Baensch, Herbert Ernest

Lieutenant Herbert Ernest Baensch

Herbert Ernest Baensch was born on the 28^th December 1888 in Summerfield, Mannum South Australia to Luise and Dienegott Baensch. The family soon moved to Victoria where they took up residence in Dimboola and Herbert attended the local state school. He later took up training in Gas and Electrical Engineering but was working as a farmer in 1914. He listed his only previous military service as being with the Dimboola Rifle Club when he enlisted on the 17^th August 1914. Herbert’s next of kin was his mother, Luise, who at that stage was living in Palmyra, near Fremantle in Western Australia.

Herbert was assigned to the 8^th Battalion AIF with the regimental No.519. His medical examination found him to be 6 feet 3 inches in height, weight of 13 stone; chest measurement of 37 inches; fresh complexion; blue eyes and dark brown hair. His religious denomination was Presbyterian.

After training at Broadmeadows Camp in the outskirts of Melbourne, Herbert embarked on the 19^th October 1914 aboard the A24 Benalla. After their arrival in Egypt the 8^th Battalion spent several months training in the desert. They embarked for Lemnos Island on the 5^th April 1915 where they spent a few more weeks in training. On April 25^th the 2^nd Brigade landed after the 3^rd Brigade, the 8^th Battalion were sent to reinforce the southern Anzac sector, with Bolton’s Hill being named after their commander. Herbert was severely wounded in the chest on April 25^th and was evacuated back to the hospital ship. Initially sent to Egypt, his wound was deemed serious enough for him to be sent to England where he would spend the next five months in hospital. Herbert made a good recovery and was fit enough to rejoin the 8^th Battalion. On the 26^th November Herbert was made a Lance-Corporal and stayed with the 8^th Battalion on Gallipoli until the peninsula was evacuated.

On arrival back in Egypt, and with the AIF expansion from 2 divisions to 5, Herbert was transferred to the 8^th’s ‘daughter’ battalion, the 60^th. He only spent a month with the 60^th when he was sent to the 58^th Battalion in March 1916. Apart from a bout of influenza, Herbert stayed training with the 58^th until their departure for France on 17^th June 1916.

After their arrival in Marseille on the 23^rd June, the 58^th were sent up to the north of France in the vicinity of Armentieres. He was one of the lucky members of the 15^th Brigade to survive Fromelles unscathed and shortly after the battle he was promoted to Corporal. He served the next eight months with the 58^th Battalion. In March 1917 he was attached for duty with 15^th Brigade headquarters, only returning to the 58^th on the 10^th of April 1917. On his return Herbert was promoted to Sergeant. On the 2^nd May 1917 Herbert was admitted to hospital with trench fever, only returning to his unit on the 25^th May, therefore missing the Bullecourt action.

On the 12^th August 1917 Herbert was promoted to Lieutenant and was detached for instruction at the 1^st Anzac Corps School. He returned on the 10^th September 1917 and served with the 58^th in the Third Battle of Ypres until he left for England on furlough on the 27^th September 1917, returning on the 16^th October 1917.

The next few months were spent in the muddy trenches of Flanders & Messines, though in February Herbert was given a spell from the trenches when he was sent to the Australian Corps School of instruction. He returned in time to see the 58^th transferred to the Somme due to the massive German breakthrough that had occurred on the front held by the Third and Fifth British Armies. On the 7^th April 1918 he was detached to 15^th Brigade Headquarters as an interpreter and served as such during the successful 15^th Brigade assault on Villers-Bretonneux. On the 3^rd June 1918 he returned to the 58^th Battalion and on the 22^nd June while in Culcairn trench just north of Ville-sur-Ancre, he was killed by a German shell.

Herbert was buried in Ribemont Communal Cemetery Plot A.8.