Dewhurst, David Edward George

4181 David Edward George Dewhurst – 11th Battalion AIF

David Edward George Dewhurst was born in Redfern New South Wales to John and Maria Dewhurst in 1882. The family soon travelled west and set up residence in WA. David was educated locally and after leaving school he took up employment as a hairdresser. In 1904 he married Agnes Moffatt Jackson in Fremantle and they set up residence in Samson Street White Gum Valley. A daughter, Catherine, was born in 1908.

David tried to enlist shortly after the Great War began but he was knocked back on medical grounds. However he wasn’t put off and on the 13^th September 1915 he went to Swan Barracks in Perth and this time he was successful. The medical officer recorded David’s physical attributes as;

Height:                                     5 feet 5 & ¾;

Weight:                                    146lbs;

Chest Measurement:               34-36 inches;

Complexion:                            Fresh;

Eyes:                                       Blue;

Hair:                                        Brown;

Religious Denomination:         Church of England.

Upon his successful enlistment David was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.30 Training Depot. He spent several weeks in this depot undergoing basic infantry training. On the 9^th November 1915 he was transferred into the 13^th Reinforcements to the 11^th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA for the next two months while they waited for their departure orders to arrive. These finally came through and on the 17^th January 1916 David and his group boarded the HMAT Borda in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for Egypt. The sea journey took over three weeks and after reaching Egypt the men were disembarked in Suez on the 8^th February. They were then sent into the 3^rd Training Battalion. David trained with this unit in Egypt for the next several weeks as the 11^th Battalion was already at its full complement. On the 29^th March 1916 David travelled with the 1^st Division reinforcements to France, arriving at Marseilles on the 4^th April 1916. They were then disembarked and marched through the city to the railway station where they boarded trains which took them on a journey to northern France. David eventually arrived at Etaples where he formed part of the reinforcement pool of the 1^st Australian Division Base Depot. He would remain here for several weeks but he soon joined the 11^th Battalion near Fleurbaix France on the 24^th May 1916 and was posted to “B” Company.

The 11^th battalion moved to the Somme battlefield in July 1916 and they were to take part in the capture of Pozieres. On the 22^nd July 1916 the 11^th Battalion helped to capture Pozieres village but the Germans launched a devastating bombardment on the area, under which the 11^th Battalion suffered for several days. Casualties were immense though David came through unscathed. The 11^th Battalion were relieved but a few weeks later participated in the assault on Mouquet Farm.

In September 1916 the 11^th Battalion moved to the quieter part of the front in Belgium but by November they were back on the Somme where they would spend the 1916/17 French winter in the mud of Flers and Delville Wood. In late February 1917 the Germans began their withdrawal to their pre-prepared defensive position known as the Hindenburg Line. It was a fighting withdrawal, pressed all the way by Australian and British troops. The 11^th Battalion saw action around Morchies and Noreuil and eventually the Germans retired behind the Hindenburg Line.

On the 11^th April 1917 the 4^th Australian attempted to capture the Bullecourt position but was unsuccessful. The following month, on May 3^rd, the 2^nd Division attacked the Bullecourt position and were successful in taking the line but were low on numbers so the 1^st Division including the 11^th Battalion helped to reinforce the position. The fighting was fierce in the trenches with the Germans also using flame throwers however the Australians were able to hold what they had gained. David was severely wounded & concussed on the 5^th May when a high explosive shell burst nearby and injured the left side of his head, causing deafness in both ears, and also affecting his vision. David was subsequently evacuated to the 5^th Field Ambulance. He was then transferred to the 5^th Casualty Clearing Station on the 6^th May. The same day he was transferred on an Ambulance Train to 6^th General Hospital. The actual shrapnel wounds David suffered healed quite quickly but the damage to the ears and eyes was more serious and he remained in hospital in France until the 6^th August 1917. He was then transferred to a Convalescent Depot for a day and was then granted a period of furlough to England.

David arrived back in France on the 20^th August and was sent into the 1^st Australian Division Base Depot at Rouelles. He faced a medical board as while his shrapnel wounds had healed the damage to his ears was more serious and hadn’t healed. On the 11^th October 1917 David left France for England and reported to No.2 Command Depot camp at Weymouth. He was marked down for a return to Australia and on the 1^st November 1917 David boarded the HMAT Anchises in Devonport and set sail for Australia, disembarking in Fremantle on the 25^th December 1917. However before he could join his family for Christmas David had to go to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for a full medical examination which would go a great deal to decide whether he received a war pension. The medical officer found the incapacity was permanent and would affect his employment therefore David, his wife and daughter Catherine were granted war pensions. David was discharged from the AIF on the 21^st February 1918 and the war pension began the next day.

David died on the 28^th August 1953 at Melville Campsite. Neighbours had last seen him with a bottle of poison and had called the Ambulance. David Dewhurst was buried at Fremantle Cemetery in Presbyterian lot Mon EE 0763.