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Read Ebook: Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing Volume 2 (of 3) Containing Lives of the Most Celebrated Pugilists; Full Reports of Their Battles from Contemporary Newspapers With Authentic Portraits Personal Anecdotes and Sketches of the Principal Patrons of t by Miles Henry Downes
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Ebook has 159 lines and 14718 words, and 4 pages
Chunuk Bair " 63
Williams' Pier, where the 28th landed " 66
The Apex " 71
At the Apex: using the periscope rifle " 74
"The Farm" " 74
In the Front Line at the Apex " 78
Excavating a "Bivvy" in the support trenches " 79
View from Baby 700 " 83
Major J. A. Campbell Wilson " 91
Captain J. Gettingby: The Quartermaster " 92
Sergeant C. R. Field " 96
Regimental Quartermaster-Sergeant R. G. Sexty " 97
The Chailak Dere " 106
View of the Aghyl Dere " 107
"A" Company getting ready to move from the Reserve Position at Cheshire Ridge " 111
The Q.M.'s Store of "A" Company at Cheshire Ridge " 112
The Sari Bair Ridge " 121
Headquarters of "C" Company, Happy Valley " 125
The Great Traffic Trench " 125
A Conference on Walker's Ridge, December, 1915 " 129
The view from Russell's Top looking into Malone Gully " 131
Captain G. D. Shaw, M.C. " 135
Captain T. O. Nicholls, M.C. " 135
The Camp at Sarpi, Lemnos Island " 141
The Shipping in Mudros Bay, 1915 " 141
On the Battlefield of Tel-el-Kebir, January, 1916 " 151
Ferry Post, showing the Suez Canal " 158
Ferry Post: the landing place on the East bank " 158
The Camp of the 28th at Ferry Post " 160
The Suez Canal: a liner in the fairway " 160
Private H. A. Franco, M.M. " 164
The Pioneer-Sergeant at work " 165
The "Themistocles" at Alexandria " 169
FOREWORD.
I have been asked to write a short Foreword to the History of the 28th Battalion. I do so with very great pleasure, for two reasons--Firstly, because I have known Colonel Collett for many years, and, secondly, because I approve of the History.
The present volume is the first of several that will attempt to record the doings of those bodies of magnificent volunteers who went from Western Australia and of whose achievements the country is so justly proud. The Trustees of the Public Library, Museum, and Art Gallery of Western Australia, as the custodians of the archives of the State, have thought that those archives would be greatly lacking were a history of our part in the World War not included. With that object in view, the Commonwealth and State Governments have been approached and, largely through the assistance of the Premier, the Hon. Sir James Mitchell, K.C.M.G., and of the Minister for Education, the Hon. H. P. Colebatch, M.L.C., a practical commencement is now made with the narrative which concerns the 28th Battalion.
In the following pages we are not treated to long dissertations on military tactics, nor to clear proofs of how the writer could have concluded the war in half the time it really did take, if only the High Command had carried out suggestions made by one who knew all about it. You will find nothing like that in this book. Colonel Collett evidently asked himself: "What do the friends of the men of the Battalion want to know?" They want to know what the men did and what the Battalion did. What was the daily life of the man in the training camp; on the transports; in the war areas, and in the trenches. Of those who fell, they want to know, if possible, how and when they fell and where they were buried. Of those who were wounded, they want to know what they were doing when they "stopped a bullet," and how they were afterwards treated in hospital or in "Blighty." The public want a brief outline of the great doings of the Battalion, and all these things are plainly and proudly told by the writer.
I have often been in camp with Colonel Collett and know how thoroughly he did his work there. I am sure that all the men of the Battalion, their friends, and the public generally, will thank him for the loving care and labour he has devoted to a task which must have been to him a glorious record, and yet, at times, one full of sadness as he recalled to mind the "passing out" of friend after friend.
PREFACE
In the pages which follow an attempt has been made to give some account of how a Western Australian battalion was raised, organised, trained, and lived. How and where it travelled, some of the things it did and saw, and the nature of its environment. That is a large area to cover, and I am only too conscious that the result achieved is far from perfect.
The few opinions offered in the course of the narrative are my own. They have not been formed lightly. Any individual charged with the care and direction of a body of his fellows must, of necessity--if he be worth his salt--study causes and effects.
Certain names have been mentioned in the text. Doubtless there are others equally worthy, but with the material I have had at my disposal it has been impossible to do due justice to all. There does exist a wealth of incident and anecdote which should be exploited but which, for obvious reasons, has not been available to me, and although I have made a general appeal to all ex-members to contribute to this record, a perfectly natural diffidence has held the hands of the great majority. For sins of omission and commission I beg the forgiveness of those with whom I had the great honour of serving and for whom, as comrades, men, and soldiers, I have the greatest respect and admiration.
The sources of information upon which I have had to mainly depend have been:--A very imperfect Official War Diary; my own letters; my memory; and a few contributions from former comrades. These last have been received from Major E. G. Glyde, Captains A. M. P. Montgomery, A. S. Isaac, N. W. Sundercombe, G. D. Shaw, T. O. Nicholls, and C. C. Flower. But more particularly am I indebted to Lieut. J. T. Blair, who placed at my disposal a considerable quantity of material which he had been at great pains to collect whilst in London.
As regards photographs and maps: Valuable prints and drafts have been supplied by the Trustees of the Australian War Museum. Mr. C. E. W. Bean, the Australian War Correspondent and Official Historian, has very kindly lent me photographs from his private collection. Mr. E. L. Mitchell and Mr. W. Owen, both of Perth, have generously given unrestricted permission to reproduce from their negatives, and certain members, and relatives of members, have also contributed interesting specimens. For the map of the Australian Corps' Front on Gallipoli, and the plans and diagrams referring to Cairo, Tel-el-Kebir, and the Pyramid, I have especially to thank Captain E. A. E. Andrewartha of the Australian Staff Corps.
The publication of the Nominal Rolls of Members of the Battalion has been made possible largely through the assistance of Major J. M. Lean, M.B.E., the Officer in Charge of Base Records, Melbourne.
For historical data, descriptive matter, and a few other essentials, I have also consulted the following works:--Barrett and Deane ; Callwell ; Ellis ; Hamilton ; Masefield ; "Military History of the Campaign of 1882 in Egypt" ; Nevinson ; Schuler ; Sladen ; Woods , and several others the names of which I cannot now recall. I am also under a great obligation to J. S. Battye, Litt.D., B.A., LL.B., the General Secretary of the Public Library, whose invaluable advice has guided me through a pleasing but arduous task.
HERBT. B. COLLETT. Public Library, Perth, W.A., June, 1922.
August 4.--Declaration of War.
April 1.--Formation of the 7th Infantry Brigade approved and Establishments issued. 16.--Orders issued in Western Australia for formation of 28th Battalion of Infantry at Blackboy Hill. Necessary action taken the same day. 23.--Lieut.-Colonel H. B. Collett appointed to command.
July 2.--Battalion disembarked and proceeded by train to camp at Abbasia. 5.--Inspection by Lieut. General Sir John Maxwell, General Officer Commanding in Egypt. 12.--Sergeant Faulkner and Transport details embark at Fremantle on H.M.A.T. "Boonah." Ordered that horses remain in Australia.
August 4.--Formation of 2nd Australian Division in Egypt. 8.--Transport details rejoin the Battalion. 17.--March to and occupation of Citadel of Cairo. First draft of reinforcements arrived and was taken on strength. 30.--Evacuation of Citadel and march to Aerodrome Camp, Heliopolis.
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