THE spoils of war – medals of a captured German – were enjoyed by the son of a Wagga man involved in Australia’s seizure of New Britain from the Germans in September.
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The Daily Advertiser reported on October 14, 1914, that Constable Davidson, of Wagga, had received two letters from his son, Lieutenant Davidson, over the past fortnight.
Lieutenant Davidson was attached to the brigade staff of the Australian expeditionary force which had occupied New Britain, including the town of Rabaul, from September 11.
“Lieutenant Davidson won distinction in the work of the expedition in the proceedings leading to the capture of Rabaul, and was presented, in recognition thereof, with medals of which the commander of the German force in New Britain was dispossessed,” the Advertiser reported.
Not so glorious was the story in the same edition of an artillery soldier travelling from Albury to Sydney who missed the train at Wagga after he hopped off to get some cigarettes.
“He over-estimated the time at his disposal, and when he returned to the station he was just in time to see the train steaming out,” the story read.
The Advertiser said that while the man had enough money to buy smokes, he did not have enough to buy another ticket to Sydney or back to Albury, so he either went to the local military authorities or police for help.
By now, stories about Australia’s military actions were published in the Advertiser under the heading of Australia and the War.
On October 17, one such story told of the Australian fleet capturing a small German gunboat called the Comet in the Rabaul area.
Another wire service story provided a summary of letters sent home by Australians at Rabaul describing their activities and the presence of ships and submarines, including the cruiser Sydney and the ill-fated submarine AE1.
“We reached New Britain,” a signalling engineer wrote to his mother.
“After landing we captured some German officers, and another officer is wounded,” he wrote.
“He was surrendering to a petty officer, and while doing so the cur attempted to draw a revolver at the same time.
“The petty officer made a slash at his wrist, and when the German was brought on board he had to be operated upon and his right hand removed, so he won’t forget it in a hurry.”
SOME of the first pictures seen in Wagga of places torn apart by World War I in Europe were shown during a lecture presented by English-born Canon Pike at the Southern Cross Showground.
Details of the event were published in The Daily Advertiser on Friday, October 16, 1914.
The presentation was preceded by the Wagga Citizens Band marching along Baylis Street from the railway station and the Wagga Brass Band also marching along the main street, but starting from the Hampden Bridge.
“The streets were lined with people as the bands passed,” the Advertiser report said.
At the showground, the mayor, Alderman FJ McDonough, presided.
“Canon Pike divided his lecture into two parts, and in the first portion of his address touched on the causes of the war,” the report said.
“In the second part, he gave an interesting word picture of the countries and cities most prominently associated in the peoples’ minds with the movements of the Allies’ troops.
“In this, Canon had the assistance of a series of pictures, thrown on the screen by a powerful electric light plant.
“Amongst the pictures were scenes from Servia, Belgium, France and England.”
During intervals in the presentation songs were sung, including one which went on to become synonymous with British troops.
“One of the most popular airs was It’s a Long Way to Tipperary, the song which has been adopted as the marching chorus of British troops in France,” the Advertiser said.
In the German Trenches. | FEARFUL CONDITIONS PREVAIL. | DEADLY DISEASES RAMPANT. | ROTTERDAM, Friday - Professor Bessell, of Munsier, has been sent from Metz and says that the combat is threatening an epidemic of diseases.
He found an exceptionally large number of cases of dysentery, inflammation of the lungs, and typhus fever.
He declared that it was not surprising when the soldiers were for five days and nights in the trenches half-full of water.
It was impossible to send fresh supplies of food, and the soldiers were living on the rations carried in their knapsacks. The rations finally became mouldy, and the horrors of the insanitary conditions were increased by the fact that in many cases it was impossible to remove the dead and wounded.
Australia and the War. | OPERATIONS AT RABAUL. | GERMAN GUNBOAT TAKEN. | MELBOURNE, Friday - The Minister for Defence has received a message from Rabaul to the effect that the small German gunboat Comet has been captured by the Australian fleet.
AVIATORS WARNED | AGAINST FLYING NEAR FORTS | MELBOURNE, Friday - The Defence Department warns the public that any flying machines approaching the vicinity of fortification will be fired upon.
African Rebellion. | BOTHA TAKES THE FIELD. | WITH BOER COMMANODES. | MANY SUSPECTS ARRESTED. | CAPETOWN, Friday - Owing to the Maritz rebellion General Botha is taking the field earlier than he originally intended, with several Dutch commandoes on the old burgler lines, coupled with regiments of the Union defence force.
The Government is adopting the sternest measures in the centres of disaffection, and is arresting prominent persons suspected of sowing sedition.
General Hertzog has placed his services at the Government’s disposal.
In Belgium | ESSCHEN AND GHENT. | OSTEND, Thursday - German cavalry patrols have entered Esschen. There are 50,000 Germans in Ghent, and their heavy guns are moving towards Bruges.
REFUGEES FRIGHTENED. | MANY JUMP FROM TRAIN. | AMSTERDAM, Thursday - While refugees were being taken by train to Schyndel in Holland, rumours spread that they were going to Germany. Many people instantly jumped out of the carriages.
FRENCH GENERAL KILLED. | PARIS, Thursday - General Marcotone, one of the French leaders, has been killed at Arras.
German Retreat. | NEW POSITION TAKEN. | TO ASSIST RETIREMENT. | LONDON, Thursday - The “Times” correspondent in Paris opines that the Germans have taken up new positions at Compiegne, Soissons and Rheims to enable their troops at Roye, Lassigny and Arras to secure their positions in order to retreat on as wide a front as possible.
The correspondent adds that the attacks at Hazlebrouck are feelers, with a view to widening the western front.