Lest We Forget

Hamley Bridge War Memorial

                                 Pedestal top tier:

Erected by the Citizens
OF
HAMLEY BRIDGE
AND SURROUNDING DISTRICTS
AS A TRIBUTE TO ALL AUSTRALIANS
WHO ENLISTED FOR SERVICE IN THE
EUROPEAN WAR. 1914-1919.

FROM THESE DISTRICTS THE FOLLOWING
MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE.

THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE

                                            Back:

LEST WE FORGET

                                            Right:
                                            Pedestal top tier:

Inscribed to the Memory
OF
THOSE FROM THE DISTRICT
WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
IN WORLD WAR 11
1939-1945

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH.

Photo and names list from SA & NT War Memorials - Tributes of Honour website

http://www.tributesofhonour.info/php/wm_list.php

Here is some information on each of the soldiers above

A big thankyou to Cris and Vivien Donahue for supplying me the information on the soldiers.

JOHN O’LEARY

John O’Leary was a railway employee who enlisted at the age of 25 shortly after the outbreak of the First World War.  His unit, the 16^th Battalion, embarked from Melbourne on 22 December 1914 and arrived in Egypt in early February 1915.  As part of the 4^th Brigade, the 16^th Battalion landed at ANZAC Cove late in the afternoon of 25 April 1915.  Private John O’Leary was killed in action on 2 May 1915 during the assault on “Bloody Angle”.  He is buried in Quinn’s Post Cemetery, Gallipoli.

WILLIAM ANDREW GRAHAM  

William Andrew Graham, the son of Mrs R A Graham of Hamley Bridge, enlisted in the 27^th Battalion on 26 January 1915.  His unit embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A2 Geelong on 31 May 1915.  Following an attack of measles, William developed pneumonia and died during the voyage through the Red Sea on 29 June 1915.  He was buried at sea and his commemoration details can be found at the Chatby Memorial, Alexandria, Egypt.  William was 21 when he died.

REGINALD GEORGE BUTCHER  

Reginald George Butcher was a railway porter and enlisted on 29 January 1916 at the age of 23.  His unit, the 27^th Battalion, embarked from Adelaide on 11 April 1916.  The 27^th Battalion took part in two attacks to the east of Flers in the Somme Valley.  The first Flers attack was launched on 5^th November 1916.  On this day Reginald was wounded by shrapnel and became a Prisoner of War.  He died of his wounds three weeks later on 29 November and was buried by the Germans in Cambrai, France.  

STEWART GILES GRIGG  

Stewart Giles Grigg, son of Joseph & Elizabeth Grigg of Hamley Bridge, enlisted on 4 February 1915.  He was 23.  His unit embarked from Adelaide on 31 May 1915.  Stewart fought at Gallipoli for 6 days in January 1916, and was then shipped to hospital at Chezireh suffering from influenza.  Once he had recovered, he rejoined his battalion in France.  Stewart was promoted to Lance Corporal on 1^st March 1917.  At this time, the German forces facing the Australians began retreating to the Hindenburg Line.  Stewart was killed in action on 26^th March 1917 during the attempt to take Lagnicourt, and the location of his battlefield grave is unknown.  He is commemorated at the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France.

NORMAN C OOMBS  

Norman Coombs was a 24yr old farmer from Stockyard Creek who enlisted on 10 July 1916.  His unit, the 48^th Battalion, embarked from Adelaide on 28 August 1916, and arrived in France on 9 February 1917.  In March, the German army had withdrawn to the Hindenburg Line.  An attack was launched on Bullecourt on 11 April 1917.  During this attack, Norman was listed as missing in action.  Following a Court of Enquiry held in December 1917, it was established that Norman had been killed in action on the first day of this battle, but the location of his battlefield grave is unknown.  Norman is commemorated at the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France.

THOMAS JOSEPH RYAN  

Thomas Joseph Ryan, son of Thomas and Johanna Ryan, was born in Hamley Bridge.  He enlisted on 21 August 1915 at the age of 19 and was a student at the time of enlistment.  Thomas served as a gunner in the 5^th Field Artillery Brigade.  Thomas was killed in action on 14 August 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres and is buried at the Larch Wood Cemetery in Zillebeke in Belgium.

EDGAR WALTER DURDIN  

Edgar Walter Durdin, son of Jesse & Emma Durdin of Hamley Bridge, enlisted at the age of 22 on 2 August 1915.  He was a carpenter.  His unit, the 27^th Battalion, embarked from Adelaide on 27 October 1915.  He served with the 4^th Trench Mortar Battery.  He was wounded in May of 1917 and evacuated from Wimereaux to England.  Edgar returned to France in October 1917 after he had recovered.  He was promoted to the rank of Corporal in June 1918.  He was badly wounded once again near the village of Bayonvillers during the 2^nd Battle of the Somme and died of those wounds on 22 August 1918.  Edgar is buried in Heath Cemetery, Harbonnieres, France.

WILLIAM ANDREW SHEEHAN

William Andrew Sheehan was a railway porter, married with four children and living in Hamley Bridge when he enlisted on 9 January 1917 at the age of 34.  His unit, Machine Gun Company 8, embarked from Melbourne on 21 June 1917.   William was promoted to the rank of Corporal in September 1918.  He was killed in action on 1 October 1918 during the final Battle of the Hindenburg Line at Bellicourt but the location of his battlefield grave is unknown.  He is commemorated at the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France. 

Ernest Charles HUTTON  

Ernest Hutton enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force on 12 October 1940 at the age of 22.  He was the son of Charles & Mary Hutton and husband to Myrtle of Mallala.  He served with the 97 Squadron RAF and attained the rank of Sergeant.  His Manchester bomber crashed on 24 November 1941 near Sutton Bridge after a collision with a Hurricane fighter.  None of the crew survived.  Ernest is buried in Coningsby Cemetery in England.

Thomas William PLAIN  

Thomas Plain was the son of William & Vesta Plain of Hamley Bridge.  He enlisted in the Army on 5 June 1940 at the age of 30.  His unit, 2/2 Pioneer Battalion, whilst aboard the Orcades combined with a battery of American artillery and a squadron from the 3^rd King’s Own Hussars to defend Java.  They became known as “Blackforce”.  Blackforce went into action at Leuwiliang near Buitenzorg on 4 March 1942.  It fought against the Japanese for 2 days, but was ordered to lay down arms the day after the Dutch surrender on 8 March.  The majority of the 2/2^nd survived the fighting.  Thomas spent the rest of his time as a prisoner working on the Burma-Thailand railway.  He died of illness on 24 September 1943 and is buried in Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Myanmar.

Robert Clive FIDOCK  

Robert Fidock enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force on 28 March 1942 at the age of 25.  He was the son of Thomas & Nellie Fidock and husband to Joyce.  Robert attained the rank of Flying Officer and flew Lancaster bombers in 460 Squadron.  The Squadron was based in Binbrook, Lincolnshire.  The Squadron completed 5,709 Lancaster sorties over Europe.  Robert had flown 13 operations over Europe before he, and all his crew, were killed whilst flying over France on 3 August 1944.  Robert is buried in St Maclou-de-Folleville Churchyard, France.

Gordon Scott BROWN  

Gordon, like Robert Fidock, was also a Lancaster bomber pilot in 460 Squadron.  He enlisted on 27 February 1943 at the age of 23.  He was the son of  Henry & Ethel Brown and married to Margaret.  He, and all his crew, were killed in flying battle over Baltrop, Germany.  Gordon is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.

 ROLL OF HONOR

1914-1919

MEN FROM OUR DISTRICT

WHO ANSWERED

THE CALL

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH

J. O'LEARY                             S.G. GRIGG                             T. RYAN

W.A. GRAHAM                       N. COOMBS                            R.G. BUTCHER

E.W. DURDIN

ERECTED BY

ALMA PLAINS

RATEPAYERS

Photo and names list from SA & NT War Memorials - Tributes of Honour website

http://www.tributesofhonour.info/php/wm_list.php

Trees of Tribute

The Jacaranda trees in Gilbert Street were planted as a memorial to the men who served in the First World War.

In 1943 a further 22 Jacaranda trees were planted in Hill Street to add to those already planted in Gilbert Street.

Trees in Hill Street were planted for the following men and women:

The the trees all had name plates, but over the years they have been damaged and lost.  None exist today.

Names list from the Junction News courtesy of Glenys Edwards, a big Thankyou Glenys.