'Dick is generally looking for something to eat' - Postcard of Melbourne soldiers in Lark Hill

[WhiteStarLine]

I found this postcard in a pile of old photographs in my late father's collection.  It shows his father and a group of soldiers in Lark Hill.  Fortunately, on the back, my grandfather had written brief notes on each soldier.  Collectively, they sailed from Melbourne on 11/5/1917 as part of Field Artillery Brigade reinforcements and arrived in Lark Hill on 19 July.  The photograph was taken between this date and 1 September, when three members transferred to Signals in Shefford, Bedford.

 

 

1 Beverley
2 Leo Sykes 
3 Dickson
4 D Morpeth. Partner in a Melbourne stock agent firm - a very decent chap
5 W Millikin was in Lincoln Stewarts a good chap and the wit of the tent.
6 Jack Joyce - mainly noted for a very happy dispostion, nothing puts him out.
7 Dick Froomes Dick is generally looking for something to eat.
8 E Frost. not quite the larrikin he appears

 

The entire group sailed with the Ascanius, https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showUnit?unitCode=ART.FABMAR17R and the convoy's journey is well documented in another thread:

The soldiers pictured can be found in the very useful AIF Project at https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/index.html:

1 Ronald Edwy BEVERLEY
2 Leo SYKES (d. 1968)
3 William DICKSON
4 Douglas Moore MORPETH (1887 - 1946)
5 William McAlpine MILLIKIN (1885 - 1945)
6 John James JOYCE
7 Richard Marshall FROOMES (1896 - 1972)
8 Eric Swanson FROST (1883 - 1938)

**************************************************
Ronald Edwy BEVERLEY

Regimental number    34105
Place of birth    London England
Religion    Church of England
Occupation    Wireman
Address    Mildura, Victoria
Marital status    Single
Age at embarkation    23
Next of kin    Father, Richard J Beverley, Mildura, Victoria
Enlistment date    31 October 1916
Rank on enlistment    Gunner
Unit name    Field Artillery Brigade, March 1917 Reinforcements
AWM Embarkation Roll number    13/128/1
Embarkation details    Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on 11 May 1917
Rank from Nominal Roll    Gunner
Unit from Nominal Roll    8th Field Artillery Brigade
Fate    Returned to Australia 12 December 1918
Family/military connections    Brother: 2036 Pte Edwin Pascoe BEVERLEY, 40th Bn, returned to Australia, 7 February 1919.
Other details    
War service: Western Front

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
**************************************************
Leo SYKES

Regimental number    34116
Place of birth    Lake Rowan Victoria
Religion    Church of England
Occupation    Banker
Address    27 Auburn Road, Upper Hawthorn, Victoria
Marital status    Single
Age at embarkation    23
Next of kin    Mother, Mrs Ella A Aurisch, 27 Auburn Road, Upper Hawthorn, Victoria
Enlistment date    14 December 1916
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll    15 November 1916
Rank on enlistment    Driver
Unit name    Field Artillery Brigade, March 1917 Reinforcements
AWM Embarkation Roll number    13/128/1
Embarkation details    Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A74 Marathon on 10 May 1917
Embarkation details    Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on 11 May 1917
Rank from Nominal Roll    Driver
Unit from Nominal Roll    1st Divisional Ammunition Column
Fate    Returned to Australia 20 June 1919
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records    Plaque in Victorian Garden of Remembrance
Date of death    21 May 1968
**************************************************
William DICKSON

Regimental number    34128
Place of birth    Maldon, Victoria
Religion    Church of England
Occupation    Ironmonger
Address    28 Brighton Street, East Richmond, Victoria
Marital status    Married
Age at embarkation    21
Next of kin    Wife, Mrs E M Dickson, 28 Brighton Street, East Richmond, Victoria
Enlistment date    4 October 1916
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll    14 October 1916
Rank on enlistment    Gunner
Unit name    Field Artillery Brigade, March 1917 Reinforcements
AWM Embarkation Roll number    13/128/1
Embarkation details    Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A74 Marathon on 10 May 1917
Embarkation details    Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on 11 May 1917
Rank from Nominal Roll    Bombardier
Unit from Nominal Roll    10th Field Artillery Brigade
Fate    Returned to Australia 1 May 1919
**************************************************
Douglas Moore MORPETH
Regimental number    34131
Place of birth    Ascot Vale Victoria
Religion    Presbyterian
Occupation    Clerk
Address    Buckley Street, Essendon, Victoria
Marital status    Single
Age at embarkation    30
Next of kin    Father, David C Morpeth, 468 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria
Enlistment date    21 October 1916
Rank on enlistment    Gunner
Unit name    Field Artillery Brigade, March 1917 Reinforcements
AWM Embarkation Roll number    13/128/1
Embarkation details    Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A74 Marathon on 10 May 1917
Embarkation details    Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on 11 May 1917
Rank from Nominal Roll    Sapper
Unit from Nominal Roll    3rd Divisional Signal Company
Fate    Returned to Australia 27 May 1919
Medals    
Military Medal
   For gallantry and devotion to duty during the period 24.8.18. to 31.8.18.
   As a Brigade Section linesman, Sapper MORPETH was daily engaged repairing forward lines under heavy shell fire.  He worked with the greatest courage under very difficult and trying circumstances throughout the Operations of the Brigade.
**************************************************
William McAlpine MILLIKIN

Regimental number    34130
Place of birth    Glasgow Scotland
Religion    Presbyterian
Occupation    Manager
Address    66 Brunswick Road, East Brunswick, Victoria
Marital status    Single
Age at embarkation    32
Next of kin    Mother, Mrs Martha Riddell, 66 Brunswick Road, East Brunswick, Victoria
Enlistment date    29 September 1916
Rank on enlistment    Gunner
Unit name    Field Artillery Brigade, March 1917 Reinforcements
AWM Embarkation Roll number    13/128/1
Embarkation details    Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A74 Marathon on 10 May 1917
Embarkation details    Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on 11 May 1917
Rank from Nominal Roll    Corporal
Unit from Nominal Roll    3rd Divisional Signal Company
Fate    Returned to Australia 3 July 1919
**************************************************
John James JOYCE

Regimental number    34112
Place of birth    Abbotsford Victoria
Religion    Methodist
Occupation    Clicker
Address    56 Fenwick Street, Clifton Hill, Victoria
Marital status    Single
Age at embarkation    24
Next of kin    Father, John J Joyce, 56 Fenwick Street, Clifton Hill, Victoria
Enlistment date    12 August 1916
Rank on enlistment    Gunner
Unit name    Field Artillery Brigade, March 1917 Reinforcements
AWM Embarkation Roll number    13/128/1
Embarkation details    Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A74 Marathon on 10 May 1917
Embarkation details    Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on 11 May 1917
Rank from Nominal Roll    Sergeant
Unit from Nominal Roll    11th Field Artillery Brigade
Fate    Returned to Australia 15 June 1919
**************************************************
Richard Marshall FROOMES

Regimental number    34111
Place of birth    Woodend Victoria
Religion    Church of England
Occupation    Bank clerk
Address    54 Orrong Road, Elsternwick, Victoria
Marital status    Single
Age at embarkation    20
Next of kin    Father, Arthur F Froomes, Bunyip PO, Bunyip, Victoria
Enlistment date    9 January 1917
Rank on enlistment    Gunner
Unit name    Field Artillery Brigade, March 1917 Reinforcements
AWM Embarkation Roll number    13/128/1
Embarkation details    Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A74 Marathon on 10 May 1917
Embarkation details    Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on 11 May 1917
Rank from Nominal Roll    Gunner
Unit from Nominal Roll    8th Field Artillery Brigade
Fate    Returned to Australia 3 July 1919
**************************************************
Eric Swanson FROST

Regimental number    34110
Place of birth    Bright, Victoria
Religion    Church of England
Occupation    Bank manager
Address    Bank of NSW, Mathoura, New South Wales
Marital status    Single
Age at embarkation    33
Height    5' 9"
Weight    124 lbs
Next of kin    Mother, Mrs Emma Frost, 19 McKinley Avenue, Malvern, Victoria
Previous military service    Served for 45 days in A.M.F
Enlistment date    27 October 1916
Place of enlistment    Melbourne, Victoria
Rank on enlistment    Gunner
Unit name    Field Artillery Brigade, March 1917 Reinforcements
AWM Embarkation Roll number    13/128/1
Embarkation details    Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A74 Marathon on 10 May 1917
Embarkation details    Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on 11 May 1917
Rank from Nominal Roll    Gunner
Unit from Nominal Roll    3rd Divisional Signal Company
Fate    Returned to Australia 15 May 1919
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records    Parents: W and Emma FROST
Discharge date    30 July 1919
Other details    
Commenced return to Australia on board HT 'Orontes', 15 May 1919; disembarked Melbourne, 28 June 1919; discharged (medically unfit), Melbourne, 30 July 1919.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal

Death attributed to war service.
Date of death    16 September 1938
Age at death    58
Place of burial    Botany Cemetery, New South Wales
Sources    NAA: B2455, FROST Eric Swanson

[frev]

Excellent photo and thanks for sharing.  Good on your Grandfather for not only adding their names, but also little insights on the men - wish more had done the same!

Also great to see they all came home...

[trajan]

Yes, thanks indeed for sharing! Fascinating insight into those lads!

[sotonmate]

Good pic and comments. Just to say that I too have a brother who, like Dick Froomes, was always looking for something to eat. On pay day on his farm he would slip over to the village shop where he bought and was often seen to be eating a swiss roll like a banana !

[Mopsa]

I was hunting idly around the www looking for a photo of Sapper Douglas Morpeth and stumbled on your picture of him in this Forum post.  I have a webpage featuring all (as many as I can identify) the volunteers from Essendon and Flemington, and I would very much like to use your grandfather's photo, with your permission, with appropriate acknowledgement.  (Not sure if that would or could be something more than WhiteStarLine?).  Morpeth, of course, was one of the men who went on to join Signals from Lark Hill.   You can see Douglas Morpeth's webpage in  my online database here.   If you click on Morpeth's tag on the right for 3 Div Sig Co you will find other local men who served in that unit, if that would be any use to you.  

Best wishes,

Lenore

[WhiteStarLine]

Hi Mopsa, very nice site you have and happy for you to use his photo.  Credit is to the late Jim Frost whose father Eric took many photographs on the Western Front.  It was probably a commercial photograph printed as a postcard and long out of copyright.  Here is a worse one of Douglas Morpeth (RHS) and Jack Joyce.

 

[Mopsa]

Thank you so much for the second photo, and allowing me to use them.  A useful reminder of the miserable conditions they had to work in, and this isn't even the worst of it. The Morpeth home, "Mar Lodge" in Buckley St, was and is still a notable home in Essendon.  Owing to subdivision it is no longer on Buckley St.

 

Thanks again, and wishing you a Happy  New Year,

 

Lenore