WW1 - Indian Soldiers - France

In August 1914, as the German Army advanced through France and Belgium, more Allied troops were desperately needed for the Western Front. The Indian Army, 161,000 strong, seemed an obvious source of trained men, and the Lahore and Meerut infantry divisions were selected for service in Europe. In October, shortly after they arrived, they were fed piecemeal into some of the fiercest fighting around Ypres. Losses were heavy. The average Indian battalion had 764 men when it landed; by early November the 47th Sikhs had only 385 men fit for duty. The fighting came as a shock to soldiers more used to colonial warfare. One man wrote home 'this is not war; it is the ending of the world'.

The troops were taken out of the line and rested in early 1915, but were soon back in the trenches and involved in the heaviest fighting. The Indian Corps provided half the attacking force at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in March, and the Lahore Division was thrown into the counter-attack at the Second Battle of Ypres in April. Morale seemed to pick up in the spring of 1915, only to decline towards the end of the summer when it became clear that an end to the war was not in sight. The Indians again took heavy losses at the Battle of Loos in September.

The two Indian infantry divisions were withdrawn from France in December 1915, and sent to Mesopotamia. Arguably they were moved because their morale was fragile, and it was thought unwise to expose them to another winter on the Western Front. But it also made strategic sense to concentrate the Indian Army in the Middle East, where it was easier to send reinforcements and supplies from India. Two Indian cavalry divisions remained on the Western Front until March 1918, when they were transferred to Palestine to take part in the offensive against the Turks.

 

Brislington House - John Hodges (Part 2)

John Hodges was transported to the colony in 1806, escaped in 1807 but was recaptured in Timor, and returned to Port Jackson. Hodges obtained a "Ticket of Leave" in 1814 and married a colonial borm women. They had two children and purchased a thirty acre farm at Seven Hills. In 1818 Hodges  recieved a "conditional Pardon" in recognition ofsending a horse and cart to carry stones.  Pardoned by Governor Macquarie, he became a landed proprietor and was eventually granted a liquor licence in 1821.

Early Parramatta history has it that one night, ex-convict Hodges, won the sum of £1,000 pounds in a game of euchre at the original Woolpack Hotel, situated on the north/east corner of George and Marsden Streets, in 1821.

Hodges, having won the money with the use of the ‘8 of diamonds’ incorporated the ‘8 of diamond’ pattern into a black brick mosaic pattern on the rear wall. This pattern still remains and can be easily seen. The building is a solid dark brown brick residence set well back on a large raised block of land in about 1¼ acres. The entrance being central opposite the small front gate. A very large fig tree shades the dwelling on the southern side. The roof was of galvanised iron, (probably originally slate) above which brick chimneys appeared towards the rear. A surrounding fence comprised of white painted wooden tapered pickets. The residence comprised of four rooms downstairs and four upstairs, approached by a wooden interior staircase. The floors are of solid wood. The outhouses, kitchen and pantry, servants quarters and bedrooms, a four stall stable and coach house, and a private water supply from a small well, (one of the first in the town) have all been subsequently demolished. Later a verandah was added on the southern side, replacing the original entrance.

The property was purchased by Sir Wigram Allen in about 1840. He later sold it to a Dr. W. S. Brown, a Medical Practitioner in 1857, whose son followed in 1888, and subsequently his grandson, Dr. K. S. Macarthur-Brown who also practiced medicine, while residing in Brislington. During the mid-1960 the dwelling was utilised by the State Government as a nurses home for the nearby Parramatta Hospital.

Brislington House was finally restored in the late 1990’s to its former glory by New South Wales government.

WW1 - Gyan Singh's letter to his brother in Punjab

Gyan Singh (Sikh) wrote (52) to his brother in Punjab in Gurmukhi on 15th April from Indian Army Depot Milford – on – Sea.

“The German is very strong. His planes sail the clouds and drop shells from the sky: his mines dig up the earth and his hidden craft strike below the sea. Bombs and blinding acid are thrown from his trenches which are only 100 to 50 yards from ours. He has countless machine guns which kill the whole firing line when in attack. When he attacks we kill his men. The dead lie in heaps. England is full of wounded. No man can return to the Punjab whole. Only the broken – limbed can go back. The regiments that came first are finished – here and there a man remains. Reinforcements have twice and three times brought them up to strength but straightaways they were used up. The German is very strong."

Reference:
Omissi, David, Indian voices of the Great War. Soldier’s letters, 1914-18, London, 1999.
PS - The transcripts of the original letters are kept in the India Office Library at the British Library, London.

Brislington House (Part 1)

 

Brislington is the oldest two-storey residence within the city limits of Parramatta.

1819:   Ex-convict John Hodges purchases land where Brislington House now stands.

            Hodges wins £1,000 in card game at Woolpack Hotel.

Construction of the two storey house is commenced.

1821:   The house is completed.

1825:   Hodges advertises the house for sale, “a large commodious two storey red brick building comprising four rooms on each floor with a variety of outhouses”.

1840:   Sir George Wigram Allen purchases the house and property.

1851:   Thomas Robertson resides in the house.

1857:   Local Doctor Walter Brown purchases Brislington House from Sir George Allen.

            Dr. Brown names the house, “Brislington”, after the suburb in Bristol, England.

            The Port Jackson Fig tree on the property was there when brown moved in.

1858:   Dr. Brown marries Sigismunda, and they set-up a doctors’ surgery in a down-stair front room.

1889:   Dr. Walter Sigismund Brown (second son of Walter Dr. Brown) marries Margret Macarthur and they take over the Brislington House residence and practice.

1890:   Keith Sigismund Macarthur Brown, (son of Walter and Margret) is born at Brislington House.

1897:   Dr. Brown dies, wife passes away in 1903.

1915:   Dr. Keith Macarthur Brown graduate from Sydney University Medical School.

1916:   Dr. K. Macarthur Brown marries Ayesha Borthwick and they reside in Brislington.

1919:   Dr. Keith Macarthur Brown after active service with the A.I.F. returns to Brislington as Dr. K. S. Macarthur Brown.

1947:   The Brown family, still in residence, are informed that the Parramatta Hospital will be resuming Brislington for expansion after 92 years of family occupation.

1949:   Brislington House becomes part of the Parramatta Hospital, nurses quarters.

1970:   White ants and borers create major damage.

            Plans to demolish the structure are considered.

1977:   An estimated $40,000 to 50,000 would be necessary to restore the building.

1983:   The Heritage Council issues a “preservation order” on Brislington.

1990’s Brislington is saved and is utilised as a Medical and Nursing Museum.

 Stay tuned for the next part ...

WW1 - Indian Soldier - A. K. DATTA

A K Datta was a supervisor with Indian Labour Corps. He was working with 147^th Coy Regiment. His service number was 620. His name is enlisted in Delhi Memorial (India Gate). His date of death is not known. His death date is listed as between  4^th August 1914 and 31^st August 1921.

WW1 - LONELY SOLDIER'S POST BAG

"One lonely soldier in the trenches, said Mr. Hobhouse. Postmaster- General, speaking at Bristol last night, advertised for correspondents in a newspaper, and three days later 3.000 letters, 6 bags of small parcels, and 90 large parcels were delivered to him. If all soldiers did the same the postal system would break down."

“As I -write, a telegram comes to hand from the Director-General asking if the British Post Office have allowed free postage or postage at a lower rate than to the public on parcels sent by any Red Cross or other institu- tion in United Kingdom for members of the British Expeditionary Force. I have never heard of any such concession and hope to find that the British Post Office has not done anything of the kind, as our parcel post service is already overtaxed and from the statistics given at the beginning of this diary it will be clear that there is no need to give the troops any further facilities for receiving parcels.”

“Mr. Roderick informs me that he has been given two months leave, and to his regret will not get back to work until the 5th of May. He has asked me to move the medical authorities to reconsider his case and let him back sooner, but I have replied that nothing I can say or do is likely to influence the decision of a medical board. “

“Barton Wright has been given one month's medical leave. He will return to India at the expiry of it.”

“B. N. Karve. who was wounded in the arm by a bomb thrown from an aeroplane is still in hospital in France, but continues to make good progress and should soon be well enough.”

 

William Gregory Fargie

William Gregory Fargie was born in Gosford. He was enlisted on 20^th May 1916. He was a Brass dresser by profession before joining the army.  He was a brother of Norman Fargie, Trongate St., Granville. William was in 54^th Battalian. His service number is 2893. He served in France and was killed in action. He is buried in Villers Bretenneux Memorial.

Harold George Erby

 

Harold George Erby was born 1893 in Parramatta. He was a son of George Thomas and Annie E Erby of Wigram St., Parramatta. His older brother Sydney Theodore Erby was also driver with 4th Div. Train and 20th A.S.C. He was a driver in 14th Coy. A.A.S.C. His service number is 10221. He served in France and returned to Australia on 27 November 1919. He was discharged from duties on 30^th January 1920.