Rodney Noonan
National Archives Defence Service Records Team
Seventeen members of the First AIF died on 11 November 1918, the day the Armistice ending World War I was signed. They came from all states of Australia: eight enlisted in NSW, three in Western Australia, two each in Tasmania and Victoria, and one apiece in South Australia and Queensland. There was no pattern to their deaths. Some died of wounds, others of illness. Most were single but some were married. Their ranks ranged from Private to Sergeant. Several had previously been wounded in action. One had been decorated for bravery. Like all other Australian service personnel who died during the war, their names are listed on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial.
The World War I service records held by the National Archives of Australia can provide extremely valuable information for family history researchers whose relatives had military service. The following brief histories of five Australians who died on 11 November 1918 provide examples of the types of information that can be found on a service record. The histories were compiled using details taken only from the war service records of these men. Private Edward Wareham Eames (service number 6907) was born and raised in Sydney. He enlisted on 15 March 1917, two months before his nineteenth birthday. At the time he was an unmarried carpenter living with his father Walter. His mother was listed as deceased. A hernia scar on the left side of his body and a scar on the inside of his right leg just below the knee were his only distinguishing physical characteristics.
He left Australia on 16 June 1917 with the 20th reinforcements of the 18th Battalion and arrived in England on 25 August. The following day he was appointed Acting Corporal. He held this rank for four months before reverting to Private on 27 December when he embarked for active duty. He disembarked in France on 28 December and joined his unit in Belgium on New Year's Day 1918. During the course of the next three-and-a-half months his unit moved south into France. On 14 April he was wounded in action but remained on duty and was treated at the front. He remained on active duty until early August when he was hospitalised for six weeks with dysentery. He rejoined his unit on 28 September but was severely wounded on 4 October suffering a gunshot wound to the groin. He was initially evacuated to the 58th Casualty Clearing Station and then two days later was transferred to the 2nd Australian General Hospital at Boulogne. He died on 11 November 1918, five-and-a-half weeks after being wounded.
Sapper William Sandiland Howden (service number 9549) was born in White Kirk, Scotland on 29 May 1887. His parents remained in Scotland although he and his sister had since settled in Australia. His sister lived with her husband in Kurri Kurri, while he lived and worked as a coalminer near Wollongong. He initially attempted to enlist in early 1915 but was rejected for having poor teeth. Despite his dental problems, he successfully enlisted on 23 November 1917. Because of his mining background he served with the engineers in the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company. He embarked from Melbourne on 28 February 1918 and arrived at Liverpool on 20 April 1918. After spending four months in England, he eventually joined his unit in France on 11 September 1918. On 29 September he was wounded in action. A report from the No. 9 General Hospital in France provides an account of what happened next:
The above-named soldier was admitted to this hospital on 1.10.18 suffering from the effects of shell wounds leg, right, and compound fracture of leg, left. His right leg was amputated and a transfusion of blood was given on the 3.10.18 but he died from general infection and exhaustion on 11.11.18. He was buried in St Sever Cemetery Rouen on the 12.11.18. Grave No. 9362. Not all the service personnel who died that day received fatal wounds. Several died of illness. In some cases they were early victims of the 'Spanish Flu', the influenza pandemic that accounted for millions of lives in 1918 and 1919.
Private Joseph Louis Delley (service number 5575) was an unmarried 21-year-old farmer born in Bundaberg, Queensland. He enlisted in Brisbane on 16 March 1916, having previously been rejected nine times as he suffered from the tropical skin disease filariasis.
He left Australia on 7 September 1916 with the 15th reinforcements of the 26th Battalion. He disembarked in England on 2 November and embarked for France in mid-December. He continued to suffer from filariasis and was hospitalised several times in 1917 and 1918. On 27 October 1918 he was admitted to hospital with severe pneumonia and he died at 6pm on 11 November. The official cause of death was influenza septicaemia. The Last Post was played at his funeral and his coffin was draped with the Union Jack. Among the mourners present were an aunt and uncle who lived in Bournemouth and another aunt and uncle who lived in Lancashire. His mother was sent his belongings - three coins, a prayer book, a pocket book and some letters.
Private Robert Boss (service number 2871) was an unmarried labourer from New South Wales who enlisted at Bathurst on 10 August 1916, a month before his twentieth birthday. He embarked on 25 October 1916 with the 7th reinforcements of the 54th Battalion and arrived in England three days after Christmas. He spent almost six months in England, first with the 14th Training Battalion and then on temporary assignment with the Australian Army Postal Corps. In June 1917 he proceeded to France. He was gassed on 16 October and hospitalised for over a month. Following several more months with his unit at the front, he was granted two weeks' leave on 18 February 1918, which was spent in England. He rejoined his unit in March but was hospitalised in April with bronchitis. Upon his release he returned to the front. On 11 October, just a month before his death, he transferred to the 56th Battalion. On 8 November he was hospitalised with influenza and three days later he died of pneumonia.
The highest ranking and most decorated Australian who died on 11 November was Military Medal recipient Sergeant John Page (service number 2135). Born near Quirindi in New South Wales, he enlisted on 13 April 1916. He was an unmarried 28-year-old contractor who nominated his father Peter as his next of kin. On 24 August he embarked with the 3rd reinforcements of the 34th Battalion. He disembarked in England in October and proceeded to France in November. He was appointed Lance Corporal in January 1917, the first of a series of promotions.
On 6 May 1917 he was admitted to hospital suffering a gunshot wound to the groin. He spent several weeks in hospital but rejoined his unit on 15 June and five days later was appointed temporary Corporal. On 15 July, while serving in Belgium, he was wounded for a second time when he suffered a gunshot wound to the neck. He was admitted to hospital in England and shortly after reverted to the rank of Lance Corporal. On 27 October he rejoined his unit, who were now located in France, and in mid-November he was promoted to Corporal. In early December he was promoted to Sergeant. During January-February 1918 he spent six weeks at Brigade School before rejoining his unit on 23 February.
For his actions in early March he was awarded the Military Medal. His citation reads as follows: For devoted service on night of 4-5/3/18 during raid on enemy trenches in vicinity of Warneton. With his party he was temporarily held up by superior numbers of the enemy in the trench leading to his final objective but by his personal courage and determined fighting he eventually cleared the way for the advance. His gallant efforts were of the highest value, and relieved a critical situation for his party.
On 31 August, while serving in France, he was wounded for a third time. He was admitted to hospital in England suffering a gunshot wound to his right arm. He was released from hospital on 16 September and on 22 October 1918 he married 20-year-old domestic servant Elsie Hawkins. The wedding took place in the parish church of her hometown of Harefield, Middlesex. On 31 October he was hospitalised with influenza and he died on 11 November, just three weeks after the wedding. These summaries are indicative of the wealth of information held on service records. All five records also contained basic physical descriptions - height, weight, complexion, and hair and eye colour. The information is not only useful in its own right but the dates, places, units and hospitals mentioned can facilitate further research in newspapers, letters, books, diaries and unit histories.
