The AIF began 1915 camped in Egypt. In Europe a fierce winter was beginning to set in laying England in a blanket of snow. The military authorities had originally planned to base the Australians in camps on the Salisbury Plain in the south of England however the cold climate had quickly turned that area into a series of quagmires that was seriously effecting the morale of the Canadian troops already

Albert Clegg (Wandin): Leaves his family’s property in Wandin and enlists in the Royal Australian Navy for a period of five years, he is 18 years old.

Pte Donald Fergus Scott (Mt Evelyn), 6th Battalion: At Mena Camp, Cairo. In a letter to his family – ‘As a camp it is miles ahead of Broadmeadows. We don’t have to eat our meals out in the open they have built mess rooms for each company where you can buy a good cup of coffee or cocoa for half piaster also cakes and soft drinks at the same price.

Pte Horace Allen (Mt Evelyn), 6th Battalion: Is admitted to hospital in Egypt suffering from synovitis of the right knee.

William Long (Silvan): Leaves his job as a chainman and enlists in the AIF, he is 20 years old.

Thomas Ogilvy (Seville): Leaves his brother David’s property in Seville where he works and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 20 years old. His brother David would follow him four months later and enlist in the AIF.

Leslie Jack (Seville): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 23 years old. Harry Dawson (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a carpenter and enlists in the AIF, he is 23 years old. Ern Mason (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 25 years old. Albert Walker (Montrose): Leaves his job as a carpenter and enlists in the

Arthur Rouget (Wandin): Leaves his family’s property in Wandin and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 25 years old. Reginald Farndon (Mt Dandenong): Leaves his job as a clerk and enlists in the AIF, he is 21 years old. His younger brother Leslie would follow him and enlist in a few months’ time.

Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: In camp at Mena, Cairo, Egypt. In a letter to a friend in Lilydale – ‘The training here is far more advanced than in Australia and marches of 12 or 15 miles, or bivouacs and night attacks in the desert are not novelties to us now. The weather has become much hotter and a big percentage of our work is carried out at night.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: At Mena Camp, Cairo. From his diary –‘Went to Mena House. Our deepest thanks we owe to our people at home for the books they have given us. We have a library in camp and we are able to pass many weary hours at night reading. Visited the zoo, reckon Melbourne zoo not to be compared with this one’.

Leslie Gamble (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a salesman and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 26 years old.

Norman Stewart (Wandin): Is working as a carpenter in New Zealand when he decides to enlist in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, he is 34 years old. Ernest Williams (Lilydale): Leaves his job at a saw mill and enlists in the AIF, he is 22 years old.

David Mitchell (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a pastry cook and enlists in the AIF at the recruiting office in Lilydale, he is 18 years old. Frederick Randolph (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a waiter and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 26 years old.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: At Mena Camp, Cairo. From his diary –‘Played football against the Light Horse this afternoon, lost by two points. This was the first Australian game played in Egypt’.

Dvr Donald Lord (Mt Evelyn), Australian Army Service Corps: Is admitted to hospital in Egypt suffering from rheumatism. He is later sent to England for further treatment. In a letter to his wife –‘I have been nearly crippled with rheumatism since leaving Australia. They are sending me to hospital as soon as possible for treatment but I am afraid they will send me back. I hope to enlist again as

Thomas Eales (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a law clerk and enlists at the AIF at the recruiting office in Lilydale, it is his 19th birthday. Rae Lucke (Montrose): Leaves his job as a coach builder and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 18 years old. His older brother John would follow him in a few months and also enlist.

Pte John Mounsey (Seville), 9th Light Horse Regiment: Is discharged from the military for refusing to be inoculated.

Dvr Charles Clarke (Mt Dandenong), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade: Is admitted to hospital in Egypt suffering from measles. Edward Buck (Wandin): Leaves his job as a farm worker in Wandin to enlist in the AIF, he is 21 years old.

Pte Frank Kingsley-Norris (Lilydale), 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance: In an excerpt from his auto-biography ‘No Memories for Pain’: ‘Up I swayed along the curving road that leads to the first pyramid of Cheops. Only when I was right against this huge structure did I appreciate the enormity of its construction, the effort and the cruelty that must have gone into the production and placing of those huge blocks of

Trp Albert Briers (Lilydale), 4th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Katuna. Pte Felix Hargrave (Lilydale), 7th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Gasson.

Pte Duncan Campbell (Seville), 5th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Clan Macgillivray. Pte Richard Glass (Lilydale), 5th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Clan Macgillivray. Pte James Mackie (Seville), 6th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Clan Macgillivray. Pte Ernest Clow (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Clan Macgillivray. Pte Walter Staff (Wandin), 14th Battalion:

Dvr Alfred Parish (Lilydale), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade: Is ordered to be sent back to Australia from Egypt on the HT Kyarra to be discharged as medically unfit. While at Broadmeadows he was kicked by a horse in the left upper abdomen and then on the ship was hit in the same place during a boxing match. Afterwards he becomes melancholic in his attitude and according to a report ‘fought

Ordinary Seaman Nolan Footit (Gruyere): Is transferred to HMAS Fantome, a Cadmus class sloop, but would only spend the next few weeks on the ship before being transferred back to the base at HMAS Cerberus.

Harry Moore (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a mill hand to enlist in the AIF, he is 23 years old.

Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: In camp at Ismailia, Egypt, on the Suez Canal. In a letter to a friend in Lilydale –‘The 7th and 8th went to Ismailia, on the Suez, when the Turks attacked, but the Turks were beaten before we got there and we only saw the end of the scrap. There’s not much doing here now and it’s a brute of a day – I’m

Pte Frank Kingsley-Norris (Lilydale), 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance: In an excerpt from his auto-biography ‘No Memories for Pain’: ‘Along the pavements in Cairo were small tables and chairs, but no sooner would one sit down and order a drink than an endless stream of fly specked touts would gather and, before our ordered drinks arrived, press sherbet and gazooza upon us. Others brought food, fruit, carpets, antikers, chairs, couches, fly

Dvr Donald Lord (Mt Evelyn), Australian Army Service Corps: Arrives in England from Egypt to undergo further treatment for his rheumatism. In a letter to his wife: ‘Well, we are in England at last. Things here are on the go just the same except that everywhere you go there are soldiers, the streets are full of them. At the depots one sees wicked looking guns, innumerable horses, stacks of forage

Trp Albert Briers (Lilydale), 4th Light Horse Regiment: On board the HMAT Katuna. In a letter to his sister in Lilydale – ‘The boat left Port Melbourne pier at 5 o’clock on 3rd February and we had a good trip down the bay. We got outside the Heads about dark then we got into ‘The Rip’ and every one of us was sick as it was so rough. The steamer

Walter Summers (Seville): Leaves his family’s property at Seville and his job at the State Savings Bank in Fitzroy to enlist in the AIF, he is 25 years old. His younger brother Reginald would also enlist in the AIF in August 1915. Harry Boxall (Silvan): Leaves his job as a farm hand around Silvan and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 29 years old.

Trp Walter Dawson (Lilydale), 9th Light Horse: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Karroo.

Ordinary Seaman Samuel Rouget (Wandin): Is transferred to HMAS Una, a sloop that was a former German motor launch, and would spend the next year patrolling the Pacific, especially round the New Guinea and New Britain area. Trp Gilbert Mounsey (Seville), 9th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Armadale. Trp Robert Purves (Lilydale), 9th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT

Pte Frederick Crooks (Wandin), 6th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Runic. Pte Leonard Giddins (Olinda), 7th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Runic. Pte William Long (Silvan), 8th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Runic. Spr Michael McCristal (Lilydale), 3rd Light Horse: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Runic.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: At Mena Camp, Cairo. From his diary –‘Held quite a reception of Lilydale boys. ‘Smiler’, C Noden, Bert Reid, Lawlor, A Bedbrook, Billy Mac, Harry Hunt and self – all met’.

Pte George Ingram (Seville), Tropical Force: Leaves Australia bound for Rabaul on the HMAT Eastern. Albert Douglas (Seville): Leaves his parent’s property at Seville and enlists in the AIF, he is 21 years old. William English (Mt Evelyn): Leaves his job as a woodworker and enlists in the AIF, he is 21 years old. Cyril Gregan (Olinda): Leaves his job as a railway porter and enlists in the AIF, he

Richard Robertson (Mt Evelyn): Leaves his job as a wire netter and enlists in the AIF, he is 31 years old. Henry Warwick (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a baker and enlists in the AIF, he is 22 years old.

Trp Albert Walker (Montrose), 8th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Star of Victoria. Trp Iver Hamilton (Mt Evelyn), 8th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Star of Victoria.

Clyde Richardson (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a hairdresser and enlists in the AIF, he is 26 years old. Harry Stevens (Seville): Leaves his parent’s property on Warburton Hwy, Seville and enlists in the AIF at the recruiting office at Lilydale, he is 19 years old.

Charles Cox (Gruyere): Leaves his job as a carpenter and enlists in the AIF, he is 19 years old.

Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: In camp at Mena, Cairo, Egypt. In a letter to a friend in Lilydale – ‘Ismailia is a pretty place on Lake Timsah, through which the boats using the canal pass. In contrast to Cairo, its houses are more like the high-class residential ones in Australia – Toorak, and not like magnificent hotels. There are very pretty public gardens all round the place –

Pte Charles Willimott (Lilydale), Mechanical Transport Division: Arrives in the United Kingdom from Egypt. He is with a group assigned to assist the British Transport Service on the Western Front and as a result is one of the first AIF men to arrive for service in Europe. In a letter to a friend in Lilydale – ‘We had a good trip over. We were in Egypt only five days and

William Parker (Silvan): Leaves his job as a tree feller around the district and enlists to serve in the AIF, he is 24 years old and married.

Claude Atkinson (Lilydale): Leaves his job with the Victorian Railways and enlists in the AIF, he is 18 years old.

Trp Albert Briers (Lilydale), 4th Light Horse Regiment: At Mena Camp, Egypt. In a letter to his sister in Lilydale – ‘We are camped about four miles from Cairo City on a sandy desert and I can tell you it is rather cold at night and fairly warm in the day. Cairo is a very big place and it is pretty easy to lose yourself there. There are millions of

Henry Maidment (Lilydale): Leaves his job with the railways and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 23 years old.

Dvr Arthur Bedbrook (Mt Evelyn), Australian Army Service Corps: Is admitted to hospital in Egypt after being kicked in the head by a horse which results in some loss of hearing.

Pte Horace Allen (Mt Evelyn), 6th Battalion: Arrives back in Australia on the HT Kyarra to be discharged as medically unfit as a result of developing synovitis of the right knee.

Leslie Farndon (Mt Dandenong): Leaves his job as a farm hand in the Yarra Valley and enlists in the AIF, he is 19 years old.

Frank Foster (Montrose): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 24 years old.

Pte Norman Stewart (Wandin), New Zealand Samoan Relief Force: In August 1914 New Zealand forces invaded and took over the German Colony of Samoa in the Pacific. Norman arrived on this day with a Relief Force of New Zealand troops to help garrison the islands.

Richard Plummer (Olinda): Leaves his job as a boilermaker and enlists in the AIF, he is 20 years old.

Pte Charles Willimott (Lilydale), Mechanical Transport Division: In England. In a letter to a friend in Lilydale – ‘We are present billeted in Romsey, in the south of England, but are under orders to clear – I don’t know where. England is just one huge camp – troops everywhere. They all live in huts. Some of the camps are almost as large as Melbourne. We are engaged in carting stores

Pte Fred Whiteside (Lilydale), 14th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Shropshire.

Tpr Albert Briers (Lilydale), 4th Light Horse Regiment: At Mena Camp, Cairo, Egypt. In a letter to his mother – ‘The Egyptian men are very small and the Australians look very fine soldiers alongside them. The coming of the Australian Army was a godsend to Cairo, as there are not many tourists here this season. Cairo was a great surprise to us all. It is a bigger place than Melbourne

Ebenezer Gray (Seville): Leaves his job as a gardener on his family’s orchard ‘Theodore’ and enlists in the AIF at the recruiting office at Lilydale, he is 28 years old. John Irwin (Mooroolbark): Leaves his job as a linesman in Sydney and enlists in the AIF, he is 22 years old.

Levi Trayford (Lilydale): Leaves his job as farmer and enlists in the AIF, he is 18 years old. Peter Brander (Lilydale): Leaves his job as labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 27 years old. However after this date no further word is heard from the authorities about him, he fails to report for duty, and he is eventually discharged.

Rupert Bloom (Lilydale): Leaves his job as farmer and enlists in the AIF, he is 21 years old. David Lohman (Lilydale): Leaves his job as manager of Cave Hill’s bacon curing and enlists in the AIF, he is 25 years old and married.

Harold Manders (Wandin): Leaves his job as a marine engineer and enlists in the AIF, he is 25 years old.

Cpl William Aicher (Mt Evelyn), 6th Battalion: At Mena Camp. In a letter to a friend in Mt Evelyn – ‘There was a bit of a fight here in Cairo between the natives and the soldiers on Thursday, and myself and four others just escaped serious damage. Five of us were having a look at the native quarters when the blacks suddenly attacked us and drove us into a blind alley

Harry Black (Coldstream): Leaves his family’s property at Coldstream and enlists in the AIF, he is 26 years old. Harold Clark (Gruyere): Leaves his job as a bank manager in Norwood, SA, where he had been working, and enlists in the AIF, he is 31 years old. Ernest Commerford (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 34 years old. George Joy (Mt Evelyn):

Ray Tregear (Mt Evelyn): Leaves his job with the Commercial Bank in Christchurch, New Zealand, where he had been working, and enlists in the New Zealand Military Forces, he is 23 years old.

THE BATTLE OF THE WASSIR, CAIRO, EGYPT For the Australians in Egypt, life soon became both monotonous and impatient as they waited to go into action. Fairly soon some of the more boisterous and high spirited young soldiers began to run wild. Discipline deteriorated, military offences increased and the incidents of venereal disease rose. This all culminated with a large riot in the red light district of Cairo called the

George Davies (Kilsyth): Leaves his orchard in Kilsyth and enlists in the AIF, he is 30 years old.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: From his diary – ‘Embarked on SS Mashobra’.

Henry Hogan (Olinda): Leaves his job as a butcher and enlists in the AIF, he is 18 years old.

Cpl William Aicher (Mt Evelyn), 6th Battalion: At Mena Camp. In a letter to a friend in Mt Evelyn –‘We are still in Egypt and are greatly disappointed to be left here for a longer period. I don’t know what the people will think of us. Judging from the Australian papers we receive here, they must think we are all downright rotters of the very lowest degree. Well, there are some

Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: At Mena Camp. In a letter to a friend in Lilydale – ‘I suppose everyone has seen the letters in the papers written by Captain Bean. Well, though to a certain extent he was right, he exaggerated things very much, and was practically forced by the authorities here to contradict his statements in future letters. With about 40,000 or more men camped together, when they

Alicia Kelly (Mt Dandenong): Leaves her job as a nurse at a private hospital in Melbourne and enlists in the Australian Army Nursing Service, she is 29 years old.

Pte Felix Hargrave (Lilydale), 7th Battalion: In a letter to his sister in Lilydale – ‘There are a lot of French and Greeks here in Cairo which is a big place about twice as big as Melbourne but not half as well laid out, most of the streets are narrow, choked and smell somewhat. There are thousands of black faces thronging the streets, the men and women dressing alike. One

Alfred Leonard (Olinda): Leaves his job as a railway porter and enlists in the AIF, he is 38 years old and married. Wilson Evans (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a flour miller and enlists in the AIF, he is 22 years old.

John Lucke (Montrose): Leaves his job as a carpenter and enlists in the AIF, he is 20 years old. His brother Rae had enlisted earlier in January.

Alfred Parish (Lilydale): After returning from Egypt to Melbourne, he is discharged from the AIF as medically unfit, he then moves to Sydney and enlists again there. Pte Vincent Lawlor (Gruyere), 5th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Hororata. Pte Charles Cox (Gruyere), 6th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Hororata. Pte David Mitchell (Lilydale), 14th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the

Charles Osborne (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer to enlist in the AIF, he is 23 years old.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: In his diary – ‘Can’t say I’ve enjoyed these 3 weeks on this boat, there is no sleeping accommodation, I have slept under the mess table these last 21 days’. Dvr William Lysaght (Lilydale), 9th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australian bound for Egypt on the HMAT Wiltshire.

Cpl James Drummond Burns (Lilydale), 21st Battalion: While stationed at Broadmeadows Military Camp he writes the following poem to be published in his old school newspaper at Scotch College. It sums up how he felt about the conflict and about imperial identity as he saw it. Once published the poem hits a nerve with the general public and goes on to become the most well received and widely read piece

Pte George Williams (Lilydale), Canadian Army Medical Corps: Arrives in France and is seconded to duties with the 3rd Canadian Field Ambulance. He serves with this unit in France until December 1918. Pte Norman Stewart (Wandin), New Zealand Samoan Relief Force: Returns to New Zealand from Samoa suffering from malaria and is soon discharged from the military as medically unfit. Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: In his diary

THE LANDING AT GALLIPOLI, DARDENELLES, TURKEY THE FIRST WAVE Around 4.20am the 9th, 10th and 11th Battalions (3rd Brigade) landed at what became known as Anzac Cove and began making their way up the cliffs and ridges in front of them. Locals amongst that first wave were: Pte Harold Ritchie (Kilsyth), 9th Battalion Pte Alexander Bonney (Lilydale), 11th Battalion Pte Walter Clegg (Wandin), 11th Battalion Sgt Thomas Williams (Lilydale), 11th Battalion

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary –‘The mighty ‘Queen Elizabeth’ speaks this morning. The earth fairly trembles when she fires. Oh how we duck when the ‘shrap’ flies. 5.30pm – I am writing this under a rain of shells, the noise is terrific, about eight warships and twenty guns we got into position today are belching forth to the return of Turkish shrapnel.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary – ‘We have been shelled unmercifully today but worse at night. The valley we were carrying the wounded down was like an inferno, they dropped shells at the rate of six a minute on us. Thank God I got through without a scratch’. Spr Joseph Sies (Wandin), 2nd Field Company Engineers: Is wounded in action, gunshot wound

Dvr Richard Pendlebury (Seville), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade: On Anzac Cove. Letter written to his brother George from Gallipoli – ‘From the time of landing until Tuesday night we did not get any sleep but things are going more smoothly now. Our job consists of dragging guns up into position carrying shells to the guns, unloading barges of rations, digging pits for the guns and for the first few days

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary –‘Our boys are well dug in now, casualties very small today. I went to the trenches tonight but no wounded men, not much shrapnel today. The snipers are very bad, one beggar fired ten shots at me today, they lobed all round but none hit me. The infantry say we are all heroes, nobody can imagine the

Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: On Anzac Cove. In a letter to a friend in Lilydale – ‘We stopped in the trenches till Friday morning, 30th, getting very little sleep, when we were relieved by the 9th Battalion. We went back to the beach and dug like rabbits into a big hole in the side of the cliff. Then we had a bathe in the sea, with bullets falling too

Sgt William McLeod (Lilydale), 5th Battalion: He and another Sergeant rescue a detachment of marines who were trapped in battle outposts at Wire Gully and were completely covered by Turkish fire. Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary – ‘I am sitting in my dug out and its death to poke your head out. We are on a hill about one hundred yards from

Pte Duncan Campbell (Wandin), 5th Battalion: Is wounded in action, injury to right thumb, and is eventually evacuated to hospital in Malta. Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary – ‘6pm: Our usual evening reception is now on. Have just counted about fifty shells which landed in the water one hundred yards from the shore, the Turks do make some holes there. About a

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary –‘I’ve been through hell and out again. Last night the New Zealanders took a hill and got terribly cut up, had to leave the new position. Our chaps also took a hill and I think still hold it. Our section got called out at 9pm and I got in for a spell at midday today. Some of the

Gnr Howard Guttmann (Olinda), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade: Is wounded in action, shrapnel wound, and is evacuated from Anzac Cove to hospital on Mudros Island.

Pte Lyndon Watt (Lilydale), 6th Battalion: At Cape Helles. In a letter to his friends in Lilydale – ‘On 5th May our brigade re-embarked and sailed down the end of the Peninsula and landed at Fort Ledd et Bahr, where British and French troops had already driven the Turks back about three miles’. Edith Yeaman (Montrose): Leaves her position as a nurse at the Melbourne Hospital and joins the Australian

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: At Cape Helles. In his diary – ‘At 1am this morning we were called out to prepare to embark (2nd Brigade). At 4am we boarded lighters and were towed out to a mine sweeper and embarked on her (Folkestone) after 1½ hours sail we disembarked at Cape Helles, at the place where the British and French landed and marched inland to about 1½

Pte Frederick Crooks (Wandin), 6th Battalion: Is landed at Anzac Cove with his regiment and moved up into the front line trenches. Trp Kavan Lawlor (Coldstream), 8th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Palermo. Alfred Eades (Montrose): Leaves his job as a clerk and enlists in the AIF, he is 19 years old.

THE BATTLE OF KRITHIA, CAPES HELLES, DARDANELLES, GALLIPOLI Pte Richard Glass (Lilydale), 5th Battalion: Is wounded in action, gunshot wound to the thigh, and is evacuated from Cape Helles to hospital in Malta. In a letter to friends in Lilydale – ‘Our brigade left ten days after we landed to go to Gallipoli to assist the French and British troops there. We were told by our CO that on account

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: At Cape Helles. In his diary – ‘At dawn this morning we went up to the trenches and just as we left the Turks opened hell on us. I gave myself up; I never thought we had a chance of getting through as we had no cover. So we gripped the stretchers and stooping low made a run for it. The bullets showered

THE BATTLE OF NEUVE CHAPELLE – FRANCE (MAY 10th – 13th) Gnr Alfred Niblett (Lilydale), 19th Battery, Royal Field Artillery: In France. Writing to a friend in Lilydale –‘The bombardment of Neuve Chappelle was a hell of its own. We have had several similar ones since. We gave them a proper shaking up too. We will give them ‘baby killers’ before we have done with them. One thing, you are fairly

Pte Walter Staff (Wandin), 14th Battalion: Is evacuated from Anzac Cove to hospital in Egypt suffering from influenza.

Pte John Irwin (Mooroolbark), 17th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on HMAT Themistocles. Pte Alfred Parish (Lilydale), 13th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt for a second time on HMAT Themistocles.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: At Cape Helles. In his diary –‘The enemy got a big gun in position today. Have made it very uncomfortable for us, it sends a nasty feeling through you to hear the shells coming. You wait to see it burst, not knowing if it’s going to blow you up, you breathe a sigh of relief when you see it’s missed and you wait

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: At Cape Helles. In his diary –‘I had a miraculous escape from being blown to pieces today. I was standing talking to Capt Chambers alongside of his dugout, which he had just come out of, when a shell dropped right in to it. We were showered with dirt and debris but got off without a scratch. From then on for an hour we

Dvr Richard Pendlebury (Seville), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade: On Anzac Cove. Letter written to his brother George from Gallipoli – ‘Our boys are giving the Turks a terrible caning. The Australian have got a great name here. They call the Australians the ‘White faced Gurkhas’. The rifle fire on both sides keeps going all night. The Turks use explosive bullets which make a terrible row when they hit anything. My dug-out

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: At Cape Helles. In a letter to his mother –‘I’ve been in two engagements so far, and thank God came out safely. I’ve had so many narrow squeaks that I hardly take any notice of the bullets now. I’ve had a bullet through my cap, one through my puttee and was struck on the shoulder by a shrapnel bullet, which, lucky for me,

Dvr Harry Hoadley (Olinda), 5th Battalion: Is evacuated from Anzac Cove to hospital in Egypt suffering varicose veins and hernia. Ordinary Seaman Nolan Footit (Gruyere), HMAS Cerberus: While stationed at the naval base, HMAS Cerberus, he deserts from the Royal Australian Navy. The following year he enlists in the AIF under the name John Willis.

Sr Edith Yeaman (Montrose), Australian Army Nursing Service: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the RMS Mooltan.

Pte Ormond Footit (Lilydale), 2nd ANZAC Light Horse: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on board the HMAT Caledonia. Harold Bartram (Olinda): Leaves his job as a merchant and enlists in the AIF, he is 34 years old.

Pte George Vale (Lilydale), 8th Field Ambulance: Is landed at Anzac Cove and reports for duty.

Pte Ormond Footit (Lilydale), Tpr John Taggart (Wandin) & Trp Albert Briers (Lilydale), all 4th Light Horse Regiment: Are landed at Anzac Cove with the regiment and moved up into the trenches at Ryrie’s Post. Dvr Richard Pendlebury (Seville), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade: On Anzac Cove. Letter written to his brother George from Gallipoli –‘The Light Horse have arrived without their horses and will have to go into the trenches’.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In a letter to his mother –‘Our ships bombarded the Turkish position on our right very heavy this morning. Most of our Light Horse are here now, turned into infantry. A German Taube flew over this morning and dropped a couple of bombs, one dropped quite close to us. They cause a fearful explosion when they burst, more than shells’.

Dvr Richard Pendlebury (Seville), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade: On Anzac Cove. Letter written to his brother George from Gallipoli –‘Things are a bit quiet lately. The Turks asked for an armistice last week to enable them to bury their dead;there were thousands of them and the armistice lasted from 7.30 amto 4.30 pm. Our burial parties and theirs were talking and exchanging smokes. It was just like a holiday for

Sgt Noel Syme (Gruyere), 1st Australian Clearing Hospital: Lands at Anzac Cove and reports for duty. Dvr Richard Pendlebury (Seville), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade: On Anzac Cove. Letter written to his brother George from Gallipoli: ‘I saw the Triumph torpedoed on Monday. It happened at 12.30 pm. A wall of water went over the ship and when it cleared the Triumph had a big list. It took twenty minutes for

Pte Fred Whiteside (Lilydale), 14th Battalion: Is landed at Anzac Cove and moved up into the frontline trenches. Trp Allen Mounsey (Seville), 9th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on HMAT Afric.

Cpl Arthur Chapman (Wandin), 13th Field Artillery Brigade: Is landed at Anzac Cove and reports for duty. Leonard Walters (Wandin): Leaves his property ‘Cleveland’ at Wandin and enlists in the AIF, he is 24 years old.

Trp Rae Lucke (Montrose), 13th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Persic. Trp Henry Maidment (Lilydale), 13th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Persic. Trp George Lysaght (Lilydale), 13th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Persic. Trp Arthur Rouget (Wandin), 13th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Persic. From his

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary –‘Except for a bit of shelling, things rather quiet today. Altho at 3am this morning the Turks blew up some of our trenches and then charged with hand grenades but we gave it to them hot. Our losses; one hundred killed and wounded, and theirs; three hundred and eighteen prisoners’.

Dvr Richard Pendlebury (Seville), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade: On Anzac Cove. Letter written to his brother George from Gallipoli – ‘Some of us went round one of the gullies the other evening to see some mates. We were sitting in a dugout talking to them. Three of the boys had legs sticking out, and a sniper wounded them all through the legs with one bullet. A Red Cross man was

Pte Harry Allen (Mt Evelyn), 2nd Field Ambulance: Is wounded in action, six gunshot wounds to the chest and arms, while carrying a wounded soldier to safety and is evacuated from Anzac Cove to hospital in Egypt. Sgt Frank Olle (Gruyere), 5th Battalion: Dies in hospital in Egypt after the wounds he’d received at the landing on April 25th become septic. He is 28 years old and is buried at

Andrew Ragartz (Seville): Leaves his family’s property in Seville and enlists in the AIF, he is 25 years old. His older brother Albert enlists a month later. Bruce Timms (Yering): Working in Adelaide at the time, he leaves his job as a clerk and enlists in the AIF, he is 19 years old.

Trp James Rushton (Lilydale), 9th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on HMAT Botanist. Harry Linacre (Seville): Born in Liverpool, England he had come out to Australia a few years earlier and at the time of enlisting in the AIF he was working for Mr Murray of Seville as a carpenter. He was 23 years old and engaged to a local girl, Elsie Mitchell. He had already served

Pte Ernest Commerford (Lilydale), 23rd Battalion: On the HMAT Euripides travelling to Egypt. In a letter to friends in Lilydale – ‘We reached the Red Sea on June 3rd, when the weather became stifling and no matter what part of the ship you went to, one could not get cool; the sea was dead calm being just like a huge sheet of glass’. Walter Horne (Wandin): Leaves his job as

Pte Albert Douglas (Seville), 6th Field Ambulance: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on HMAT Ajana. Pte Ernest Williams (Lilydale), 6th Field Ambulance: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on HMAT Ajana. AB Spr John Lucke (Montrose), 1st Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on HT Port Macquarie.

Pte Frank Kingsley-Norris (Lilydale), 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance: Is sent to England to work as a medical orderly. In an excerpt from his auto-biography ‘No Memories for Pain’ –‘I was posted as medical orderly to No 1 Australian Hospital at Harefield Park in Middlesex, the private home of a patriotic Australian, set in acres of beautiful parkland with age-old oaks, elms and chestnuts. There I met up with two

Dvr Richard Pendlebury (Seville), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade: On Anzac Cove. Letter written to his brother George from Gallipoli – ‘I am still in the same place and things are fairly quiet, if you can call it so. Our boys hit up a bit the other night and made a charge and took some trenches. I think the Turks are short of ammunition: they do not fire so many shells

Pte Herbert Read (Seville), 6th Battalion: In hospital on Malta. In a letter written to his sister Florence: ‘I am getting on well, I can see a little bit out of my left eye now and the treatment we get is lovely; it’s quite a good holiday to get away from the front. …I suppose by the time I get back home, nearly all the fighting will be done there…

Dvr Leo Maxwell (Wandin), 1st Field Artillery Brigade: Is admitted to hospital while stationed in Egypt suffering from gastritis and conjunctivitis. He is later evacuated to England for further medical treatment.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary –‘Water is pretty scarce. The wells the engineers sunk have all dried up and it is a crime for any man to wash himself or his clothes or dishes in fresh water. After being on night duty we try to sleep during the day but it’s impossible because of the heat and flies, we could stand the

Pte Arthur ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 5th Battalion: On Anzac Cove. In a letter to friends in Lilydale – ‘On June 11 we went into the firing line again. We had to climb up the hill we were on by means of rope. Horses cannot be used here and all the guns are hauled up the steep cliffs and hills by the infantry. The place is all hills. Roads have been

Pte Felix Hargrave (Lilydale), 7th Battalion: On Anzac Cove. In a letter to his Aunty in Lilydale – ‘I am still in the land of the living. I have been in the thick of it from the first – April 25 – I’ve had close on three months’ hard fighting battles and have been lucky. I have seen some awful sights at the front. We have had to endure some

Gnr Alfred Niblett (Lilydale), 19th Battery, Royal Field Artillery: In France. Writing to a friend in Lilydale: ‘I have been in the firing line in France about five months now, and by the look of things appear like being here a few more months yet. This is a war, and no mistake the Huns are a dirty lot of fighters. No doubt you have read about their inhuman methods of trying

Stoker Charles Ebeling (Wandin): After finishing his training at HMAS Cerberus, he is posted to HMAS Encounter, a challenger class cruiser. He would spend the next three years as part of the crew, mainly patrolling the Fiji – Samoa area of the Pacific and off the Malayan coast. Pte Charles Cox (Gruyere), 6th Battalion: Arrives at Anzac Cove and is moved up into the front line trenches. Pte Richard Robertson

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary –‘A couple of nights ago, just about 5pm, two or three barrels were washed ashore. A crowd soon collected and many were the tips made after smelling them as to what they contained, some said beer, others vinegar, wine etc. They soon knocked a hole in the end and out poured wine (claret). The news spread like

Pte Donald Fergus Scott (Mt Evelyn), 6th Battalion: In hospital in Egypt. In a letter to his father in Mt Evelyn – ‘I was in hospital for a fortnight after being wounded at the landing, and then detailed for duty in the 1st Australian General Hospital until I am fit to go back to the front and the sooner the more agreeable to me, I had quite enough of the

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary –‘Eight weeks today since we landed, eight weeks and never knowing what minute you are going to get bowled over. It’s a bit trying on the nerves, a lot of chaps are getting the jumps, I am beginning to feel it a bit myself’.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary –‘We’ve got another trouble on us now, a sniper has got the track in front of our camp picked off, the only track we can use, he got six chaps in two days. Every time we go along we wonder if we’ll get past and just as we get on the track we get zip, ping, past

Spr Charles Noden (Lilydale), 2nd Field Engineers: Is evacuated from Anzac Cove to hospital on Mudros Island suffering from lumbago. Walter Thompson (Wandin): Leaves his property at Wandin in the care of his wife and enlists in the AIF, he is forty-four years old. This is his second attempt to enlist, he had tried in 1914 but was rejected on account of his height. His 19 year old son William

Trp Gilbert Mounsey (Seville), 9th Light Horse Regiment: Is evacuated from Anzac Cove suffering from influenza and sent to hospital on Lemnos Island. Thomas Strachan (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a bookbinder and enlists in the AIF, he is 20 years old.

Pte Wilfred Tucker (Mt Dandenong), 7th Battalion:  Arrives at Anzac Cove and is moved to the frontline trenches. Trp Thomas Ogilvy (Seville), 13th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on HMAT Royal George. Trp Leslie Gamble (Lilydale), 13th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on HMAT Ceramic. Sr Alicia Kelly (Mt Dandenong), Australian Army Nursing Service: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on HMAT Wandilla. Edward Hitchings

Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: On Anzac Cove. In his diary – ‘The Turks threw over a note, in which they asked us to surrender, and told us that our warships had deserted us and that our stores would soon run out and we would starve. ‘At any rate’, went on this highly humorous episode, ‘we were only fulfilling a contract for greedy England and she had now deserted

Trp Arthur Rouget (Wandin), 13th Light Horse Regiment: In camp in Egypt. From his diary – ‘We eventually arrived at Suez on June 29th, losing on the voyage one man and thirty horses. We were very glad to get off the boat and the horses were I am sure. Not greatly impressed with the niggers, they seemed to be very lazy and had to be driven to work, also being

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In a letter to his mother –‘Wonderful to relate we never lost a man while we were landing. I wish I could say the same now. The casualties in our own corps have been heavy, I can’t tell you the number, I’m not allowed, but I have lost some of my best pals, the last one a few evenings ago.

Stoker Albert Clegg (Wandin): After finishing his training at HMAS Cerberus he is assigned to HMAS Psyche, a Pelorus third-class protected cruiser, and for the next six months the ship would be on patrol in the Bay of Bengal and off the coast of Burma. Thomas Butcher (Yering): Leaves his job working as a farm hand around Yering and enlists in the AIF, he is 18 years old. As he

Pte Felix Hargrave (Lilydale), 7th Battalion: On Anzac Cove. In a letter to his sister in Lilydale – ‘The Jack Tars are fine chaps, and they think a lot of us lads. There is every uniform you could think of here – French, Algerian, Cingalese, Highlanders, Irish Fusiliers, Australians, New Zealanders, Tommies, etc besides a lot of different Indian soldiers. I reckon, between the lot of us, we ought to

Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: In his diary – ‘We were relieved from the trenches and half the battalion were put on sapping, and the rest at general fatigues etc’. Cpl Henry Hunt (Lilydale), 6th Battalion: Is wounded in action, shrapnel wounds to the legs, and is evacuated from Anzac Cove to hospital in Egypt. James Clegg (Wandin): Leaves his family’s orchard in Wandin where he works and enlists

Spr Charles Noden (Lilydale), 2nd Field Engineers: Arrives back with his unit on Anzac Cove after spending time in hospital on Mudros Island.

Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: At Anzac Cove. In his diary – ‘I had rather a narrow escape this evening. While having tea, a big 5.7 armour piece fell about 10ft, behind my dugout, and after burying itself about 4ft in the ground, it exploded and sent pieces of shell and dirt spattering all round me’. Trp Arthur Rouget (Wandin), 13th Light Horse Regiment: In camp in Egypt. From

Stoker James McClure (Yering), HMAS Pioneer: Is with the British naval force in the attack on the German Cruiser Konigsberg. Back in December the British Admiralty had requested the aid of HMAS Pioneer in the blockade of the Konigsberg off the coast of Africa, it had taken shelter beyond the range of effective fire in the mouth of the Rufigi River south of Zanzibar. They arrived there in February and

Pte Felix Hargrave (Lilydale), 7th Battalion:  Is wounded in action, shellshock and concussion, and is evacuated from Anzac Cove to hospital on Malta and then England. In a letter to his sister in Lilydale – ‘I have been lucky up till now, when I got buried alive by a couple of 8-inch shells. Four mates and myself had just come off duty from the firing line and were having our

Percy Barratt (Olinda): Leaves his job as a farmer on his father’s property at Olinda and enlists in the AIF, he is 18 years old. His older brother Edward who enlist the following year. Edmund Boulter (Olinda): Leaves his orchard at Olinda and enlists in the AIF, he is 20 years old. His brother Victor would enlist the following year. Bert Hutchinson (Lilydale): Leaves his job at his father’s store

Pte Vincent Lawlor (Gruyere), 5th Battalion: Arrives at Anzac Cove and is moved up into the front line trenches. Pte Charles Willimott (Lilydale), Mechanical Transport Division: Disembarks from the ship at Southampton, England. He is one of the first local soldiers with the AIF to arrive in Europe for duty. Reg Charteris (Wandin): Leaves his orchard at Wandin and enlists in the AIF, he is 28 years old. Leslie Coppin

Stoker James McClure (Yering), HMAS Pioneer: Sitting off the mouth of the Rufigi River south of Zanzibar. In a letter to a friend in Yering –‘We went back again and this time the ‘Konigsberg’ was destroyed completely but two British aeroplanes had been brought down, the crews of which were picked up by the ‘Mersey’. That ended the battle – a complete victory for us. I hope to have a chance

Sr Alicia Kelly (Mt Dandenong), Australian Army Nursing Service: Arrives in Egypt and reports for duty at No 1 Australian General Hospital in Cairo, set up to care for casualties from the Gallipoli campaign. Spr Charles Noden (Lilydale), 2nd Field Engineers: Is evacuated from Anzac Cove to hospital on Malta suffering from influenza. Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: At Anzac Cove. In his diary – ‘Great was our joy

William Bedford (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 28 years old. Harry Dinsdale (Olinda): Leaves his job as a driver and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 23 years old. Thomas Harvey (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a clerk and enlists in the AIF, he is 38 years old. William Jenner (Wandin): Born in Wandin, although living in Burwood at

George Deacon (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a clerk and enlists in the AIF, he is 21 years old. William Parkinson (Coldstream): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 36 years old and married.

Richard Hand (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 28 years old. Robert King (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 30 years old. George Milne (Lilydale): Leaves his newsagents and stationery supplies store in Lilydale in the hands of his mother and sister and enlists in the AIF, he is 35 years old. Even though

Walter Emery (Seville): Leaves his family’s property at Woori Yallock and his job as a gardener in Seville to enlist in the AIF, he is 18 years old. This is the second time he has tried to enlist; the previous time he had been rejected on account of his teeth. William Hawkey (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a barman and enlists in the AIF, he is 31 years old. It

The following local soldiers leave Australia bound for Egypt on HMAT Demosthenes: Pte Leonard Walters (Wandin), 6th Battalion Pte Henry Warwick (Lilydale), 8th Battalion Pte James Fraser (Yering), 23rd Battalion Pte Harry Linacre (Seville), 24th Battalion Pte James Reade (Yering), 24th Battalion Richard Goodall (Gruyere): Leaves his job as a painter and enlists in the AIF, he is 24 years old. Howard Morey (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a draper

Pte Leonard Giddins (Olinda), 7th Battalion: Is evacuated from Anzac Cove to hospital on Mudros Island suffering from pyrexia. Pte Barney Gilson (Lilydale), 14th Battalion: Arrives back in Australia from Egypt on board the HT Kyarra to be discharged as medically unfit as a result of developing a hernia. He would soon be operated on and the following year re-enlist. Charles Harrison (Wandin): Leaves his job as a grocer and

Trp Arthur Rouget (Wandin), 13th Light Horse Regiment: In camp in Egypt. From his diary – ‘We get up at 5 o’clock, have a cup of tea and drill till 9 o’clock as it is too hot for either man or horses in the middle of the day. We have to take our turn at guarding the Turkish prisoners at Mahdi. It is a bit of a change for us,

Frank Austin (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a factory hand and enlists in the AIF, he is 19 years old. Ernest Bolitho (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a factory employee and enlists in the AIF, he is 22 years old. George Evans (Mt Evelyn): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 25 years old. Charles Fraser (Yering): Leaves his family’s vineyard where he works

Charles Cooper (Wandin): Leaves his farm in Wandin to enlist in the AIF, he is 32 years old and married with two children. Louis Herry (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a carter to enlist in the AIF, he is 18 years old. Michael Griffin (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a butcher to enlist in the AIF, he is 21 years old. William Town (Lilydale): Leaves his farm at Lilydale to

George & Ernest Gilbert (Yering): Together the two brothers leave their family’s property at Yering and enlist. George in the Australian Light Horse, he is 29 years old, and Ernest in the AIF, he is 24 years old. Their younger brother, Gus Gilbert, would follow them and enlist a few days later. Ernest Dutton (Wandin): Leaves his property in Wandin to enlist in the AIF, he is 29 years old.

AB Spr John Lucke (Montrose), 1st Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train: Lands at Anzac Cove and reports for duty. Pte Charles Willimott (Lilydale), Mechanical Transport Division – attached to 17th Divisional Supply Column, British Expeditionary Forces: In France. In a letter to Dr Cross in Lilydale – ‘Glad to say I am at last in France, with every prospect of seeing something of this great war. The corps has been

Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: At Anzac Cove. In his diary – ‘We went back to Anzac Cove again and into our old place at Steel’s Post trenches on the 19th. Here I had another narrow escape, a shrapnel shell burst over the trenches about 30 yards in front of me, and I got a knock on the head with a bit of the shell; it nearly put me

Pte Wilfred Tucker (Mt Dandenong), 7th Battalion: Is evacuated from Anzac Cove to Mudros Island suffering from septic hands. He would later return. Leopold Muir (Wandin): Having already enlisted in 1914, and then being discharged a few months later as medically unfit because of his teeth, he attempts to enlist again and is successful. He comes from a family with a rich military heritage, his grandfather, James Stowe, had served

Pte Vincent Lawlor (Gruyere), 5th Battalion: Is evacuated from Anzac Cove to Egypt as a result of defective teeth. John Medhurst (Gruyere): Leaves his job as an orchardist in Gruyere and enlists in the AIF, he is 21 years old. John Purcell (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 25 years old. John Thomson (Mt Evelyn): Leaves his job as a labourer and

Gus Gilbert (Yering): Leaves his family’s property at Yering and enlists in the AIF, he is 21 years old. His older brothers, George & Ernest Gilbert, had enlisted a few days before. Alfred Pomeroy (Wandin): Born in Wandin and living in Sea Lake at the time, he enlists in the AIF, he is 28 years old.

Dvr Adolphus Geiger (Lilydale), 1st Division Motor Corps: Is admitted to hospital in Egypt suffering from tonsillitis. Isaac Davies (Kilsyth): Leaves his job as an Engine Driver in Western Australia, where he had been working, and enlists in the AIF, he is 38 years old, married and had previously served in the Anglo-Boer War with the 4th Australian Commonwealth Horse. Two of his brothers have already enlisted and another two

William Marshall (Wandin): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 19 years old.

William Williams (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 26 years old.

Gnr Arthur Fenton (Mt Dandenong), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade: Is admitted to hospital in Egypt suffering from neuralgia. Frank Maher (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a wheelwright and enlists in the AIF, he is 19 years old. Lionel Whisson (Lilydale): Leaves his job and enlists in the AIF, he is 21 years old.

Pte Walter Emery (Seville): Having enlisted only two weeks before, he was sent to the AIF training camp at Flemington. He wasn’t here long before he became ill and was sent to the Flemington Base Hospital suffering from cerebro spinal meningitis and toxaemia. He died there on this day at 9.00am and was buried at the Coburg Cemetery, he is 20 years old. Ove Ovesen (Seville): Born in Western Australia

Pte John Rose (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: Re-joins his unit on Anzac Cove after recovering from wounds he had received just after the landing. Trp Allen Mounsey (Seville) & Dvr William Lysaght (Lilydale), both 9th Light Horse Regiment: Are landed at Anzac Cove and moved up into the frontline trenches. Pte Felix Hargrave (Lilydale), 7th Battalion: In hospital in Malta. In a letter to his sister in Lilydale – ‘Malta is

John Ellis (Mt Evelyn): Leaves his family’s property ‘Pine Mont’ at Mt Evelyn and enlists in the AIF, he is 22 years old.

Cpl Harold Ritchie (Kilsyth), 49th Battalion: Is wounded in action, concussion from shell blast, and is evacuated from Anzac Cove to hospital in Egypt. Sr Edith Yeaman (Montrose), 3rd Australian General Hospital: Arrives at Mudros Island and serves at the makeshift hospital here until January 1916. Trp Robert Purves (Lilydale), 3rd Light Horse Regiment: Is landed at Anzac Cove and moved up into the frontline trenches.

THE BATTLE OF LONE PINE, ANZAC COVE, GALLIPOLI (AUGUST 6th – 9th) Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: At Anzac Cove. In his diary – ‘A heavy bombardment started on Friday 6th before the landing at Suvla and the Turks gave back as much as we sent, so you can see we had a hot time’. Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary –‘At

Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: At Anzac Cove. In his diary – ‘We did not take an active part in the Suvla Bay landing, it was carried out by Territorials and Kitchener’s army troops, who landed early in the morning with little opposition and were about three miles inland before they were opposed. They continued to advance and reached an important hill (971) before they entrenched, and there have

Pte David Mitchell (Lilydale), 14th Battalion: Is landed at Anzac Cove and moved up into the frontline trenches. Pte Harry Stevens (Seville), 8th Battalion: Is landed at Anzac Cove and moved up into the frontline trenches. Dvr Percy Whyte (Olinda) and Dvr James Whyte (Olinda), both 10th Australian Army Service Corps: Are landed at Anzac Cove and report for duty. Lindsay Yeaman (Montrose): Leaves he job as a mechanic and

Theodore Hand (Mt Dandenong): Leaves his father’s farm at Mt Dandenong and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 20 years old. George ‘Bung’ Hamilton (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 40 years old and married with two children. Vivian Grenness (Kilsyth): Leave his studies at Melbourne University to enlist in the AIF, he is 20 years old.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary –‘Had some narrow escapes from 11 inch shells today. They were bursting right above our dressing station, one buried six infantry chaps standing alongside us, and then when I get back to our camp for a spell I’m blowed if a monitor doesn’t put a shell in our camp’. Pte George Harrison (Wandin), 14th Battalion: Leaves Australia

Sgt Harry Matthews (Seville), 2nd Field Ambulance: Is evacuated from Anzac Cove suffering from colitis. He would eventually be sent to hospital in Malta and then to England. Norman Hooke (Kilsyth): Leaves his job as a coach painter and enlists in the AIF, he is 19 years old. His older brother enlists the following year. Joseph Keeley Snr (Mooroolbark): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF,

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary –‘Had a look at Lonesome Pine from Johnston’s Jolly today, think we’ve got old Abdul well stoushed there but reckon he holds us at Chess Board, German Officer’s Trench & Quinn’s Post. The Turk’s trenches are beautifully made, are practically safe from shrapnel. In the Lonesome Pine trenches what a sight at daylight, the dead lying four

Pte Wilfred Tucker (Mt Dandenong), 7th Battalion: Arrives back at Anzac Cove after recovering from septic hands and moves back to the frontline trenches.

Sapper Joseph Sies (Wandin), 2nd Field Company Engineers: Is evacuated from Anzac Cove to hospital on Mudros Island suffering from influenza. At the hospital he would later also contract dysentery. Sgt Thomas Williams (Lilydale), 11th Battalion: Is evacuated from Anzac Cove to hospital in England suffering from gastro enteritis.

Pte William Long (Silvan), 8th Battalion: Is wounded in action, shattered jaw, and is evacuated from Anzac Cove and eventually sent to a hospital on Malta. Pte David Mitchell (Lilydale), 14th Battalion: Is officially reported missing but later found in hospital on Mudros Island suffering from enteritis.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary – ‘Sixteen weeks we’ve been in the firing line without relief. It’s cruel, the heads must be mad not to give us a spell, its breaking our spirit, hundreds of men are being sent away every week utterly run down. We are nearly all suffering from diarrhoea and dysentery and hundreds of men are suffering fearfully from

Pte Alfred Leonard (Olinda), 21st Battalion: Is landed at Anzac Cove and joins his unit in the front line trenches.

Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: At Anzac Cove. In his diary – ‘I had another close shave here. We used to have a lot of trouble with Turkish snipers. At the point where we were, their trenches were only about 200 yards away, and early in the morning when the sun was behind them we used to snipe them through their loopholes. One morning I started to plant a

Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: Is evacuated from Anzac Cove to hospital in Egypt suffering from dysentery and gastritis. Pte Walter Horne (Wandin), 8th Light Horse Regiment: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Kyarra. Leslie Sessions (Silvan): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the Australian Light Horse, he is 18 years old. His older brother Benjamin would enlist in two months’ time.

Trp Arthur Rouget (Wandin), 13th Light Horse Regiment: In camp in Egypt. From his diary –‘We are told that we are going to Gallipoli as infantry and exchange our equipment for web. We dump all our saddles and leather equipment in a bag and put our names on it. We eventually get our web equipment together and our packs filled with the things we think we will need most and

Pte Felix Hargrave (Lilydale), 7th Battalion:  At St David’s Hospital on Malta. In a letter to his sister in Lilydale – ‘Since I last wrote I have been moved to this hospital. There are about 100 big marquee tents, all lined with yellow calico; there are 12 beds in each tent, with good horsehair mattresses. I expect I will be going to the convalescent camp in a few days, and after

Pte Henry Holbrook (Montrose), 8th Battalion: Is admitted to hospital on Anzac Cove suffering from febrile and is evacuated to hospital in Egypt. Cpl Rupert Bloom (Lilydale), 21st Battalion: Is admitted to hospital in Egypt suffering from enteric fever. Pte James Fraser (Yering), 23rd Battalion: Is admitted to hospital in Egypt suffering from kidney stones. Ralph Garth (Wandin): Leaves his father’s property in Wandin and enlists in the AIF, he

Reginald Summers (Seville): A regular visitor to Seville where he often helped his brother Walter on his property ‘Mt Marion’, he enlisted in the AIF at the age of 21. He had served for two years with the Trinity Grammar Cadets.

The following locals leave Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Anchises: Pte Norman Avard (Olinda), 6th Battalion Pte Frank Dixon (Wandin), 7th Battalion Pte Alfred Fairbank (Montrose), 7th Battalion Pte Alfred Sutherland (Wandin), 22nd Battalion Pte Harold Dozell (Lilydale), 24th Battalion

Sgt Noel Syme (Gruyere), 1st Australian Clearing Hospital: Is evacuated from Anzac Cove suffering from influenza. He is eventually sent to hospital in England.

Trp Walter Dawson (Lilydale), 9th Light Horse: Is killed in action at Lone Pine. He is 19 years old and as he has no known grave he is remembered on the memorial at Lone Pine. Dvr William Lysaght (Lilydale), 9th Light Horse Regiment: Is wounded in action at Lone Pine, gunshot wound to foot, and is evacuated from the peninsula to hospital in England. Pte Thomas Mackay (Lilydale), 8th Battalion:

Sr Alicia Kelly (Mt Dandenong), Australian Army Nursing Service: Leaves Egypt bound for Australia on board the HT Euripides. Her role on board is to care for the sick and wounded returning home from the Gallipoli campaign. She would return to Egypt in December 1915. Pte Richard Grossman (Mt Dandenong), 7th Battalion: Is returned home to Australia on the HMAT Euripides as a result of the wound he received in

L/Cpl Walter Summers (Seville), Pte Harry Boxall (Silvan) & Pte Leslie Farndon (Mt Dandenong), all 23rd Battalion: Land at Anzac Cove and move up into the front line trenches. Pte David Lohman (Lilydale), Pte Levi Trayford (Lilydale) & Pte Claude Atkinson (Lilydale), all 24th Battalion: Land at Anzac Cove and move up into the front line trenches. Pte Michael Griffin (Lilydale), 17th Battalion: Lands at Anzac Cove and moves up

Pte Alfred Parish (Lilydale), 13th Battalion: Land at Anzac Cove and move up into the front line trenches.

Trp Gilbert Mounsey (Seville), 9th Light Horse Regiment: Is wounded in action, gunshot wound to the right hand, and is evacuated from Anzac Cove to hospital in Egypt. Percy Johnston (Olinda): Leaves his job as a draftsman and enlists in the AIF, he is 23 years old.

THE SINKING OF THE TROOPSHIP ‘SOUTHLAND’ The following locals are on board the ‘Southland’ when it is torpedoed. Pte Thomas Eales (Olinda), 21st Battalion Pte Harry Dawson (Lilydale), 21st Battalion Pte Leslie Jack (Lilydale), 21st Battalion Pte Richard Plummer (Olinda), 21st Battalion Cpl James Drummond Burns (Lilydale), 21st Battalion: In a letter to his father he writes – ‘I wonder if you have heard yet of the torpedoing of our

Pte Ernest Clow (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: After recovering from the wounds he received at the landing he is sent back to Anzac Cove and is moved up into the front line trenches with his unit. Sgt Harold Clark (Gruyere), 27th Battalion: Lands at Anzac Cove and is moved up into the front line trenches.

Pte Henry Lalor (Montrose), 7th Battalion: He is wounded by shrapnel in the right hand while on board the hospital ship HMHS Salta off the coast of Gallipoli.

Pte Arthur Mattingley (Wandin), Divisional Ammunition Column: In camp in Egypt. In a letter to a friend in Wandin – ‘We are still camped at Cleopatra near Alexandria. Troops of all descriptions are here – Tommies, Australians, French and Indians with their various arms and armaments. The soldiers daily bathe in Cleopatra’s Pool which is at times very rough, consequently many of the swimmers get into difficulties and it has

Pte Richard Plummer (Olinda), Pte Leslie Jack (Seville), Pte Thomas Eales (Lilydale) &Cpl James Drummond Burns (Lilydale), all 21st Battalion: Land at Anzac Cove and are moved up into the front line trenches at Courtney’s Post. Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8th Battalion: At Anzac Cove. In a letter to friends in Lilydale – ‘We were finally relieved by the 21st Battalion and soon after our Battalion left the Peninsula for

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: On Anzac Cove. In his diary –‘Orders this afternoon to prepare to embark. Boarded barges 8pm, towed to HMS Clacton, arrived Lemnos Island 10am. Marched into camp tired, dirty, ragged, crummy, hungry, but happy. The first time for five months that we have not heard the crack of rifles and scream of shells. So far the 1st and 2nd Brigades have been relieved’.

Pte Clyde Hoffman (Montrose), 7th Battalion: Lands at Anzac Cove to re-join his unit and is moved up into the front line trenches. Pte George Hannah (Mt Evelyn), 7th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HT Star of Victoria. Pte Thomas Butcher (Yering), 5th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HT Star of Victoria. Sgt Wilmot Stephens (Lilydale), 5th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on