Pte Arthur Roger (Silvan), 39^th Battalion: Is killed in action at Passchendaele. He is 31 years old and has no known grave but is remembered on the memorial at Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium.

Pte Harry McCormack (Wandin), 6^th Battalion: Is killed in action at Passchendaele. He is 21 years old and has no known grave but is remembered on the memorial at Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium.

Lt Leslie Bolitho (Lilydale), 29^th Battalion: Is wounded in action, gunshot wound to leg and sprained ankle, and is evacuated from the field to hospital in England. He is also awarded the Military Cross for his actions on this day. His recommendation states – ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an attack. He did excellent work throughout and when the position was somewhat obscure, he made a reconnaissance of the line under heavy machine gun fire, and obtained information which was of great assistance to his commanding officer. When the latter was wounded, he commanded the battalion most successfully until relieved’.

Pte Florian Deschamp (Lilydale), 22^nd Battalion: In the field in Belgium. In a letter to his mother – ‘We are now billeted in a farmhouse for two days, having returned from the fighting area. I was nine days in the trenches; the fighting was mostly artillery, though there was some hand-to-hand infantry fighting. On coming out of the trenches, we were served with a good hot meat stew and plenty of well cooked vegetables both for dinner and tea. We also had a warm bath on coming out of the firing line although we had to march four miles to get that; then each man was given a splendid wool shirt, singlet, underpants, and socks.

The weather is turning fairly cold. In a few days from now I will have had my twelve months as a soldier. To-night we are having a concert in the big barn. I have just received a parcel from you, and am lucky in saying it has arrived safely, as your others have done. The farm house here is built of mud, plastered walls and thatched roof; while the farm buildings are of brick with tiled roofs. They have big dogs that work the tread mill, the wheel being about 11′ feet high. The last visible crops are being gathered (beets), and the big manure pit; are being emptied on to the fields again. Hoping friends are well, and with my best wishes to them all’.

Dvr Thomas Hennessy (Lilydale), 12^th Field Artillery Brigade: Arrives back in Australia from Europe on board the HMAT Borda to be discharged as medically unfit as a result of developing chronic bronchitis.