Hale Brothers

Lieutenant Walter Horace Elgar Hale - 12th Battalion AIF - 15101 Gunner Arthur Harry Vernon Hale - 8th Field Artillery Brigade & 7074 Private Daniel Everard Cyril Hale - 11th Battalion AIF

‘No two ways about it, this war is a cruel war’

The Hales were one of many families who had more than one son serve in the war. Walter Horace Elgar, Arthur Harry Vernon & Daniel Everard Cyril Hale, all Fremantle born & bred served with the 1^st AIF in the First World War. All three brothers seemed to go by their third names in the various correspondences they sent during the war i.e. Elgar, Vernon & Cyril.

All three grew up at the family house in Attfield Street South Fremantle and attended the nearby Beaconsfield Primary and Fremantle Boys School & were heavily involved in local community activities particularly with St Paul’s Church in Beaconsfield.

After the declaration of war Elgar was the first of the brothers to enlist in September 1914. He was 26 years old and was passed as fit by Captain Edward Brennan the Medical Officer of the 11^th Battalion and late of Fremantle Hospital.

Elgar was assigned to G Company of the original 12^th Battalion on the 6^th October 1914. This Company was led by Captain Lalor, grandson of Peter Lalor of Eureka Stockade fame.

The 12^th Battalion was formed in 3 states, with Tasmania providing half and the other half split between Western Australia & South Australia. While the majority of the Battalion trained in Tasmania, the two WA Companies continued their training at Blackboy Hill Camp. On the 2^nd November 1914, Elgar embarked with his battalion at Fremantle Harbour on the H.M.A.T. Medic for the long journey to Egypt.

(Photo below the WA Companies of the 12th Battalion on the Pyramid in Egypt)

After training in Egypt with the rest of the AIF, the 3^rd Brigade to which the 12^th Battalion belonged, embarked from Alexandria in March aboard the “Devanha” and arrived at Lemnos Island. The 3^rd Brigade trained at Lemnos and were selected to be the first to land at Gaba Tepe. The 9^th, 10^th & 11^th Battalion’s were to be the spearhead while the 12^th Battalion was split among the other three battalions. Elgar’s company was to land with the 11^th Battalion.

On that famous morning when the Australians landed on the Turkish coast, the men of D Company of the 12^th were spread between Plugges Plateau and the Nek. Many were killed and wounded in the fighting that followed but the recently promoted Corporal Elgar Hale survived unscathed and was mentioned in the 12^th Battalion history for his courage and leadership that first day.

In the next week of fighting it was reported in official channels that Elgar had been severely wounded and had been evacuated onto the ship “Clan McGilvery” where he died of his wounds on the 3^rd of May 1915. Fortunately this official report was a mistake and Elgar was still fighting on the Peninsula. Unfortunately his family received the ‘official’ news and mourned Elgar at home for several weeks until the news that he was still alive came through. Fortunately some of Elgar’s mates also wrote home to tell that the news was false.

Youle Beatty

You saw the paper where Elgar Hale died of wounds. Well! It is wrong. He is still alive and well. I don’t know how a mistake like this could happen. It is the second time I have known a thing like that to occur.

Once the fighting had settled into trench warfare, the 12^th Battalion took up position towards the south of the Anzac positions. Here they were involved in trying to improve the trench system in anticipation of a heavy Turkish attack. This occurred on the 19^th of May and was repelled with very heavy Turkish casualties.

Elgar Hale – 19/5/15

I am in the trench writing this and got a smack just below the ankle of the left foot with a bit of stray shrapnel while reading your letter. It has only made a small bruise, my boot being a good protection. The shot and shell has been literally screaming over since very early this morning and is still going good. My word we do give the poor old Turks a terrible doing. I think it is wonderful how our boys love fighting. It is just the same as sport. Australia can hold its own against the world…Although the Turks have reported in their papers that they drove the Australians into the sea we are still on their little bit of “Terra Firma” and intend stopping there until we have settled the job we came for. The only driving into the sea we have had so far is when we want a wash.

Elgar Hale – 25/5/15

I have got a section…Our Lieutenant is the only officer left with us at present of our old Company Officers. I am still keeping in the best of health and hope you are the same. I am getting tired of shot and shell flying around all day and today is the 31^st days continuous fighting.

A day later Elgar was hit slightly wounded in the finger and was evacuated to a hospital ship however his stay on board was short and he was soon back on the peninsula. On the 1^st of July Elgar was promoted to Sergeant

Elgar Hale – 6/7/15

Just a few lines to let you know that I am still in the very best of health. Naturally with what news you have had about me you have not been writing so yours truly has not received a letter from anybody for some time. I do hope that the mail is very close now with a letter from you. I f you have got all the letters and postcards I have posted here you must know by now how anxious I am to hear from you.

The mail to the soldiers on Gallipoli at the best of times was slow as Reg Falkner, another Fremantle man in the 12^th Battalion wrote back home about.

Reg Falkner

Dear Mother I am writing you a note from the trenches to let you know I am well. There are plenty of bullets flying about ones head but you get used to them after a while. One of our chaps got wounded in the arm yesterday so we have been lucky. I have not got any letters yet so am anxious to hear from you.

Yet for Elgar, his family had naturally stopped writing when the news of his death came through so there was not to be any mail for some time.

Since the failure of the attacks on Gallipoli through April & May, the British & Australian commanders had been planning a large scale attack, with which it was hoped might finally break the stalemate at Anzac Cove. Several attacks were planned across the line. The 1^st (NSW) Brigade was tasked with the capture of Lone Pine. On August 6^th they raced across the open ground and succeeded in entering & capturing the Turkish trenches, however the Turks fought back very hard, and the Brigade were having difficulties holding on to their gains. The 2^nd Brigade & 12^th Battalion of the 3^rd Brigade were called on to reinforce. Upon arrival in the captured trenches, the men of the 12th found them crammed with dead & wounded Australians & Turks. The 12^th made their way to different portions of the captured trenches, some men assigned to the defence of Lone Pine and others to clear the wounded and dead away.

Elgar was sent with a party to the forward position to help retain the captured trenches.

Elgar Hale

I suppose you have read about us taking three rows of Turkish trenches last August 6^th. They kept a terrible lot of dead lying in the trenches and we had to walk over them all night and about on them. It is better though than having them standing on one’s self. Isn’t it? The beggars nearly got me with a bomb. I had quite a nice job. Chasing bombs as they landed in the trench and dropping a bag of sand on them, so as to localise their explosion. I saw one coming through the air and was bending down picking up the bag to drop on it; but it exploded just behind my back and knocked me over. A chap, a friend of mine who was with me, told me afterwards that he looked for me as the smoke and dirt cleared away and saw me with a bag of sand on top of me and a chap lying across me. All I know is that I struggled out with my eyes and mouth full of sand and my ears buzzing and very deaf. About half an hour after I was as good as gold again.

Unfortunately others were not so lucky, including Fremantle residents Reginald Falkner & Arthur Curelwis. Reginald Falkner’s body could not be found and so is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial. Arthur Curlewis later died of the severe wounds he sustained in this attack.

While Elgar was up in the trenches, among those attempting to clear the trenches was Pte Harold Errington of the 12^th. Errington, a tramway employee of South Fremantle, rescued many soldiers, one of whom, Arthur Goldie of the 4^th Battalion, wrote back to Errington’s father in Fremantle.

Arthur Goldie

My dear Mr Errington I am forwarding a letter from George on to you which he gave me when I was wounded. I am leaving the Dardanelles. He was alright and he told me to tell you not to worry over him. I must say he is the best friend I have ever had, he carried me a good quarter of a mile over dead Turks in the trenches. I owe my life to him, but for him I would have been there now. I sincerely trust that he will come out of it all right.

Fortunately both Harold Errington & Elgar Hale survived Lone Pine.

However the close call with a bomb did leave Elgar with concussion and as he was also sick with Bronchitis, Elgar was evacuated to hospital on the 8^th of August, firstly to Mudros and then Alexandria in Egypt.

After a short rest he returned to Gallipoli on the 10^th of September

Elgar Hale – 27/9/15

 Your very welcome letter to hand for which I was very pleased to get. I like you beat count the days weeks and months since I first enlisted, and now I am beginning to count the years; but I don’t think we will have another 12 months of it. Anyway I hope not. I hope you enjoyed the evening at Taylors. I am surprised though to hear that Wesley has gone or was going into camp. I received a letter from Mr. Jack Bateman and quite a crowd of his employees have enlisted. He says that he wished the war was at an end…By all accounts from letters I have received all the boys in Fremantle and Perth are enlisting. I wonder what all the girls will do. They I suppose will enlist as nurses…

The beggars are trying to lob some bombs in here now, but they are lobbing short. I don’t care how long they keep them there as they can do no damage. Archie Dawey is just this minute looking like the cocky glassroach I mean glassy cockroach with a pipe in his mouth asking me who or If I am writing to Dill. I said no, but to Beat, and he sends his love. Bob Cambpell is here now talking to Archie and by strike they are two wags. Bob wants a message sent though to Sir Ian Hamilton to send a keg of beer.

Life continued on as normal for the 12^th over the next two months as they rotated in and out of the line at Anzac. On November 25^th 1915 the 12^th Battalion were sent to Lemnos Island to rest and recuperate after their 7 months on the peninsula. Unknown to them at the time however was that this would be their last sight of Gallipoli as a decision had been made to evacuate the troops from the peninsula.

 The 12^th Battalion stayed billeted on Lemnos until 1^st January 1916 when they were shipped back to Egypt. In early December 1915 Elgar had been made Company Quarter Master Sergeant for D Company and found his duties very much increased.

Upon arrival in Egypt, the 12^th took up residence in the Egyptian desert at Tel El Kebir, the site of an 1882 battlefield.

Elgar Hale 27/1/16

Here I am again bobbing up in all kinds of places. At present the sand is blowing in clouds all over the desert and the wind which is doing the lifting of the sand is bitterly cold…My word Beat I only wish I was in that fortunate position to have an aeroplane. I can assure you that I would make a direct flight for the little grey home in the West. I never like to hear that dear old Father is looking unwell. I do hope and trust that he will not be doing too much hard work, for I think the dear old soul is getting a wee bit old now. When I get back please tell him I want to see him looking in very good health. I t would really worry me if I thought he was ill at all… Well Beat things are going to be very monotonous here for a while so if we stay here very long I won’t know what to write about unless the enemy who we are looking for makes an attack.

In February 1916, with the expansion of the AIF, the 12^th Battalion split in half to help form the 52^nd Battalion of the 13^th Brigade. Many Western Australians went on to the new 52^nd Battalion though Elgar stayed with the 12^th. Many ranks were promoted during this period and Elgar was no exception, being made a Company Sergeant Major. The 12^th Battalion embarked for France on the 30^th March 1916.

Meanwhile Arthur Vernon Hale, who had enlisted in October 1915, had been initially sent to a Signal School before getting a transfer to the Artillery Training facility at Maribyrnong in Victoria.

Vernon Hale

24^th March 1916 Maribyrnong: No doubt you already know that our expected departure has been cancelled. We have been here over four months now and are naturally eager to leave. Perhaps indirectly we are better off than the chaps who have been sent away as reinforcements, in so much that we have a chance of getting into an entirely new Brigade. The authorities intend forming such a Brigade & which will compromise three batteries of 18 pdr Guns & 1 Howitzer (4.7) Battery. If a chap has the good fortune to get in such a Brigade, he retains the rank he is admitted as, In reinforcements he loses them on reaching Egypt. The Brigade is expected to leave about May.

Our camp has grown considerably during the last few weeks, so much so that we have three institutes here for our use now. There is a Wesleyan tent, a YMCA tent & the above. The C of E institute is a permanent building. Splendidly furnished and the east end being set apart as an altar. The Chaplain is very popular & conducts evensong every Thursday night. It is Thursday this evening & already there are lots of soldiers waiting for 8 o’c to come. Just at present (7.50) that tables are lined with men writing etc. When it is 8 o’c the lights down this end are turned out and all present must attend service or leave the hall. It is a great contrast to see to see a number of men, all in their knockabout camp attire attending service. Most of them are in dungarees, some with woolen cardigans on, and a few in uniform. They all join in with the responses and amen’s, and the singing of the hymns is just great

(Below - photo of Gunner Arthur Sellars and Vernon Hale-both from Fremantle)

Vernon eventually left Australia as part of the 2^nd Reinforcements to the 10^th Field Artillery Brigade on the 4^th May 1916. After arrival in Egypt he was sent to the Artillery Details whom which he travelled with to England through France in July 1916.

Vernon Hale

The short time we had in France, I was especially enamored with. The glories of southern France incomparable & I could not keep but think of the vast difference in the scenes that are being enacted in the Northern part of the same country.

After Elgar’s & the 12^th Battalion’s arrival in France in April 1916 they took up position in the line near Armentieres. Three months were spent here to learn the art of trench warfare in France before they were sent down to the Battle of the Somme. This battle had been raging since the great British Offensive was launched on July 1^st 1916. The Australian infantry launched their first attacks on July 20^th, with the 12^th going into the line on the 21^st. For the next month and a half the 12^th fought hard around Pozieres and Mouquet Farm. Elgar was involved all the way through, on the 5^th August being commissioned a 2^nd Lieutenant. Fortunately he survived the fighting though fellow Fremantle members of the 12^th were not so fortunate. Private’s Henry Bath, John Cross, Thomas Harvey, John Toohey & L/Cpl Norman Livesey all lost their lives. Elgar was one of the last to see Norman Livesey alive. According to the Red Cross

Informant states that on August 21^st about 6.20 p.m. at Mouquet Farm, Livesey was wounded in the advance, but was able to walk to Mouquet Farm where he took refuge in the cellars. Lt Hale, coming along with the 2^nd line was greeted by Livesey, who shouted out to him to keep over more to the right. Our line subsequently withdrew behind Mouquet Farm and our men saw the Germans next morning taking away our wounded on stretchers.

Unfortunately none of these Fremantle men’s bodies were recovered and all are commemorated on the Villers Bretonneux Memorial.

Elgar Hale – 28/8/16

We have had two very severe fights with Fritz this month, both of which were victories for us and both of which I was fortunate enough to live through. At present we are withdrawn from the Somme front and after a spell we expect to do a bit of trench warfare again. Certainly the latter is the safest warfare, but I much prefer the attacks for the best sport…Some good sport chasing the Huns as they run helter skelter after throwing down their rifles and discarding their equipment. When this war is over which I hope is not very far off, there will be very few Germans left, for the numbers we are killing off daily is enormous. One hasn’t the least idea of the thousands upon thousands of Germans being killed on the Somme front until they have seen it and I can say that I have seen it. No two ways about it, this war is a cruel war.

The Australians were eventually withdrawn from the Somme and sent to rest in a quieter part of the line at Ypres. When Elgar was on duty in Belgium, Cyril had enlisted in Fremantle & Vernon was still in the Artillery camp in England.

Vernon Hale

19^th September 1916: My first sight of England I shall never forget. We had a fast and thrilling trip across the Channel, the little boat was crowded with soldiers and it was about 3am that morning where we followed three little British destroyers into the Solace and anchored off the Isle of Wight. England’s shores could be dimly discerned thro’ the haze and it was some time before I fully realized that I was actually going to land in the ‘old country’. To a British Colonial it has a mysterious attraction, and as a boy at school I always felt that I would like to see England. Then we read of England and her many wars & now today when she is in the midst of a critical struggle, my wish is fulfilled.

I have been six weeks in England now & have visited the big smoke twice. The first thing we did of course was visit such places as the Tower, St Paul’s and The Abbey. In fact I visited the Abbey twice. Lots of it most valuable treasures have been removed to a place of safety owing to the Zepplin menace, but nevertheless we had a fine tour of the ancient and beautiful building. St Paul’s is glorious but unfortunately I did not have the chance of attending a service there. Fancy entering two of the most famous structures of the Christian church after seeing the heathen worship in the Mosques of Cairo & Ismailia. There we saw half clad natives worshipping different tombs, gesticulating and muttering in a guttural tongue. They are very fanatical and not even our presence would divert their attention from their devotions, that is if you can call them as such. Watching them gave me quite an uneasy feeling…

Camp life here on the plains so far is good but the winter is going to be cold. There are thousands and thousands of soldiers here and we see some interesting things at times. Our camp is of course all artillery but there is a huge ASC camp adjacent. At Larkhill about 6 miles away, the greater portion of our Australian troops are camped…

In the latest papers from home we read of the Conscription agitators. It’s the last thing I want to see in Australia. In my opinion it seems so unnecessary. They have simply thousands of our chaps awaiting the test here & they don’t seem able to utilize us. We see lots of English conscripts here. Hundreds of poor undersized weavers from the Lancashire mills are hustled into camp here for a few days and a high percentage of them are discharged soon after. Very few of the men that are sent here appear to be fit for any very active service. It seems to much like driving lambs to the slaughter

Despite much effort by the Prime Minister William (Billy) Hughes the conscription bill was defeated in Australia in 1916 though both Western Australia & the soldiers in the AIF recorded a narrow margin of Yes votes over No votes. The Fremantle region recording a majority yes vote

When the conscription referendum was being debated, Cyril Hale, who had spent 5 years in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve, enlisted in September 1916 and began training at Blackboy Hill camp in Perth.

In France, Elgar’s Battalion had been transferred back to the Somme in October where further advances were attempted despite the horrendously muddy conditions. The Somme offensive ground to a halt in the mud but the Australians continued to hold the line around Flers. On December 22^nd 1916 Elgar was wounded by shrapnel, being struck just above the left clavicle and through the neck. He was taken to the 38^th Casualty Clearing Station where metallic fragments were removed from the wound. From the C.C.S. Elgar was transferred to No.3 General Hospital at Le Treport where further aid was undertaken. His wound was deemed serious enough for evacuation to England, and so on the 27^th December, Elgar embarked on the “Dunluce Castle” from Le Harve and once in England spent the next two months in Hospital at Wandsworth.

A day after Elgar was wounded, Cyril, assigned to the 23^rd Reinforcements to the 11^th Battalion, left Fremantle on the “Berrima” on the 23^rd December 1915. It would have been a sad Christmas in the Hale house with all three sons now on active service abroad. Cyril arrived in England in February 1917. Unlike his two brothers, Vernon was heading away from England. He had been assigned to the 29^th Battery 8^th Field Artillery Brigade. He joined them in a freezing cold France on the 4^th January 1917.

Vernon Hale – 21/1/17

Before moving up here into action we were billeted in a village several miles to the rear. Here we had a pretty rotten time, mostly on account of our horses. The poor beggars were fully exposed to all weather conditions & we were kept constantly occupied with these…We are on duty all the time and at times not a little variance from the roar of the guns. They seem to be bellowing from every point of the compass but thank goodness they are our own & the screech of the shell overhead means trouble for some unlucky Hun…Since writing the foregoing we have been ‘busy’. It only lasted a short 1½ hours but in that time, altho’ some degrees below freezing point we managed to get a sweat up. Our little gun threw over eight score shells into Fritz, poor old Fritz.

Elgar & Cyril were undergoing different experiences in England. Cyril was training with the 3^rd Training Battalion at Durrington Camp Wiltshire while Elgar was undergoing Convalescence at Perham Downs. Being passed as fit for active service he was sent to Parkhouse Camp and by May was back at the 12^th Battalion. Elgar missed the May battle at Bullecourt as did his brother Cyril who joined the 11^th Battalion. They joined their units just in time for a three month stint out of the front lines. Vernon however was still active in his duties with the Field Artillery.

Vernon Hale – 1/5/17

Yesterday morning I saw for the first time a Hun aeroplane brought down. There has been a good deal of aerial activity of late. At about 9am I noticed two German planes coming over flying at an enormous height. Suddenly above them appeared a third plane. At first I thought it was another Fritz but was soon disillusioned. Our chap swooped down to the rear Hun plane & they both increased their speed. Soon we could hear the distinct rat-a-tat-tat of a machine gun and the Hun plane was observed to fall some hundreds of feet at a terrific rate & seemingly out of control. The pilot however regained control but continued rapidly downwards and in the direction of the enemy lines. As he passed us it was quite easy to see the reason for his hurried descent – the plane was in flames. Fate seemed against the poor beggar though, for still within our lines and from some distance up the machine took a frantic dive earthwards.

For the first time in the war all three brothers were in the same place at the same time.

Vernon Hale – 13/5/17

My dear Sister

I have some great news for you this mail, news which I have been waiting to write of for a long time and that is the meeting of we three boys. Yes! Last Saturday was the beautiful day on which I met Bosun & Squib. Can you imagine how delighted & pleased such a trio would be.

Last Saturday I got news that the 11^th & 12^th were at a neighbouring village and of course next day I set out to find them. It was awfully wet and moreover I rode a bicycle. Curiously enough as I learnt afterwards, who should arrive at our camp looking for me some twenty minutes after my departure, but Elgar. Ha-ha. He was riding a bicycle too I believe and just about wet through. However my ride was much further than I anticipated. In fact I went quite a round about way following the directions of other 1^st Div chaps.

Anyway after about three hours I landed quite excitedly in a little village and made enquiries for Elgars billet and in a typical old French farm house I met him. He was having dinner and this child received quite a cordial reception (& a jolly fine dinner) in the Officers Mess. They were a fine happy crowd of chaps and with very few exceptions original members of the Battalion. Of course Elgar and I could not talk quickly enough and what was more we had to find young Cyril. Another ride of about ten minutes took us to the vicinity of dear old Squibs billets. I was riding a little ahead of Elgar and strolling some distance ahead were two of the lads of the 11^th. One I instantly recognised as Squib, so I rode up and hopping off I said “Hello Squib”. Strike he nearly fell over with surprise.

Can you picture we three boys meeting after such a long time. I think we were too excitable to discuss things much. They are both in splendid condition. Elgar is just about as well as I am and has a splendid athletic build. Although outwardly he is thoroughly happy and contented I reckon he’s a well bit homesick. Of course his men can’t be beaten in his estimation and what is more he looks after them.

Young Squib is well formed & inches taller than either of us two. He has not got any fatter but looks extremely well and fit and what is more he seems quite contented. We only had a few minutes together, but they were happy ones and if all goes well I hope to see them again soon.

There is still another item of news & that is I met old Ern Aberle too last week. He is still the same old original & looking jolly well on it too.

We had quite a wintry spree of weather lately, rained incessantly for three days & nights. It is still showery."

Unfortunately this was to be the last time that all three brothers were able to meet. By the end of October 1917 one had been killed & the other two badly wounded.

During June, July & August the 11^th & 12^th Battalion’s were at rest in the French countryside. Unfortunately for the troops it meant Officers enforced Army regulations more stridently.

Cyril Hale – 2/7/17

Of all the ridiculous things in the Army is the compulsory church parade every Sunday. The parson tries to speak to the whole Brigade in the open air and about the first two ranks of the square are the only ones who can hear him. The remainder or majority of them all swearing of blaspheming something awful. A couple of the lads who were more religious and had a bit more respect for religion than a lot of others stayed away one Sunday because they had been so disgusted the Sunday before. That day they were crimed by the OC of the Company who remanded them to the Battalion CO who gave them 5 days Second Field Punishment and these lads never had a crime against them before & now they have been made criminals whereas before they never had a stain on their characters.

Though he didn’t say so in the letter, Cyril, following his beliefs was one of those who stayed away from the Church Service and unfortunately got punished as a result. He was awarded 5 days Field Punishment by the C.O. of the 11^th Battalion.

While Elgar & Cyril had been out of the line, Vernon had been in the action. His battery was heavily involved in the Battle of Messines in June 1917 and in the lead up to the Third Battle of Ypres which kicked off on July 31^st 1917.

The artillery batteries were largely in positions that were overlooked by the Germans and they were not slow to send their own shells against the British & Australian Gunners. Casualties among the artillerymen were large though fortunately in this initial period Vernon escaped unscathed.

Vernon Hale – 22/8/17

It would be difficult for me to adequately describe our surroundings when we first stepped on regained Belgian soil. I gazed on the desecration & havoc caused by the terrific fire of the artillery. It seems incredible that the devices of mere man could be responsible for such a scene. The whole earth has been torn up – hardly a square yard of native green grass stood – here and there were mutilated stumps (an interruption here to view an aeroplane falling. We don’t know if it’s a Hun or not – a gruesome & terrible death). The whole ground was honeycombed with shell holes, everything seemed dead. War of course leaves a yet more horrible sight – war material was strewn everywhere, telling a very sinister tale. Fortunately there is a decided amount of humour in this game and as it is, I suppose a characteristic of the Australian to laugh; we hack out a good deal of fun despite an occasional sad incident.

The Third Battle of Ypres ground to a halt in August due to the wet weather but the attacks started up again in September with slight gains.

The troops of 1^st Anzac Corps moved up to the front line in early September. In the forthcoming attack which was scheduled for the 20^th of September, the 1^st & 2^nd Divisions would both use two brigades in the actual attack and each brigade would be attacking with one battalion on the first & second objectives and two battalions for the third objective. Their objective was the capture of the German positions along Menin Road at Glencourse Wood, None Boschen & Polygon Wood. The 11^th & 12^th Battalion would be heavily involved.

According to Cyril’s Battalion historian, as the battalion moved forward;

It was a wonderful scene: the shadowy figures of the men cautiously and silently moving forward in the fitful glare of all kinds of flares and lights; the bright, dazzling light of an exploding incendiary shell throwing up the dark figures into sharp relief, and then welcome darkness once again; the feeling of keyed-up excitement as the men slipped and squelched through the mud, and the determination to get on at all costs. All this made a memory of outstanding clarity for all those who survived.

The attack was a success and the 11^th & 12^th Battalion’s secured their objectives. Further attacks continued over the coming days.

Three days after this successful attack Vernon, having finished his daily duty with the 29^th Battery went to rest in his dugout located near the Menin-Ypres road. While he was asleep a German shell landed right next to his dugout, completely blowing it in with the result that Vernon was buried. Fortunately, fellow Battery members were able to dig him out before he suffocated and the first Vernon remembered was waking up in the Field Ambulance Station.

Evacuated to No.10 CCS Vernon’s injuries were treated before being sent further back to No.4 Stationary Hospital. He was to spend the next several months in Convalescent Hospitals on the French Coast.

Cyril & Elgar again went up to the front line in early October as part of a further push towards Passchendaele however their two battalion were in reserve for the attack on the 4^th. After the successful assault on Broodseinde Ridge both battalions were to occupy the captured positions for the next week.

According to the 12^th Battalion history;

Orders were received to move into the front line that night to relieve the 1^st & 4^th Battalions. It was a particularly dark night, and a drizzly rain made it still more unpleasant. The duckboard track leading to the front line was badly damaged by shell-fire in front of Anzac Ridge, which caused several platoons to become hopelessly bogged in the morass. In many instances, men who were heavily laden with guns and ammunition sunk well over their knees in the mud and water and only floundered deeper in their efforts to extricate themselves. Officers were eventually forced to detail men to take up positions on solid portions of ground and to lend a helping hand to pull their comrades out of the quagmire. It was during a period similar to this that a shell burst and killed Lieut. W.H.E. Hale and Cpls. Hamilton and Henderson.

Lt Walter Hale, at that time 2^nd in command of his company was leading his men into the line when two German shells fell right in their midst and killed him and the two aforementioned men. The soldier who had survived the Anzac Landing, Battle of Lone Pine, Pozieres & Mouquet Farm, now lay in the mud in front of Passchendaele, killed by a chance German shell. His fellow officers later came back and gave him a decent burial, with the adjutant, Lt Newton, putting two box shrubs on his grave. All that could be managed in the horrendous conditions.

Private Cowderoy of the 12^th was an eyewitness to Elgar’s death;

He was up in the trench leading a party over when he was struck by a shell and wounded in the breast; and he died a few hours later. I saw this myself and helped to bury him 300 yards on the other side of Zonnebeke Gasometer. We went out of the line. On November 3^rd we took a cross up and the Adjutant & Intelligence Officer were there. When we arrived at the grave we found that the body had been blown out and also those of two soldiers. The two officers and the party buried all three again and put up a cross for Lt Hale and the two soldiers.

Unlike in 1915 when his family received the telegram of Elgar’s supposed death, this time it would be unfortunately accurate. It is unknown whether Cyril in the 11^th Battalion heard of Elgar’s death before he was himself badly wounded three days later.

Cyril was evacuated through the 3^rd Field Ambulance and further on to hospital on the French coast. His wounds were deemed serious enough for evacuation to England where he was admitted to Bethnal Green Military Hospital. Cyril was listed as suffering from a

Gun Shot wound to the left leg, Gun Shot wound of the left arm & compound fracture of the left tibia. He was to spend several months recovering in England.

Vernon was now the only brother still in France where he would spend many months in convalescence.

Vernon Hale – 21/12/17

At present it is freezing hard, everything is frozen and I suppose the locals will say it’s going to be a typical Christmas. ‘Tis certainly a season of many happy old time memories but the usual joyous festivities will surely be missing. When I think of the dear old home folk and of the recent sad events it naturally saddens me. Dear old Elgar’s passing out is hard to take. Many other boy pals & friends too have crossed to the Great Beyond, others have been sadly maimed. Only yesterday I received news of poor old Walter Flindells awful wounds. His right arm and leg have been amputated! God! Tis cruel.

It all tends to make me skeptical & the past twelve months spent in France & Belgium have been a gamble from beginning to end. Every day an experience, every day an adventure. Sometimes humorous, sometimes sad, but chiefly cruel and relentless.

In England, Cyril had been transferred to No.1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital where his wounds were deemed serious enough that when fit he would be repatriated to Australia. On the 4^th of March 1918 Cyril left England for Fremantle on the Hospital ship “Karoola”. Vernon was soon to follow as he had never fully recovered from the injuries he suffered after his dugout was blown in, the most serious being a curvature of the spine. He was sent to England from France in June 1918. By October 1918 he too was on his return home.

Both Cyril and Vernon were discharged from the Australian Imperial Force and attempted to get on with their civilian life as best they could.

Elgar continued to be mourned and through the years after his death, the army authorities sent various items to the family. First were Elgar’s possessions that he had in France. Three separate consignments arrived through 1918. A sealed Valise was sent to the Hale’s which contained;

1 Wallet containing Photos & Papers, 4 pairs socks, 2 shirts, 1 towel, 1 Scarf, 2 Brushes, badges, 1 Soap Box, 1 Mirror, 2 Razors, 1 Shaving Brush, 7 Collars, 3 Ties, 1 Pair Woollen Gloves, 5 H’Chiefs, 1 Housewife, 1 Cigarette Holder, 1 Pen Knife, 1 Fountain Pen, 1 S.D. Tunic, 1 “Sam Browne” Belt, 1 Pair Binoculars in case, 1 Mattress, 1 Trench Coat.

In July 1921 the Memorial Scroll was sent to the Hale’s followed in December 1922 by the Memorial Plaque. Elgar’s service medals would soon follow.

In the years after the war the Imperial War Graves Commission took charge of the old battlefield cemeteries. Due to the large amount of fallen who were buried in individual & small battlefield cemeteries, it had been decided to move many of these to create larger cemeteries. Elgar’s original burial place was exhumed and he was moved to a larger Cemetery. In 1921 his sister, Beatty, wrote for photos of Elgar’s grave which the Army authorities duly sent.

Today Elgar lies surrounded by many of his Australian comrades at Tyne Cot Cemetery Belgium, Plot LIX.F.45

His father also had a plaque in his memory installed at Honour Avenue in Kings Park Perth in 1919

After returning from the Great War Arthur returned to the family home at  37 Attfield Street Fremantle and began work as a Civil servant at the Titles Office Lands Department.

In 1923 Arthur married in Perth to Linda Moar and a son John was born in 1924. After a short time in Fremantle they moved to Darlington in the Perth Hills.

Sadly Arthur died on the 24th January 1925 in Victoria Park. He was buried at Fremantle Cemetery plot Anglican MON AA 1035. The Daily News published an obituary for him on the 29th January 1925.

After Cyril returned home from the war he also returned home to 37 Attfield Street Fremantle. He took up employment as a clerk/civil servant.

In 1925 he married Rachel McCormack at St Paul's Church Beaconsfield and a daughter Lorraine was born in 1932 and a son Robert in 1935.

His father William died at home in Attfield Street in 1931.

In the late 1920's Cyril and the family moved to 48 Healey St Beaconsfield. In 1937 this was renumbered to 30 Healey. Cyril and his family lived here through to the 1960's.

Cyril also had requested a street to be named Hale Street after his two brothers. So Healey Road was renamed to Hale Street.

Cyril died on the 17th February 1967 aged 72. He was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery