One great niece, while on a school “ANZAC” excursion instructed the school bus to park up in Omloopstraat so that she could kneel before the headstone, lay out a small bouquet of flowers and offer her respect. Most of the tour group chose to stay back at a respectable distance and allow the personal contact to take place.
While researching for this book, a hand-written letter was discovered in the private AIF file of Ernest Alfred Hall held in the Australian Government archives. Written in 1971 by his brother, Walter, to the Australian Government, it requested that, “My brother’s medals be sent to me”. This archival find indicated that the Victory Medal and the British War Medal 1914-1920 awarded to Ernest had never been received by the family. The file also included AIF advice that the medals had been sent to the father, Ernest Fortescue, in 1921 however the documents were not signed as the medals ever having been received.
Walter enlisted into the AIF a week before Ernest was killed in action. He was aware of his brother’s death when he boarded the HMAT A38 - Ulysses in late December of 1917 and sailed off to the Great War. He followed a similar path that Ernest had travelled and spent most of his time in the Somme before being injured by shrapnel in July of 1918. On his return from the war Walter was awarded the Victory Medal and British War Medal 1914-1920 as had Ernest. Walter’s medals have always been on display in a family lounge room. The fact that no member of the immediately family had any knowledge of the whereabouts of Ernest’s medals and supported by the 1971 archive letter written by Walter, the author contacted the Awards and Honours section of the Australian Department of Defence and requested that they investigate.
The Department of Defence offered an outstanding level of professionalism in their investigation of the missing medals and concluded that the medals had never been in the hands of the Hall family. They invited the family to apply for them.
On the 4th October 2015, exactly 98 years after his death, the medals belonging to Ernest arrived at a suburban Post Office by registered mail. In a car park outside the Post Office in the front seat of a work ute, the package containing Ernest’s medals was finally opened and tears fell upon them exactly as you would have expected had they arrived at the Cloverdale farm in 1921.
The two sets of medals awarded to Ernest and Walter have since been framed together in the hope that they will remain together, forever.
Ernest’s mother, Ada Selina, died in 1921 aged 53. With the misfortune that had been bestowed upon her, six children dying at birth, a son who shot his hand off as a 12-year-old, losing her first born in the Great War, and another son injured in the same conflict 18 months later, family folk lore had supported the theory that she died of a broken heart. Her death certificate has a slightly different verdict, Lymphoma.
Ernest’s father, Ernest Fortescue Hall remained on the Cloverdale farm until his death in 1935, a month short of his 77th birthday. He is buried in Colac cemetery (VIC). Possibly due to a lack of finances at the time, his gravesite had never been honoured with any form of identification. In April of 2018 the family had a granite plinth and brass plaque installed, recognising him as “A Pioneer of Beech Forest”.
Brother Walter returned from the war and stayed on the farm until the depression years stopped the farm in its tracks. In 1937 he sold the property, packed his wife, two young kids, a piano and whatever else would fit into their tray truck and moved to Melbourne. He had a good long life and passed away in 1990 aged 91. At rest in Hervey Bay (QLD).
Brother Frank recovered well from losing his hand and became a school teacher. His early years were based around Beech Forest before eventually settling on the Mornington Peninsular. He also enjoyed a full life, passing in 1987, aged 90 and is at rest in Burwood Cemetery (VIC).
On 4th October 2017, the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Broodseinde, family members, their partners and representatives travelled from Holland, Australia, and America to stand in front of a single headstone in a small Belgium field, offering their respect to a long passed but never to be forgotten soldier. An Australian flag was pegged out on the grass and a service was conducted by the closest living relative, eighty-three-year-old nephew, Mr Noel Hall (OAM).
The headstone reads:
4208A PRIVATE
E. A. HALL
1st AUSTRALIAN PIONEERS
4th OCTOBER 1917 AGE 22
IN MEMORY OF THE DEARLY LOVED SON
OF MR & MRS HALL
OF BEECH FOREST
In January 2018, descendants of the Hall family travelled to Canberra and met with officials from The Australian War Memorial. All original letters and photos known to exist from Ernest Alfred Hall were donated to the AWM. At some stage they will be available on-line, allowing open access to anyone who wishes to take a walk in Ernest’s shoes.
CHAPTER 17
AND THE OTHERS…
William Thornley (Chapter 7) was indeed a difficult character. He joined the 2nd Battalion in Gallipoli in May 1915 and a month later was sentenced to two months jail for disobeying an order. The sentence was suspended. Two weeks later he was sentenced to three months jail for the same offence. Again, it was suspended.
The next day he was admitted to hospital with Urethral Stricture and shortly after transferred back to Egypt. He spent two months there convalescing. In August 1915, he is transferred back to the Gallipoli Peninsular for a second stint but within six weeks is again sent back to Egypt, suffering Haemorrhoids.
William recovers well enough to get drunk and violent in a Cairo hotel and is detained for seven days. Eight weeks later there is a repeat performance and he spends another seven days in the lock up.
While still in Egypt, mid-March of 1916, he is transferred to the 1st Pioneers with Ernest Alfred Hall.
After being sentenced to three years jail following the court martial in Sailly-sur-la-Lys in May 1916, his life in the AIF continued its downward slide. For the next two years he was either in a military hospital suffering from “Urethral Stricture”, “abscess thigh” or “inflammation of the connective tissues of the knee”, or in prison.
He was returned to Australia in February 1919 and discharged as medically unfit three months later.
George Fenton Hall (Chapters 6, 13) Cousin of Ernest Alfred Hall. Enlisted in February 1916 at the age of thirty-eight. Received a severe gun-shot wound to his left arm at Bullecourt in May 1917 and was transferred to hospital in England. It would be six months before he would re-join his Battalion, then in Ypres, October 1917. It is not known if George was aware of Ernest’s death three weeks earlier when he arrived in Ypres.
George was wounded a second time in May 1918, shrapnel wound to the right leg and again sent back to England. He sailed home to Australia in June 1919 and returned to the “Woodlands” farm. He became a highly respected Councillor with the Otway Shire and was elected to the Presidential Chair for the twelve months prior to his untimely death in 1938, aged fifty, a bachelor.
Charles Miller (Chapter 7) enlisted very early in the campaign, November of 1914. He was 36 years old.
Six months later, when in Egypt, he received a gun-shot wound to the thigh and was shipped out to hospital in England. Over the next seven months he was in and out of Military hospitals several times with additional medical issues, Pleurisy and Venereal Disease (twice).
In January of 1916 he found himself back in Egypt and assigned to the 1st Pioneer Battalion. Shortly after he is charged with being “Absent without leave” for three days but was found not guilty.
In May 1916 when in Sailly-sur-la-Lys, he was sentenced to be shot for desertion. This episode is a farce. Within a few days his sentence was reduced to five years penal servitude, then fully suspended, and then returned to duty within a week.
On the 29th July 1916, in Pozieres (France) he was buried in a shell explosion and was unconscious for eight hours. He suffered severe “shell shock” and was hospitalised in England for twelve months before being shipped back to Melbourne. In February 1918, he was discharged from the AIF, “medica
lly unfit, disability – shell shock”.
Percy Leopold Spark (Chapter 7) Percy had several stints in hospital during the war with basic medical problems that including three months out of action in late 1916 with Gonorrhoea. He returned to Melbourne in April 1919 and died in Preston (Victoria) in May 1950.
Ernest Smedley (Chapter 8, 13) lost a finger in a carpentry workshop accident in Albert (France) on 6th June 1917. He spent time in hospital in England before being returned to Melbourne in December 1917. He was discharged from the AIF six months later and died by his own hand at Beech Forest on 15th November 1924.
Stanley Edward Tulloch (Chapters 8, 11, 12) was shot in the back by a sentry guard in Albert (France) on the 2nd June 1917 and died where he fell. Tulloch had failed to obey several instructions to halt at a checkpoint just before midnight and attempted to ride off on a bicycle. At the subsequent inquiry, the guard was found to have been “justified” in shooting Tulloch.
Doris Louise Foley (Chapter 8) was four years old when she was murdered in Beech Forest on 13th March 1916. She was buried at the Colac Cemetery three days later.
George Henry Leake (Chapter 8) was convicted of the murder of Doris Foley and sentenced to death. This was commuted to life in prison which wasn’t very long; he died in Pentridge Prison before the year was out.
Meldrum Boyd Dobie (Chapter 8) was shot and taken prisoner on 28th May 1916 at Fleurbaix (France). He reportedly died from his wounds eight hours later without having regained consciousness. Originally buried by the Germans on the grounds of the Haubourdin Hospital (France), his remains were exhumed in 1919 and he is now at rest in the Cabaret – Rouge British Cemetery, six miles north of Arras (France).
Hedley Loxton Stephens (Chapter 8) was captured with Meldrum Dobie on 28th May 1916. He was badly wounded in the head and was held in Germany as a Prisoner of War for two and a half years. The AIF advised his mother in June of 1916 that he was dead. It wasn’t until March of 1917 that he was able to write to the War Office in London and advise them that he was a prisoner of war. He returned to Australia in December 1918. Due to his injuries, he remained on a full war pension all his life. In 1952, he wrote to the Australian government seeking recognition for his efforts on the 28th May 1916.
Victor Sydney Thomas (Chapter 8) could best be described as an “Australian larrikin”. Solid six- footer, had been a coal miner when he enlisted in November 1914. Injured in the Gallipoli campaign, sent back to Egypt where he was transferred to the 1st Pioneers.
Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal after the battle in Fleurbaix, “For gallantry displayed during a heavy bombardment in saving the lives of several men from a mine shaft when they were overcome by fumes”.
He kept out of trouble until August of 1917 when he was court marshalled for being drunk while on active service and sentenced to one hundred and thirty days detention.
Revoked the next day.
On the 6th October 1917, he was wounded for the second time and sent to hospital in England. He had a couple of minor “Absent without Leave” indiscretions while recuperating.
Returned to Australia in January 1919 and discharged three months later.
Edward Edmunds (Chapter 8) was awarded the Military Medal “For gallantry displayed during a heavy bombardment in saving the lives of several men from a mine shaft when they were overcome by fumes”.
A few months after the Fleurbaix attack, forty-four-year-old Edward picked up a debilitating hernia injury, “severe” and was sent to hospital in England. He spent six months there before being returned to Australia in May 1917. He was discharged in the following August as medically unfit.
In February 1922, he was admitted to the Callan Park Mental Hospital (Lilyfield, NSW), unable to advise authorities of his name or address.
William Ryan (Chapter 8) was awarded the Military Medal, “For gallantry displayed during a heavy bombardment in saving the lives of several men from a mine shaft when they were overcome by fumes”.
He kept his nose clean and his head down for the remainder of the war. He returned to Australia in March of 1919. Discharged the following May.
William Anderson (Chapter 8) was also awarded the Military Medal, “For conspicuous gallantry. During an attack by a hostile raiding party under cover of a fierce artillery bombardment he went to the assistance of a machine gun man who had been knocked over by a bomb, helped to save the gun from capture, and, though inexperienced in the use of machine guns, bought it into action. Although knocked down himself by a second bomb he assisted in removing the gun into a more forward position. His gallant action not only saved the gun from capture but permitted it being effectively used against the enemy”.
William Anderson’s real name was William Frederick Field Hehr.
He was adopted at a very young age by a Melbourne couple, the father being German and the mother Australian. He enlisted early and was sent to Egypt with the 13th Light Horse Battalion. There were a couple of “Absent without Leave” and “drunkenness” charges laid against him as well as a Venereal Disease issue to deal with. It was recommended that he be discharged. Consequently, he was put on a boat and returned to Melbourne in August 1915.
William told his mother that he, “Wasn’t going to be called after the old Kaiser” indicating that he had received some bullying associated to his surname. He immediately re-enlisted using the alias, William Anderson.
He was back in Egypt by Christmas of 1915 and assigned to the 1st Pioneer Battalion.
Following his death in Fleurbaix, his mother took several years to convince the AIF that “Anderson” was actually “Hehr” however, his memorial stone in the Estaires Communal Cemetery (France) records him as Anderson.
George Close (Chapter 9) received serious gunshot injuries in late July of 1916 and spent seven months in hospital in England. He was returned to Australia on a hospital ship, arriving back in Melbourne in April 1917. Discharged in August 1917.
Martin Lamb (Chapter 9) had an interesting war. He was with the 1st Machine Gun Battalion when he was injured in November 1916 and spent a month in hospital in France. He had a good run for a long time however, in February 1918 he was sent to hospital in England with Appendicitis. Re-joined his Battalion in August 1918 only to receive a serious gunshot wound to the back a few weeks later. He was again returned to hospital in England.
While in hospital care he fell in love with a local girl, Jane McElwee, and married her in September 1919. They travelled back to Australia together in January of 1920 and Martin was discharged from the army in April of that year.
Victor Quinn (Chapters 9, 12) arrived in the Somme with the 58th Australian Infantry Battalion in June 1916. He was killed in action three weeks later, 15th July 1916. Buried at Villers-Bretonneux Memorial Cemetery.
Ben Rawle (Chapters 9, 12) was with the 8th Australian Infantry Battalion in the Fleurbaix area when he was killed in action on 15th May 1916. He had been in France six weeks. Buried at Y Farm Military Cemetery, three kilometres east of Fleurbaix.
John Robertson (Chapter 9) Another mate of Ernest Alfred Hall’s from Beech Forest. He had a reasonable run for the first twelve months he was in France until May of 1917 when he was “wounded in right arm which is broken” and taken prisoner. Interned in Parchim (Germany) for seven months before being transferred to Switzerland. It was another six months before he was released and arrived back in London in June 1918. Returned to Melbourne in November of 1918 and discharged on 1st January 1919.
Barry Milkins (Chapter 10) survived the war relatively unscathed considering his 14th Infantry Battalion were heavily involved with fighting at Pozieres, Bullecourt and Amiens. He did however, have a couple of stints in field hospitals with a viral infection. In April of 1918 he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
Returned to Melbourne in April 1919 and discharged in July.
Jim (James) Neighbour (Chapters 2, 13) Good friend of Ernest Alfred Hall, their parents owned adjacent farms in Beech Forest. Jim’s father died early leaving th
e mother and Jim on the farm. Due to his commitment to the property and the welfare of his mother, Jim did not enlist until March of 1916. During the Battle of Bullecourt on the 11th of April 1917 he was reported as “last having been seen ten yards from the Hindenburg Line (German front line), alive but very badly injured”. In 1921 his mother was advised by the Officer in Charge of Base Records in Melbourne that her son had no known grave.
His name is recorded on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial wall.
Arthur Ernest Howell (Chapter 13) A farm labourer from Wangaratta, enlisted in February 1916. Arrived in France (via England) in November and was assigned to the 1st Pioneer Battalion. Suffered badly through the savage winter conditions and had a couple of stints in hospital with Synovitis in both knees. A couple of months after the Amiens incident (absent without leave), he received a severe facial injury, “gun-shot wound”, that cost him the sight in his left eye. Spent seven months in England recovering before being shipped back to Melbourne. Discharged in April 1918.
Leslie Alexander Scouller (Chapter 13) Beech Forest Sawmill Hand (labourer), enlisted in July 1915. Spent some short periods in hospital with a reoccurring Hydrocele problem. Was awarded the Military Medal in October 1917 for:
“During the attack on Polygon Wood, east of Ypres, on September 20th, 1917. When his section Commander was killed Pte Scouller took command and together with another section of rifle grenadiers, captured two enemy strong points. He displayed great initiative and set a splendid example to the men, inspiring them with great confidence.”
He was hospitalised in England for four months in November 1917, recovering from “trench fever”.
Killed in action 26th August 1918 and is buried at Heath Cemetery, fifteen kilometres east of Villers-Bretonneux.
Walk a War in My Shoes Page 16