The Lionheart

[Andrew P]

The Lionheart Lieutenant-General Sir Talbot Hobbs”

By David Coombes - Australian Military History Publications

This is a long overdue biography of Talbot Hobbs.

Hobbs, a pre war architect in Western Australia commanded the 1st Australian Division’s artillery on Gallipoli and also took temporary command of the 1st Australian Division during the Gallipoli campaign. He faced many problems in the rugged terrain siting his guns and while he overcame some problems others could not be fixed.

He continued to command the Division’s artillery until late 1916 when he was put in command of the 5th Australian Division.

This division which had been devastated at Fromelles was seriously lacking in morale after the battle and stayed that way until Hobbs took over command.

Hobbs soon turned this around and became known as a leader who cared for his men and did all he could to improve the conditions that they were in.

Hobbs commanded the 5th Division through to 1918, in which time the division fought with distinction at 2nd Bullecourt, Polygon Wood & Third Ypres, Villers Brettoneux, The Battle of Amiens & Peronne.

He eventually took over command of the Australian Corps from General Monash near the end of the war, and it seems from this biography that some considered Hobbs a better leader than Monash as while both were very good technically, only Hobbs made sure he knew the conditions that his men were fighting in and was a familiar sight in the front lines of his division. However when Birdwood left the Corps Monash got the initial nod ahead of Hobbs in June 1918.

This history is good as it counters some criticism & Falsehoods leveled at Hobbs in the past, mostly from his 15th Brigade Commander Brigadier General “Pompey’ Elliott & Monash himself. Hobbs was never one to beat his own drum so to speak so battles he planned like the Villers Brettonuex counter attack were attributed to other commanders.

Post war he went back to his profession of architecture but continued his interest in the Military, being an honourary commander of several units. Hobbs also helped design 4 out of the 5 Australian division memorials on the Western Front and also had a say in the main Australian Memorial at Villers Brettonuex.

The title of the book comes from a quote from Keith Murdoch on Hobbs in 1918. ‘His heart was that of a lion’