George William Manning [1890 - 1915]

It was just breaking dawn ....

"The Ribble increased speed and headed for an anchorage further inshore and to the north of the battleships. On board was Lieutenant Ivor Margetts, 12th Battalion, a Hobart schoolteacher......... "

Man the boats....

The landing of the 12th Battalion, 25 April 1915

.....as we neared the peninsular of Gallipoli, the Captain of the Destroyers gave the order for silence and for the men to stop smoking and thus, in darkness and in silence, we were carried towards the land which was to either make or mar the name of Australia.  On either side of us we could dimly see other destroyers bearing the rest of the Third Brigade. I am quite sure that very few of us realized that at last we were actually bound for our first baptism of fire, for it seemed as though we were just out on one of our night maneuvers, but very soon realized that it was neither a surprise party nor a moonlight picnic. ........

above image:

This timber lifeboat from the HMT DEVANHA (troopship A3) is at the Australian War Memorial and was used for the FIRST LANDING at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli.

On board was the 12th Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade, they landed at 4.10am on 25th April 1915 and George William MANNING - who was part of the 12th Bn 3rd Brigade - was killed soon after landing.

First flag of AIF at Gallipoli restored by
Imperial War Museum

Painstakingly restored ... Specialist textile curator Liz Rose at the Imperial War Museum workshop seen here working on the flag of the AIF's 12th Battalion 3rd Brigade who stormed Gallipoli in 1915.

The above picture: Ella Pellegrini.

Specialist textile curator Liz Rose is painstakingly fixing the flag for display, placing see-through conservation net over tears in the fabric that threaten to pull the flag apart. The process takes several days.

But she says she is careful not to restore it to its former glory. Even the dodgy stitching of an unknown repairer from some time in the past century to patch a hole is being left alone.

“We just want to repair it in parts to preserve and display but its condition is evidence of its history and that is important to maintain,” she said.

12th Australian Infantry Battalion

The 12th Battalion was among the first infantry units raised for the AIF during the First World War. Half of the battalion was recruited in Tasmania, a quarter was recruited in South Australia, and a quarter from Western Australia. With the 9th, 10th and 11th Battalions it formed the 3rd Brigade.


The 12th Battalion was raised within three weeks of the declaration of war in August 1914. They were the covering force for the Anzac landings and so were the first onshore at 4.30am on April 25, 1915. Their commander Lt Col L.F Clarke was killed by a sniper in the first few hours of battle but the battalion fought on and would later contribute two companies to the attack on Lone Pine; the only battalion in the brigade to do so. The battalion heroes were also the last to leave Anzac Cove only to go on to take part in the first major action in France in the Somme valley at Pozieres, then Ypres in Flanders all the way through to the battle of Amiens in August 1918.

Of their Gallipoli campaign, a British officer there at the time wrote: “The Australians were fine. ... They pulled in singing a song, ‘Australia will be there!’ and I could see them scaling the cliffs”. 

Within five days of the campaign, over half the men of the 12th battalion would be killed or wounded. 

 They fought with the motto Ducit Amor Patriae (Love of My Country Leads Me).

why did the ANZACS land at Gallipoli?

above image

The 3rd Brigade was the covering force for the ANZAC landing on 25 April 1915 and so was the first ashore at around 4:30 am. Lieutenant Colonel L. F. Clarke, commander of the 12th Battalion, was killed by a sniper within hours of the landing. The battalion was heavily involved in establishing and defending the front line of the ANZAC position.

Charles Bean - the first report

The landing ~ HMS RIBBLE towards the top of the above image.

George William MANNING was born to John MANNING and Harriet Ann COBERN in Evandale, Tasmania, Australia on 3rd September 1890.

Little is known of George in his early years in Tasmania, but we can assume he attended school and probably in the district of Launceston.

On 2nd June 1914 at the age of 23 years, he married Annie Josephine THOMPSON. From information received, Annie was born in Launceston in September 1895 and married George when she was 18 years old. 

Four months later - on 24th October 1914 - George enlisted in the AIF at Claremont in Tasmania. He stated on his papers that he was married and his Next of Kin was Mrs G. W. Manning of 66 Margaret St, Launceston, Tasmania.

He was given the Service number of 1226 in the 12th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Reinforcements.

66 Margaret St, Launceston, Tasmania

From Google - 66 Margaret St, Launceston, Tasmania

The 1st Reinforcements - which included George William Manning - departed Melbourne on board the  Themistocles A32  on 22 December 1914. 

above image:

1st Division reinforcements playing cricket aboard the transport HMAT Themistocles (A32), part of the 2nd Australian convoy that left (Perth) Australia on 31 December 1914.

[would be nice to know that one of those men was George!]

On 1st February 1915 - the 12th Battalion commenced training at Mena in Egypt, ten miles from Cairo and on the 10th February the 1st Reinforcements had arrived, which included George.

above image:

Part of Mena Camp, seen from the road running up the centre of the camp, known as Artillery Road.  At the far end of the road can be seen one of the reservoirs built at the camp; in this one the water burst through the walls.

On the left are the lines of the 1st Australian Divisional Artillery, and on the right the lines of the 3rd Infantry Brigade (in the  foreground), and the Divisional Engineers (in the background). On the horizon is one of the pyramids at neaby Gizeh.

A period of training in the desert followed to prepare the Australian forces for their eventual transfer to Europe, but a short time later, on 1st March 1915 they received orders for embarkation at Alexandria. 4th March they had arrived at Lemnos and anchored off Port Mudros.

On 6th April 1915 - 10.00pm - Orders for embarkation & distribution of Brigade on transports received.  At 8:00am on the following morning they commenced embarking horses & transport details.

By 21st April they were committed to the Gallipoli Campaign when orders came through for their landing at Gallipoli.

The 3rd Brigade was the covering force for the Anzac landing on 25 April 1915, and went ashore at around 4.30 am. During the early fighting on the first, the battalion's commanding officer was killed by a sniper.

George William MANNING was killed soon after arriving at Gallipoli. It is not known where or when. He was reported as 'missing' in the Dardanelles region, but that was soon changed and reported as being Killed in Action.

According to his service records, there was a board of inquiry on 5th June 1916 that confirmed this finding.

He is remembered with honour at the Lone Pine Memorial.

In the meantime - his wife Annie - had given birth to a daughter in Tasmania in 1915 that she named Sheila Patricia Manning. She is listed on the War Pension claim as a daughter of George in 1916. Annie received 13 pounds per annum for Sheila from 9th April 1916 till 17 March 1931 and for herself, received 52 pounds per annum.

No further information has been found on Sheila.

In 1921 there is record of Annie residing in Brunswick, a suburb of Melbourne. According to various census records of that period, she is found in Carlton and or Brunswick up to and including 1930.

But on page one of the service records of George Manning there is a note to the effect that she may have moved to England. Under the 'change of address' it has: Eng 30/3/30

Have not located any information on Annie or Sheila after this time.

In July 1924 - Ellen Charlotte Florence McNiece - sister to George Manning, wrote to the Army requesting information regarding Private G. W. Manning. The question was if this George Manning had returned to Australia in the Air Force.

As per the following letter:

A reply came back stating that there was only one G. W. Manning and that it was evident that the person making the claim regarding the relationship with the deceased was mistaken.

above:  signature of Annie in 1922

above: Dead Man's Penny

The Dead Man’s Penny is a commemorative medallion which was presented to the next-of-kin of the men and women who died during World War One. The bronze medallion features an image of Lady Britannia surrounded by two dolphins (representing Britain’s sea power) and a lion (representing Britain) standing over a defeated eagle (symbolising Germany).

Around the outer edge of the medallion are the words ‘He died for freedom and honour’. Next to Lady Britannia is the deceased soldier’s name, with no rank provided to show equality in their sacrifice.

The Dead Man’s Penny was accompanied by a letter from King George V, stating ‘I join with my grateful people in sending you this memorial of a brave life given for others in the Great War’.
 

George William Manning's name will be projected onto the exterior of the Hall of Memory on:

• Mon 6 April, 2015 at 7:01 pm
• Fri 22 May, 2015 at 10:58 pm
• Fri 3 July, 2015 at 10:04 pm
• Sun 16 August, 2015 at 8:58 pm
• Tue 6 October, 2015 at 2:24 am
• Sun 6 December, 2015 at 3:50 am
• Wed 3 February, 2016 at 9:37 pm
• Thu 31 March, 2016 at 2:29 am
• Tue 17 May, 2016 at 12:53 am
• Tue 28 June, 2016 at 3:18 am

These dates and times are estimates. Please note that previous advised times on this site have recently been changed to ensure that early evening projections are clearly visible and not affected by twilight.

The actual time of projection could also change as a result of weather and other factors, so it is advisable to check closer to the date. In the rare event of a temporary loss of electrical power, the names scheduled for display in that period will not appear until the next time listed.

There is also a Facebook page for the 12th Battalion.

 
25 April 1915:
The full extent of casualties on that first day are not known.

Birdwood, who did not come ashore until late in the day, estimated between three and four hundred dead on the beaches.

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage claims one in five of the three thousand New Zealanders involved became a casualty.

The Australian War Memorial has 860 Australian dead between 25–30 April, and the Australian Government estimates 2,000 wounded left Anzac Cove on 25 April, but more wounded were still waiting on the battlefields to be evacuated.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission documents that 754 Australian and 147 New Zealand soldiers died on 25 April 1915.
 
A higher than normal proportion of the ANZAC casualties were from the officer ranks. One theory was that they kept exposing themselves to fire, trying to find out where they were or to locate their troops. Four men were taken prisoner by the Turks.

may they all rest in peace

LEST WE FORGET

Many thanks to the following for their helpful websites and access to same:


the Australian War Memorial

the National Archives

Gallipoli and the Anzacs

Trove

the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

12th Battalion Facebook page


Biography - Charles Edwin Woodrow Bean (1879 - 1968)


First to Fall - introduction
 
AWM - a difficult landing

*

Edward Charles Tobias Hurter [ 1888 - 1917 ]

Edward Charles Tobias Hurter was born in Coburg - a suburb of Melbourne - on 26th November 1888.  His parents were Charles Edward Hurter and Jeannett Le Brun.

He attended the Blackburn Primary School and later went on to the Hawthorn College where he studied accountancy. Prior to his enlistment in the AIF he held the Office of Collector in the Electric Light Department in the Nunawading Shire Council.

In January 1916 he enlisted in the AIF and was assigned to the 22nd Battalion, 11th Reinforcements. His service number being 4465.

Just prior to sailing, Edward married Rae Leonore Dowel who was the daughter of Henry Dowel and Flora McKenzie. Rae was born in Ascot Vale in 1891.

On 29 March 1916 Edward Hurter embarked from Melbourne on board the HMAT ORONTES.

image is of the HMAT ORONTES departing Port Melbourne in August 1916.

on 10 September 1916 Edward proceeded to France from England. In October he was promoted to Lance Corporal and in November to Temporary Sergeant.

At this time the 22nd Battalion were moved to the Ypres sector then back to Somme for the winter.

During January 1917 there had been much snow around Martinpuich and by the 1st February the weather was considered 'fine'.

Edward was killed whilst in "William Alley" - a trench near Martinpuich - and according to the diary of James Irwin:

We were now taken off the railway fatigue, and were at the disposal of head-quarters to be sent on any sector as carrying parties. We were working on two sectors, each of which was entered by a different route. On one of the routes, after we had travelled about a mile from our dugout in the mud, we would enter a trench called "William Alley".


This trench was built perfectly by the British, and it was about 2 miles long in zigzag formation, reaching up to the front line. The walls were riveted with wire mesh and the duckboards were supported on "A" frames; the water running 2 feet below in the bottom of the trench, and parts of the trench were camouflaged with the ordinary material which was used for the same purpose in the artillery.


The camouflaged material is made up of wire netting with an artificial covering of leaves and boughs. When we were on our way back to our dugout after being up to the line, we would call into the soup kitchen and have a short rest and some soup, after which we would feel quite repaired. We used to travel on the upper side of a dark gully on the way out, and in the dark hollow we would hear men pushing trucks, on the light railway up to the front line, laden with timber and ammunition, and the trucks returning would have wounded on them. When a shell would come hissing over into the dark valley, we would stop with a feeling of awe, and listen with expectation of hearing someone call "Stretcher bearers".
One night in the vicinity of this valley, a shell landed about 4 feet from the duckboards on which we were travelling, and blew myself and four others off the duckboards into the mud. On account of the mud being so soft as to allow the shell to penetrate deeply into the ground, we were fortunate enough to escape being killed or wounded, as the fragments of the shell could not escape above the surface of the ground.


and from the diary of Lt. Col. A. Wiltshire:
Pushed on through the village noticing some guns blocked out and then along what has been a pleasant country road. The snow has caused green grass to sprout everywhere and the country is looking very well. Much shelled is this road and by no means a health resort. When we got to William Alley we hopped in and had a grand run right up and then pushed across country to the Battalion H.Q. Very muddy and dirty and the dugout one of the most villianous [sic] ever imaginable. Concentrated smell of cooking, foul breaths & stagnation smote one on entering.

Skirting the village of Martinpuich for a while we at last plunged boldly through it and wondered by the lights there that they do not strafe it thoroughly and well. Once out of the village we got on to uneven boards with treacherous gaps in them and met many tired and muddy men coming out of the line, some cheerful, some depressed and nearly sobbing with fatigue. Soon we struck William Alley and had to pass nearly a whole Battalion coming out. Squeezing past was most awkward especially for the M.O.

The memorial for Edward Charles Tobias Hurter is located at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial in France. There is no known grave.

 The personal effects of Edward Hurter were returned to his wife.

 The personal effects of Edward Hurter were returned to his wife.

when next you see a headstone or memorial for an 'unknown soldier' think of
Edward Charles Tobias Hurter

Newspaper article from Saturday 17th March 1917

May you rest in peace Edward Hurter

.

.

as an added note, I have the following family that were also in the 22nd Battalion:

Donald William McTavish
KIA 27 July 1916 at The Battle of Pozieres

Harold Dimongoes McTavish
WIA at the Battle of Pozieres and RTA. died 13 April 1962

James John Roberts
WIA at The Battle of Menin Road and RTA. died 28 July 1968

William Gordon Tucker
KIA at The Battle of Beaurevoir on 3rd October 1918




.

Alwin Clarence DALITZ (1894 - 1969)

Alwin Clarence Dalitz was born in Pimpinio, Victoria, Australia on 18th April 1894. His parents were Heinrich Daltiz and Maria Elisabeth Wuttke. He had 13 siblings.

On 12th June 1915 Alwin enlisted in the AIF at Dimboola. At time of enlistment, he was 21 years of age with a fair complexion, light blue eyes, sandy hair and had noted his religion as a Methodist.

After three months of training he embarked Melbourne on board the SS MAKARINI bound for Gallipoli.

He joined his unit at Gallipoli on 13th November 1915 and the following day the 14th Battalion commenced tunneling at Durrants Post.

at Durrants Post, Gallipoli

according to the Battalion diary on 18th November, "Quiet all day. some shrapnel in the morning, ground very wet and muddy after the nights rain".

By the 18th December, the Battalion was at Mudros in Greece after sailing on the HMS HAZEL, then being transferred to the HMS ZEALANDRIA reaching Alexandria in Egypt late December.

HMS HAZEL

HMS ZEALANDRIA

In February 1916 the Battalion was at Moascar (Egypt) and Tel-El-Kebir in March for further training.

Much of this detail can be found in the War diaries of the 14th Battalion as seen here:

parts of the 14th Battalion diary entries

Towards the end of March 1916 the Battalion were on the move again with one entry reading:

"marched out for Moascar at 0600 in heavy mist. Halted at 11am & continued march @ 1400 thru very heavy sand, weather hot, arrived Moascar 1715. Distance 17 1/2 miles"

and another ...

"as on previous mornings marched out at 0640 for Serapeum along fresh water canal. Very hot & dusty. halted at 11am. continued march at 1200. Crossed Suez Canal and arrived in camp at 1400. distance 11 1/2 miles"

31st March 1916 found the 14th Battalion at Serapeum in Egypt, they were on their way to Alexandria to "embark for abroad". Little did they know what was in store for them on the "Western Front".

By June they had arrived in Bailleul, Basse-Normandie, France. By the 17th The Battalion marched to "Fort Rompu" as Erquinghem-Lys was impossible for Australian, the name of the principle street was chosen. … here the battalion were quartered in wooden Army huts, about sixteen men each.

The Battalion marched to "Fort Rompu" as Erquinghem-Lys was impossible for Australian, the name of the principle street was chosen. … here the battalion were quartered in wooden Army huts, about sixteen men each.

28th June 1916 the 14th Battalion were in the trenches at the Bois-Grenier line where there was much heavy fighting. Just a few days later the diary mentions: "

Heavy artillery & trench mortars and at the same time shelled the surrounding countryside with shrapnel, the bombardment completely flattened all our trenches. Enemy were soon advancing on our position ....."

"11 July 1916 remainder of 30th Battalion arrived at midnight, complete relief of trenches and all communication by 2.00am and command handed over."

"Remainder of Battalion - when relieved - marched to Billets at Jesus Farm ( About 1 mile the other side of Erquingham )"

Alwin Dalitz was promoted to Sergeant on 14th August 1916.

By the 26th August 1916 Alwin was at Albert and bound for Mouquet Farm along the Labapaume Road.

Two days later he was badly wounded with gunshot wounds to the groin and pelvic area.  On this same day there were 3 KIA and 40 wounded from the 14th Battalion.

Alwin was transferred to the 3rd Canadian General Hospital, then onto England.  He did not return to duty until five months later on 16th January 1917.
 
By the 11th April 1917 he was at the Battle of Bullecourt .....

Bullecourt, a village in northern France, was one of several villages to be heavily fortified and incorporated into the defences of the Hindenburg Line in 1917.

In March 1917, the German army had withdrawn to the Hindenburg Line in order to shorten their front and thus make their positions easier to defend. This move was rapidly followed up by the British and empire forces, and they launched an offensive around Arras in early April 1917.

To assist the Arras operations, an attack was launched on Bullecourt on 11 April 1917 by the 4th Australian and 62nd British Divisions. The attack was hastily planned and mounted and resulted in disaster. Tanks which were supposed to support the attacking Australian infantry either broke down or were quickly destroyed. Nevertheless, the infantry managed to break into the German defences. Due to uncertainty as to how far they had advanced, supporting artillery fire was withheld, and eventually the Australians were hemmed in and forced to retreat.

The two brigades of the 4th Division that carried out the attack, the 4th and 12th, suffered over 3,300 casualties; 1,170 Australians were taken prisoner - the largest number captured in a single engagement during the war.'

Bullecourt, more than any other battle, shook the confidence of Australian soldiers in the capacity of the British command; the errors, especially on April 10th and 11th, were obvious to almost everyone'. Charles Bean, Official Historian.

This is when Alwin Clarence Dalitz was captured by the Germans and became a POW interred at Limburg.

His brother - Carl Dalitz - was killed in action at the Battle of Bullecourt three weeks later on 3rd May 1917.

Carl Walter Dalitz

is remembered with honour 

at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial in France.

There is no known grave.

from the diary of the 14th Battalion

Red Cross missing & wounded information

on 25th December 1918 Alwin Dalitz was repatriated back to England along with other POW's and by March 1919 returned to Australia on board the HMAT KHYBER. Arriving in Melbourne on 12th May 1919.

Alwin Dalitz married Constance Anne Holland in 1924 and died at Nhill in Victoria on 29th January 1969.

a blog post titled:

REMEMBERING THE DALITZ BROTHERS OF DIMBOOLA is located here.




further information on 14th Bn at Gallipoli from the blog titled:

John Francis Coyle

Major Durrant returned shortly before the departure to Gallipoli, giving required training and orientation to the new officers and men. The strengthened battalion then embarked from Mudros harbour for Anzac Beach on the 31^st of October, 1915. They travelled with the 14^th & 15^th Battalions on the SS Osmarich and landed in two stages on that night and the next day. The troops marched from the landing spot, having bivouaced in Water-Course Gully overnight to reach and relieve soldiers at Durrants Post on the 3^rd of November, 1915.

This outpost, near to the approaches of Chunuk Bair and Hill 100 was a major front-line stand. The efforts of these soldiers through-out November included many reports of successful sniper attacks on the enemy, including the innovative use of the new “telescope” rifles. There was also much to be done in the work of tunnelling, trench digging and reinforcement of the post (“every available man involved in the construction of underground winter quarters”).
On the 24^th of November, 1915, it is stated in the War Diary the “Ruse of Silence” (effective for 48 hours) is commenced. This was a very important tactic to eventually allow the Anzac troops to withdraw in December but at this time it was still a strategy only known to the top officers.

It was also during this time that the Gallipoli area suffered horrendous storms & deluges that washed away embattlements. During all of November and into December the brave Diggers at Durrant’s Post completed scouting patrols, employed sharp-shooters and snipers to attack the enemy positions. The majority of the ‘fresh’ men continued the work of holding the ground that had been secured at such a high cost of lives lost, by both the Australian and particularly, in this area, our New Zealand brothers.

The official account says that on the 15-16^th of December preparations and preliminary evacuations took place while laying charges, destroying equipment that could not be transported. The report also suggests that they prepared automatically firing rifles, on delayed timers, that would fool the enemy after they left. The evacuation then took place for these men on the 18^th and 19^th of December with Captain Twynham playing a major part in getting his men out safely.




*LEST WE FORGET THESE BRAVE MEN*

.