Aussies at Blackboy camp WA, Pre war ,post War ?

[ShirlD]

Thanks Mark,

The letters bring home the sadness and tragedy each death meant to their mates and family.

In the May 1913 Swan (the school magazine) there is an address for Charlton as an old boy at Gooeimpa Station, via Wilcannia, New South Wales.

The later copies list the deaths, and of course he is on the Honour Board in the School Dining Room, and engraved on the Memorial. I will get some photos for you.

Do you have any letters where he describes enlisting and going off to war at all?

We had the same experience as you have had when we discovered those on this Forum who were remembering and having a drink to Chris' uncle who was killed at the Battle of Jutland. It was the most amazing thing to find others had been interested and honoured a treasured relative.

Cheers

Shirley

[supermark500]

Not sure if I do have any letters about that but I have his war diary. I'll see when that was started and post a few excerpts when I get it from my parents house.

[montbrehain]

Mark , just sent HI Res scans of those photos to you. please do let me know if you get them Ok. "MO"

[Peter_Mitchell]

These men are all 'original' 11th Bn men who reported to camp at Blackboy Hill Western Australia within days of the battalion forming on 17 Aug 1914. I refer to 'Game to the last' by James Hurst.

Tomorrow I can provide details as to the fate of each man, unless you can get through to National Archives by then.

Would love to view your other photos - this one is solid gold!

Cheers

Peter mitchell

[Lilli]

7 years afterwards I don't know how active this post is, but I'm amazed to find it. My grandfather was Fred Albrecht and indeed seems to have been correctly identified in this forum. He enlisted on 17 August 1914, was taken into No 1 Section (originally "B" Company) of the 11th Bn trained at Blackboy Hill and embarked on the "Medic" (the embarkation records are incorrect about the ship and date) on 28 October 1914. After more training in Egypt (where the Sphinx photo of his section was taken on 10 January 1914, the same day as the Cheops pyramid photo) his section were one of the first to land at Gallipoli on the first ANZAC day. He was wounded on 25 June 1914 and didn't return to Gallipoli until September, as a sergeant of another Section.

After the Gallipoli campaign , as part of the doubling of the AIF, his new Section was transferred to the 51st Bn where he was commissioned. He finished the War as a Captain and regimental Adjutant.

After the First War he returned to teaching and met and married my grandmother. He enlisted again in the Second World War and was unfortunately taken prisoner at the fall of Java. But he also survived that ordeal returned to his teaching career and died in 1979 at the age of 86.

I am delighted to find this photograph of him with his original Section at Blackboy Hill. He was a very quiet and humble man. If any of you are still listening and have any further personal information about him I would be fascinated and grateful to receive it.

[gilly100]

Hi Lilli

Good stuff. Try to get James Hurst's book on the 11th Bn called Game to the Last. Albrecht is mentioned along with his mates. The book is a good read on this unit at Gallipoli. Apologies for not seeing this post earlier.

POW in Java in WW2. A man made of stern stuff and a good long life. Reason to be well proud.

Cheers

Ian

[gilly100]

Lilli

The West Australian Genealogical Society has some members who are endeavouring to name all the 11bn members on the pyramid photo of 10 Jan 1915. I am sure you could assist each other using that Blackboy Hill photo in 1914 to confirm mem on the pyramid, given its clarity and lack of slouch hats that tend to obscure the face.

If you google WAGS you will find them. Chris Loudon is most helpful and committed along with his peers. Worth a try on an excellent venture.

Cheers

Ian

[Lilli]

Thank you, both. I have James Hurst's book and have already alerted him to this post and the photograph and he was also amazed at the quality!

I found the WAGS project a while ago and was immediately able to identify my grandfather (number 668). On the basis of the sphinx photo (my grandfather's copy is kept by a cousin) I think they also have quite a few of these men picked out and I'm sure that this photo will be very useful for them. By the strangest of coincidences, yesterday I had just sent them an email saying I didn't think Pleydell was the man picked out (number 536), because he was wearing a cap and a few hours later he was photographed at the sphinx in a slouch hat and today I find this photograph of the whole section wearing caps!

For anyone else following this post Here is a link to the excellent WAGS project attempting to identify the men in the Cheops picture. Despite the cap, I still think Pleydell is no 648 and not 536! http://11btn.wags.org.au

There is a good quality version of the sphinx photograph available at the State Library of WA website as well as a copy of a postcard of the Medic which all the Section 1 men have signed.

[ChrisL21]

Hi Lilli & gilly100,

Thanks for the plug - we have most of these guys Identified.

Prockter is ID# 182 on our grid.

Lindsay is ID# 184.

Clifton is ID# 667.

Albrect is ID# 668

Thomas is ID# 240

Bunning in not yet found - still looking.

Brook not yet found - a couple of possibles but still looking.

Pleydell is in dispute - a couple of possibles including # 648

Gollan is not in the Cheops photo of course.

@ 22-11-2014 - 209 identified, 133 verified, 76 to be confirmed - 494 to go.

Cheers

Chris L.

[Lilli]

From the Sunday Times WA 28 November 1915. An extract from this photo.