Pte Ernest Kerslake (Lilydale), 26^th Battalion: Takes part in a raid on the enemy trenches at the Bois Grenier sector, the first raid undertaken by Australian troops on the German lines on the Western Front. In fact on this night he became the first person in his battalion, and possibly in the whole of the AIF, to capture a German prisoner. For this he was awarded a ‘mentioned in despatches’, promoted to Corporal and presented with £5 and given a week’s leave in London.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2^nd Field Ambulance: In France. In a letter to his mother – ‘We were ordered to move off to a village 10 miles off. The school we have turned into a hospital and we are living in huts, and very ‘comfy’ they are. There is a stove in each, thank heaven, wooden floor and raised wooden paths to go to them, which, believe me, are wanted. If you get off the track you go up to your knees in pure mud. Only last week there was six inches of snow here. I am very glad we are not billeted with the inhabitants. They are a very poor class and very dirty.

We are the only Australians in this village. It is fearfully cold; the wind cuts right through you. I tell you, I feel the benefit of that rabbit jacket, but, of course, every day the weather is getting warmer. I do not know where any of the other ‘Dale boys are – I mean which village they are in. I know they’re all within 10 miles of me. I’ll find them when I have time.

I was simply astounded at the way the people of France are taking this war. They go about their daily work as if nothing was wrong. In this village we are in, we are only five miles from the firing line. Some of our artillery is only a mile from here and, of course, we are right in range of the German guns, and yet things go on just the same. The old men and women look after their farms, the ‘kids’ go to school and play in the streets, shops are open, and it’s the same everywhere.

The artillery fire is something awful. Last night, for hours, every building and window in the place shook like a jelly. The noise was terrific. We could see the shells bursting quite close to us. Aeroplanes are over us all day, and some ‘Tommies’ tell us that occasionally a Taube drops a bomb or two, but through it all the people live and have got so used to it they don’t take any notice. It beats me; I expected to find all these villages near the firing line deserted except for troops. A lot of the inhabitants are Belgian refugees. The villages round about here were occupied by the Germans when they tried to break through to _____ but they were pushed back over the border. By jove the artillery duels are very ‘tasty’. Some of the explosions nearly knock you over altho they’re a couple of miles away.

The living conditions and ‘tucker’ are excellent here. Along the roads we marched the women and ‘nippers’ shouted ‘Vive la Australian’. They pronounced it ‘Aus-tra-leer’ with the accent on the ‘Aus’ and ‘leer’. The roads are most wonderful. Every road is as perfect as our St. Kilda road, no matter where it goes. From one end of France to the other beautiful white roads, as smooth as a billiard table, you can see them winding for miles and miles through the hills. The ‘Tommies’ are treating us well. Of course we are a bit of a novelty at present. They’ve never seen Australian soldiers before, or I don’t suppose Australian people’.

Pte Alvoria Williams (Lilydale), 44^th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Europe on the HMAT Suevic.

The following local soldiers leave Australia bound for Europe on the HMAT Wandilla-

Pte Alex Ingram (Seville), 3^rd Pioneer Battalion

Pte Leslie Molloy (Lilydale), 2^nd Pioneer Battalion

Dvr Joseph Poyner (Lilydale), 3^rd Pioneer Battalion

Pte Leopold Navas (Lilydale), 3^rd Pioneer Battalion

Pte William Wood (Seville), 3^rd Pioneer Battalion: On the trip over he would be hospitalised on the ship suffering from influenza and pneumonia.