Counsell, Vernon Percy

2604 Private Vernon Percy Counsell – 13th Field Artillery Brigade

Vernon Percy Counsell was born in Fremantle WA in 1885. In his service record Vern states that he had seven years of military experience in England so it is presumed that after his birth in WA the Counsell family went to England. However he returned to Australia and was working as a bridge labourer prior to the Great War. Jack was a resident in Orbost Victoria when he offered his services to the AIF. He had tried to enlist in 1914 when the medical standards were at their highest but he was knocked back. On the 3^rd August 1915 he tried again when he enlisted in Melbourne and this time he was successful. The medical examiner recorded Vern’s physical attributes as;

Height:                                     5 feet 6 & ¼ inches;

Weight:                                    10-13 stone;

Chest Measurement:               33-37 inches;

Complexion:                            Dark;

Eyes:                                       Brown;

Hair:                                        Black;

Religious Denomination:         Roman Catholic;

Distinctive Marks:                    Scars on shin, forehead, left leg; moles on back and shoulder.

After his successful enlistment Vern was sent to Broadmeadows Camp where he was put in a training depot to learn the basics of soldiering. Vern remained in the depot until the 10^th October 1915 when he was transferred to form a part of the 6^th Reinforcements to the 23^rd Battalion AIF. He had just over two weeks with this unit at Broadmeadows Camp as on the 27^th October 1915 Vern’s group boarded the HMAT Ulysses in Port Melbourne and set sail for Egypt. After disembarking in late November, Vern and his group were sent to the reinforcement camp. Due to Gallipoli being evacuated the AIF Battalions were soon returning to Egypt and were brought up to strength from the reinforcement camp. It does not appear that Vern joined the 23^rd Battalion. It appears that he remained at the depot camp until March 1916 when he was assigned to the 5^th Division Ammunition Column. Vern had got into trouble while in the depot camp at Zeitoun for using threatening language to a superior officer and as a punishment was given 42 days of detention. Vern was given the rank of Driver and proceeded to work with the 5^th DAC for the next three months in Egypt while they trained in preparation for service on the Western Front.

On the 20^th June 1916 Vern and the 5^th DAC left Alexandria on a transport ship and sailed for France, disembarking at Marseilles a few days later. After being disembarked the men were sent to the rail yards where they boarded trains which took them to Northern France in the region of Armentieres.  Vern was still with the 5^th DAC when the 5^th Division fought the Fromelles battle on July 19 and a few days after the battle he was promoted to Acting Bombardier. The 5^th Division remained in the Armentieres sector until late October when they moved to the Somme. On the 24^th November Vern was admitted to hospital with trench feet, a condition caused by the freezing weather then being experienced in France.

Vern was sent to hospital in Rouen and his feet were in a serious enough condition that he was sent to England to recuperate. On reaching ‘Blighty’ Vern was admitted to the 1^st Southern General Hospital on the 4^th December 1916. As he had left his unit Vern had to give up his rank of Acting Bombardier and reverted back to Driver. On the 23^rd February 1917 Vern was released from hospital and sent to No.4 Command Depot at Wareham though while he was in England Vern contracted Venereal Disease and on the 10^th April 1917 was sent to the 1^st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford. He remained here until the 25^th May when he was returned to the Depot at Larkhill.

Vern had the next few months in England while his fitness improved enough for him to be sent back to France. On the 8^th August 1917 he boarded a troopship in Southampton and sailed across to France, where upon arrival he was marched into the Artillery Depot at Rouelles. He only had a few days here and on the 12^th August 1917 Vern rejoined the 5^th Division Ammunition Column. The 5^th Division were then out of the front line though the artillery was still playing a role in the bombardment of German lines during the Third Battle of Ypres in Belgium. Vern’s role during this period as a driver with the 5^th DAC would have been to keep the artillery batteries supplied with ammunition, and it was a dangerous role as the Germans had most of the roads under observation and pounded the main roads with artillery fire. The 5^th Division artillery supported the Australian Infantry actions at Menin Road, Zonnebeke, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde and Passchendaele during September & October 1917. In November the 5^th Division were still near Ypres when Vern took two days unauthorised leave. When he reported back for duty he was fined 7 days pay.

In early December 1917 Vern was transferred for duty to the 13^th Field Artillery Brigade and he served with them through the next few months in Belgium.

In March 1918 as a result of the German offensive which broke through the Third and Fifth British Armies, the Australian Divisions were sent south to the Somme to stop the enemy advance. The artillery also accompanied the infantry south and set up their lines near Bonney. Vern’s 13^th FA Brigade supported the Australian infantry in their fight with the Germans through April onwards particularly around Villers-Bretonneux. The Germans launched several assaults on the Australian lines with the result that the artillery lines were also heavily bombarded with shells and gas. During this period Vern and five other drivers were mentioned in despatches due to their bravery. The official recommendation reads;

“At 3.45am on 24^th April 1918 when the 51^st Battery Wagon Lines situated south of Bonnay were subjected to a heavy H.E. and gas shell bombardment, these driver were conspicuous by their coolness and rapidity in turning out . Later when the guns of their section were ordered to withdraw they acted as drivers for the two gun teams and proceeded under an NCO to the Battery position. In doing this they had to pass through a heavily shelled area, and on arrival at the gun positions found a heavy concentrated bombardment. It was then necessary for them to wait until the guns were manhandled from the pits, during which time the hostile shelling was accurately placed on the Battery position causing several casualties to men and horses. During this time although their horses became restive, these Drivers remained perfectly cool and self possessed. They undoubtedly set a splendid example of courage and devotion to duty, and by their conduct succeeded in getting the guns away safely, and their behaviour is worthy of special mention.”

Vern’s unit remained in this sector for the next few months though on the 27^th July he was sent to the 20^th Casualty Clearing Station, suffering from a sprained knee. He was then put on ambulance train and sent to Le Treport where he was admitted to the 16^th General Hospital. He rested his knee for the next two weeks and on the 9^th August Vern was sent to the Australian Convalescent Depot at Le Havre. He had a few more weeks rest here but on the 27^th August was sent to the Artillery Depot, in preparation for a return to his unit. On the 7^th September 1918 Vern rejoined his unit, though in his absence the large allied advance had taken place and his artillery battery had also moved forward a great distance. Vern saw action with his 51^st Battery for the next several weeks as the Germans were being pushed back. On the 31^st October 1918 Vern was given leave to Paris and he returned on the 10^th November, just missing out in celebrating the Armistice in the French capital.

Vern remained with the 51^st Battery until the 24^th December when he was given leave to England, returning to France after the New Year on the 5^th January 1919. The men in the Battery were slowly being sent to England in preparation of being sent home. Vern left for England on the 14^th February 1919 and went into camp of the 2^nd Training Brigade. On the 13^th April 1919 Vern boarded the SS Wyreema and sailed for Australia, eventually disembarking in Melbourne in May 1919. Vern was officially discharged from the AIF on the 25^th July 1919. Vernon went to live in Corio when he returned