SAPPER WILLIAM HERD
1362 – 2nd Tunnelling Company / Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company / Aust Provost Corps / Aust Munitions Worker
William Herd was born in Stockton, Durham, England about 1878 the son of Eliza Emma Herd. His mother married about 1889 to William McLeod and in 1911 they were living in a two roomed dwelling at 90 Victoria Road, South Shields, Durham England. Eliza Emma was 67 and William 59 years of age.
William had served an apprenticeship with Riotinto, Durham for five years as a fitter. He came to Australia and was living at Hamilton, Newcastle, NSW in 1915.
At the Newcastle, New South Wales on September 12, 1915 the thirty-seven year old applied to enlist for active service abroad. Passing the medical examination the same day Attestation Forms reveal the fitter was thirty-seven years of age, unmarried and stood 169cms (5ft 6¾ins) tall, weighed 75.4kgs (166lbs) with a chest expansion of 92-99cms (36-39ins). Complexion was fair with grey eyes and had dark hair. Church of England was his religious faith. Next-of-kin was given as his brother John Herd of Stockton, Durham, England. The ‘Oath of Enlistment’ was taken the same day.
The recruit commenced training as a Private with the 4th Reinforcements to the 36th Battalion at Liverpool, near Sydney until January 1, 1916 and on February 1, 1916 was allotted to the 1st Reinforcements to the Mining Corps with the regimental number 1367 in the rank of Sapper.
At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.
The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.
Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.
Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board.
On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.
The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.
The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.
Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt.
On April 8, 1916 he was reassigned to the No. 2 Company, Mining Corps.
The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.
A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.
The No. 2 Company, Mining Corps after arrival became the 2nd Tunnelling Company in the field.
William’s civil qualifications as a fitter were beneficial to the work of the Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company therefore on September 29, 1916 he was transferred and taken on strength the next day.
Headquarters Mining Corps received news of the death of his brother and his next-of-kin became his mother Mrs Eliza McLeod of 90 Victoria Road, South Shields, Durham, England on October 3, 1916.
He went sick on October 21, 1916 to the 12th Casualty Clearing Station with Bronchitis and transferred to the 2nd Aust General Hospital in Boulogne three days later. On November 3, 1916 he was conveyed to England on the hospital ship St Denis entering the 4th Northern General Hospital with Bronchitis (slight) until discharged to the 3rd Aust Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on December 20, 1916.
On January 11, 1917 he was taken on strength from London Headquarters and report after furlough to the No. 4 Command Depot at Wareham. On January 23, 1917 disciplinary action was taken for the following:
4th Northern General Hospital, Lincoln – returning to hospital 5½
hours late (1) drunkenness (11) using obscene language in the ward
Award:2 days F.P. [Field Punishment] by Lt-Col S.R. Roberts.
He was sent to the Isolation Ward at the Wareham Military Hospital suffering from mumps on February 6, 1917.
He marched in to the No. 4 C.D. at Wareham from the Isolation Hospital on February 26, 1917.
He reported on March 14, 1917 to the No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott until April 11 when transferred to the No. 2 C.D. at Weymouth. He left for No. 4 camp at Parkhouse on May 9, 1917 and was attached to the Army Provost Corps and marched out to Tidworth on May 18 where he was attached to the A.A.M.C. Training Depot for details of guard duty. On May 29 he left for duty at the 1st Aust Dermatological Hospital at Bulford.
A letter dated July 27, 1917 from Lt-Col Masson at the High Commissioner’s Office, Arsenal Branch in London wrote to Sapper Herd at the 1st A.D.H. in Bulford, Wiltshire acknowledging his previous application for Munitions Work and added that on his first visit to Weymouth to test applicants Military Authorities were asked to parade him, together with other applicants. As he did not parade the assessor naturally thought he had been returned to Australia and allowed his case to drop. Necessary forms were enclosed and he was to fill in particulars on the application, sign and hand to the O.C. of his Unit or Camp and they would reach him through A.I.F. Headquarters to receive consideration.
Administrative Headquarters in London wrote to the Anzac Provost Corps requesting to be informed of his medical classification.
On August 25, 1917 Lt-Col Gibson from the High Commissioner’s Office wrote to A.I.F. Barracks at Tidworth in regards to 1362 Sapper W. Herd – Anzac Provost Corps stating:
“I am prepared to enrol Sapper Herd as an Australian Munitions Worker, and should therefore be obliged if you would make all arrangements for his discharge.”
The following punishment was issued on September 5, 1917:
Offence:Bulford 28/8/17 Tidworth A.W.L. from 1200 hrs 28/8/17 until 1830 3/9/17
Award:7 days F.P. No 2. By Lt-Col J. Williams 5/9/17.
In custody awaiting trial 1 day
Total forfeiture:15 day’s pay
He arrived at the No. 1 C.D. at Perham Downs the same day from Bhurtpore Barracks where two days later was reclassified with C1 debility and three days later reclassed to C3 debility. He went to H.Q. Tidworth on September 12 and was detached from duty with the Army Provost Corps going to the No. 2 C.D. at Weymouth three days later. On September 21 he went to the No. 4 C.D. at Codford then marched out to Administration Headquarters in London and appropriate leave was granted on September 29 in order to have his discharge completed at Headquarters. A memo stated he was to proceed by the 8-6 a.m. train to London the next day and on arrival report to Administration Headquarters, Horseferry Road.
Lt-Col Gibson from the High Commissioner’s Office wrote on September 10, 1917 to the Commandant, A.I.F. Headquarters at Horseferry Road, London after receiving an application directly from Sapper Herd in which he stated skilled men of his trade were required and if he was agreeable would propose to treating his discharge to be granted from the A.I.F. and would be much obliged.
On October 1, 1917 he was discharged after demobilisation in England from the A.I.F. after serving two years and nineteen days due to taking up employment as an Aust Munitions Worker, being permanently unfit for General Service. His conduct and character were reported as good and his intended place of residence was care of McLeod, 90 Victoria Road, South Shields. He was issued with the Silver War Badge (No. 13715).
He was granted a pension of 30 shillings per fortnight from October 2, 1917 with a medical review on April 11, 1918 from Australia House, Strand W.C.2.
A copy of his medical certificate and certified copies and attestation papers were forwarded to the Pensions Officer at Australia House on October 3, 1917.
Acknowledgements were sent to the appropriate Command Depots on October 8, 1917.
Board and proceedings etc. were sent to Administrative Headquarters on October 13, 1917.
William Herd acknowledged he had received all arrears of advice and deferred pay in connection with his Discharge which was dated in London on February 28, 1918. His address was altered on March 6, 1918 from care of Mrs Ovington, 2 Morley Street, Heaton, Newcastle-on-Tyne to care of Mrs Twidale, 6 Guildford Place, Heaton, Newcastle-on-Tyne on March 18, 1918.
He continued to received his pension of 30 shillings per fortnight from April 11, 1918 until reviewed on October 10, 1918.
William Herd wrote to the Records Office on August 3, 1918 after receiving his Certificate of Discharge (no. 497) from his old address, advising while returning their receipt, that he was working in Woolston and his address was care of Mrs Tucker, 9 Thornycroft Avenue, Woolston, near Southampton.
For serving his country Sapper 1362 William Herd, 2nd Tunnelling Company, Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company was issued with the British War Medal (3274) and the Victory Medal (3274). The Victory Medal was inscribed and issued from Australia House, London.
Following a request on October 8, 1923 a Statement of Service was issued to the Repatriation Department in Melbourne from Base Records on October 20, 1923.
A Statement of Service was issued on September 6, 1945 from Base Records to the Melbourne Branch of the Repatriation Commission.
© Donna Baldey 2013