Australian Infantry Help Required Please

[Stephen Barker]

I have just discovered that a realtive fought with the 35th BN 9th Brigade of the AIF. Are there any excerpts of war diaries on line?

I would like to know more about this unit. Any suggestions?

I know that the chap - Pte Samuel Barker enlisted on the 12th June 1916, that he embarked at Sydney on 25th of October 1926 0n the HMAT A11 "Ascanius".

The embarkation details tell me that he was serving with the 16th Infantry at the date of enrolment. What does this mean?

Any help will be gratefully received.

Thank you

Stephen

[Bob Doneley]

Stephen,

The following is extracted from the Australian War Memorial's website:

The 35th Battalion was formed in December 1915 in Newcastle, New South Wales. The bulk of the battalion's recruits were drawn from the Newcastle region and thus it was dubbed "Newcastle's Own". Reflecting the demographics of the area, there were a high proportion of miners among the battalion's original members.

The 35th Battalion became part of the 9th Brigade of the 3rd Australian Division. It left Sydney, bound for the United Kingdom in May 1916. Arriving there in early July, the battalion spent the next four months training. It crossed to France in late November, and moved into the trenches of the Western Front for the first time on 26 November, just in time for the onset of the terrible winter of 1916-17.

The battalion had to wait until the emphasis of British and Dominion operations switched to the Ypres Sector of Belgium in mid-1917 to take part in its first major battle; this was the battle of Messines, launched on 7 June. The 35th's next major battle was around Passchendaele on 12 October. Heavy rain, though, had deluged the battlefield, and thick mud tugged at the advancing troops and fouled their weapons. The battle was a disaster for the 35th; 508 men crossed the start line but only 90 remained unwounded at the end.

For the next five months the 35th alternated between periods of rest, training, labouring, and service in the line. When the German Army launched its last great offensive in the spring of 1918, the battalion was part of the force deployed to defend the approaches to Amiens around Villers-Bretonneux. It took part in a counter-attack at Hangard Wood on 30 March, and helped to defeat a major drive on Villers- Bretonneux on 4 April. The desperate nature of the fighting at this time is revealed by the fact that the 35th Battalion suffered nearly 70 per cent casualties during these operations.

Later in 1918, the 35th also played a role in the Allies' own offensive. It took part in the battle of Amiens on 8 August; fought several small battles during the rapid advance that followed; and at the end of September provided reserves for the joint Australian-American operation that breached the Hindenburg Line, thus sealing Germany's defeat. The 35th Battalion disbanded in March 1919.

Battle honours

Messines 1917

Ypres 1917

Polygon Wood

Broodseinde

Poelcappelle

Passchendaele

Somme 1918

Ancre 1918

Amiens

Albert 1918

Mont St Quentin

Hindenburg Line

St Quentin Canal

France and Flanders 1916-1918

Casualties

581 killed, 1637 wounded (including gassed)

Commanding Officers

Holborrow, Grantley Andrew

Goddard, Henry Arthur

White, Harold Fletcher

Decorations

1 CMG

3 DSO

17 MC, 3 bars

10 DCM

72 MM, 1 bar

6 MSM

28 MID

4 foreign awards

References

35th Battalion war diary, AWM4, 23/52/1-23/52/16

M.E. Lyne, "Newcastle's Own: The story of the Battalion", Newcastle Sun, 8 March-8 May 1920.

[Bob Doneley]

2544 Pte Samuel Barker, single, aged 21, a carter by trade, lived with his parents in North Sydney. He enlisted on the 12/6/16. He embarked on the HMT Ascanius as part of the 5th Reinfocements to the 35th Battalion on the 25/10/16. He returned to Australia on the 12/6/19.

The 16th Australian Infantry Regiment was a pre-war militia (territorial) unit, serving in Newcastle. See http://www.defence.gov.au/army/2_17RNSWR/C.../ccoy_affil.htm

[Ozzie]

Mate,

Try these

Official Histories France 1916/17/18

http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=4

http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=5

http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=6

http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=7

Cheers

Kim

[Ozzie]

Your relatives service records have not yet been didtilized but you can request them to be or order photocopies. If you can wait the digitils are the free option, There is also a 42yr old Samual Barker born England, his records have been digitilized.

http://www.naa.gov.au/The_Collection/recordsearch.html

Cheers

Kim