing but sand, not a sign of vegetation anywhere. I’ve heard of the Sahara desert, now I’ve seen it, God help the man who’s ever lost in it. Very hot in middle of day, my eyes are very sore from the glare off the sand. Put in day dragging stores

Frederick Crooks (Wandin): Leaves his job as a labourer in the district and enlists in the AIF, he is 21 years old.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: At Mena Camp, Cairo. In a postcard to his young sister Winnie –‘This place that I’m at is such a funny place, nearly all the people are black and the men wear dresses blue, red and green all colours, and the ladies have a cloth half way over their faces and they ride such funny little donkeys and when the milkman comes in

George Lysaght (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a stud groom and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 19 years old. Fred Whiteside (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a locomotive fireman and enlists in the AIF, he is 27 years old.

Charles Ebeling (Wandin): Enlists in the Royal Australian Navy for a period of five years, he is 24 years old.

Gnr Alfred Niblett, (Lilydale), Royal Field Artillery: Arrives in England and is assigned to the 19th Battery of the Royal Field Artillery that is attached to the Indian Contingent. In a letter to a friend in Lilydale – ‘All the Australian and New Zealand troops got off at Alexandria and went to Cairo and we came to England. When we were a day out from England news came through by

Richard Glass (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 30 years old. THE SECOND CONVOY Troops load on to ships at Sydney. HMAT Persic Cpl Stanley Nicholas (Lilydale), 5th Light Horse Regiment

Troops load on to ships at Melbourne. HMAT Ulysses Pte Barney Gilson (Lilydale), 14th Battalion HMAT Themistocles Pte Herbert Read (Seville), 6th Battalion Pte Leonard Lawlor (Coldstream), 6th Battalion Pte John Rose (Lilydale), 7th Battalion Pte Fremont Tabbut (Lilydale), 7th Battalion HMAT McGilvarry Pte Charles Campbell (Kilsyth), 8th Battalion HMAT Ceramic Dvr James Currie (Seville), Divisional Supply Column Cpl William Teese (Mt Evelyn), Divisional Ammunition Column Dvr Donald Lord (Mt

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: At Mena Camp, Cairo. From his diary –‘Christmas Day. Was awakened at 4am by bands playing carols. Jack Stubbs came into camp at 5am with a great Union Jack round him, had a night out but doesn’t know where he got flag, at present it floats over our tent. Went to Church Parade. Our Christmas dinner consisted of – stew, rice and raisins,

The Second Convoy leaves from Western Australia Allen Mounsey (Seville): Leaves his job as a labourer in South Australia to enlist in the Australian Light Horse, he is 19 years old. Two brothers had already enlisted and another would follow later.