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8th Battalion AIF "Cobbers In Khaki"


pompeyrodney

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Can any forum members sell me a copy of Cobbers In Khaki by Ron Austin as I am having trouble finding it anywhere. Amazon are asking £154 for it but when you search for it elsehere I am told the RRP is about £20. I believe this would make a great 80th birthday present for my father whose own father was Lieutenant John Gibson Pitt and was a member of the 8th battalion AIF. I would also welcome any info about obtaining service records as my grandfathers name does not show up when you search the database. I believe this means his record has been removed for preservation but I have been waiting to get hold of it now for a good six months. Many thanks for all responses in advance.

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Thanks for these Andrew. Two excellent sites.

Robbie

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Hi again Jules,

Have you tried ordering a hard copy from Australian National Archives? Sometimes they will do a photocopy for you.

Rgds

Tim

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You're lucky - Ron Austin has just had this book reprinted - so you can obtain a copy from him (Slouch Hat Publications) for just over $40 (Aust).

It mentions your grandfather on p.195: [1918]

"The pattern of intense patrolling, which was the Australian method of controlling No Man's Land, continued on a nightly basis. On the night of 14th June, Lieutenant Pitt was out with a small reconnaissance patrol when he was wounded by an alert enemy sniper."

You're unlucky - in that the National Archives have not yet digitized his War Service Record on their website - but it probably wont be far off, because they seem to be working on M's at the moment.

If you want them to send you a "hard copy" - you just have to write to them giving them as much detail as you can - but especially - name, service no. & unit.

Incase you don't have the following:

Service no. 924

H Company (8th Bn)

Enlisted 27/8/1914, embarked from Melbourne 19/10/1914 on the A24 "Benalla", embarked for return to Australia 15/9/1918.

Cheers, Frev

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Many thanks for all the replies guys but I was hoping to get the book before the 14th of this month (my fathers birthday). Getting it from Australia would mean a long wait no doubt. Thanks for the info Frev, particularly the service number, did that come from the nominal roll? Also how do you know my grandfather emabarked aboard the A24 Benalla, I am intrigued to know the source of the info. Thanks again

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How info obtained:

"Cobbers in Khaki" has your grandfather listed in the Nominal Roll of the Original 8th Battalion which embarked from Melb on the 'Benalla' etc:

PITT. JG, 924 Pte, H Coy

[Ron probably would have taken this from the Embarkation Roll - which incidentally is now on line on the AWM website - if you want to check]

The First World War Nominal Roll (AWM website) doesn't show his Service No. because it lists the details of the soldier at the end of the war, which doesn't include the S/No. of Commissioned Officers. (ie Lieut)

PITT. John Gibson, Lieut, 8th Bn, 27/8/14 RTA 15/9/18

Cheers, Frev

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Also how do you know my grandfather emabarked aboard the A24 Benalla, I am intrigued to know the source of the info. Thanks again

You could spend weeks going through the AWM website.

Here's a teaser

post-2-1100074017.jpg

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Many thanks for all the replies guys but I was hoping to get the book before the 14th of this month (my fathers birthday). Getting it from Australia would mean a long wait no doubt. Thanks for the info Frev, particularly the service number, did that come from the nominal roll? Also how do you know my grandfather emabarked aboard the A24 Benalla, I am intrigued to know the source of the info. Thanks again

Jules,

Don't know if you are aware but all this information and photographs etc. was provided in replies to your original posts about this man some time ago.

Rgds

Tim D

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Hi Tim

Thanks for keeping the topic alive, I realise some of the info is coming out again but that was unintentional I assure you my friend. I am merely trying to suss out the best way of getting hold of the book Cobbers In Khaki before my fathers 80th birthday this Sunday the 14th of November. It is too late now I guess I should have thought of it sooner. You are right about it taking ages to search the AWM site, I would have liked to get a hard copy of my grandfathers service record in time but alas it is not to be. Thanks for all your help and the photo of embarkation is very much appreciated. Cheers Tim. :rolleyes:

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Many thanks Stuart, have now ordered the book which should be here inside two weeks hopefully. Cheers mate and thanks again.

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  • 1 month later...

;) Hi All

Further to my post from last year, yes I do not post very often!, can anyone enlighten me further with regard to getting service records from the AWM site. Early last year I looked at the site and was put off when I found that some of the records were being digitised. I sent an e mail asking when I may be able to obtain my grand fathers service record (John Gibson Pitt) 8th battalion AIF. Having looked at the AWM site again today I see that records from O to W are now in the process of being digitised. My father is now 80 himself and if I do not get his fathers service records soon he may not be around to see it. If anyone can steer me in the right directrion then I should be most eternally graeful. Yours very hopefully.

Pompeyrodney

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