Corporal Christian Christensen

CORPORAL CHRISTIAN CHRISTENSEN

5505 – 1st Tunnelling Company

Christian Christensen was born in Castlemaine, Victoria 1873 the son of Paul Christensen and Amelia Yarrow. In 1895 he married Phoebe Rebecca Johnstone in Broken Hill, NSW. Children were Phoebe E. A. (1898), Philip J. (1900), Edith A. (1902), Martha Matilda (1904), Paul James (1905) and Frederick F. (1912).

At the recruiting depot in Broken Hill, NSW on March 1, 1916 he applied to enlist for active service abroad. His description on enlistment gives his age as forty-three and a half years and stood 177cms (5ft 10ins) tall, weighed 65.4kgs (144lbs) with a chest measurement of 92cms (36ins). Complexion was sallow with grey eyes and black hair, going grey. Eye test showed fair vision in his left eye and poor sight in the right eye and two vaccination scars were distinguishing marks. Church of England was his religious faith. Next-of-kin was his wife Mrs Phoebe Christensen, care of A.F. Pincombe, Broken Hill, NSW.

Basic training commenced on March 21, 1916 with ‘C Coy’ 2nd Depot Battalion until April 4 when he was transferred for four days to Base Engineers’ camp then to Mitcham for further training. On May 10 he arrived at the Tunnelling Company’s training camp at Seymour, Victoria for further training for overseas.

On June 12 he was promoted to Lance Corporal and from August 1 until October 24 held the rank of Corporal. For the ‘voyage only’ his appointment was Corporal. Regimental number was 5505 with the October, 1916 Reinforcements to the Tunnelling Companies.

The 516 Reinforcements departed Melbourne, Victoria on October 25, 1916 at 1.30pm aboard the transport HMAT A38 Ulysses. The Australian coastline disappeared from view on October 30, 1916 with the port of Durban reached at 11.30am on November 13, 1916. Windy weather was experienced going around the Cape and arrived at Cape Town at 7am on November 19. Sierra Leone was the next port of call but their departure was delayed until December 14, 1916 as it was not safe to proceed further. Arrived at Plymouth, England on December 28, 1916 after 65 days at sea, with the troops disembarking at 1.30pm and detrained to the station at Tidworth. The following day they marched into the Aust Details camp for further training for the front.

That day he reverted to the rank of Sapper and was appointed E.D.P. Corporal (Extra Duty Pay) until January 16, 1917 when he returned to Acting Corporal rank.

The Reinforcement proceeded to France on January 28, 1917 from Folkstone on board the transport S.S. Onward and marched into the Aust General Base Depot and entering the Base reverted to the rank of Sapper the following day and was re-appointed E.D.P. Corporal the same day.

On February 6, 1917 he was attached to the 1st Tunnelling Company in the field reverting to the rank of Sapper.

Two days later he was taken to the 10th Casualty Clearing Station with Keratitis (Inflammation of the cornea – front of the eyeball) and was conveyed on February 12 on A.T.28 to the 13th Stationary Hospital at Boulogne. Discharged from the Convalescent Depot as unfit to Base Details on February 19 returned to Etaples.

He was taken on strength with the 1st Tunnelling Company on March 27, 1917 but on April 8 returned to England classed as ‘PB’ permanent to base details and marched into the No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth.

On May 4, 1917 he left Devonport to return to Australia on board the H.T. Miltiades for discharge due to overage after serving 250 days. The ship docked on July 2, 1917 in Adelaide, S.A. (4th Military District).

On July 6, 1917 in Broken Hill the following article appeared in the Barrier Miner:

Military Discharge was issued in Adelaide (4th M.D.) on August 15, 1917 due to medical unfitness on a pension of $3 (30/-) per fortnight. Other members of his family also received the following pensions:

Phoebe R. Christensen wife $1.50 (15/-) per fortnight

Edith A. Christensen daughter $1.00 (10/-) per fortnight

Martha M. Christensen daughter .75 (7/6d) per fortnight

Paul J. Christensen son .50 (5/-) per fortnight

For serving his country for one year and 153 days Corporal 5505 Christian Christensen, 1st Tunnelling Company received the British War Medal (17728) and the Victory Medal (17550).

Christian Christensen passed away on December 3, 1928 aged about 66 years. The following death notice appeared in the Barrier Miner Thursday 6 December, 1928:

A Statement of his Service was issued to the Repatriation Commission on February 25, 1929 and recall marked as June 6, 1930.

His wife Phoebe Rebecca Christensen died on September 10, 1949 and was also interred in Gawler Cemetery, South Australia.

WILLIAM HENRY MURRAY

16th and 13th Battalions

His brother-in-law Henry William (Harry) Murray was born on December 1, 1880 in Launceston Tasmania. Previous military experience commenced in 1902 with the Militia, Aust Field Artillery in Launceston.

Harry enlisted on September 30, 1914 and gave his next-of-kin as his mother Mrs Clarissa Murray of 33 Erina-street, Launceston, Tasmania. In his late teens he left for the Western Australian goldfields and worked as a mail courier. He was timber-cutting for the railway when war was declared in 1914.

Private Murray departed for Gallipoli as a member of ‘D Coy’ 16th Battalion and landed at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915 with the Machine Gun crew. He suffered a gunshot wound to his right knee on May 30, 1915 after being promoted to Lance Corporal and received the D.S.O. for bravery during May, 1915. In July he was wounded again but remained on duty.

Several promotions followed and spent time in Egypt for a medical condition. On August 5, 1915 he was awarded the D.C.M. and was transferred to the 13th Battalion attaining the rank of Captain. On November 14, 1916 he gained the D.S.O. while with this company.

In France he was wounded in action on August 30, 1916 by a gunshot wound to his thigh and back and his bravery was recognised by the following citation for the Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO):

Four months later he led an attack at Guedecourt on Stormy Trench repelling counter attacks and severe shelling during the twenty-four hour battle. His gallantry received this recommendation for the Victoria Cross and is as follows:

In March 1918 he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and given command of the 4th Machine Gun Battalion remaining in this position until the war ended. In April during the attack on Bullecourt, Murray won a bar to his Distinguished Service Order. In October 1918 received the award of the French Croix de Guerre. In May 1919 was promoted and created Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) and mentioned in despatches.

A study tour of agricultural methods in England followed before returning to Australia where his appointment was terminated on March 9, 1920.

A grazing property at Muckadilla in Queensland is where he decided to settle. Constance Cameron became his wife, but the marriage lasted just a few years and in 1925 he moved to New Zealand where he married Ellen Cameron. They returned to Queensland in 1928 and another grazing property was purchased at Richmond.

During World War II he did not rest on his laurels and returned to active service to command the 26th Battalion as it carried out tasks of coastal defence in North Queensland up to September, 1942. Retirement from Army Service was early in 1944 after relinquishing command of F Group Volunteer Defence Corps.

In 1956 as a recipient of the Award Harry attended the Centenary of the Victoria Cross in London.

Henry William MURRAY went from a Private to Lieutenant Colonel and his list of decorations is one of the high distinction:

As one of the most distinguished fighting officers of the AIF in civilian life he was regarded as a shy and modest man. He passed away on January 7, 1966 in Miles, Qld following a car accident which caused a heart attack.

The following brief description is from the Aust Biographical Dictionary (on-line) written by Merrilyn Lincoln: