LIEUTENANT DAVID WELBOURN BONAR
1st Tunnelling Company
The weekly letter sent from London by Albert Dorrington to the North Queensland Register dated April 4th, 1919 states:
These brief lines in the North Queensland publication confirm the rare honour given to an officer in the Australian Tunnelling Companies and reveal vital details about his medal presentation.
David Welbourn Bonar was born on July 5th, 1887 at Herberton, North Queensland. During his schooling he had spent three years with the Maryborough Grammar School Cadets and then studied a further six years at the Ballarat School of Mines. On completion, the tall 5ft 11ins {180cm} graduated with a Diploma as a Mining Engineer and Mine manager and possessing a First Class Certificate of Competency certifying him eligible to work as a Mine Manager in Victoria and Queensland. Therefore when the enlistment campaign of the Mining Corps requested men to volunteer to join the Corps, David, with a good physique of 191 lbs {87kg} had the credentials they required.
He enlisted on April 27th, 1916 in Brisbane and passed the necessary medical examination which reveals he had black hair and brown eyes with good vision and required a uniform for a chest measurement of 41-42ins. The twenty-eight year old also bore scars on both shins. His basic training of 12 days duration took place at the Queensland 11th Depot Battalion, followed by nineteen weeks instruction with the Field Engineers Officers’ Training School in Sydney concluding on September 18th, 1916. He was then transferred to the Mining Corps camp at Seymour, Victoria. Shortly after arriving he was appointed Sergeant and gained his commission as a Second Lieutenant on October 20th, 1916.
Five days later Second Lieutenant Bonar embarked with the Officer Reinforcements to the Mining Corps on the troopship A38 Ulysses from Melbourne journeying via Durban, Cape Town and Sierra Leone before arriving at Plymouth on December 28th 1916. The men were detrained to Tidworth for three months further training and left on March 27th, 1917 for active service on the Front. At the Australian General Base Depot, France he was placed with the 1st Australian Entrenching Battalion on April 4th, 1917. This battalion was an advanced section of the base depot where various details accustomed the troops to war conditions. During his time with the company he was notified on August 13th, 1917 he would be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant but it was not until Christmas Day that year, it became official.
On September 22nd, 1917 2nd Lieutenant Bonar was injured accidentally when the dark complexion of his face was lacerated, the wound necessitated transferral to the 46th Casualty Clearing Station. The 1st Aust. Entrenching Battalion states:
His name appeared in the Casualty List published in the:
His mother Mrs A.H. Bonar in Herberton, Qld was notified of his ‘mild’ injury on October 10th and he returned to his unit a fortnight later.
On January 12, 1918 Lieutenant Bonar was attached to the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company and remained with the company until the end of the war. During the year the company worked on Front line trench work, excavated communication and support trenches and built dugouts.
In the Unit Diary of the 1st Tunnelling the following extract was taken:
“AUGUST 1918
RIVERY AMIENS 18th Hot
On 17th instant Lt Manton proceeded to the rest camp at Treport, Lt Bonar having been there for the previous fortnight.”
It was also detailed to duties on forward roads for the approaching attack on the Hindenburg line around the last week in September, 1918. It was during this time Lieutenant Bonar and his men assisted the manoeuvres of the infantry resulting in the nomination for the Military Cross.
A week and a half before the Armistice on November 2nd, 1918, David left on leave for London. During his leave he met reporter Albert Dorrington, who sent this news home to North Queensland in his letter to the N.Q. Register dated November 28:
News awaited his return to his unit on December 7th, 1918 with confirmation of being awarded the Military Cross. His citation reads:
The Unit Diary also recorded the following during November, 1918:
“NOVEMBER, 1918
CHANMONT NAMUR
24thFine with heavy frost. H.Q. H.Q. No. 1, 3 & Pt 2 Section marched to Chanmont. Lt Bonar & 21 O.R. moved to L’Ecrivisse 4.8.40.30 for work.
NOVEMBER, 1918
MARBAIX NAMUR
28thDull & cold steady rain. H.Q. Nos 1, 2 & 3 sections marched to Marbaix preparatory to being transferred to Australian Corps.
No. 4 Section marched from Rostenne to Marbaix being withdrawn from 1st Div 9th Corps.
29thDull & cold. Whole company transferred from IX Corps to Australian Corps.
Lt Bonar & party rejoined unit from L’Ecrivisse work having been completed”
By March, 1919 news had reached the mining town of Charters Towers which reported in the following recognition:
Lieutenant Bonar was requested to proceed to the United Kingdom on March 12th, 1919 to be presented with his Military Cross by his Majesty the King. He was to disembark and proceed to Folkstone and be briefed in protocol for an investiture by the King. No date or place was recorded for the ceremony in his military papers.
More leave was taken this time and he rejoined his unit about April 7th, 1919 remaining with them for a further two months. He embarked to return to Australia on the transport Wiltshire on July 4th, 1919 after serving almost two and a half years on the front.
It was not until the July 26th, 1919 that his mother would officially receive notification of her son’s achievement. Two months later on September 26th, 1919 his appointment was officially terminated.
Lieutenant David W. Bonar was awarded The British Medal (59088) and The Victory Medal (57516) to wear with his Military Cross decoration.
In 1925 he was working with the City Engineer, Collingwood, Victoria, and in April, 1938 was living at 41 Colebrook Street, West Brunswick, Victoria.
David Welbourn Bonar passed away on March 9, 1947 aged 60. Announcements were published in the:
His grave is located in Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton, Melbourne, Vic.
His Obituary was published in the:
© Donna Baldey 2007/ 2018