Folland, Vivian Iceley
No.4035 – Private Vivian Iceley Folland – 48th Battalion AIF
Vivian was the younger brother of Malvern, having been born in Fremantle on the 4th September 1898. He was also educated in Fremantle but the family soon moved to the country town of Williams. After leaving school Vivian found employment as a Grocers Assistant.
On the 8th May 1917 Viv went and enlisted in the country town of Katanning. He was given a medical assessment and was found to be fit for active service. The medical officer recorded his details as height of 5 fee 5 & ½ inches; weight of 118lbs; chest measurement of 34 inches, pale complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. Viv was then sent to Perth and Blackboy Hill Camp. He had a few months in the training depot to learn the basics of infantry work and on the 21st September 1917 he was assigned to the 11th Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion AIF.
This group was sent to Melbourne and it was here that they embarked on the HMAT Aeneas on the 30th October 1917. The journey to England took almost two months and they berthed at Devonport Harbour on the 27th December 1917.
Upon being disembarked, Viv’s group were sent to the 13th Training Battalion at Codford Camp. He now began training at this camp and many of his reinforcement group were sent to France reaching the 51st Battalion in time to serve at the crucial battle at Villers-Bretonneux. However Viv had been chosen to attend the 4th Division Signal School at Codford and this kept him in England for the next several months.
It wasn’t until the 6th September 1918 that Viv departed for France, being taken on strength of the 48th Battalion on the 11th September 1918. He had joined them just in time for the 48th Battalion’s last action in France at the Hindenburg Line. He came through his only action unscathed and Viv was still with the unit when the Armistice was announced. Viv went with the 48th battalion when they transferred to what had been the German occupied areas of Belgium. Vivian later recalled that when he was in France in WW1 he was called 'Petit Garcon' by the French as he was small in stature.
On the 23rd April 1919 he was sent to the 2nd Australian Field Ambulance suffering from measles and was then transferred on to the 55th CCS and subsequently the 14th Stationary Hospital. He remained here for a few weeks until he recovered and on the 16th May 1919 he was shipped to England. He spent the next several weeks at Hurdcott and Sutton Veny Camps but he was then given a berth on the ship City of Exeter for the journey home. Vivian Folland disembarked in Fremantle on the 16th August 1919 and after a medical check up at No.8 AGH in Fremantle he was released to return home.
He was officially discharged from the AIF on the 26th October 1919. Vivian returned to the family farm near Williams but in World War Two he again offered his services. He lowered his age as he stated that he was born in 1905 instead of 1898. He must still have been fit as he was accepted for service with the 2nd AIF with the regimental no.WX14290. He served as a Sergeant with a few units between 1941 to 1946, most notable the Australian Armoured Division. After he was discharged from his 2nd war, Vivian again returned to the family farm.
At the age of 84 he made the news when a large kangaroo attacked him and his dogs. He was going to his dog’s assistance when he fell over and then the kangaroo attacked him inflicting multiple wounds. He managed to kill the kangaroo with a big stick and then had to walk the 2km home to receive medical attention.
He continued to work on his farm till he was 90 before retiring to the town of Kojonup. In the late 1990’s Vivian led the Anzac Day parade in Perth and in 2000 he met the Queen at an event in Perth.
Vivian Folland died on the 14th May 2003 aged 104 years old. After his death in 2003 there were only 7 WW1 Diggers still alive in Australia.