The Waratah March will be held in Helensburgh this Saturday, December 12.
The march will start at the Library in Walker Street and concludes with a service in Charles Harper Park.
It’s been organised by the Helensburgh Historical Society to commemorate 100 years since the Waratah Recruitment March of 1915.
According to Allan House of the Historical Society, when Britain declared war on Germany, Australians were asked to volunteer to join the campaign. The Government argued for conscription and put forward two referendums, however both were defeated.
Several recruiting marches were therefore held across the country, to recruit volunteers to ‘fight the Hun’. One of these was the Waratah March which began in Nowra on November 30, 2015 and passed along the coast up to Kiama, Dapto, and Wollongong, before heading along Lawrence Hargrave Drive through the Northern Illawarra, right up to Helensburgh, where it arrived on Tuesday December 14, before heading on to Heathcote, Rockdale and into The Domain, which was an 18 day trek.
The volunteers marched under the Waratah banner and wore civilian clothing, including distinctive white hats and waratah badges. They entered camp at Liverpool on December 17, 1915. Following training, most left for Pozieres in France between March and June 1916.
The following was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald:-
There was nothing lacking in the warmth of the welcome at Helensburgh. The township was astir with excitement, and the miners employed at the Metropolitan colliery were out in force to greet the men. About half a mile out the Waratahs were met by Dr. Cox, chairman of the recruiting association, and the school children, under the headmaster, Mr. B. R. Denning. The procession was headed by a police escort and the Helensburgh Town Band. The main street was decorated, and strings of flags were suspended with charming effect. On two arches were banners with the mottoes, “Welcome to Waratahs” and “Welcome Waratahs, God-speed and Good Luck ” Mrs. W Gill was in charge of the arrangements for providing meals at the Paragon Hall. The men are camping at the drill hall. Each member of the Workmen’s Club volunteering is presented with a guinea, and the recruiting association is giving a wristlet watch. Mr. G. Burn, M.P., stated this afternoon that he had received telegrams from the Inspector-General of Police, stating that provision had been made for 12 mounted police to escort the Waratahs from St. Peters into the city, and that Captain Harrison, of the A.M.C., would examine the recruits at Helensburgh, and that the Casula Band, under Bandmaster Rae, would be available on Friday to lead the men in from St. Peters to the city. 2
Nine men from the Helensburgh district joined the march and enlisted. They were Thomas Atkinson, William Barrie, Augustus Hendrickes, Maurice Lewis, Charles McGoldrick, Frederick Myles, David Owens, Ernest Trevethan and Mark Wheatley.
Thomas (Tom) Atkinson and Frederick (Fred) Myles were discharged during training at Liverpool and did not see active service. Atkinson was a married 27 year old and was discharged “at wife’s request”. Myles was too difficult to train. The recommendation for discharge reads “After every endeavour to impart a knowledge of drill, or the elementary ethics of Military Spirit in this man by the Staff Sergeant Majors, who have most patiently and industriously drilled him it is considered a matter of impossibility to arrive at any satisfactory stage, and I am reluctantly compelled to recommend his discharge.”
The following are the local lads who signed up:-
David Owens (Service number 5192)
(joined on 14 December 1915 at Stanwell Park)
David Owens, a hairdresser, was born on 8 September 1893 at Blackstone, Queensland. He was single, 22 years old and 5 feet 7 inches (170cm) tall with brown eyes, dark brown hair and a dark complexion. His religious denomination was recorded as Methodist.
David was attached to the 1st battalion with the rank of Private and embarked from Sydney onboard the SS Makarini on 1 April 1916. He joined his unit in France on 12 June 1916 and suffered shell concussion to the chest (mild) on 22/25 July 1916. He was admitted to the St John’s Ambulance Brigade. He was discharged for duty on 22 August 1916. On 31 August, he was charged with drunkenness forfeiting 28 days pay.
David rejoined his unit on 1 October 1916. He was wounded by a gunshot to the right knee joint and an incision wound at the “lower part of back thigh” on 9 April 1917. He was treated in the field before being transferred to England and admitted to University War Hospital on 12 June 1917.
David was returned to Australia on 16 July 1917 and was discharged medically unfit with a permanent disability on 13 December 1917. He died on 9 November 1920. 4
Ernest Trevethan (Service number 5242)
(joined on 14 December 1915 at Stanwell Park)
Ernest Trevethan, a labourer, was born on 13 January 1891 at Yalwal, New South Wales. He was married, 24 years old and 5 feet 8 inches (173cm) tall with grey eyes, brown hair and a medium complexion. His religious denomination was recorded as Church of England.
Ernest was attached to the 1st battalion with the rank of Private and embarked from Sydney onboard the SS Makarini on 1 April 1916. He joined his unit in France on 18 June 1916. He suffered shell shock on 22/25 July 1916, was treated in the field and rejoined his unit on 20 September. On 11 November he was charged with losing his “Great Coat”, admonished and ordered to pay for its cost.
Ernest was transferred to the Light Railways Corps on 27 December 1916. He contracted Trench Fever and was admitted to hospital on 30 May 1917. He was embarked for England on 16 June and hospitalised in London on 17 June. He was released from hospital on 13 August 1917 and given “furlo” from 17 to 31 August. Ernest became sick again early in 1919 and was admitted to hospital on 11 February suffering from influenza. He rejoined his unit on 16 February and was demobilised on 7 March.
Ernest was returned to Australia on 11 May 1919 and discharged on 15 August 1919.
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Mark Wheatley (Service number 5266)
(joined on 14 December 1915 at Stanwell Park)
Mark Wheatley, a labourer, was born on 5 September 1894 at Condobolin, New South Wales. He was single, 21 years old and 5 feet 7 inches (170cm) tall with grey eyes, brown hair and a dark complexion. His religious denomination was recorded as Church of England.
Mark was attached to the 1st battalion with the rank of Private and embarked from Sydney onboard the SS Makarini on 1 April 1916. He reported at the 1st Australian Divisional Base at Etaples in France on 20 May 1916, but became ill before deployment. Mark was admitted to hospital on 21 June 1916 with Pyrexia (fever). He was transferred to England suffering from Myalgia (muscle pain) on 3 July and hospitalised in various institutions until 27 May 1917 when he was sent to France for duty. On 6 June 1917, Mark was again admitted to hospital and recorded as “sick”. He was returned to his unit on 4 July 1917, but was soon ill again with Mastoid disease (middle ear infection). Mark was admitted to hospital on 14 July 1917 suffering from the disease. On 12 August, he was sent to England for an operation at Colchester Military Hospital. On 25 October 1917, the Medical Board ruled he had a permanent hearing disability and judged him permanently unfit for general service (deafness, Mastoid facial paralysis and Mastoid sinus).
Mark was returned to Australia on 21 December 1917 and discharged as an invalid on 9 August 1918.
This is not a photo of the Waratah March arriving at Helensburgh. It’s a photo of the March to Freedom
Augustus (Gus) Hendrickes (misspelt Hendricks) (Service number 5121)
(joined on 14 December 1915 at Stanwell Park)
Gus Hendrickes, a miner, was born on 13 July 1884 in Sydney. He was married, 31 years old and 5 feet 5 and a half inches (166cm) tall with grey eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion. His religious denomination was recorded as Roman Catholic. During training at Liverpool, he was arrested by the police for drunkenness on 15 February 1916 and charged by the military for being absent without leave for which he forfeited a days pay and was admonished.
Gus was attached to the 1st Battalion with the rank of Private and embarked from Sydney onboard the SS Makarini on 1 April 1916. He joined his unit in France on 14 July 1916. Gus was wounded in action on 5 November 1916. After treatment in the field for a gunshot wound to the hip, he was sent to England and admitted to “V.A. Hospital Exeter” on 9 November. He was discharged from hospital on 14 December 1916 and rejoined his unit on 28 June 1917. Gus was killed in action in Belgium on 4 October 1917.
Maurice Lewis (Service number 6272)
(joined on 14 December 1915 at Stanwell Park)
Maurice Lewis, a miner, was born on 14 November 1889 at Canterbury, New South Wales. He was single, 26 years old and 5 feet 10 inches (178cm) tall with grey eyes, dark brown hair and a dark complexion. His religious denomination was recorded as Church of England.
Maurice was attached to the 1st Battalion with the rank of Private and embarked from Sydney onboard the Euripides on 9 September 1916. He joined his unit in France on 24 April 1917 and was wounded in action on 30 September. After treatment in the field for multiple gunshot wounds to the legs, he was sent to England and admitted to Reading War Hospital on 12 October 1917. Maurice was discharged from hospital on 2 November. He was absent without leave from 22 to 23 November, tried and ‘fined’ 12 days pay.
On 6 December 1917, Maurice was admitted to Hospital for a nasal operation. He was discharged on 29 December. On 19 January 1918, he was admonished for being “drunk in King Street.” He rejoined his unit on 21 February, but again went absent without leave from 17 to 19 April. Apprehended by the Military Police, he forfeited 17 days pay.
Maurice was wounded in action with a gunshot wound to the thigh on 24 April and after field treatment was sent to England. He was admitted to Norwich War Hospital on 28 April and discharged on 28 May 1918. A day later, he was readmitted to hospital for further treatment to the wound. On 28 August, Maurice was returned to Australia where he was discharged on 7 November 1918.
Charles McGoldrick (Service number 5183)
(joined on 14 December 1915 at Stanwell Park)
Charles McGoldrick, a miner, was born on 16 October 1890 at Mt Keira, New South Wales. He was married, 25 years old and 5 feet 8 inches (173cm) tall with grey eyes, fair hair and a fair complexion. His religious denomination was recorded as Roman Catholic.
Charles was attached to the 1st Battalion with the rank of Private and embarked from Sydney onboard the SS Makarini on 1 April 1916. Before joining his unit in France, Charles was hospitalised with a Hernia on 3 June. He was discharged on 11 June and joined his unit in France on 27 July.
Charles was wounded in the right knee on 18 August 1916 and after treatment in the field, was transferred to England on 2 September. After his leg was amputated on 9 September, Charles contracted pneumonia and died on 16 September 1916.
Photo- The March For Freedom in Helensburgh. September 6, 1918.
