Gawler Military Involvement

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Fast Facts
Type of thing Military





Gawler has a long history of military involvement; including military activities in the region, local people in the military and military-related organisations, memorials and commemorative events.

The earliest military-style organisation in Gawler, the voluntary First Gawler Rifles existed as far back as 1859, followed by the formation of the Volunteer Mounted Rifles in 1890, although the Mounted Rifles disbanded five years later when a new Act enforced volunteer forces to become militia.[1]

South African War or Boer War (1899-1902)

April 1900 saw enthusiastic crowds gathered in Murray Street as several local members of the Imperial Contingent, headed by May’s Brass Band, marched to a social held at the Institute Hall to farewell them on their way to the South African War.[2] Just months later the ‘stern realities of war’ came home when two of the group, Troopers F J Tothill and A R Nicholas, were killed.[3]

Trooper Bruce Harold May, son of Alfred May founder of May Bros, was also killed, after being accidentally shot by a comrade during a mounted infantry competition whilst serving in South Africa.[4]

News of the declaration of peace in South Africa reached Gawler shortly before 9 am on the 2nd June 1902 and was heralded via the booming of Dr Popham’s cannon, the blowing of whistles at Martin & Co, May Bros and the Union Mill and the flying of flags galore.[1][5]

That night hundreds of people gathered in the streets to watch a torchlight procession, with Rigg’s Gawler Band playing a prominent part; speeches were given from the Town Hall balcony and the evening was concluded with the National Anthem and cheers for the King.[1][5]

For details of all of the Gawler personnel who served in the Boer War see https://gawlerworldwar1.weebly.com/boer-war.html (This website is an excellent, thoroughly researched resource, proudly created by Beth Page).

Great War or First World War (WWI)(1914-1918)

The years leading up to the Great War (WWI) saw numerous preparations, including the formation of a branch of the Light Horse in Gawler; the initial 15 members turning out on their mounts for the first time in November 1912 to perform drills under Sergeant-Major Denniston.[6]

March 1913 saw the first of many military training encampments at Gawler, with the Evanston Racecourse housing 1600 recruits for an eight day camp.[7] At the end of the camp the people of Gawler stood and watched as the “long column of khaki-clad trainees” marched to the train to the music of a military band.[7] The camp was historically significant in that it was the first held in South Australia under the universal training system.[8]

A second camp was held at the Evanston Racecourse the following Easter, April 1914, with the total number in the camp this time approaching 3000, housed in 750 tents.[8] Gawler businesses were given the opportunity to provide some of the supplies but the orders were too large for them to fill; however local photographers and stores selling soft drinks, sweets and fruit did good business when the troops were on leave in the evenings and the streets of Gawler filled with khaki.[8] The camp was opened for the church parade on Sunday afternoon and thousands of local and visiting folks attended.[8]

Within weeks of the declaration of the war on the 2nd August 1914, local men enlisted to fight. The first Cecil Stephen Hincks enlisted on the 19th August 1914, followed on the 24th August by Arthur Ernest Beard, Rodney Vernon Franklin, Leslie Bryant Howie, Arthur Harold Robinson and Frank John Scott. These first six recruits were photographed together before embarking on the 20th October 1914 aboard HMAT "Ascanius".

Local women also enlisted, including Sister Elsie Maud Trenaman, Matron of Gawler’s Hutchinson Hospital, who was impelled by the urgent need for skilled nurses; she embarked for overseas on 15th May 1915 aboard “Mooltan”.[9] (see ANZAC Girls for a list of local women who served in WWI)

The first news of a local soldier being killed reached Gawler in January 1916; Private Andrew Downie Cochrane, having died of wounds on the Gallipoli Peninsula, on the 9th December 1915. [10][11] Andy, as he was known, had made his home in Gawler some years prior, he was a splendid horseman, riding in most of the country racecourses and picnic race meetings and had been training horses at the time of his enlistment.[11]

That news of his death was the first to reach Gawler, demonstrates the delays in communication the community faced during the war. Contemporary research shows that Private Cochrane was actually the last of the 17 local soldiers killed at Gallipoli, including four who died in the ANZAC Day landing on 25th April 1915, some nine months earlier. For a list of the local men who died at Gallipoli or as a result of other WWI campaigns see ANZACs and other WWI Personnel. For details of all of the Gawler personnel who served in WWI see the “Gawler WWI Honour Roll” website, an excellent, thoroughly researched resource, created by researcher Beth Page.

Meanwhile back home, the town of Gawler continued to host military training camps. April 1915 saw three successive Light Horse Regiments (24th, 22nd & 23rd), training without their horses for a fortnight each.[12][13] This time the camp took place at the Gawler oval, where the grandstand was enclosed with canvas for use by the officers and a shortage of tents (only about 15) saw many of the 300 plus men sleeping in the main hall.[13] Lieut.-Col. R. R. Baldwin extended gratitude to the people and societies of Gawler for the way they entertained the officers and men, and in particular to Rigg’s Vice Regal Band for the role they played supplying the music for the church parade.[14]

In September 1915 camps were again set up at the Evanston Racecourse, housing 500 to 600 at a time in a succession of troops over a two month period.[15] The campsite was declared to be “one of the best camps in the Commonwealth” and the men were said to “all express the wish, if occasion arises, to again camp in Gawler whose inhabitants they are much pleased with.”.[15]

The racecourse camp was re-established the following year in August 1916 with a constant succession of troops scheduled through until March 1917 and for a few months within this period troops were also camped at the Gawler oval (also referred to as the Exhibition Grounds)(Bunyip 4 & 18 Aug 1916, 29 Sep 1916 & 8 Dec 1916).

In addition to welcoming the multitudes of training troops, the citizens of Gawler were assisting the war effort in other ways. May Bros Foundry undertook the manufacturing of shells, the local ladies of the Coo-ee Knitting Club and Knitting League knitted socks, helmets and other necessities for soldiers and local members of the Red Cross Society and Cheer Up Society raised funds, collected jams, cakes and other goods for the soldiers and organised amusements for them.[16][17]

The 22nd July 1918 saw a visit by 100 French soldiers who were returning to New Caledonia on furlough. At short notice Gawler’s Cheer Up Society decorated the town with flags and bunting and arranged a convoy of local motor car owners to transport the visitors from the train station to the Town Hall and afterwards for a short run out into the countryside.[18]

Then on the morning of 11th November 1918 Gawler again gathered, this time to welcome French General Pau and members of the French Mission who were on a three month visit to Australia to strengthen trade ties between the nations and acknowledge the contributions and sacrifices of both countries during the war. Through an interpreter General Pau thanked the crowd “on behalf of France for the help of Australia’s sons and the many lives given to protect his beloved country” and made the posthumous presentation of the French Croix de Guerre to Mr C R Franklin, whose son Lt Rodney Vernon Franklin, one of Gawler’s first six recruits, was killed in action. Mr Franklin consented to have the medal “displayed in the show window of “The Bunyip” so that it may be seen by the citizens of Gawler”.[19]

That evening there were “scenes of wildest joy” never before witnessed in the history of Gawler as the news was circulated that Germany had signed the armistice –citizens visited the Bunyip office in the fear that the glad message may be another of the hoaxes that had reached the town before, but shortly after 8 o’clock they were able to verify that the news was official.[20] When the news reached the Town Hall it burst into a flood of light and the council which had been sitting at the time assembled on the steps of the building where they sang the National Anthem and gave cheers for the victory.[20] Soon the factory whistles and church bells sounded and young and old hurried to Murray Street to join the celebrations, Rigg’s band left their practice room and were soon on the balcony of the Town Hall playing, the Mayor spoke a few words and suggested a procession which was gladly taken up with hundreds marching up to the McKinley Monument, down to the bridge and back to the Town Hall.[20]

Celebrations continued throughout the town over the following days, including services of thanksgiving in many of the churches and outside the Town Hall and the creation of an effigy of the Kaiser by the ladies of Essex House, which was hung over the railings of the Town Hall, towed on a wire until it was suspended over the centre of the main street and burned to heavy cheering.[21]

Second World War (WWII)(1939-1945)

For details of local men and women who served in WWII, see WWII Personnel.

Links

Please <click here> to see images of Gawler Military Involvement.

Please <click here> to read a Bunyip newspaper story regarding forgotten WWI soldiers being honoured at Willaston Cemetery (9 Dec 2020).

Please <click here> to view the Fred Brooks RAAF and WAAAF photo collection.

Related Articles


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Coombe E H (1910) History of Gawler 1837-1908
  2. ↑ On the War Path. Imperial Contingenters Socialised (Bunyip 4 May 1900) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/100578086
  3. ↑ The Saddest Side of War. Promising Lives Cut Off. (Bunyip 3 Aug 1900) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/100577584
  4. ↑ The Late Trooper May. Accidentally Shot by Comrade. (Chronicle 19 Oct 1901) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/87816335
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 The South African War. Peace Proclaimed. Demonstrations and Rejoicing. (Bunyip 6 Jun 1902) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97595497
  6. ↑ Gawler Light Horse (Bunyip 22 Nov 1916) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97564429
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Solidiers Home Again. The Gawler Camp Ended. (The Advertiser 29 Mar 1913) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5387956
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 The Military Camp. Good Arrangements. A Successful Fixture. (Bunyip 17 Apr 1914) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97734711
  9. ↑ The Call of Duty. Farewell to Sister Trenaman. (Bunyip 21 May 1915) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97735622
  10. ↑ https://gawlerworldwar1.weebly.com
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Social and Personal Items (Bunyip 28 Jan 1916) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97736204
  12. ↑ The Gawler Camp. (Bunyip 16 Apr 1915) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97734312
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Light Horse Camp on the Gawler Oval. (Bunyip 9 Apr 1915) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97738721
  14. ↑ Military Camps. The Light Horse at Gawler. Exit 24th; Enter 22nd. (Bunyip 23 Apr 1915) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97737739
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Departure of Soldiers from Gawler. The Military Camp. (Bunyip 5 Nov 1915) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97740689
  16. ↑ Whitelock Derek (1989) Gawler: Colonel Light’s Country Town, Corporation of the Town of Gawler, South Australia.
  17. ↑ The Cheer Up Society (Bunyip 3 Dec 1915) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97739561
  18. ↑ 'BIENVENU - Gawler’s Welcome to the French Soldiers’ (Bunyip 26 Jul 1918) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/100418620
  19. ↑ The French Mission at Gawler (Bunyip 15 Nov 1918) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/100420584
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Gawler Celebrations - Scenes of Wildest Joy (Bunyip 15 Nov 1918) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/100420593
  21. ↑ Kaiser in Effigy (Bunyip 15 Nov 1918) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/100420591


WWI Army Recruits
WWI Army Recruits
Gawler WW1 military camp
Gawler WW1 military camp
18th/23rd Light Horse, 1931
18th/23rd Light Horse, 1931


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