For The Fallen by Robert Laurence Binyon

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children
England mourns for her dead across the sea,
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow,
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again,
They sit no more at familiar tables of home,
They have no lot in our labour of the daytime,
They sleep beyond England’s foam.

But where our desires and hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the night.

As the stars shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Please be advised that the “daily updates” will not be appearing as regularly as they have been since we are directing our full attention to researching the district’s servicemen and women, particularly those whose names appear on the Honour Roll

All men meeting these criteria were to proceed to enrolment centres where they were assessed for suitability. There was, however, a procedure whereby men classified as suitable could appeal and be granted exception from service. The Defence Act allowed exemption from military service on religious grounds, and war service regulations allowed exemption:

• Where it was in the national interest for a man to continue in his work, education or training;
• If military service would cause serious financial hardship;
• For the only son of a family;
• If at least half of the sons in a family enlisted;
• For sole support of aged parents, widowed mother or orphan siblings under 16 years of age or physically incapable of earning their own living.

Local exemption courts were established to hear applications for exemption. Men who sought exemption from military training were to fill out a form in duplicate, deliver it to the military registrar and present their case at the exemption court. More than 87,000 men actively sought exemption from military service through the exemption courts.

An exemption court opened at Orange Courthouse on 19 October 1916 and was operational until November 1916. During this time Orange Police Magistrate Hugh Malone presided over more than 150 local appeals for exception from military service.

Further reading:
The establishment of local military exemption courts
Military exemption courts in 1916: a public hearing of private lives

This is a summary of the British honours and decorations awarded to officers, nurses and other ranks of the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War.

Victoria Cross (VC) – 64
The highest award for acts of bravery in wartime.

Order of the Bath – Knight Commander (KCB) – 8
Awarded to senior military officers for services in action.

Order of the Bath – Companion (CB) – 47

Order of St Michael and St George – Knight Grand Cross (GCMG) – 2
To acknowledge military exploits.

Order of St Michael and St George – Knight Commander (KCMG) – 11

Order of St Michael and St George – Companion (CMG) – 150

Order of the British Empire – Knight Commander (KBE) – 3
To reward service to the British Empire in the United Kingdom and abroad.

Order of the British Empire – Commander (CBE) – 35

Order of the British Empire – Officer (OBE) – 157

Order of the British Empire – Member (MBE) – 114

Distinguished Service Order (DSO) – 620
To reward military officers for distinguished services under fire or under conditions equivalent to service in actual combat with the enemy.

Distinguished Service Order (DSO) 1 Bar – 41

Distinguished Service Order (DSO) 2 Bars – 1

Royal Red Cross (RRC) – 43
For exceptional devotion or competency in performance of nursing duties with the Army in the field, or an exceptional act of bravery or devotion to the post of duty. This was an award exclusively for women.

Royal Red Cross (RRC) 1 Bar – 1

Royal Red Cross (ARRC) – 143

Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) – 2
Awarded to naval officers below the rank of Lieutenant Commander for gallantry at sea in the presence of the enemy.

Military Cross (MC) – 2,366
For lower ranking Army officers (Captain or less) and Warrant Officers for distinguished and meritorious services.

Military Cross (MC) 1 Bar – 170

Military Cross (MC) 2 Bars – 4

Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) – 59
Awarded to officers for acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty performed whilst flying in active operations against the enemy.

Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) 1 Bar – 5

Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) 2 Bars – 2

Air Force Cross (AFC) – 14
Awarded to officers for acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty performed whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy.

Air Force Cross (AFC) 1 Bar – 2

Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) – 1,767
Awarded to non-commissioned officers for distinguished conduct in action in the field.

Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) 1 Bar – 28

Military Medal (MM) – 9,926
Awarded to other ranks for acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire.

Military Medal (MM) 1 Bar – 472

Military Medal (MM) 2 Bars – 15

Military Medal (MM) 3 Bars – 1

Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) – 17
Awarded to ranks up to and including Chief Petty Officer.for bravery whilst on active service at sea.

Air Force Medal (AFM) 2
Awarded to for an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying though not in active operations against the enemy.

Air Force Medal (AFM) 1 Bar – 2

Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) – 1,237
For non-operational gallantry or meritorious service connected with the war effort.

Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) 1 Bar – 1

Mentioned in Despatches emblem – 5,798

*  With the diggers 1914-1918, 1933, Fourth Division AMC Association, Melbourne.
*  Williams, Reginald David 2000, Medals to Australia from 1858-1999, with valuations, Downie’s, Melbourne
*  Australian War Memorial Encyclopedia. Statistics – military

Further reading:
Imperial Awards
A Guide to British Awards for Gallantry or Meritorious Service in WW1

British War Medal
The British War Medal was instituted to mark the end of the First World War. It was awarded to officers, men and women of the British and Imperial Forces who left their native shore to serve overseas between 5th August 1914 and 11th November 1918 inclusive. It was not imperative for the recipient to have entered a theatre of war. There were 338,000 British War Medals awarded to Australians.

Victory Medal
The Victory Medal commemorates the victory of the Allied Forces over the Central Powers. It was awarded to prescribed classes of persons who entered a theatre of war on duty between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918 inclusive. There were 336,000 Victory Medals awarded to Australians.

1914-15 Star
The 1914-15 Star was awarded to those who served in specified theatres of war between 5th August 1914 and 31st December 1915 inclusive. The 1914-15 Star was not awarded alone. The recipient had to have received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. There were 82,000 1914-15 Stars issued to Australians, mostly to troops who served in New Guinea, Gallipoli and Egypt.

These three medals were sometimes referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred, with Pip representing the 1914-15 Star, Squeak the British War Medal; and Wilfred the Victory Medal.

*  Williams, Reginald David 2000, Medals to Australia from 1858-1999, with valuations, Downie’s, Melbourne.

Wounded 7 times:  1
Wounded 6 times:  10
Wounded 5 times:  105
Wounded 4 times:  807
Wounded 3 times:  5,582

Total cost of the war to Australia: £464,000,000

*  With the diggers 1914-1918, 1933, Fourth Division AMC Association, Melbourne.

However, as the war went on, casualty rates increased and the number of volunteers declined, so that by 1916 the AIF faced a shortage of men. Despite opposition from his own party, Labor Prime Minister Billy Hughes decided to take the issue to the people in a referendum. The nation was asked to grant the government the power to compel citizens to serve overseas during the current war, ie. conscription. The referendum was held on 28 October 1916, provoking furious debate. It was narrowly defeated.

Enlistment for the war continued to fall, and in 1917 Hughes called for a second referendum. On 20 December 1917 the nation again voted “No” to conscription, this time with a slightly larger majority. Australia and South Africa were the only participating countries not to introduce conscription during the First World War.

During the course of the First World War standards for age, minimum height and minimum chest measurement for enlistment in the AIF were relaxed in an attempt to secure more volunteers. Dental and ophthalmological restrictions were also eased.

In August 1914 the requirements for enlistment in the AIF were:

• Age from 18 to 35 years
• Height of 5ft 6in (167cm)
• Chest measurement of 34 inches (86cm)

In June 1915 the age range and minimum height requirements were changed to 18–45 years and 5ft 2in (157cm), with the minimum height being lowered again to 5ft (152cm) in April 1917.

However, with relaxation of physical standards of age and height, as well as dental and ophthalmic fitness, previously ineligible men were now eligible for enlistment. Men for railway sections and mining corps were accepted up to 50 years, and men with spectacles were allowed to enter the ASC, AMC and ordnance corps.

On enlistment recruits were examined for BC or D tattooed on their skin. These were British army tattoos. BC stood for bad character and D for deserter.

Vaccination in the early 20th century was not as prevalent as it is today, hence communicable diseases such as mumps, dysentery, typhus, and cholera were very common. The occurrence of such illnesses was exacerbated by poor sanitation in the trenches, and many more soldiers died of illness than of gunshot wounds, gas attacks or shell fire.

Respiratory diseases such as influenza, tuberculosis, pleurisy and pneumonia were rife, as were scabies, pediculosis (lice) and other parasites. Body lice caused trench fever, resulting in headaches, aching muscles, skin sores and a high fever.

Many soldiers became victims of trench foot, caused by prolonged exposure to wet and unsanitary conditions. Their feet would become numb, turn red and swell, often developing blisters and open sores. If left untreated trench foot usually resulted in gangrene, which required amputation. In an attempt to minimise trench foot soldiers were paired together, each soldier responsible for his partner’s feet, ensuring that wet socks were removed at the end of each day and dried.

Chemical warfare was first employed by the Germans in October 1914. Chlorine gas – a greenish vapour – induced choking and vomiting, taking soldiers totally by surprise. Soldiers were advised to covers their mouth and nose with a cloth soaked in urine; the ammonia in the urine neutralised the chlorine.

Other gasses were colourless and odourless and caused blistering of skin and airways, congestion of the lungs and blindness. Symptoms were not always immediate, but would develop over several hours. Death took up to 5 weeks during which victims were tied to their beds while they slowly suffocated. The gas remained active in the soil for several weeks.

The box respirator mask was developed in 1915 at Melbourne University and was standard issue for allied troops by 1917. Nicknamed “The Exasperator”, it was uncomfortable and cumbersome, making it difficult to talk, sneeze or sleep. Although thousands of Australians were affected by gas, only about 200 died from it, a very small number considering overall casualties.

An Australian chaplain wearing the “Large Box Respirator” also known as the “Respiratory Tower” during the First World War

Sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis and gonorrhoea were not uncommon. Soldiers’ medical records would include a case sheet, detailing where and when the disease was contracted, and who from. Their name would also be placed on a register. Treatment consisted of injections of mercury and 606 – arsphenamine – the first modern chemotherapeutic agent.

Afflictions were not only physical, soldiers also suffered from psychological and emotional trauma. “Shell shock” was first recognised in February 1915, just six months after the commencement of the war. Little understood at the time, the condition is now recognised as post-traumatic stress disorder. Symptoms ranged from fatigue, irritability, headaches and lack of concentration to facial tics, diarrhoea, hysteria or catatonia.

Shell shock was generally considered to be the result of cowardice or a lack of moral fibre. It was not recognized as an official medical problem, and soldiers were usually punished, often receiving a court martial and even sentenced to death. Indeed, the British and Commonwealth military command executed 306 of its own soldiers during the course of the First World War, including five New Zealanders. The Australian government refused to allow any Australian soldiers to be executed.

The Railway features prominently as an employer. Many men recorded occupations such as Railway worker, Railway employee, Engine driver, Shunter, Porter, Carter and Locomotive fireman.

Building and other trades are also popular, including Builder, Plasterer, Carpenter, Blind maker, Labourer, Blacksmith’s striker, Miner, Mechanic, Marine engineer, Rubber worker, Bootmaker and Book binder.

Retail trades include Butcher, Baker, Grocer, Shop assistant, Packer, Storeman, Boot buyer, Cordial maker, Bookkeeper, Clerk

Health professions include Medical Practitioner, Dentist, Chemist, Optician, Nurse and Masseuse.

Other professions mentioned are: Police constable, Fireman, Telegraphist, Draughtsman, Hairdresser, Motor driver, Jockey, School teacher, Singing teacher and Musician.