Angwin, Ben
Lieutenant Benjamin Angwin MC – 28th Battalion
Ben Angwin was born at Egremont, Whitehaven, Cumberland, England on the 23rd October 1886. He came to Western Australia with his family while still young and attended the local Fremantle Primary school. He worked as a Clerk in the Government Stores Depot and had always held an interested in the military having served pre war in the 86A Senior Cadets while at school and later the 11th Australian Infantry Regiment. Ben was married to Maud in 1911 and they lived at 183 Queen Victoria Street Fremantle. (later renumbered 116 Queen Victoria Street)
Ben successfully applied for a commission into the AIF in August 1915 and subsequently enlisted into the AIF as a 2nd Lieutenant on the 27th September 1915.
Ben was attached to the 9th reinforcements to the 28th Battalion which embarked at Fremantle on the 12th February 1916 aboard the H.M.A.T. Miltiades. Upon arrival in Egypt, Ben went to the 7th Training Battalion and was sent on to France as the 28th Battalion had already departed Egypt. On the 6th July 1916 Ben joined the 28th Battalion in the fields of France just as they were preparing for their role in the Battle of the Somme.
On the 29th July 1916 the 28th Battalion launched an attack along the Pozieres road towards the German lines. The artillery had not cut the German wire with the result that the men of the 28th were cut to ribbons by machine gun fire. All the officers in Ben’s company were quickly either killed or wounded and he was the only officer left with his Company. He reorganized the attacking waves; sent messages back to HQ updating them on the attack and continuously went out to rescue men who had been caught in the barbed wire and went up and down the line under heavy machine gun fire to keep up the spirits of his men. He was awarded the Military Cross for this attack which the 28th Battalion had suffered over 460 casualties.
He was promoted to full Lieutenant and no rest was given to the battalion as they were involved in the next attack on the 5th August. Ben was badly hurt in this attack, as he was buried by German shell fire. His men scrambled to dig him out, fortunately finding him alive but unfortunately he was soon after again buried, his men once again digging him out but finding him unconscious. Ben was eventually evacuated back to hospital in England where at No.4 London General Hospital he was found to be suffering badly from the effects of shell shock and gas. He had general debility with headaches, bronchitis and haemoptysis.
Fronting the Army Board with his injuries he was found to be unfit for further active service and it was recommended that he return to Australia for a rest. However Ben spent the next five months in England in various hospitals recovering from what was termed as Neurasthenia. On the 12th February 1917 he set sail from England on the A38 Ulysses, arriving in Fremantle on the 6th April 1917 for ‘5 months change’.
On the 30th May 1917, Ben was assessed at No.8AGH in Fremantle where he was found to have improved his condition and while he was still fit for service in Australia, his condition had not improved enough for overseas service.
Ben was therefore kept on duties in the Citizen Forces, though unfortunately his health never improved and he died on the 5th February 1919. He was buried with full Military honours in Fremantle Cemetery Plot Meth BB65.
(Photo - Ben Angwin in the middle)