ANZAC DAY IN TORQUAY Remembering those who served in WW1
Torquay hosts one of the largest dawns services held in Australia where between 10,000 and 15,000 people will attend. The service begins at 6am at Point Danger with a veteran’s march, speeches and a wreath laying ceremony. A Gunfire Breakfast follows, where donations are appreciated, there is then a get-together at the Torquay Bowls Club with all welcome from 8.30am.
Eighty-eight men from the Torquay region served in the First World War 1914-1918. Twenty-three men were killed in action and thirty were wounded, some more than once. One was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM), and seven were awarded the Military Medal.
The DCM was established in 1854 by Queen Victoria as a decoration for gallantry in the field by non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the British Army. It is the oldest British award for gallantry and was a second level military decoration, ranking below the Victoria Cross awarded to commissioned officers.
3623 Pte Edward Cecil Penny DSO 38th Batt, was awarded the DCM for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in February 1917 when his Battalion was in the advance that followed the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line. Edward could see no movement in the enemy trenches so walking 120 yards across No Man’s Land he entered the enemy trench where he found a badly wounded comrade. He obtained a stretcher from the nearest Company and with a volunteer he rescued the wounded man. He was a famer on enlistment and returned to Australia in 1919 and became a fisherman in Lorne.
The Military Medal (MM) established in March 1916 (and applied retrospectively to 1914) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army, other services and Commonwealth countries below commissioned rank for bravery in battle on land. MM and bar indicate that the award was bestowed more than once. One man received the MM and Bar.
3640 Cpl Victor Franklyn Smith MM & Bar 58 Batt.
Victor, a carpenter of Jan Juc (Bellbrae) received the MM in April 1918 for bravery and devotion to duty. Near Villers Bretonneux on the 25th the front line was subjected to heavy bombardments. There were no telecommunications between the front line and headquarters. Victor again and again restored the line under heavy fire. On the 27th the lines were again cut to pieces, and Victor ran an entirely new line and restored communication that allowed information to get to the artillery who broke up the attack.
In September 1919 during an attack on Peronne he was awarded the bar to MM for conspicuous services. As a signaler he took a very active role in organising and leading men on attacks on enemy posts. On one occasion he singlehandedly chased a party of the enemy and succeeded in capturing them. Then under extremely heavy fire he established a signaling relay post and kept up communication between Co and Batt HQ.
Those men who received the MM are.
368 Sgt John Joseph Cantwell 8th Batt. KIA 1917
2808 LCpl James William Coots 14th Field Ambulance. RTA
4028 Pte George Harold Donohue 39th Batt. WIA and RTA
3536 Pte Patrick Thomas Feehan 29th Batt. RTA
28744 Gunner Jock McMullen Noble 25th Field Artillery Brigade. RTA
2733 Pte John Alexander Wilson 2nd Pioneer Batt. RTA
RTA=Returned to Australia. WIA=wounded in action. KIA= killed in action
368 Sgt John Joseph Cantwell MM 8th Batt was a contractor of Freshwater Creek who fought first at Gallipoli and then in France and Belgium. He enlisted as a Private and was subsequently promoted through to Sergeant. In May 1917 on the Hindeburg Line he did splendid work in repelling counter attacks and re-organising the line under furious bombardment. He worked unceasingly and fearlessly without sleep and set a splendid example to his men. He was killed in action in Belgium in October 1917.
2808 LCpl James William Coots MM 4th Field Ambulance was a labourer of Torquay. Each infantry brigade had attached to it a medical unit known as a field ambulance where the wounded or sick soldiers were evacuated from the front line. James was awarded the MM on 20 November 1917 for conspicuous service rendered in the field on 11 January 1918. During an extremely heavy barrage at the 3rd battle of Ypres a shell hit a group of 15 men and the Sergeant called for bearers. While under fire James and three others went and helped the injured from the dugout back to safety.
4028 Pte George Harold Donohue MM 39th Batt was a shunter of Pettavel and was awarded the MM in March 1918. The award was for conspicuous service rendered in the field on 12th March 1918. The 39th was among the many Australian battalions that were moved south to France to stem the tide of the German onslaught towards Amiens and fought a series of defensive actions in the Somme between March and June. Later in August 1918 George was first missing in action, then wounded and badly gassed and invalided home to Australia.
3536 Pte Patrick Thomas Feehan MM 29th Batt was a labourer of Mt Duneed. Near Villers Bretonneux on 9 August 1918 Patrick was awarded the MM. He was a member of a Lewis Gun team who sustained casualties. Although badly wounded he carried his gun forward to a position to face the heavy machine gun fire where he inflicted very heavy casualties allowing his Company to move forward. By his splendid courage and devotion to duty he assisted in the attack and the successful capture of the village.
28744 Gunner Jock McMullen Noble MM 25th Field Artillery Brigade was a farmer of Connewarre and was award the MM in June 1917. The award was for conspicuous service rendered in the field as driver in the 4 Divisional Ammunition Column. Field Artillery Brigades were formed for infantry divisions and were equipped with field guns of various sizes.
2733 Pte John Alexander Wilson MM 2nd Pioneer Batt was a carpenter of Torquay. In October 1918 near Saint Quentin John was the Company runner carrying messages under heavy rifle, machine gun and shell fire. The sector was wide, and the posts scattered and with great skill and determination he kept the posts informed with the receipt and dispatch of messages for which he was awarded the MM.
References:
National Archives of Australia Available at https://www.naa.gov.au/explore-collection/search-people Baulch, C. (2018). Together they served 1914-1918. Men & women who enlisted form the Surf Coast Shire. TMWW: Torquay.
