3rd Machine Gun Company – The Harrower Collection

Private: 2631 John PULHAM

October 22, 2021September 2, 2017 by David Harrower ACM

34th BATTALION - 3rd Machine Gun Company. AIF

Private: 2631 John PULHAM.

Born: 15th November 1890. Victoria, Australia.

Married: 1914. Coonabarabran, N.S.W. Marriage Cert:11912/1914.

Wife: Alma Pulliam. nee: Dicks.

Died: 1952. Coonabarabran, N.S.W. Death Cert:31294/1952.

Father: Noah Pulham.

Mother: Mary Pulham. nee:.

INFORMATIONJohn Pulham enlisted with the 5th Reinforcements 34th Battalion AIF on the 2nd September 1916 at the Rutherford Army Camp.

27th March 1917.

Private: 2696 William John FEENEY Private: 2535 Henry CLEVELAND - Private: 2626 Percy Frederick NELSON - Private: 2655 Francis John STOVE.

Private: 3137 Victor Scott KELL - Private: 2651 William Lester SEYMOUR - Private: 2631 John PULHAM - Private: 2571 Harold GOODWIN

Members of the 5th Reinforcements 34th Battalion, Larkhill 1916.

Coonabarabran War MemorialFamily InformationJohn was a married 24 year old Bootmaker from Coonabarabran, N.S.W. upon enlistment. John served during Word War 2 with the 3rd Garrison Battalion, Service Number; N105656.

Military Records

Australian National Archives

Under Construction: 26/10/2017-06/06/2019.

Private: 718A Joseph James CAHILL.

April 19, 2017 by Natalie Crowe

36th BATTALION 3rd MACHINE GUN BATTALION. A.I.F.Private: 718A Joseph James CAHILL.

Born: 1894. Wickham, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Birth Cert:37217/1894. (No Father Recorded)

Married: (No Record in N.S.W)

Wife: nee:. (No Record in N.S.W)

Died: 1956. Narrandra, New South Wales, Australia. Death Cert:14199/1956.

Father: Joseph James Cahill.

Mother: Frances Louise Cahill. "Fanny"nee: Crowder.

INFORMATIONJoseph James Cahill enlisted with C Company, 36th Battalion AIF on the 1st of February 1916 and was an original member of the Battalion and left Sydney on board HMAT A72 "Benalla" on the 13th of May 1916.

Joseph returned to Australia with the 3rd Machine Battalion on the 2nd of June 1919.

Family InformationJoseph was a single 21 year old Farmer from Gillenbah, Narrandra, N.S.W. upon enlistment. His parents Joseph and Frances Cahill may have had at least 2 children. Denis Cahill born 1888 at Wagga Wagga, N.S.W. Birth Cert:29400/1888 and died in 1888 at Wagga Wagga, N.S.W. Death Cert:11431/1888. Joseph James Cahill born 1894 at Wickham, N.S.W. Birth Cert:37217/1894 (No record of father registered) and died in 1956 at Narrandra, N.S.W. Death Cert:14199/1956. His parents may not have married until 1914, N.S.W. Marriage Cert:10239/1914 at St-Peters, Sydney.

Military Records

(Australian National Archives)

Under Construction 28/06/2009.

Lieutenant Colonel: Archibald Clifford BLACKLOW. D.S.O.

October 13, 2017March 25, 2017 by David Harrower ACM

36th BATTALION 35th BATTALION 3rd MACHINE-GUN BATTALION A.I.F.

Lieutenant Colonel: Archibald Clifford BLACKLOW. D.S.O.

Born: 11th October 1879. Manpalore, Tasmania, Australia.

Married: 17 December 1908, at St Andrew's Anglican Cathedral.

Wife: Blanche Geraldine Blacklow. nee: Woodforde. nee: Soane.

Died: 4th April 1965. Pontville, Tasmania. St Marks Anglican.

Father: Frederick Henry Blacklow.

Mother: Mary Ann Blacklow. nee: Hallam.

INFORMATIONArchibald Clifford Blacklow joined the Australian Rifle Regiment in 1909 and was commissioned lieutenant; in 1913, the year of his promotion to captain, he represented Australia at the international rifle-shooting championships at Bisley, England. Archibald served with the 1st N.S.W. Infantry Regiment, the 29th Infantry and finally prior to World War 1 the 26th Infantry. He enlisted with D Company 36th Battalion AIF on the 4th of May 1916 with the rank of Major and left Sydney on board HMAT A72 "Beltana" on the 13th of May 1916 and disembarked at Devonport, England on the 9th of July.

MENTIONED IN DISPATCHESMajor: Archibald Clifford Blacklow. 35th Battalion AIF.

London Gazette 28th December 1917. Page 13565 Position 101.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 18th of April 1918. Page 843 Position 31.

MENTIONED IN DISPATCHESTemporary Lieutenant Colonel: Archibald Clifford Blacklow. 35th Battalion AIF.

London Gazette 28th May 1918. Page 6201 Position 120.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 24th of October 1918. Page 2056 Position 92.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDERTemporary Lieutenant Colonel: Archibald Clifford Blacklow. 3rd Machine-Gun Battalion AIF.

For conspicuous ability, distinguished service, and devotion to duty as second in command (and fpr two months in command of the Battalion) during the period 22nd September, 1917 to 24th February 1918. In training he has shown marked ability and enthusiasm, and the welfare of the men has always been his first care. He has inculcated a splendid spirit throughout the Battalion.

London Gazette 3rd June 1919. Page 6461 Position 4.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 7th of November 1918. Page 2110 Position 23.

Archibald enlisted during World War 2 on the 29th of June 1942 at SORELL, Tasmania. His service number: T484.

BLACKLOW, ARCHIBALD CLIFFORD (1879-1965), soldier, pharmacist, grazier and politician, was born on 11 October 1879 at Bagdad, Tasmania, son of Frederick Henry Blacklow, farmer, and his wife Mary Ann, née Hallam. Educated at Bagdad State school and The Hutchins School, Hobart, he went to Sydney in 1895 to be apprenticed as a pharmacist to his uncle J. C. Hallam. Four years later he joined the 1st Infantry Battalion, New South Wales Militia, was made a non-commissioned officer in 1901, but resigned to attend the University of Sydney. After studying pharmaceutical chemistry in 1902-05, he worked with Hallam Ltd and later became managing director. On 17 December 1908, at St Andrew's Anglican Cathedral, he married a widow Blanche Geraldine Woodforde, née Soane. He joined the Australian Rifle Regiment in 1909 and was commissioned lieutenant; in 1913, the year of his promotion to captain, he represented Australia at the international rifle-shooting championships at Bisley, England. He was to lead the Bisley team in 1924.

On the formation of the Australian Imperial Force Blacklow became staff officer for musketry training, 2nd Military District, until 1 April 1916 when he enlisted as captain. Soon promoted major, he was posted to the 36th Battalion and sailed for England. His unit eventually occupied a quiet sector of the Western Front near Armentières. Blacklow was transferred to the 35th Battalion in May 1917 and served as its temporary commander in the Messines offensive. Sent to England in July to attend a senior officers' school, he resumed temporary command for the second battle of Passchendaele on 12 October and was later mentioned in dispatches. The battalion then served at Le Touquet and Armentières and Blacklow remained in charge until 15 March 1918 when he was promoted lieutenant-colonel to command the newly formed 3rd Machine-Gun Battalion, which served with the 3rd Division in all its 1918 operations on the Somme. Blacklow was again mentioned in dispatches in May and awarded the Distinguished Service Order on 3 June.

Demobilized in May 1919, he resumed work as a pharmacist in Sydney. In 1921-24 he commanded the 34th Battalion, Australian Military Forces; this was his last appointment, though he remained on the reserve of officers until 1940. In 1924 Blacklow gave up pharmacy and returned to Tasmania where he acquired pastoral properties at Orielton, Wattle Hill and Sorell. He took an active interest in local affairs and was district coroner and a member of the Sorell Council for many years. After contesting the Federal seat of Franklin in 1929, he won it for the United Australia Party in 1931: a firm advocate of States' rights, he strongly pressed for aid to Tasmanian primary industries, especially fruit export. After being defeated in 1934 he was elected to the Tasmanian Legislative Council in 1936 and held the seat of Pembroke until 1953; his outstanding interest was dairy produce legislation. During World War II he had commanded a Volunteer Defence Group; he was appointed O.B.E. in 1944.

Blacklow sold the last of his properties in 1951 and returned to Rosetta; he later lived at Richmond. Survived by his only son, he died in Hobart on 4 May 1965 and was buried in St Mark's churchyard, Pontville. His estate was sworn for probate at £15,963.

Select Bibliography

London Gazette, 28 Dec 1917, 28 May, 3 June 1918; Mercury (Hobart), 5 May 1965; Blacklow file (Australian War Memorial); War Diaries, 35th Battalion, and 3rd Machine-Gun Battalion (Australian War Memorial); private information.

Author: H. J. Zwillenberg

Print Publication Details: H. J. Zwillenberg, 'Blacklow, Archibald Clifford (1879 - 1965)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 7, Melbourne University Press, 1979, pp 315-316.

Family InformationArchibald was a married 36 year old Pharmacist from Tasmania prior to enlistment. He became a Federal Politician after the war.

Military Records World War 1 Records

© Commonwealth of Australia (National Archives of Australia)

(Studio Photo 1931, National Library of Australia)

Under Construction; 30/08/2007-22/02/2016.

Private: 1817 George Kingsley FRY.

November 30, 2020March 9, 2017 by David Harrower ACM

34th BATTALION - 3rd MACHINE GUN COMPANY. A.I.F.

Private: 1817 George Kingsley FRY.

Born: 2nd October 1896. West Maitland, New South Wales, Australia. Birth Cert:31980/1896.

Married: 30th April 1927. St Paul's Church, West Maitland, New South Wales, Australia. Marriage Cert:7611/1927.

Wife: Audrey Fry. nee: Moore. (1899-1978)

Died: 19th June 1982. New South Wales, Australia, Death Cert:104124/1982.

Father: Richard Wadhurst Fry. (1860-1944)

Mother: Mary Fry. nee: Callaghan. (1967-19..)

INFORMATIONGeorge Kingsley Fry enlisted with the 2nd Reinforcements, 34th Battalion on the 6th of February 1916 and left Farley Station for Sydney with the 2nd Reinforcements on the 3rd of September and embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A15 "Port Sydney on the 4th of September 1916.

8th August 1918.

Report of the Operation Conducted by the Battalion This Day. Headquarters 34th Battalion AIF. 8-8-18 ASSEMBLY. The Assembly March passed without incident and there were no casualties. The Battalion was in position for the assault at 3:25 am.

BARRARGE. The barrage opened at 4:20 am and was accurately placed. The enemy immediately fired single and double Red and Golden Rain Light Signals. The enemy's reply to our barrarge was very ineffective but his Machine Gun fire was considerable during the early stages of the advance, but caused very few casualties.

LOCATIONS. Battalion Headquarters was located at P.16.c.1.7 before Zero, after Zero a temporary Headquarters was established at the Quarry at P.16.b.2.8 pending the report and the capture of ACCROCHE WOOD, from the two flank Companies.

THE ADVANCE. Owing to the dense fog observation was impossible and the tanks appeared to have great difficulty in keeping in touch with the direction. Runners were sent forward at 4:45 am to get in touch with the assault parties and at 5:15 am they brought back word from Captain: Albert Edward YATES 35th Battalion that his Company was through the Wood. Battalion Headquarters then moved forward through the wood towards CERISY VALLEY.About 150 stragglers of all Battalions including 3 Lewis Gun Teams were collected during the advance and formed into a Company.

Owing to the density of the fog and the obscurity of the forward position forward I deployed the Company and took them forward as far as GAILLY Line arriving there at 5:45 am. We later met a detachment of prisoners and were told by the escort that CERISY VALLEY was partially mopped up and most of the Units were moving forward to their objective. I than ordered all men of the 33rd and 35th Battalions to go forward to join their respective Units, and organised two posts with the men of the 34th Battalion, placing one in the enemy trench at P.24.b.3.3 (approx) and the other at P.18.d.0.7 (approx).

This latter post shortly afterwards established liaison with the 11th Brigade. The remainder of the Battalion assisted the 33rd and 35th Battalions in capturing and consolidating the GREEN Line. They were released from the GREEN Line between 9:45 am and 10:15 am and proceeded then to consolidate the GAILLY and RESERVE Lines as shown on map forwarded.

BOOTY. Owing to the conditions existing it was impossible to estimate the number of prisoners captured by the Battalion as prisoners from the 3 Battalions were grouped to reduce the number of men required for escort. So far no estimate has been made of the number of Trench Mortars and Machine guns etc, captured in the area. Salvage operations are in progress and as soon as they are completed a detailed report will be forwarded. In the CERISY VALLEY one 21 cm and eight 7.7 cm guns were captured together with large quantities of ammunition.

Major: Francis George GRANT.

Commanding Officer 34th Battalion AIF. (34th Battalion War Diary)

30-31st August 1918

On the northern flank the 3rd Division's attack had been arranged at short notice after a day exhausting to both infantry and artillery, and in the face of other particular difficulties. The timing of the attack was to be taken from the left where the 58th Division, somewhat further back than the 9th Brigade, started at 5:10 am behind a very slow barrage to attack Marrieres Wood. The 9th Brigade using the 33rd Battalion, started at the time arranged, 5:40 am, but the artillery had not yet received its orders and though it fired, the barrage was thin and machine-guns in the south-west corner of Road Wood stopped the 33rd.

One Company was late, but Captain: Walter John Clare DUNCAN. M.C. had swung his Company into its place. Major: Cedric Errol Meter BRODZIAK. D.S.O. was now killed while referring to his map.But within twenty minutes the artillery greatly increased its fire. The 33rd were able to raise their heads. A private Private: 726 George CARTWRIGHT. V.C. stood up and from the shoulder fired at the troublesome German gunner and then walking forward shot him and the two men who took his place.

Next, covering his run by exploding a bomb shot of the trench, he rushed the gun and captured 9 Germans. The 33rd stood up and cheered him, and then advancing by two's and three's entered the wood. Private: 792 William Allan IRWIN. D.C.M an Australian half-caste, after attacking like Cartwright, was mortally wounded and Died of Wounds on the 1st of September 1918.

The 33rd was now considerably behind the 6th London (58th Division), having chased the Germans from Marrieres Wood, was held up by fire from Wary Alley which curved up the gully between the woods. Coming through the south Company Sergeant Major: 967 Louis John MATHIAS. D.C.M & Bar. cleared the Germans by fire from a Lewis Gun.

The 33rd now set to bombing up the old trenches leading up to the upper end of the 1916 Spur where the Peronne-Bapaume Road also ran through. On the nearer side of the road a German battery commander with his gun crews and some infantry was blazing with six field-guns into the Australian groups every were they left shelter.

From the southward side Lieutenant: 559 Edward Allen TURNBULL. and Lieutenant: William Alexander McLEAN. M.C. of the 33rd-the latter greatly helped by the leaders of the 10th Brigade Sergeant 1007 E E Walters. D.C.M, 39th Battalion and Corporal 5024 A V Grinton. D.C.M, 38th Battalion, worked up and presently rushed the guns, the German Battery Commander fighting to the last with his revolver. He was shot by Lieutenant: 559 Edward Allen TURNBULL.

Captain: Walter John Clare DUNCAN. M.C. reaching realised that the old quarry beyond it was a commanding position and accordingly took it and 40 German prisoners and placed a post on its eastern rim. He then went back to Wary Alley, and finding some of the 6th London Regiment, got Captain: S T COOKE M.C, and 20 men to garrison the quarry while the 33rd lined the Bapaume Road on the right.

30th November 1918

Informant; Private: 1817 George Kingsley FRY. 34th Battalion/3rd Australian Machine Gun Company. Re: Major: Cedric Errol Meyer BRODZIAK. I might state that for your guidance that Major Brodziak was killed in action on the 31st not the 30th as stated in your letter. At the time of his death he was attached to the 33rd Battalion as a Company Commander, and it was while leading his men at an advance near CLERY-sur-SOMME, he was killed by Machine-Gun fire, the bullet passing through his head. He was buried about 200 yards due north of Clery-sur SOMME, very near the big wood, the name of which I have forgotten. There are two Officers and 6 other ranks buried in the same grave. His grave is marked by crossed triangles.

London.

George returned to Australia on the 12th of June 1919.

Family InformationGeorge was a single 19 year old Ironmonger from Charles Street West Maitland prior to enlistment, and served with the 14th Infantry Militia prior the World War 1. George's parents Richard and Mary Fry were married in West Maitland in 1890. Marriage Cert:4722/1890. They had 3 children, Neita S Fry born 1895 at West Maitland, N.S.W. Birth Cert:14206/1895. George Kingsley Fry born 1896 at West Maitland, N.S.W. Birth Cert:30980/1896 and died 1982 N.S.W. Death Cert:104124/1982. Frank Wadhurst Fry born 1891 at West Maitland, N.S.W. Birth Cert:20996/1891.