Topic: Gen - St - WA
I came across this wonderful pic of the the officer Cadets of the 87th Battalion, B Area (Subiaco) 22nd Brigade, 5th Military District. The 87th Infantry Regiment was raised in outer Perth but during the reforms of 1912 the Regt was downgraded to a Battalion and used by the cadets to train future soldiers for the Milita.
They are so young and fresh with the world to look forward to as they posed for this picture which was taken in October 1914 at Bartletto Studio, Hay Street, Perth and published in the Western Mail, 30 October 1914 at p. 30.
The sitting men from left to right are:
2/Lt TV Taylor
Theodore Vallaney Taylor enlisted as a Lieutenant on 19 February 1915 in the 12th Infantry Battalion and finished service as a Captain in the 16th Infantry Battalion. He was wounded by shrapnell to the thigh on 26 May 1915. He was evacuated with neurasthimia 19 August 1915. Returned to Australia by Karoola, 30 October 1915. He was discharged as medically unfit for active service, 21 May 1916.
http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=1932530&I=1&SE=1
Capt FH Sherlock;
Lt EH Knight [Area Officer]
Lieutenant ETH Knight was appointed the senior officer on 16 August 1913 who along with Captain WR Annear from the Cottesloe based 87th Battalion, "A" Area, commanded the 87th Battalion.
Lt G Stroud;
Walter Gregory Stroud enlisted as a Lieutenant on 24 March 1915 and finished service as a Captain in the 28th Infantry Battalion. He arrived at Gallipoli on 4 September 1915. On 20 October 1915 he was evacuated to the 7th Field Ambulance with tonsolitis which developed into influenza which later was diagnosed as enteric fever. Returned to Australia by Karoola, 19 January 1916. He was discharged as medically unfit for active service, 17 November 1917. Prior to the war, he had been a Second Lieutenant with "H" Company, 87th Battalion, Cadets, 1913-14; and, Lieutenant with "B" Company, 88th Infantry Regiment 1914-15.
http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=8095429&I=1&SE=1
Lt Kirkpatrick
The standing men from left to right are:
2/Lt G Mann
George Lionel Claude Mann who joined in July 1916 aged 19 and served in France with 4 DAC (35276)
2/Lt AH Jose;
2/Lt AF Gwynne
Andrew Flinders Gwynne joined in Jan 1917 aged 20 and fought in France with 43Bty 11 FAB (31187) and was wounded in April 1918 and DOW 9th April 1918.
2/Lt JW Franklyn;
John William Franklyn Second Lieutenant, enlisted on 10 February 1915 in the 11th Battalion, arriving at Gallipoli on 22 June 1915. He died of wounds on 6 August 1915 suffered during the attack on what would become Leane's Trench, on the spurs to the south of Lone Pine, and died aboard a hospital ship.
http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=4019807&I=1&SE=1
The extract from the 11th Infantry Battalion War Diary describing the action at Lone Pine led by John William Franklyn.
http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/AWM4/23/AWM4-23-28-5.pdfAdditional information may be found at the site: Officers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps Died at Gallipoli, 1915; an excellent website produced by Bryn Dolan. Here is the specific address:
http://www.anzacs.org/index_efg.html#FNames
Bryn Dolan has kindly provided the additional information about John William Franklyn at Comment 1:
https://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Horse/index.blog/1814823/87th-battalion-b-area-1914/
Lt AT Williams;
2/Lt Seaton;
2/Lt AC Henville;
Archibald Clarence Henville enlisted on 9 September 1915, aged 19, with 1st Field Company Engineers, Service Number 590. He saw service at Anzac, France and Belgium.
http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=5476285&I=1&SE=1
2/Lt AJ Pate
Alfred James Pate enlisted on 17 February 1916 aged 19 and served with the 27th Infantry Battalion and 50th Infantry Battalion, Service Number 6277. He saw service in France and Belgium. He was wounded in action by shrapnel to his face at Broodeseinde Ridge during the Third Battle of Ypres. He returned to Australia on the Ascanius, leaving London on 14 January 1919.
http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=8009272&I=1&SE=1
Extract from 50th Infantry Battalion War Diary, 11 October 1917.
http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/AWM4/23/AWM4-23-67-16.pdfRegarding the picture, one can clearly see the "87" marked on their hats. The leather leggings are also a keen feature.
This is the last glimpse of the old order for these men. After this photograph was taken, life changed dramatically for all the men. Some never reached the end of the decade. The comfortable re-assurance in this picture was to disappear amidst the carnage and horror of the trenches.
[Thanks to Steve Becker and Bryn Dolan who provided additional information]
Citation: 87th Battalion, B Area, 1914
