Sapper William Hydur Curtis

SAPPER WILLIAM HYDUR CURTIS

4865 – 1st Tunnelling Company / Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Co /

Aust Motor Transport Service

Bethnal Green, London, Middlesex, England was the birthplace of William Hydur Curtis the son of John Henry and Ann Curtis about 1894. He came to Australia and was a motor driver mechanic.

At the Sydney Recruiting Depot on March 24, 1916 the twenty-two year old applied to enlist for active service abroad. His application was accepted by the recruiting officer after passing the medical examination. Attestation forms were completed on April 3, 1916 describing him as 172cms (5ft 7¾ins) tall, weighing 65kgs (143lbs) with a chest expansion of 84-89cms (33-35ins). Passing the eye test with good vision in his brown eyes, his complexion was given as fresh with brown hair. Church of England was his religious faith. Distinctive marks were an appendix scar and right hernia scar. Next-of-kin was his father of 105 Wickham Lane, Welling, Kent, England. He signed and took the ‘Oath of Allegiance’ on April 4, 1916.

After Basic Training he was assigned on May 16, 1916 to the No. 4 Tunnelling Company, 1st Reinforcements in the rank of Sapper with the regimental number 4865.

Early in May, 1916 recruits forming part of the No. 4 Company embarked from Brisbane, Qld aboard HMAT A69 Warilda for Sydney, NSW. Six officers and 152 other ranks together with the 1st Reinforcements of fifteen other ranks made up the two sections.

At Rosebery Park, Sydney, NSW they joined on May 16 their Headquarters and two sections (8 officers & 153 O.Rs.) plus 1st Reinforcements consisting of one officer and seventeen other ranks including Sapper Curtis for final training.

The 7713-ton transport departed Sydney, NSW on May 22, 1916 and collected in Melbourne, Victoria the No. 5 Company recruited from Victoria, South Aust. & Tasmania made up of Headquarters and 2 Sections (8 officers & 173 men) (3 M.D.). 1 Section from Tasmania (3 officers & 76 O.Rs); also 1st Reinforcements for No. 5 Company (17 men from Vic. & 8 men Tas.) The ship departed on May 25, 1916 for Adelaide, S.A. to collect one Section of 3 officers & 76 O.Rs with 1st Reinforcements of 8 O.Rs.

Docking at Fremantle, W.A. on June 1, 1916 added No. 6 Company recruited from W.A. of 14 officers and 325 O.Rs along with 1st Reinforcements of 1 Officer & 32 O.Rs departing the same day.

Durban, South Africa was reached on June 16, 1916 and Cape Town on June 21, 1916 while St Vincent completed the African ports of call on July 7, 1916. Discipline was fairly good except at intermediate ports where Away without Leave caused concern. The fifty-eight day voyage experienced remarkable pleasant weather terminating at Plymouth, England on July 18, 1916. Four, Five and Six Companies comprising of 1064 officers and other ranks were detrained to Amesbury and Tidworth to begin training at Perham Downs’ camp for the front.

The 4th Tunnelling Company was absorbed into the 1st Tunnelling Company and Sapper was taken on strength on August 28, 1916. The Reinforcement proceeded to France the next day marching into the 2nd Aust Divisional Base Depot the following day.

On October 12, 1916 the men marched out to the 1st Anzac Reinforcement Camp where four days later he joined the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion which was an advanced section of the Base Depot that organised works near the lines and through duties, usually of ten days duration, would accustom the reinforcements to war conditions before being assigned to a company in the field.

Sapper was attached to the 1st Canadian Tunnelling Company on October 26 and on Christmas Day, 1916 attached as a Motor Driver with the 1st Tunnelling Company.

The civil career of Motor Driver Mechanic was of great benefit to the Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company therefore was attached on January 23, 1917.

On November 5, 1917 he was taken to the 1st Aust Field Ambulance after being gassed then transferred to the 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station. Later he was moved to the 1st Canadian General Hospital in Boulogne and admitted with gas poisoning from a gas shell attack. On November 15 he was transported on the hospital ship Stad Antwerpen to England and entering the Middlesex War Hospital off Colchester, Claxton-on-sea the next day.

On November 30, 1917 the address of his father at Base Records was changed to Portland Villa, North Street, Bexley Heath, Kent, England.

He was discharged on furlough on December 13, 1917 and to report to Sutton Veny on December 27 at the No. 1 Command Depot. Arriving from London Headquarters as ordered moved on February 15, 1918 to the Overseas Training Brigade at Deverill. He returned to the Sutton Veny Depot on March 18 leaving for Headquarters at Tidworth ten days later.

On March 29, 1918 he was attached for duty at the Aust Transport Company, Tidworth. He marched out of Bhurtpore Barracks on April 9 and was taken on strength with the A.M.T.S. at Chelsea on transfer from the Australian Engineers on May 3, 1918.

He went to hospital on June 22, 1918 at Weymouth and again on August 16 and rejoined on August 28, 1918. He returned to hospital on September 19 and then to duty on September 24, 1918.

On October 17, 1918 he left for the No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth for return to Australia.

Driver Curtis embarked as an invalid on October 19, 1918 for home on board H.T. transport D24 Sardinia for discharge due to an old operation wound (appendix).

Base records received a letter from Percy C. Law, Solicitor, Aurum and Argent Chambers, 19 Hunter Street, Sydney dated November 14, 1918 who had received a cable from Driver Curtis about his return.

As he had no relatives in Australia whatever, the writer and another who worked with him in France wanted to make arrangements to meet him and requested the List and probable date of arrival.

Base Records replied on November 19 advising that his name was on List ‘C’ and that notification would appear in the press twenty-four hours prior to arrival stating the names of the troops and disembarkation at a certain hour. Beyond those details no further information could be furnished.

The ship arrived in Sydney, NSW (2nd M.D.) on December 31, 1918 and the news was reported in:

The voyage had allegations of many breaches of discipline with the troops refusing to reboard the ship from Melbourne. An inquiry was held and the following is an abridged version:

The officer from the 2nd Military District wrote on February 3, 1919 cabled advice was received that he was returning to Australia but the Nominal Roll on receipt of the ship’s arrival his name did not appear. He asked if the soldier had returned and the reason for his return.

He received a memo from the No. 4 Aust General Hospital at Randwick dated May 22, 1919 to report to the Staff Officer for Invalid and Returned Soldier at Victoria Barracks, Paddington the next day at 10.30 a.m.

Military Discharge was issued in Sydney (2nd M.D.) on June 29, 1919 as medically unfit. Driver 4865 William Hydur Curtis, 1st Tunnelling Company / Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company / Aust Motor Transport Service was issued the British War Medal (46388) and the Victory Medal (45315) for serving his country.

The Repatriation Commission of New South Wales wrote to Base Records on November 23, 1923 requesting military documents for the ex-soldier for consideration of a pension. These were forwarded on November 27, 1923.

Mr Curtis wrote to Base Records from Brundah, Eastern Road, Turramurra on July 28, 1928 to advise that he had lost his badge eighteen months ago and had made exhaustive inquiries and failed to find it. He inquired if he could get another one. He also advised that his Discharge had been stolen in 1920 and would like to secure a duplicate of the same.

On May 18, 1929 Curtis wrote from 1 Nelson Street, Chatswood to Base Records enclosing the requested Statutory Declaration and one shilling fee for the soldier’s badge. The badge and receipt were dispatched to him on May 23, 1929.

He wrote again on June 30, 1931 from the Chatswood address requesting a duplicate discharge certificate stating that the original was lost six or seven years ago. Enclosed was a Statutory Declaration declaring that the ‘badge was lost from his coat six or seven years ago’ and the Certificate of Discharge ‘loss was unavoidable.’

In 1936 he was working as a salesman residing at 56 Nuridah Street, Chatswood and the following year was a motor mechanic. In 1943 he was a driver at the same address and from 1949 to 1954 is listed at the same residence with the occupation of truck driver. In 1963 and 1968 he is listed with ‘no occupation’ and at Beaumont Road, Kuring-gai.

The Repatriation Department in Sydney, NSW wrote to Base Records on May 10, 1965 requesting medical documents as a claim had been lodged.

William Hydur Curtis passed away aged 79 years in 1973 with the death registered at St Leonards, Sydney, NSW after being a resident in the War Veterans’ Home, Narrabeen, NSW.

REUNIONS

William Hydur Curtis was a member of the (Alphabet Company) Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company and Tunnellers’ Anzac Day Reunion and his name and address is listed in their Roll Registers for newsletters of their annual function after the Anzac Day March in Sydney, NSW. His entries were:

1928 c/- Mrs Banks, Spit Road, Mosman changed to Eastern Road, Turramurra &

1 Nelson Street, Chatswood.

1932 - 8 Royal Moorings, High Street, Nth Sydney

1934 8 Royal Moorings, High St, N. Syd changed to 20 Eastern Road Turramurra &

56 Meredith Street, Chatswood.

Note: Letter returned 15/4/1949 and 1950

1960-68 Beaumont Road, Mt Ku-ring-gai

1970-71 Beaumont Road, Mt Ku-ring-gai changed to c/- Mrs Baldry, 6 Knights Rd, Galsten

34 Birdwood st, War Veterans’ Home, Narrabeen.

His death is noted as 28/10/1976 in the Roll Register.