De Decker, Louis

Private 2129 Louis de Decker, 11^th Battalion

Graeme Hosken and Heather (Frev) Ford, Montrose. (As published in Digger Magazine- with kind permission of FFFAIF)

ouis Frans de Decker (1892-1968) was the son of Jacques and Marguerite (Embayt) De Decker of 29 Raap Street, Antwerp, Belgium, and was born and educated in that city. He came out to Australia as a young man^[1] and was working in Fremantle, WA, as a labourer (platelayer) prior to enlisting. Louis was living at 106 Quarry Street, Fremantle, while his mother and next of kin was still living in Antwerp at 13 North Street.

            Louis volunteered for the AIF on 2 March, 1915, in Perth, WA, at the age of 23 years and two months. He was 5’9¼” tall, weighed 145 lb and had fair complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair, with tattoos of an anchor and name on his left forearm and a heart on his right forearm^[2]. Louis was a Roman Catholic.

Pictured right: Portrait of Louis de Decker from WA Fighting Sons of the Empire - vwma.org.au. Louis’ tunic has two wound stripes and four chevrons (for four years’ service). The riband on his left breast is usually for a bravery award, but as Louis did not receive one, it is not known what the light-coloured patch represents.

            De Decker entered Blackboy Hill Camp on 22 April, 1915 (his formal enlistment date) and was allocated to the 6^th Reinforcements to the 11^th Battalion of the 3^rd Brigade. Writing in the ‘Listening Post’ issue of 26 February, 1932, ‘Machine Gunner from Laverton’ said this about Louis at Blackboy Hill:

Louis de Decker was a native of Belgium, who joined up in Australia, and went away with the sixth reinforcement to the 11^th Battalion.  Though full of energy and a good trier, his over-confidence always made him do the wrong thing, and an impediment in his speech^[3] did not improve matters for him.

On his own statement he went into Blackboy to get a few good meals rather than from the spur of patriotism. After a few days of badly cooked stew, he obtained the job of cook. The stews became worse, but Louis achieved greater success as a kettle drummer. He succeeded splendidly in spoiling the time of a perfectly good drummer, and the reinforcements completely lost all idea of keeping in step. 

            On 6 June, Louis embarked from Melbourne on HMAT A62 Geelong. ‘Machine Gunner’ wrote:

Those who witnessed the embarkation of the reinforcement will never forget the touching farewell Louis took of the lady he described as his future wife. Having indulged rather freely that morning, he arrived late at the Fremantle wharf, and had to be conveyed to the ‘Geelong’ by rowing boat. The lady accompanied him to the vessel’s side. During the farewell embrace, they both tumbled into the water.  It was the wettest and most imposing farewell ever witnessed. No one else could have planned intentionally such unrehearsed tragic and comic acts as heralded the coming of Louis to Gallipoli.

            Source: ‘Listening Post,’ 26 February, 1932.

            After a short stay in Egypt, the 6^th Reinforcements (two officers and 138 other ranks) sailed for Gallipoli aboard HMT Berrima from Alexandria on 31 July, 1915. Louis was taken on strength of the 11^th Battalion on 4 August, just in time to take part in the defence of Leane’s Trench on the morning of 6 August.

            ‘Machine Gunner’ described an incident on the Peninsula involving Louis De Decker:

An inspection of rifles – Louis in the rear rank – bang!  A private falls out opposite – a ‘blighty’ through the shoulder.  A most surprised Digger stuttering his ignorance of the cartridge being in the rifle; court martialled; his stupidity got him off after a severe reprimand.

            Source: ‘Listening Post,’ 26 February, 1932.

            A court of inquiry was held on Anzac on 4 September into the matter.

Inquiry into the shooting of 705, Pte J Palmer, who was wounded in the trenches at 9.30 am on the morning of September 3^rd.

2^nd Witness: No. 676 Sergt LJF Jenkins

I was proceeding along the trench examining rifles of No. 12 Platoon. I came to a recess in which No. 2129, Pte de Decker had been placed the previous day. I picked up a rifle and inquired whether it was Pte de Decker’s rifle and was informed that it was. Pte de Decker was absent at the time. I proceeded to examine the rifle, opening the bolt and ejecting a cartridge that was in the chamber. I did not notice the cut-off was open. Then I closed the bolt and pressed the trigger, the rifle exploded, wounding Pte J Palmer. Pte de Decker returned and I asked him what he meant by leaving his rifle loaded. He informed me that when he left the recess the cut-off was closed and the safety catch back and there was no cartridge in the chamber. Pte de Decker was on duty in concealed firing recess of Q9 the previous night until stand down.

3^rd Witness: No. 2129 Pte de Decker

Last night I was taken from the support line and placed in new concealed recess off Q9. I remained there until stand down, when I again returned to supports. I placed my rifle beside me with five cartridges in the magazine, closed the cut-off, pressed the trigger and turned over the safety catch. I arrived with the last reinforcements and do not remember having been told that the rifle was to be unloaded by day in support line. I left my recess for the purpose of getting water and when I returned was informed by Sergt Jenkins that there had been an accident caused through my carelessness. This I deny, having left my rifle in good order when going away for water.

            Finding: That the shooting was purely accidental, but that Sergeant Jenkins showed great carelessness          in the handling of the rifle^[4].

            Two days after the inquiry, on 6 September, 1915, de Decker reported sick to the 1^st Casualty Clearing Station with pyrexia (high temperature from influenza). He was immediately transferred to the island of Imbros and admitted to the 25^th General Hospital.

On 18 September, after being transported to Lemnos, Louis became a patient at No. 1 Australian Stationary Hospital on Lemnos. His next move was to a convalescent camp on 15 October, only to be admitted the next day to the 24^th Casualty Clearing Station with influenza. After two day’s treatment, Louis was discharged to the Australian & New Zealand Base at Mudros on 18 October, then boarded a boat for Anzac Cove on the 20^th, re-joining the 11^th Battalion the next day.

            ‘Machine Gunner’ gave another anecdote regarding Louis on Gallipoli:

A call for machine-gun recruits from the infantry; our hero attends two lessons on mechanism; insists on calling the Vickers a ‘Wi-wi-wicker,’ and the firing pin a ‘wi-wi-wiring pin.’ Disqualified and back to the infantry to eat cheese and jam, and where words are only used when numbering the lines.

He dug out a huge unexploded shell near the beach; he happened to see where it fell. After three feet of sinking, finding it too big for a kit bag souvenir, he proudly carried it to the cook house. Seeing the deadly missile, the cook threatened to shoot him if he came any closer. He carried it half a mile to the artillery officer, who anxiously removed the pin. He was ordered at once to take it to hell or the sergeant. He took it to the latter’s camp, and left it on his table, and swore at the ingratitude shown to a member of the forces seeking knowledge.

            Source: ‘Listening Post,’ 26 February, 1932.

            Following the Evacuation of Gallipoli and some days spent on Lemnos, Louis arrived back in Alexandria on the Empress of Britain on 7 January, 1916. He was admonished and fined two days’ pay for being absent without leave at Tel-el-Kebir from 9.30 pm 22 January to 9.30 pm on 23 January. 

            The 11^th Battalion sailed for the Western Front on 29 March, 1916, and disembarked at Marseilles on 5 April. ‘Machine Gunner’ recounts a tale of Louis’ love life when he was in the Fleurbaix area:

Our hero visits the writer’s billet after walking two kilometres to write a couple of love letters to the two girls he left behind in WA. Every line was sufficient to impale him on the breach-of-promise fence, both contained the same sentiments. Anguish, hope, self-sacrifice, love, and earnest hope to finish off the Kaiser, whom he blamed for his long separation. This would give him a chance to get back and marry them both. As for breaches of promise, he would risk 25 of them to one court-martial or another month of service.

            Source: ‘Listening Post,’ 26 February, 1932. [Editor’s emphasis.]

            After training in the Armentieres sector for several months, the 11^th Battalion (part of the 1^st Division) prepared to enter the Battle of Pozieres. On 22 July, the day before the NSW 1^st Brigade attacked the village of Pozieres, Louis was wounded by artillery fire. He received shrapnel wounds to the back and side, and was admitted to the 1^st Australian Field Ambulance that day, and to the 1^st South Midland Field Ambulance on 23 July. Later the same day, Louis was admitted to the 1^st Australian General Hospital at Rouen.

            Private de Decker was discharged to the Rouen convalescent depot on 25 July and discharged to duty two days later, so his wounds were only slight, not the ‘severe’ that appears in his record. After a spell in the Australian Base Depot at Etaples, Louis re-joined his unit in the field on 25 August, 1916.

            In the freezing weather of winter 1916/17, Louis developed trench feet and was passed though the 2^nd Field Ambulance and the 36^th Casualty Clearing Station on 9 November^[5]. He arrived at the 1^st General Hospital at Etretat on 11 November and transported to England the next day on HS Formosa, where he became a patient at the 2^nd Auxiliary Hospital, Southall.

            Louis was discharged to Wareham Camp on 5 December, 1916, and arrived there the next day. He went absent without leave from 29 December to 4 January, and for this he was awarded 168 hours’ detention and forfeited 24 days’ pay.

            The reason for Louis’ absence without leave is probably explained by his marriage to Alice Henrietta Smith on 3 March, 1917, at the Registry Office, Lambeth, London, England. After the marriage, Alice lived at 17E Felix Street, Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth, London.          

            On 23 March, 1917, de Decker was transferred to the 70^th Battalion, which was to be part of the 18^th Brigade of the proposed 6^th Division AIF. While at Wareham, Louis again went AWL, from 5 pm, 29 April to 5.55 pm on 4 May. This time he was awarded six days’ Field Punishment No. 2 and lost 12 days’ pay, equal to three pounds.

            Louis again went absent whilst at Windmill Hill Camp, from noon, 1 June, 1917, until 8.30 pm, 12 June. This cost him 14 days’ Field Punishment No. 2 and 26 days’ pay (£5/10). Undeterred, he went AWL again, from 8 pm, 24 July to 10 pm, 25 July. For this one day of absence, Louis was awarded 14 Days’ Field Punishment No. 2 and lost 16 days’ pay.

            The idea for a 6^th AIF Division was abandoned, and so on 19 September, 1917, Louis was transferred back to the 11^th Battalion. He proceeded to France from Hurdcott on 9 October and re-joined his unit one week later.

            On 17 May, 1918, Louis reported sick, and was diagnosed with acute gastritis at the 3^rd Field Ambulance. Two days later de Decker was admitted to the 32^nd Stationary Hospital. He was discharged to a convalescent depot on 3 June and re-joined the 11^th Battalion on 6 July.

With the Australian divisions coming out of the line in October 1918, Louis took the opportunity to go absent from parade and was given seven days’ Field Punishment No. 2. He went on leave to the UK on 21 October and returned on 10 November, the day before the Armistice celebrations, which was probably a good thing for his commanding officer!

            De Decker went AWL once more, between 2130 hours, 19 January, and 1700 hours, 22 January, 1919. This led to 96 hours of Field Punishment No. 2. One week later, on 29 January, Louis left his billet and began his return to Australia, He marched in to the Australian General Base Depot at Havre on 1 February and embarked for the UK two days later.

            Louis disembarked at Plymouth (Weymouth) and journeyed to the Overseas Training Battalion at Sutton Veny, arriving there on 4 February. Now back in England, Louis must have been tempted to see his wife and went absent without leave at 9.30 pm, 22 March, until being apprehended by the military police at Bristol, only 50 minutes later. This cost him two days’ pay.

            On 29 March, Louis marched into No. 1 Command Depot from Warminster, then moved to No. 1 Command Depot on 12 April. At some time, Louis failed to embark on the Anchises, but this may have been due to him wishing to return to Australia with his wife on a family ship.

            Louis and Alice returned to Australia on the Konigin Louise, embarking on 21 June, 1919, and disembarking in WA on 2 August. He was discharged from the AIF on 2 October, 1919.

The birth of a son, Stanley George, was registered in Perth in 1920^[6]. In 1921, Alice and Stanley embarked at Fremantle on the Osterley and arrived in Plymouth, England, on 23 April^[7].

            Louis was a resident of London in 1922, so may have worked his way to the UK on a cargo ship. Records have him sailing to Australia on the SS Sophocles in 1926[8]. Heather found a Louis F de Decker (b.1892) living in Coventry, Warwickshire, in 1939, and married to a Jane L (stated b.1897). If this is Louis, he was either a widower, divorced from Alice before his second marriage, or a bigamist. Further research by Frev established that Louis F De Decker married Jane L Bray in the March Quarter of 1928 in Southwark [Marriage index]. Jane Louisa De Decker was born 23/10/1895, and died 21/2/1970 in Heywood[9]. She was of Prestwich Hospital, Lancaster [Probate record].

Louis de Decker died on 7 November, 1968. His name appears on this cemetery plaque [below] in Philips Park Cemetery, Miles Platting, Manchester, England[10]. Louis’ name is the last in the list of people on the memorial stone who died between 8/8/67 and 7/11/68 [Source: findagrave.com].

            While ‘Machine Gunner’ was correct in describing events in Louis life up until mid-1916, his recall doesn’t match the records after that:

Captured by Germans [sic], he smuggled himself into his fatherland, Belgium. His welcome to the village was as cold as the season. He left as early as possible. At this period Louis became a wandering Halley’s comet as far as the writer knows, but on reliable information after [sic] the Armistice he married a barmaid domiciled somewhere on the outskirts of London.

At the present time he may be the Keeper of the Tower, or figuring in Madam Tussauds’ waxworks, with his WA letters filed against him as a love defaulter and imposter, but quite an interesting personality.

            Source: ‘Listening Post,’ 26 February, 1932[11].

The men: Pte 705 James Palmer, ‘F’ Coy/11^th Bn & 3^rd Bn, 20-year-old tailor of Goodwood Park, SA, enl 7/9/14, wounded by bullet to abdomen 25/4/15, re-joined unit 1/6/15, accidentally wounded 3/9/15, RTA for change 20/10/15, disch 18/2/16, died 20/3/45; Sergt 676, later WOII, Leonard John F Jenkins, ‘F’ Coy/11^th Bn & 51^st Bn, 40-year-old insurance agent of Kalgoorlie, WA, enl 4/9/14, RTA 25/9/19. ‘Machine Gunner’ is not identified. Presumably he was in the 6^th Rfts/11^th Bn as he witnessed Louis fall into the water prior to embarking. No-one from Laverton was in the 6^th Rfts/11^th Bn, but it is possible that ‘Machine Gunner’ moved to Laverton after the war. One possibility is Pte 2228 Stanley Thompson Jarman, 6^th Rfts/11^th Bn & 3^rd MG Coy, 28-year-old fettler of Wagin, WA, enl 13/4/15, RTA 16/6/19. However, a more likely candidate is Pte 2199 William Ross DCM, 6^th Rfts/11^th Bn & 3^rd MG Coy, 35-year-old miner of Kalgoorlie, as he contributed an article to ‘A Digger’s Diary’ in the ‘Western Mail’ in 1936, under the moniker of ‘2199 (3^rd MGC), Laverton.’