War Memorials and War Cemeterys

33rd BATTALION AIF.

Private: 2210 Joseph Richard KELLY. M.M.

Born:1898. Narrabri, New South Wales, Australia. Birth Cert:

Married:19th February 1919. Pershore, Worcester, England. Marriage Cert:ME 7685.

Wife: Eva Kelly.  nee: Moore.

Died: 1969. Burwood, New South Wales, Australia. Death Cert:19589/1969.

Father: John James Kelly.

Mother: Mary Kelly. nee:.

20th July 1917.

I wish to bring before you special notice the gallant conduct and devotion to duty displayed by the NCO's and men.

Private: 752 William Charles DELANEY. 33rd Battalion.

Private: 2210 Joseph Richard KELLY. 33rd Battalion.

Lance Corporal: 2019 Theodore SMITH. 33rd Battalion.

He has always distinguished himself by his courage, promptness and cheerfulness. Private KELLY has also been specially mentioned in Brigade and Battalion Orders for his splendid actions in the Battle of MESSINES when he acted as Company Runner, constantly taking messages to the front line and new posts through heavy artillery fire and also acting as guide to incoming reliefs to the advanced posts.

London Gazette 17th September 1917. Page 9614 Position 8.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 24th of January 1918. Page 83 Position 17.

12th December 1917

Joseph was commended for his actions, and recommended for a Military Medal

Returned to Australia on the 9th of February 1920 with his wife Eva on board the "Themistocles" and was discharged from the AIF on the 2nd of April 1920.

Under Construction. 22/09/2009-01/07/2019.

36th BATTALION - 33rd BATTALION AIF

Lieutenant: 1405 George Moffatt CARSON. M.M.

Born: 9th February 1881. Fort William. Calcutta, India.

Married: 

Wife: Marguerite Alice Carson. nee:. Died in India.

Died: 31st August 1918. Killed in Action Road Wood, Peronne, France.

Father: Major: William Paterson Carson. (1841-1906) Died in England.

Mother: Anne Annie Carson. nee: Watson. (1854-1924)  

George was taken on in strength in the field with the 36th Battalion and was B Company Signals Sergeant. Whilst on active service George was Charged with Neglect of duty in that having been ordered to have his billets cleared and men properly dressed at 7:00 am he failed to do so on the 14th of April 1917. Award Reprimanded by the Commanding Officer of the 36th Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel: John Alexander MILNE.

18th June 1917

London Gazette 16th August 1917. Page 8426 Position 76.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 20th of December 1917. Page 3376 Position 86.

George was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on the 26th of June and later detached to the Signals School at BAILLEUL, Belgium on the 2nd of August. After rejoining the 36th Battalion, George was selected as Brigade Signalling Officer on the 13th of August. He was again promoted to Lieutenant on the 9th of October in the field. George was granted leave to England on the 9th of December and returned on Christmas Day to the front line in Belgium.

He was once again detached to the Signals School on the 6th of January until the 28th of January 1918 but the next day he was treated by the 9th Australian Field Ambulance, suffering from Ochitis Eydidymites. George was admitted to the Australian Casualty Clearing Station the same day and returned to duty nearly a month later on the 24th of February. Just over two month later the 36th Battalion was disbanded on the 30th of April 1918 and George found himself being transferred to D Company 33rd Battalion, and was taken on strength in the field.

10th January 1919.

Informant; Private: 2405 Percy Ninnis Monkland VEALE. A middle aged man, 5ft. 8ins, fair, Signalling Officer. A man very popular with the boys-full of life. At BRAYE-sur-SOMME in the open, Lieutenant: 1405 George Moffatt CARSON was hit badly by shell, but body not mutilated. Killed instantly. His body was buried with three others a couple of hundred yards from where hit near SUSSANNE-BRAYE Road. I helped to bury him and Coy Pioneers made a cross for his grave whilst our company was resting.

Australian Auxillary Hospital, DARTFORD, England.

22nd March 1919.

Informant; Private 485 Norman Stanley KEMP Lieutenant: 1405 George Moffatt CARSON was attached to D Company. He was shot through the head by Machine-Gun fire, to the left of CLERY, in the early morning. He was buried in the same field, the same evening, and his grave was marked. He was buried with several others in one grave.

Australian Demobilising Base.

3rd April 1919

Informant; Private: 3379 Henry Burleigh SAYWELL. I helped to bury Lieutenant: 1405 George Moffatt CARSON (don't know company) on the night of August 31st, after he had been killed, I believe instantly that morning during the hop over by machine gun bullets through the shoulder and mouth at BENCHAVESNES, north of MONT ST-QUENTIN. I was a H/Qs runner at the time. We carried his body about 100 yards from where he fell to bury him. A cross was made for his grave. Private: 3132 Richard Stanley THOMPSON was buried in the same grave. I dont rember when he was shot.

33rd Bn Headquarters, Le Harve, France.

16th May 1919.

Informant; Private: 3155 William Patrick WARE I knew Lieutenant: 1405 George Moffatt CARSON personally. He was about 40 years of age, tall, dark and thin. He was very well liked. On 31/08/1918 we were at Mont St-Quentin. I was stretcher -bearing and saw CARSON in a sap. A shell came over and hit him, killing him instantly. I went ahead picking up wounded and saw no more of him.

Derringullen, YASS.

Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension.

George's mother Margaret Carson, died in November 1941 in Bannu, India. George and Marguerite Carson had 1 child, a boy named George Lefroy Carson

Fort William, Calcutta, India 1880's were George was born.

Under Construction: 23/12/2016-14/11/2020.

33rd BATTALION AIF.

Lance Corporal: 1803 Thomas COX. D.C.M.

Born: 12th July 1897. Coolatai, via Warialda, New South Wales, Australia. Birth Cert:22473/1897.

Married: 1925. Hamilton, New South Wales, Australia. Marriage Cert:8833/1925.

Wife: Jessie Cox. nee: Tyrrell. (1903-1936) Died at Newtown via Sydney, N.S.W. Death Cert:4106/1936.

Died: 29th September 1956. Warialda, New South Wales, Australia. Death Cert:32935/1956.

Father: James Cox.

Mother: Lena Caroline Cox. nee: Neilson.

8th August 1918.

The approach was made in two stages. The 33rd Battalion moved from VIEW SECTOR on the night of August 6th/7th to AUBIGNY and rested there for 24 hours. On the night of August 7th/8th the Battalion passed the starting point at C.3.C.70.20 at 10.20 pm. "A" track was used. The marking of the route was not sufficient, consequently it was picqueted by 30 men, including the band, under an officer. The march was made without incident or interruptions and we suffered no casualties. the head of the column reached the jumping-off line at 1.10 am. The march discipline throughout was excellent.

"A" track was laid to our left flank, consequently a tape line was laid to the center of the Battalion front. "A" and "B" Company's wheeled in single file to the right, and "C" and "D" Company's to the left. As shown in the attached map, the jumping line was in rear of our outpost line in places. There was plenty of room in the front line (BARRABOOL TRENCH) for the whole Battalion to be under cover. The original plan was to remain in this trench until zero minus 5 minutes. But the situation was so quiet that the Companies were able to take up their dispositions in their ordered formation, and so rest in the open.

This assembly was completed at 2.10 am. We had no casualties before zero hour. Lieutenant: 129 Walter Gilligan MASON. (A Company Scout Officer) had charge of laying the tapes and did this work very well. Six direction tapes each 100 yards long were laid, one on each flank of the Battalion and one in the center of each platoon front. These proved of the greatest value owing to the fog. The 33rd Battalion Scouts relieved those of the 38th Battalion who were holding the sector at 10.00 pm. At 10.30 they encountered an enemy post at P.21.B.30.20; the enemy threw bombs and wounded five of our men. Ten minutes later the 38th Battalion had an Officers patrol in NO MAN'S LAND but no further trace of the enemy could be found.

The Assault at about 4.00 am, as a dense fog arose, so dense was it that it was impossible to see more than 10 feet ahead. The whole artillery opened fire with great precision, and the barrage was very accurate. The fog made it extremely difficult to keep direction and to maintain formation, consequently the advance resolved itself into small parties moving on their own initiative. Only the first of the special ACCROCHE WOOD Signals could be seen, the smoke accentuated the fog. Even the barrage could not be seen.

ACCROCHE WOOD was strongly garrisoned and contained an abnormally large number of machine guns, but the garrison offered no resistance and readily surrendered. The attack was quite unexpected, and the fog was certainly to our advantage. The enemy remained in his dugouts during the bombardment. He gave us very little occasion to use bombs as he readily came forward with his hands extended above his head, one would almost think this was one of his favorite P.T. exercises.

Most of the guns in LONE VALLEY got away they were aided by the fog and all that we could do was to open fire on them. We captured only three guns in this valley, three 4.2's south of RAT WOOD. HAZEL WOOD was captured without difficulty. The GREEN LINE was reached according to schedule and consolidation immediately commenced. On the left protective barrage at 8.20 am when the 4th Division passed through us to the second phase of the attack, this line was re-sited and ran from Q.25.B.40.80; to Q.20.A.40.10; We were in touch with the 35th Battalion on our left and the 18th Battalion who did not occupy their allotted front. The sector was organised into four Company Sub Sectors each with two Platoons in the front line and two in support. Battalion Headquarters were established at P.23.D.50.50; The re-organisation and refitting of the Battalion was carried out without delay.

The barrage was excellent, not a single short being reported. All ranks are most enthusiastic in their appreciation of the exceedingly fine work of our artillery. The movement forward of our batteries to assist in the second phase was splendidly carried out. Special mention too must be made to the good work of the 10th and 9th A.L.T.M. Batteries and the 5th and 6th A.M.T.M. Batteries. One expected to see many more enemy dead in the area, not more than 50 were seen. The enemy's resorting to deep dugouts and his good form in athletics accounted for this.

The enemy's artillery was surprisingly feeble. At no time was his fire effective. When he eventually did learn something of the situation he lost no time in beating a hasty retreat. In the early stages the tanks were no assistance, being behind our troops most of the time. When the visibility allowed the tanks to go forward they did excellent work. Only one tank reached the green line with our troops. When they did get in front they were handled to great advantage. Their effect on the enemy's moral greatly delighted our men. The supply tank formed our dump 300 yards in rear of our line. The value of getting such large supplies forward so early and saving of infantry carrying parties cannot be overestimated.

The work of our machine guns could only be heard. Their fire appeared to be well concentrated and undoubtedly must have been accurate. Only one means of communication was possible, namely runners, and they had very great difficulty in finding their way; On the fog lifting viability and telephonic communication was established. The liaison patrols with the 5th Brigade on our right did not function.

Seven officers, 500 other ranks were captured. This is a conservative estimate and much below the totals submitted by the Companies. 457 can be definitely accounted for these having passed through Battalion Headquarters. 4 x 4.2 Howitzers and 6 x 77 MM Guns. These were captured by Lieutenant: 3072 Frank Albert HUTCHINGS M.C. and party and were marked and tagged. This party worked in the Second Division's area and captured these guns just north of LA MOTTE-en-SANTARRE. On returning in the afternoon to ascertain the number they found, that the guns had been taken away. The remaining there were captured at LENA WOOD. 30 machine guns. Of these 16 have been sent to the HAMELET dump. We have not the numbers of the remaining 14, but the total of 30 is a low estimate. a number of our guns were removed by other units which did not take part in the attack. 1 x Anti-Tank gun. 10 light Minenwerfers, 2 medium minenwerfer, 1 horse, 2 typewriters, large quantity of shells, rifles, equipment, documents and war material.

Casualties 10 Killed in Action, 50 wounded.

(33rd Battalion Unit Diary)

August 1918.

At Accroche Wood the 33rd Battalion expected stiff resistance, but in the fog the Diggers were on their foe before they knew it, and the Germans surrendered without firing a shot. Despite total confusion and a mix-up of units in the thick smog, the attack was an unqualified success. Most units had reached their objectives at the "Green Line" on time and were digging in by dawn. Fighting had been intense, and many of the 33rd were decorated for deeds of bravery and valor for that day. Their citations added further dimensions to the battle, and showed an amazing contempt by the Australians for any encountered dangers. It is a small wonder the Germans were quick to surrender.

18th August 1918

London Gazette 5th December 1918 page 14458 position 11

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 14th March 1919 page 423 position 14.

Under Construction; 24/05/2007-06/09/2014.

33rd BATTALION AIF.

 Lieutenant: 2559 Robert Horner FLETCHER. M.C.

Born: 19th October 1896. Armidale, New South Wales, Australia. Birth Cert:28368/1896.

Died: 17th March 1935. Lismore, New South Wales, Australia. Death Cert:4832/1935.

Father: Alleine Fletcher.

Mother: Sarah A Fletcher. nee:.

6th December 1917.

Informant; Lieutenant: 2559 Robert Horner FLETCHER 33rd Battalion. I was on duty in the new front line opposite St Yves on the morning of the 11th of June 1917. >Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER was C Company Commander and at about 12:30 am went forward to a post at Thatched Cot, 500 yards in front of our line to await the reports from a party under Lieutenant: 1263 Edwin Charles Pond THOMAS of A Company which had been sent forward another 400 yards to occupy Fuze Cot. At about 1:00 am no word from the party having reached Thatched Cot. Captain: LINKLATER went forward with his runner Private: 950 William Stanley SMITH to try and get in touch with the party. They did not reach Fuze cot. Two runners had been sent back by Lieutenant: THOMAS at about midnight of the 10th-11th June but did not reach Thatched Cot until about 3:45 am, when they stated that they lost their direction and had encountered a German Post. They lay in a shell hole thirty yards from the post to await daylight and while lying there they saw two figures approaching from the direction from which they themselves had come.

When these two figures were about 20 yards from the post they were challenged in English and two shots were fired. Then bombs were thrown from the German Post and the figures disappeared. By the light of a very light the runners saw about ten Germans apparently searching where they had last seen the two figures. There was nobody out from the lines at the time but the two runners, Captain: LINKLATER and his runner Private: SMITH Inquiries made by 2nd/Lieutenant: Richard Henry BLOMFIELD C Company of 33rd Battalion showed that Captain: LINKLATER'S name appeared on the German Death List of August 7th.

Note: Private: 950 William Stanley SMITH- MISSING. 7/12.6.1917. Captain: LINKLATER appears on German Death List of 7.8.1917 with no further evidence to report death in Germany.

3rd L.S. General Hospital Wandsworth, England.

Robert Horner Fletcher's Medals and Badges.

Under Construction; 08/06/2009-31/10/2016.