Bethleem Farm West Cemetery
Roll of Honour
L - Z
19019 Rifleman
William Malcolm
3rd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
19th August 1917, aged 27.
Row D. 12.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Alex. Malcolm, of Nightcaps, Southland, New Zealand.
William Malcolm
3rd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
19th August 1917, aged 27.
Row D. 12.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Alex. Malcolm, of Nightcaps, Southland, New Zealand.
429 Private
Thomas Manderson
42nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
9th June 1917, aged 29.
Row A. 30.
Son of Thomas and Jessie J. Manderson. Native of Brisbane, Queensland.
From Gin Gin, Queensland. A 26 year old labourer prior to enlisting on 26 October 1915, he embarked for overseas with B Company from Sydney on 5 July 1915 aboard HMAT Borda. Following further training in England, he proceeded to France to join the 42nd Battalion in November 1916. Pte Manderson was killed in action at Messines, Belgium on 9 July 1917 and buried in the Bethleem Farm West Cemetery, Belgium. His younger brother 428 Corporal Charles Manderson also served with the 42nd Battalion and was killed in action in France on 31 August 1918 and buried at the Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension.
Thomas Manderson
42nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
9th June 1917, aged 29.
Row A. 30.
Son of Thomas and Jessie J. Manderson. Native of Brisbane, Queensland.
From Gin Gin, Queensland. A 26 year old labourer prior to enlisting on 26 October 1915, he embarked for overseas with B Company from Sydney on 5 July 1915 aboard HMAT Borda. Following further training in England, he proceeded to France to join the 42nd Battalion in November 1916. Pte Manderson was killed in action at Messines, Belgium on 9 July 1917 and buried in the Bethleem Farm West Cemetery, Belgium. His younger brother 428 Corporal Charles Manderson also served with the 42nd Battalion and was killed in action in France on 31 August 1918 and buried at the Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension.
32869 Rifleman
Thomas Alexander Matheson
3rd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
7th August 1917, aged 22.
Row D. 17.
Son of John and Margaret Matheson, of Kensington, Southland, New Zealand.
Thomas Alexander Matheson
3rd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
7th August 1917, aged 22.
Row D. 17.
Son of John and Margaret Matheson, of Kensington, Southland, New Zealand.
30106 Lieutenant
Edward Andamas Maude
3rd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
18th August 1917, aged 35.
Row D. 3.
Edward Andamas Maude
3rd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
18th August 1917, aged 35.
Row D. 3.
4369 Private
Charles William Nielsen
26th Bn. Australian Infantry. A. I. F.
19th December 1917, aged 25.
Plot A. 33.
Son of Sarah Jane Nielsen, of Forest Hill, Queensland.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Peace, Perfect Peace."
Born in Forest Hill, Lockyer Valley, Queensland to a Danish immigrant father and Welsh mother, both Charlie, a farmer from Rockhampton and his older brother Norman, a policeman from Mackay enlisted.
Norman survived the war, but Charlie was killed near Messines. Greatly loved by his family, Charlie was unmarried when he was killed, it was a big loss to his sisters Edith, Effie, Flo, May and his brothers Norman and Jack.
Picture courtesy of Great Nephew, David Dart
Charles William Nielsen
26th Bn. Australian Infantry. A. I. F.
19th December 1917, aged 25.
Plot A. 33.
Son of Sarah Jane Nielsen, of Forest Hill, Queensland.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Peace, Perfect Peace."
Born in Forest Hill, Lockyer Valley, Queensland to a Danish immigrant father and Welsh mother, both Charlie, a farmer from Rockhampton and his older brother Norman, a policeman from Mackay enlisted.
Norman survived the war, but Charlie was killed near Messines. Greatly loved by his family, Charlie was unmarried when he was killed, it was a big loss to his sisters Edith, Effie, Flo, May and his brothers Norman and Jack.
Picture courtesy of Great Nephew, David Dart
1260 Private
Geoffrey Molyneux Ogden
38th Bn. Australian Infantry. A. I. F.
Died between 7th June 1917 and 9th June 1917, aged 21.
Row A. 32.
Son of Frederick John and Mary Jane Ogden, of 93, Esplanade, Williamstown, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "We Deeply Mourn Our Loss But Await With Fortitude And Love Our Meeting Hereafter."
Geoffrey Molyneux Ogden
38th Bn. Australian Infantry. A. I. F.
Died between 7th June 1917 and 9th June 1917, aged 21.
Row A. 32.
Son of Frederick John and Mary Jane Ogden, of 93, Esplanade, Williamstown, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "We Deeply Mourn Our Loss But Await With Fortitude And Love Our Meeting Hereafter."
2122 Private
William Grinter Poole
35th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
21st July 1917.
Row B. 4.
William Grinter Poole
35th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
21st July 1917.
Row B. 4.
28791 Private
Lawrence Peter Poulsen
2nd Bn. Auckland Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
15th August 1917, aged 32.
Row C. 23.
Son of the late Lauritz and Mary Poulsen, of Auckland, New Zealand.
Lawrence Peter Poulsen
2nd Bn. Auckland Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
15th August 1917, aged 32.
Row C. 23.
Son of the late Lauritz and Mary Poulsen, of Auckland, New Zealand.
2631 Private
John Patrick Quinn
33rd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
25th July 1917, aged 19.
Row C. 19A.
Son of Bernard and Julia Quinn, of 15, Tulford St., Glebe, Sydney, New South Wales. Native of Golden Gate, Croydon, Queensland.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Sweet Sacred Heart Of Jesus Have Mercy On His Soul."
John Patrick Quinn
33rd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
25th July 1917, aged 19.
Row C. 19A.
Son of Bernard and Julia Quinn, of 15, Tulford St., Glebe, Sydney, New South Wales. Native of Golden Gate, Croydon, Queensland.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Sweet Sacred Heart Of Jesus Have Mercy On His Soul."
6068 Private
Arthur William Rennie
37th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
8th June 1917, aged 20.
Row A. 25.
Son of John and Frances Clark Rennie, of Longwood, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "True And Loyal To Empire And Good Principle."
A school teacher prior to enlisting, he embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Themistocles (A32) on 28 July 1916. On 8 June 1917, he was killed in action near Messines Ridge, Belgium, aged 20.
Arthur William Rennie
37th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
8th June 1917, aged 20.
Row A. 25.
Son of John and Frances Clark Rennie, of Longwood, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "True And Loyal To Empire And Good Principle."
A school teacher prior to enlisting, he embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Themistocles (A32) on 28 July 1916. On 8 June 1917, he was killed in action near Messines Ridge, Belgium, aged 20.
747 Private
Henry James Robinson
30th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
1st December 1917, aged 32.
Row F. 9.
From Granville, NSW. A locomotive fireman prior to enlisting, he embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Beltana (A72) on 9 November 1915. He was killed in action in the Messines area, Belgium on 1 December 1917, aged 32.
Henry James Robinson
30th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
1st December 1917, aged 32.
Row F. 9.
From Granville, NSW. A locomotive fireman prior to enlisting, he embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Beltana (A72) on 9 November 1915. He was killed in action in the Messines area, Belgium on 1 December 1917, aged 32.
4105 Private
Joseph Edward Sparkes
30th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
20th November 1917, aged 28.
Row F. 5.
Son of Tom and Mary Sparkes; husband of Maggie Sparkes, of Llandilo, St. Mary's, New South Wales. Native of Hurstville, New South Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription; "At Rest."
3633 Private, T. S. Smyth gave the following details:
"On November 20th, the Battalion was at Messines holding the line. About 8.a.m., a pigeon bomb landed in the bay next to where I was and killed a corporal and three other men, Sparkes was one and I went down and pulled him out from the dug-out in which he was when hit. He had been reading letters at the time which he'd got from home. They carried him out and they buried him at the back of Bethlehem Farm. One of the stretcher bearers told me that all the four men were buried close together and the graves were marked by a Battalion cross. Corporal Stephens (actually Stevenson) and Private King (actually Ring) were two of the men killed. We held the ground."
The four men killed in this incident were W. P. Ross, J. A. Ring, Joseph Sparkes and Thomas Stevenson they are all buried next to each other in Row F. 3, 4, 5 & 6 respectively.
Joseph Edward Sparkes
30th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
20th November 1917, aged 28.
Row F. 5.
Son of Tom and Mary Sparkes; husband of Maggie Sparkes, of Llandilo, St. Mary's, New South Wales. Native of Hurstville, New South Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription; "At Rest."
3633 Private, T. S. Smyth gave the following details:
"On November 20th, the Battalion was at Messines holding the line. About 8.a.m., a pigeon bomb landed in the bay next to where I was and killed a corporal and three other men, Sparkes was one and I went down and pulled him out from the dug-out in which he was when hit. He had been reading letters at the time which he'd got from home. They carried him out and they buried him at the back of Bethlehem Farm. One of the stretcher bearers told me that all the four men were buried close together and the graves were marked by a Battalion cross. Corporal Stephens (actually Stevenson) and Private King (actually Ring) were two of the men killed. We held the ground."
The four men killed in this incident were W. P. Ross, J. A. Ring, Joseph Sparkes and Thomas Stevenson they are all buried next to each other in Row F. 3, 4, 5 & 6 respectively.
25/681 Rifleman
John Steel
3rd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
19th August 1917, aged 32.
Row D. 9.
Son of Jessie and the late Alexander Steel, of West Plains, Southland, New Zealand.
John Steel
3rd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
19th August 1917, aged 32.
Row D. 9.
Son of Jessie and the late Alexander Steel, of West Plains, Southland, New Zealand.
26/472 Second Lieutenant
William Ernest Stevens
4th Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
15th August 1917, aged 24.
Row B. 21.
Born at Auckland, New Zealand
William Ernest Stevens
4th Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
15th August 1917, aged 24.
Row B. 21.
Born at Auckland, New Zealand
548 Lance Corporal
Thomas Stevenson
30th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
20th November 1917, aged 38.
Row F. 6.
Son of Sarah and the late John Stevenson, of "Barfillan,'' Young St., Carrington, New South Wales. Native of Wilcannia, New South Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Was The Loved Of All Yet None O'er His Lone Grave May Weep"
Click on image to enlarge
The two images and the information provided below are courtesy of Kathleen Rieth (Great Niece)
Thomas Stevenson
30th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
20th November 1917, aged 38.
Row F. 6.
Son of Sarah and the late John Stevenson, of "Barfillan,'' Young St., Carrington, New South Wales. Native of Wilcannia, New South Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Was The Loved Of All Yet None O'er His Lone Grave May Weep"
Click on image to enlarge
The two images and the information provided below are courtesy of Kathleen Rieth (Great Niece)
Tom was born in 1879 in Wilcannia, on the Darling River in far western New South Wales, the fourth child of John Stevenson and Sarah Anderton who had migrated independently from Liverpool, England and married in Ararat, Victoria in December 1867.
John, a miner and contractor, was employed sinking wells and building tanks, often working far into the interior. He also prospected for gold and opal.
Tom and two of his brothers, Charles (b.1874) and Robert Edward (b.1882), served in the Boer War, Charles and Robert with the Bushmen’s Contingent, from early 1900 to July 1901, and Tom with E Squadron, 3rd Regiment NSW Mounted Rifles. This regiment was attached to Rimington’s Guides from 2 May 1901 to 28 April 1902.
The brothers’ long letters home were published in local newspapers. In one of Tom’s letters he describes Kitchener’s move against De Wet, in which he took part.
Tom’s regiment left Capetown on 4 May 1902; he and three other local volunteers returned to Wilcannia in late June to a hero’s welcome.
The Stevenson family moved east, to Newcastle, coastal New South Wales.
On 24 July 1915 Tom enlisted in the AIF at Newcastle and was allotted to B Company, 30th Battalion of the AIF. He was 35, employed as a machinist at the Clyde Works.
Tom was the only one of his brothers to serve in World War I. Bob had been injured in a mining accident resulting in the amputation of his right leg below the knee, and Charles and their younger brother Allan were married with young families. However, their adopted brother, Thomas Kirkbride served with the 2nd Light Horse and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Cross of Karageorge with Swords 1st Class.
Tom Stevenson left Australia on 9 November 1915 on HMAT Beltana, reaching Suez on 11 December 1915. The 30th spent several months in Egypt training with the 8th Battalion then left Alexandria on HMAT Hororata, landing in Marseilles, France in late June. The battalion travelled north by train, to billets near Hazebrouck. There it was harvest time and, when not training, the men helped in the local farms.
The battalion’s historian Lieutenant Colonel H Sloan:
As we had now served for almost twelve months without striking a blow at the enemy, very few regretted that the time had arrived for us to justify our existence as a unit of the AIF, although we had no inkling of the disaster which was to overtake all three brigades of the 5th Division before the end of the next fortnight.
That disaster was the Battle of Fromelles. Over four days of action, 19-22 July, casualties of the 30th Battalion were nine officers and 393 other ranks.
Tom Stevenson was one of those wounded. Shot in the right arm, buried alive when shellfire blew apart the trenches, bruised and suffering from shock he was treated initially at the 2nd Casualty Clearing Station then taken to Norfolk War Hospital, England for treatment of shellshock and further treatment of his arm.
Discharged from hospital on 14 September he rejoined his unit in Dorset. But it was to be late June 1917 before he rejoined the 30th Battalion in the field.
On 11 December 1916 Tom appeared before a District Court Martial to face charges of striking a private and a corporal who, without identifying themselves to be on picquet duty, had physically challenged his progress. He was sentenced to 90 days detention and forfeited 127 days’ pay.
Released in early May 1917 he rejoined the 30th Battalion on 27 June when it was billeted northwest of Albert, France. Once again, in between training, maintaining their equipment, route marches and going on manoeuvres, the men helped the local community with the harvest.
By mid-September, the battalion was in the Abeele area and Tom had been promoted to Lance-Corporal.
Over the next weeks, the 30th relieved other battalions at the front. On 20 November, its last day before being withdrawn after a week’s duty, casualties were three Other Ranks wounded and four Other Ranks killed in action.
One of those killed was 548 Lance Corporal Thomas Stevenson. The other three were Private William Patrick Ross, Private James Alfred Ring and Private Joseph Edward Sparkes.
Ross, a locomotive fireman from Newcastle, had enlisted on 23 July 1915, the day before Tom. They had left Sydney together on the Beltana. Ross had also been wounded at Fromelles, shot in the legs and right arm.
The four soldiers were buried side by side in Bethleem Farm West Cemetery in graves F3, F4, F5 and F6.
The Newcastle Morning Herald & Miners’ Advocate, 22 February 1918, p.6:
LATE CORPORAL STEVENSON
Mrs. Stevenson, of Young-street, Carrington, has received a letter from an officer of the battalion to which her son, the late Lance-corporal Thomas Stevenson, was attached. The writer of the letter, after offering the sympathy of himself and the officers and men of the battalion, says: "Tom was very popular with us all, and we hope it might be a little consolation to you to know that he died while doing his duty so very pluckily and thoroughly. We were in the front line at the time … and a trench mortar bomb burst in the post where Tom was, killing him and two others. He received wounds rendering him unconscious and died in a few minutes. He was buried in a quiet little cemetery behind our lines, the battalion chaplain reading the service in the presence of some of your son's comrades.
A newspaper cutting held by the family, its source unknown:
Cricketers will be sorry to learn that Private Tom Stevenson, one of the pioneers and founders of the Dockyard Club, was killed in action November 20. He was a member of the Dockyard Club which won the Second Grade final of 1914-15. He was captain in the early part of the season and was succeeded by Larry Ryan. He will be remembered for his splendid fielding at point. He was one of the best fielders in that position in the district. He was also a very useful bowler and a fair batsman. Tom had served previously in the Boer War. He has died a hero's death - such as one of his nature would seek. I am sure that the players of this district will be in accord with me in conveying the deepest sympathy of cricketers to his dear old mother.
In collecting information for their Guide to Australian Battlefields John Laffin and his wife visited every cemetery on the Western Front where Australian soldiers are buried. An epitaph they considered that expressed deep despair is Tom Stevenson's:
Lance-Corporal T. Stevenson, 30th Battalion. 20.11.1917 (38)
He was the loved of all yet none o'er his lone grave may weep.
John, a miner and contractor, was employed sinking wells and building tanks, often working far into the interior. He also prospected for gold and opal.
Tom and two of his brothers, Charles (b.1874) and Robert Edward (b.1882), served in the Boer War, Charles and Robert with the Bushmen’s Contingent, from early 1900 to July 1901, and Tom with E Squadron, 3rd Regiment NSW Mounted Rifles. This regiment was attached to Rimington’s Guides from 2 May 1901 to 28 April 1902.
The brothers’ long letters home were published in local newspapers. In one of Tom’s letters he describes Kitchener’s move against De Wet, in which he took part.
Tom’s regiment left Capetown on 4 May 1902; he and three other local volunteers returned to Wilcannia in late June to a hero’s welcome.
The Stevenson family moved east, to Newcastle, coastal New South Wales.
On 24 July 1915 Tom enlisted in the AIF at Newcastle and was allotted to B Company, 30th Battalion of the AIF. He was 35, employed as a machinist at the Clyde Works.
Tom was the only one of his brothers to serve in World War I. Bob had been injured in a mining accident resulting in the amputation of his right leg below the knee, and Charles and their younger brother Allan were married with young families. However, their adopted brother, Thomas Kirkbride served with the 2nd Light Horse and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Cross of Karageorge with Swords 1st Class.
Tom Stevenson left Australia on 9 November 1915 on HMAT Beltana, reaching Suez on 11 December 1915. The 30th spent several months in Egypt training with the 8th Battalion then left Alexandria on HMAT Hororata, landing in Marseilles, France in late June. The battalion travelled north by train, to billets near Hazebrouck. There it was harvest time and, when not training, the men helped in the local farms.
The battalion’s historian Lieutenant Colonel H Sloan:
As we had now served for almost twelve months without striking a blow at the enemy, very few regretted that the time had arrived for us to justify our existence as a unit of the AIF, although we had no inkling of the disaster which was to overtake all three brigades of the 5th Division before the end of the next fortnight.
That disaster was the Battle of Fromelles. Over four days of action, 19-22 July, casualties of the 30th Battalion were nine officers and 393 other ranks.
Tom Stevenson was one of those wounded. Shot in the right arm, buried alive when shellfire blew apart the trenches, bruised and suffering from shock he was treated initially at the 2nd Casualty Clearing Station then taken to Norfolk War Hospital, England for treatment of shellshock and further treatment of his arm.
Discharged from hospital on 14 September he rejoined his unit in Dorset. But it was to be late June 1917 before he rejoined the 30th Battalion in the field.
On 11 December 1916 Tom appeared before a District Court Martial to face charges of striking a private and a corporal who, without identifying themselves to be on picquet duty, had physically challenged his progress. He was sentenced to 90 days detention and forfeited 127 days’ pay.
Released in early May 1917 he rejoined the 30th Battalion on 27 June when it was billeted northwest of Albert, France. Once again, in between training, maintaining their equipment, route marches and going on manoeuvres, the men helped the local community with the harvest.
By mid-September, the battalion was in the Abeele area and Tom had been promoted to Lance-Corporal.
Over the next weeks, the 30th relieved other battalions at the front. On 20 November, its last day before being withdrawn after a week’s duty, casualties were three Other Ranks wounded and four Other Ranks killed in action.
One of those killed was 548 Lance Corporal Thomas Stevenson. The other three were Private William Patrick Ross, Private James Alfred Ring and Private Joseph Edward Sparkes.
Ross, a locomotive fireman from Newcastle, had enlisted on 23 July 1915, the day before Tom. They had left Sydney together on the Beltana. Ross had also been wounded at Fromelles, shot in the legs and right arm.
The four soldiers were buried side by side in Bethleem Farm West Cemetery in graves F3, F4, F5 and F6.
The Newcastle Morning Herald & Miners’ Advocate, 22 February 1918, p.6:
LATE CORPORAL STEVENSON
Mrs. Stevenson, of Young-street, Carrington, has received a letter from an officer of the battalion to which her son, the late Lance-corporal Thomas Stevenson, was attached. The writer of the letter, after offering the sympathy of himself and the officers and men of the battalion, says: "Tom was very popular with us all, and we hope it might be a little consolation to you to know that he died while doing his duty so very pluckily and thoroughly. We were in the front line at the time … and a trench mortar bomb burst in the post where Tom was, killing him and two others. He received wounds rendering him unconscious and died in a few minutes. He was buried in a quiet little cemetery behind our lines, the battalion chaplain reading the service in the presence of some of your son's comrades.
A newspaper cutting held by the family, its source unknown:
Cricketers will be sorry to learn that Private Tom Stevenson, one of the pioneers and founders of the Dockyard Club, was killed in action November 20. He was a member of the Dockyard Club which won the Second Grade final of 1914-15. He was captain in the early part of the season and was succeeded by Larry Ryan. He will be remembered for his splendid fielding at point. He was one of the best fielders in that position in the district. He was also a very useful bowler and a fair batsman. Tom had served previously in the Boer War. He has died a hero's death - such as one of his nature would seek. I am sure that the players of this district will be in accord with me in conveying the deepest sympathy of cricketers to his dear old mother.
In collecting information for their Guide to Australian Battlefields John Laffin and his wife visited every cemetery on the Western Front where Australian soldiers are buried. An epitaph they considered that expressed deep despair is Tom Stevenson's:
Lance-Corporal T. Stevenson, 30th Battalion. 20.11.1917 (38)
He was the loved of all yet none o'er his lone grave may weep.
Original Grave Marker
914 Private
William Temple
3rd Australian Pioneers
23rd July 1917, aged 22.
Row A. 2.
Son of Mary Hart Anderson Temple, and the late William Temple, of "Craigmore," Blackburn St, Moorooka, Queensland. Native of Glasgow, Scotland.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Greater Love Hath No Man Than This; Dearly Loved, Deeply Mourned."
William Temple
3rd Australian Pioneers
23rd July 1917, aged 22.
Row A. 2.
Son of Mary Hart Anderson Temple, and the late William Temple, of "Craigmore," Blackburn St, Moorooka, Queensland. Native of Glasgow, Scotland.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Greater Love Hath No Man Than This; Dearly Loved, Deeply Mourned."
38617 Rifleman
Arthur Clarence Villiers
3rd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
5th August 1917.
Sp. Mem. 1.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Their Glory Shall Not Be Blotted Out."
Arthur Clarence Villiers
3rd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
5th August 1917.
Sp. Mem. 1.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Their Glory Shall Not Be Blotted Out."
885 Private
Frederick Richard (Bobby) Tribe
33rd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
21st July 1917.
Row B. 10B.
Son of William James Tribe and Ann Alice Harris, born at Narrabri, New South Wales.
Picture courtesy of Kim Crowe
Frederick Richard (Bobby) Tribe
33rd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
21st July 1917.
Row B. 10B.
Son of William James Tribe and Ann Alice Harris, born at Narrabri, New South Wales.
Picture courtesy of Kim Crowe
Second Lieutenant
Randall Gordon Virgoe
10th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
21st December 1917, aged 20.
Row F. 15.
Son of William Randall Virgoe and Henrietta Florence Virgoe, of Brigalow Avenue, Kensington Gardens, Adelaide, South Australia. Native of Sydney, New South Wales.
Randall Gordon Virgoe
10th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
21st December 1917, aged 20.
Row F. 15.
Son of William Randall Virgoe and Henrietta Florence Virgoe, of Brigalow Avenue, Kensington Gardens, Adelaide, South Australia. Native of Sydney, New South Wales.
32917 Rifleman
Arthur Richard Webb
3rd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
7th August 1917, aged 28.
Row C. 22.
Arthur Richard Webb
3rd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
7th August 1917, aged 28.
Row C. 22.
3703 Private
William (Bill) Henry Whelan
26th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
16th December 1917, aged 27.
Row A. 35.
Son of Walter and Amelia Whelan; husband of Mrs. M. C. Whelan, of 57, Kensington Rd., Summerhill, New South Wales. Native of Hobart, Tasmania.
His headstone bears the inscription; "One Of Australia's Bravest And Best Duty Nobly Done."
3657 Lance Corporal, J. R. Goodey described the circumstances of Bill Whelan's death:
"We were carrying rations to the lines at Messines when an M. G. bullet hit Billy Whelan on the leg, we bandaged him up but the bullet had pierced an artery, he bled to death before we got him to the Dressing Station. He was quite conscious and did not seem to be in much pain. He said, "Well, I've got a good blighty," but he only lived about 20 minutes. I saw his grave after he had been buried in an Australian cemetery at Ploegsteert, and I did it up."
Picture courtesy of Rob Patterson of Australia (Great Grandson)
William (Bill) Henry Whelan
26th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
16th December 1917, aged 27.
Row A. 35.
Son of Walter and Amelia Whelan; husband of Mrs. M. C. Whelan, of 57, Kensington Rd., Summerhill, New South Wales. Native of Hobart, Tasmania.
His headstone bears the inscription; "One Of Australia's Bravest And Best Duty Nobly Done."
3657 Lance Corporal, J. R. Goodey described the circumstances of Bill Whelan's death:
"We were carrying rations to the lines at Messines when an M. G. bullet hit Billy Whelan on the leg, we bandaged him up but the bullet had pierced an artery, he bled to death before we got him to the Dressing Station. He was quite conscious and did not seem to be in much pain. He said, "Well, I've got a good blighty," but he only lived about 20 minutes. I saw his grave after he had been buried in an Australian cemetery at Ploegsteert, and I did it up."
Picture courtesy of Rob Patterson of Australia (Great Grandson)
4620 Private
James Harold Willmer
31st Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
12th December 1917, aged 23.
Row E. 13.
Son of John and Eliza Willmer, of Ellesmere, Kingaroy, Queensland. Native of Laidley, Queensland.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Rest In Peace."
James Harold Willmer
31st Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
12th December 1917, aged 23.
Row E. 13.
Son of John and Eliza Willmer, of Ellesmere, Kingaroy, Queensland. Native of Laidley, Queensland.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Rest In Peace."
