Who is this unknown Aussie?

[France1918]

Good Morning Tim, It was given to my from a friend. Purchased somewhere from the Southern Highlands NSW.

The AWM advised NSW Battalion. I'm on my way to work now but will send further correspondence tonight. I requested

assistance from the 45th Battalion, St George Regiment, whom were very helpful. They advised the two strips were not

representing "Corporal Status" but Chevrons for service. I will find the letter and send details.

Thank you for assistance and time reading my email.

Regards,

Lyn

[France1918]

What I have todate : Unknown WW1 Soldier - 45th Battalion Part of the 12th Brigade, 4th Division

Lewis Gunner, 2 Service Chevrons, 1 Injury Stripe.

I note there is a 12th Machinegun Company (Vickers Machineguns) Is that the same as a "Lewis Gun"'?

Apologies, for the ignorance. What part of the 45th were the machine gunners called..... B Company etc.

I really don't know. If I knew that part I might be able to define my search a bit better than searching for

everyone. The soldier in question might have been part of the 13th Battalion and joined the 45th later.

Would records be kept of returned soldiers battalion specific. I don't even know if this young man

made it home. IFingers crossed, he did not transfer & was part of the 45th raised Egypt March 1916

(2 years service) there is a strong possibiity he did arrive home?? Thanks, Lyn

[tipperary]

I note there is a 12th Machinegun Company (Vickers Machineguns) Is that the same as a "Lewis Gun"'?

Hi Lyn The Vickers and Lewis machine guns were different weapons a machine gun company would have been made up of machine gunners only individual vickers teams.The Vickers was a heavy belt fed water cooled gun whilst the Lewis was a light(er) air cooled drum fed weapon one man portable with others carrying spare drums. The lewis gun was a weapon carried throughout infantry units.john

[rksimpson]

Hi Lyn

Have a look at these to see what they looked like and more explanation-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_machine_gun

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Gun

Here is a bit on army structure - look at the 1917 list - http://www.awm.gov.au/atwar/structure/army_detailed_structure.asp

regards

Robert

[paul.hickey]

Gday Lyn

It'll be a long (long) shot but if you search here

http://www.pictureaustralia.org/

http://www.awm.gov.au/search/collections/

using "13th Battalion" and "45th Battalion" you will bring up all the portrait photographs that the Aust War Memorial and State Libraries have of men in those Battalions. If there are any likely pics you can then go straight to the service records at http://naa.gov.au/collection/using/search/ and seaach using the surname and service number to see if they fit the broad profile of this bloke that you now have.

Good luck

Cheers Paul

[France1918]

I note there is a 12th Machinegun Company (Vickers Machineguns) Is that the same as a "Lewis Gun"'?

Hi Lyn The Vickers and Lewis machine guns were different weapons a machine gun company would have been made up of machine gunners only individual vickers teams.The Vickers was a heavy belt fed water cooled gun whilst the Lewis was a light(er) air cooled drum fed weapon one man portable with others carrying spare drums. The lewis gun was a weapon carried throughout infantry units.john

Hi John, appreciate your response. Thanks for the explanation.

[France1918]

Gday Lyn

It'll be a long (long) shot but if you search here

http://www.pictureaustralia.org/

http://www.awm.gov.a...ch/collections/

using "13th Battalion" and "45th Battalion" you will bring up all the portrait photographs that the Aust War Memorial and State Libraries have of men in those Battalions. If there are any likely pics you can then go straight to the service records at http://naa.gov.au/co...n/using/search/ and seaach using the surname and service number to see if they fit the broad profile of this bloke that you now have.

Good luck

Cheers Paul

[France1918]

Hi Paul,

Appreciate your feedback. Yes, it is a long shot, but I'm also very determined.

I have searched AWM photo's numerous times, searching 13th, 45th, 46th 47th & 48th... just in case.

I will be placing advertisements in various newspapers in the coming weeks. Fingers crossed.

Again, thank you for your time and interest. Regards, Lyn

[abbrover]

Photo taken about 1918, with the digger wearing two inverted good conduct stripes, a trade badge, and wound stripe. The circular device is very similar to those worn by veterans of the Gallipoli campaign, but I can't see an "A" on it. The lady could try a site for Australian service papers called "A Gift To A Nation", were the papers are available, free, and downloadable.

Soldier

[Blackblue]

The 'circular device' is the colour patch of the 45th Battalion...all Australian units had one regardless of whether they served at Gallipoli or not. WW1 papers are available on the NAA Website....

[Blackblue]

Lyn has established that the photo was purchased some years ago in Gunning NSW. AIF Database reveals only three men from here who served with the 45th Bn.

3998 CPL Herbert Thomas DENNY who does not match this photo, nor does 3692 PTE Denis O'CONNELL.

4030 PTE Raymond Denbigh GOARD was wounded once and seems to allude previous service in 25th Infantry (Militia) at Attestation. No reference to any school which could have seen him given this trade badge, although he did go to Signals School. Only possible I have found to date.

A photo from the AWM of his brother Arthur who was KIA...

[Chris Henschke]

The photograph was, on the balance of probabilities, taken in 1917.

A.I.F. Order No. 470, dated 24th January 1917, explains that members of the Australian Imperial Force who have completed a certain period of service were entitled to wear this Long Service Badge.

A.I.F. Order No. 1089 Chevrons for Overseas Service.-With reference to Army Order of 20.12.17, published in A.I.F. Order No. 1053, dated 4th Jan., 1918 replaced this early version of inverted chevrons (That is, the red chevron if embarkation took place in 1914, or blue if it took place on or after 1st January, 1915.)

It may explain why photographs of A.I.F. members wearing a larger chevron are not common – they were only entitled to be worn between the January 1917 Order and the January 1918 Order, only if they had completed one year of service overseas, and never incurred a regimental entry.

The observationthat there is no brass A on his unit colour patch does not exclude the possibility he was a Gallipoli veteran. The A for Anzac was only introduced in November 1917. AIF Orders No. 937, 994, 1012 (1917), and 1084 (1918) cover this. Given this, the photograph may have been taken before November, 1917.

Chris Henschke