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Loney, Ernest Stirling

237 Corporal Ernest Stirling Loney - 36th Heavy Artillery Group

Ernest Stirling Loney was born in Victoria Australia in 1895 to Peter and Isabella Loney. He had an older brother Peter, born in 1893, and a younger brother Allan, born in 1896.

Shortly after their birth the family moved to Western Australia in 1902 and the boys completed their education in the Fremantle/Cottesloe region. The Loney's lived in both areas.

All three boys were good athletes but it was Ernest who seems to have been the champion swimmer in the family.

Ernest joined the Royal Australian Garrison Artillery at the Fremantle Artillery Barracks in 1912. He also lived in the accommodation at the Barracks.

Ernie took part in many swimming competitions in the Swan River from 1913 to 1915 either from Applecross to Barracks Street Perth, from Fremantle to Perth or from Perth to Guildford.

The newspapers reported on his swimming feats;

GUNNER LONEY'S SPLENDID

ACHIEVEMENT.

Undeterred at his defeat by the elements a fortnight ago, Gunner E.S. Loney, of the R.A.A., Fremantle, made a second and splendidly successful effort on Saturday to swim from Guildford to Perth, a distance reckoned at between 17 and l8 miles. LoNey was in the pink of condition, and after

camping overnight by the riverside at Guildford, set out on his long journey down stream at 7.45 a.m. A large number of enthusiasts had gathered to see him start, and three officials of the West Australian Amateur Swimming Association were present to check the time, and accompany Loney on his journey. The day was extremely favourable, there being an almost entire absence of current, and it was not until the Causeway was reached that a freshening breeze and choppy water made
the swimmer's task unpleasant. Loney started off at a strong pace, and his first six miles were covered in exactly two hours. Bayswater being reached at 9.45. A little nourishment was here partaken of for the
first time, and the next three miles to Sandringham were covered in an hour and a half. Maylands jetty (about 13 miles) was reached at 12.30, Loney still swimming strongly, the last four miles only taking about 75 minutes. The next stage of about four miles lo the Causeway were covered in about 90 minutes, the Causeway being reached at 2 p.m. Up to this point Loney had used the trudgeon stroke without any break, except for two brief respites for nourishment, but once the Causeway was passed choppy water was entered and a stiff breeze encountered. The effect is indicated in the time taken to cover the last stage to-the Barrack-street jetty, which was reached at 3.24 p.m., the whole journey occupying 7 hours 39 minutes. From the Causeway Loney swam alternatively with, breast and trudgeon strokes, and sprinted over the last 20 yards with the "crawl."- A big crowd at the jetty gave the plucky swimmer an. ovation as he left the water, apparently comparatively fresh. When seen later in the evening, Loney declared that he scarcely felt the effects of his self-imposed task. He hopes some day to make an attempt to swim the English Channel.

He was also an active member of the Fremantle Rowing Club. In one event in 1914 Ernie's rowing crew beat Daniel Aaron's crew (Later Captain 16th Bn), then beat his brothers crew in the Semi finals and in the final won that event. The cup being presented by Mr. Dixon Hearder (later a Major in the 11th Battalion).

With the advent of the Great War, Ernie and the other permanent Gunners at the Fremantle Artillery Barracks were put on a full war footing, manning the guns around Fremantle Harbour including at Fort Forrest and Arthurs Head.

On the 1st June 1915 Many of the Gunners including Ernest were able to enlist for service overseas as a new unit was being formed called the 36th Heavy Artillery Group. This would be a Heavy Artillery Group that was going to serve on the Western Front in France and Belgium.

The 6 foot 1 inch 21 year old Ernie was accepted as fit for service. With the other Gunners that were enlisted (which included his brother Allan Reg No.238) they were sent across to Victoria to complete their training.

Ernie wrote of leaving Fremantle;

The Brigade was formed about June 1 1915 from the men of the Royal Australian Garrison Artillery going into camp in the Domain in Melbourne, from all different states, 64 being from Western Australia, my young brother Alan and I being among them. I will never forget the send off we got from Fremantle when leaving Fremantle for the Eastern States. All the boys were well known in WA and I saw more good-bye ribbons (I forget the right name) from the boat to the quay than I ever saw at Fremantle before. Chitter Brown had eight, and I think I came next with six. The average would have been four all round. As the Indarra moved out we started cheering ourselves hoarse in response to those of our friends. When we got in mid-stream all the sailors on the convoying vessels were lined up on deck and they gave us three great cheers, and then their band struck up. The final salute came from their guns just as we were getting near the mouth of the harbour. It seemed quite strange to be leaving the old-West. Half-way to Rottnest there was hardly a R.A.A. boy who could speak owing to hoarseness-we had yelled ourselves to a standstill...We left Fremantle on June 5 and landed in Melbourne On the 11th, after a splendid trip. We put in "our time up till the day of our departure for England, July 17, in getting fitted out with our kit (active service), and having a good look around Melbourne and suburbs. After being formed into two batteries we had a bit of drill to get ready for our march through Melbourne, which came off on the 16th. It was a great march, and a fairly long one. Lots of the people could not make out what the RAA's on our shoulders, neck, and cap stood, for, and I heard many wild guesses.. We got a very good hearing and a good march - into the bargain, and everybody was satisfied and -knew that the day of departure was not far off. We left at 12 o'clock, midday, July 17. We marched to the pier, with our one and only band heading us, early in the morning. After leaving Melbourne we headed straight for Fremantle, where we arrived on the 22nd, after a very rough trip across the Bight, Only the West boy got leave, and as that, was only four or five hours it soon slipped by, and early on the morning of the 23rd we were on our way to Aden, which we sighted at 4 p.m. .on August 6, after 14 days without seeing land, and if you have ever seen Aden you know what an apology for land it is. Anyhow, we were glad to see something, and also a bit of strange life.

 
 
During the voyage Ernie came down ill and was taken to the Ship's hospital. He continues with his story below with the ship reaching England.
 
 
A few hours before we got to our destination. (Plymouth), two destroyers joined us and escorted us - right into port. I caught my -first glimpse of Merrie England on Monday, August 23. 1915, from a hammock in the hospital. I could get a grand view from were I was. It was a lovely sunny day. and Devon looked as it has so often been called-glorious.
We were all glad to be somewhere near our destination-37 days at sea
is rather a long time for landlubbers. We berthed at 5 p.m., and I watched all the boys depart for Lydd from the convenient hammock. The hospital orderlies were left to look after those in hospital till the R.A.M.C. came for us. I might mention that we were looked after, splendidly by the nurses and A.M.C., and we were all sorry to see them depart, My young brother was in the hospital also, and we were both taken to the same ambulance to the Devonport Military Hospital, where
we were treated with the same fine spirit as we had been on the boat.
It did not take us long to get well when we were once on land, and we were soon being taken for motor rides through Devon and Cornwall, and the hills and scenery in both countries are enchanting. We paid visits to several towns, and had a great reception at each. We were also invited out to several places in Devonport, and given a great time, and then came the day for our departure for London. We were all dead anxious to see London, and were expecting much. We landed in that city at 2.30 p.m.. Paddington being the train's destination. We had whirled through some splendid country on our way up from Devonport. 
My first sight of London was on September 4, and to say that I was impressed was hardly in it Nearly all the names seemed quite familiar, as I had read and heard quite a lot about them, and now I can say I have spent 21 days in London, and seen most of the best things. I went down to Lydd two or three days after I had landed in London to see the boys, and stopped there a night When I arrived back at Charing Cross the following night at II I was quite scared by loud reports going off in all directions. The cause was soon apparent-anti-aircraft guns and Zeppelin bombs, or in other words a Zeppelin raid was on. Of course I was all eyes, and soon, following the gaze of the crowd, I saw my
first Zeppelin. Searchlights were on it from all directions, and you could see it as plain as if it were'day. It was one of the first raids on the City of London. The Zep. was floating about in quite a lazy-like way and dropping bombs with damnable calmness from about 8000ft to 10,000ft. Presently there was a big red reflection in the direction of Guildhall, and everybody shouted "Fire!" I got a taxi and went to the hotel where I was going to stay the night and after putting my kit in
the room went out with the intention of seeing the fire.
I would never have found it only for an old gentleman who was stopping at the same hotel; he volunteered to take me, and we were soon on our
way by tube. After a fide of "20 minutes, and a walk of about 10, we came upon the scene There was a huge crowd in every street leading to the fire, and it took some pushing and shoving to get close, and an excited London crowd is no easy thing to push through.  After we had watched the fire quite a while, and the old chap and I were starting back for home, an officer of a Scottish regiment came up and asked me if I would give a hand to keep the crowd. back. That was exactly what I wanted, as I could then see the inner part for myself. I went on duty in Gresham street at about 12.30 a.m., the big crowds breaking up shortly after 2 o'clock. I yarned a lot to the police and the specials, and -the
only topic was "Zeppelinitis and how to "cure it" I was the only Australian at that point and I came in for quite a lot of opinions.
At 3.30 the coppers took me to their barracks .and showed me around.
We had been relieved by more, specials and R.F.A. men. After some refreshment I had à snooze in a big easy chair until 4.45 arm., when I went out to view the ruins.. You can imagine little narrow streets filled with slate and glass and big lumps of masonry falling from their frames every few minutes, and lots, of the iron framework left standing bare. The London Fire Brigade was a wonderful thing to watch. They worked just like well-oiled machinery, and soon had the big fire well under.. I think it was 21 casualties they had had that night, so you see it was some job. When I went back to have a look around they were still going" strong. I saw a good few bits of high explosive and the remains of incendiary bombs. It was terrible to behold the damage, but I would not
have missed looking through it for worlds. That was the great raid of
September 7 and 8, 1915, in which three Zeppelins were reported to have taken part The anti-aircraft gunners did their best, but they had bad guns for the purpose at the time, and a lot of them were R.N.R. boys. The guns have now been replaced by the best, which
are manned by naval and garrison gunners, and, as you have seen a short while ago, they shot L15 down. May it be the first of many. After I had finished looking, through the broken-down buildings I went in search of a bath, but every one seemed to be closed, but I got one at last, and
then, a taxi back to Westminster where I was staying. I don't think I would have got back on my own, as i was too tired for anything. After I
had fixed things up and had breakfast I left for Sunbury on the Thames to see Mr. William Henry',- chief secretary of the Royal life-Saving Society, whom I had met when be was touring Australia, and of course you know that I belong to the R.L.S.S. I found him in his camp right on the bank of the Thames, and' it is "some" river at Sunbury. To see it in London and then any where between Richmond and
Windsor you would never take it to be the same stream. I spent all my sick leave with Mr. Henry, and had a great time. He kidded me into the
Thames one day, but never again. I was nearly frozen to death, and he
had a very -hearty laugh over it when I managed to get out. He only stopped in a tew seconds himself it was that cold;-so you-can guess the effect it had on me. So much for my first dip in England.
Well, all good things come to an end, and so did my sick leave, and I
went to Lydd to have my lessons as a signaller, and the instruments of torture at Lydd for sigs. are too numerous to mention. Anyhow, I was glad to be back amongst the boys and soon forgot the torture. Our shoots at Lydd were very successful, and after the brigade had been there three months we left for Taunton. The huts and the camp in general at Lydd were all that could be desired-clean and dry.

The only drawback was the very little entertainment in the village, hut several splendid concert parties came to the camp and put that trouble in the shade, and Hastings, the well-known sea side resort, was only 26 miles distant. I visited that town on several occasions when on week-end pass, and always had a good time. Hastings was one of the R.A.A. boys' favorite haunts. When we got to Taunton, which is in Somerset and just about the other side of England from Lydd, our band came

out of its skin with a bound, it did some great work for the various funds for soldiers, etc., having a number of big concerts, where, if you were not on the mark, you would not get standing room. The band was immensely popular with the civilian as well as military public, and was a draw card for anything. Hundreds of people used to follow us on church parade just to hear the band. We had some great times at Taunton where we stayed -just on three months, including Christmas. The people had a lot of time for us from beginning to end, and the crowd that saw us off at midnight on March 1 and 2 testified that we were well liked. Our chaps "played a good few games of football while in Taunton, treating the public to several matches played under Australian rule's between teams picked from each battery, which were

well attended and I heard quite a lot of favorable comment on the Australian way. Our soccer team had five or six matches, only losing one, the first. They beat a team from a big foundry that had not been beaten for four seasons. The Rugby team was just as successful. They played about eight games and only lost one (the first also). A team entered for two billiard tourneys and won both, so you can see we left a pretty good sporting reputation behind, and one can see by the Taunton mail that comes to our battery how popular the boys were.

Then we got what we had been waiting for-our guns and stores-and

after a bit of preliminary practice we left for the front. We "had been billeted out in private houses and hotels whilst in Taunton, and had been very well looked after. We got a great send-off, and we landed in France the same day as we left Taunton, March 2, 1916, Boulogne

being our first port of call.

Prior to leaving England Ernest and his group had their photo taken (below)

After reaching Boulogne it wasn't long before the Australians of the 36th Heavy Artillery Group reached the front. Ernest takes up his story;

After we left Folkestone we had a good trip across the Channel, and stopped in Boulogne, for a few days, then going by easy stages towards the firing line in our motor lorries. I went right on with a small advance party, and was one of the first to hear the boom of angry guns. We had just got our guns fixed when the Germans found our billet. We had been working all night, and were having a sleep next day when they started to send a few a good bit over us. Some of us stood watching them just as if they were quite harmless. The rest of the chaps, although hearing them, stopped in bed, and it was not till one of the boys who had been a good bit away from the billet came back with a splinter in

his arm that anybody thought of anything serious. I went into the passage to have a look at him with the others, and when he got it dressed he walked out into the yard, and several of us were following when a shell landed with an awful crump right between us.

Then they rained, and we all ducked for cover. I expect you have heard of the casualties, so I won't repeat them. But that lot made us careful, and we never stopped and gazed at Fritz's shells bursting any more unless we had to. We went into action on St. Patrick's Day, and as the battery was short I was put on No. 1 gun, which fired the first shot at 4 p.m. I gave the first shell a pat for luck as I pulled the fuse pin out, and we were quite elated at being able to strafe back.

We had not been shooting many days before we got some back as a

reminder, but while they strafed us we still kept going until we had. finished our job.

We were pleased and half-scared, and half-scared and pleased with ourselves all in the same breath. We had some more hard luck that day, but that is to be expected and can't be helped.

"Mind you, there is a highly humorous side as well as a dark one, and you only have to look through Capt. Bairnsfather's 'Fragments from France to see it. A little incident happened to us a while ago that is exactly portrayed in one of his drawings, viz., three or four chaps are in a dug-out, when a shell lobs pretty close, and one of them, with a strained look on his face, asks, "Where did that one go?"

We often have a great laugh over some of the little happenings. A big I

crowd of us were around some dixies of hot stew and tea, half of us having our plates and mugs' full, when "whizz," and you should have seen the rush for holes, etc Everybody got mixed up, and tea or stew was streaming down the chaps' necks where there had been a big crush to get into the same hole, and then there were roars of laughter, as the shell had lobbed about half a mile away. Well, I hope the censor won't sit on any part of this letter. We are all quite happy out here now, and are going strong. Chitter Brown is in the same section as I am, and I think he is sending you a

letter also. I was on the gun that fired those eight rounds under fire, and our shelIs are not 18-poünders -you know. I am off the guns now and on my job as signaller. I went up to the front line trench with an officer. We were the first two of the battery to go into the actual front line, and it was well worth seeing. We don't as a rule get so near it, but quite close enough at times.

I was out at one of our observing posts one day and saw over 100 Hun shells drop near a battery of small guns, and as I was only 300 or 400
yards away, from it I had a good opportunity of watching how the Hun
shoots, well, they shot rotten this time, and did not do a bit of harm to
anything, only one shell landing near the mark; three of the shells struck the ground at the same moment and made an ear-splitting explosion. When they had finished all the boys belonging, to the battery got out and sang ditties about ' Hun frightfulness and laughed. I saw "about 300 Hun shells lob at different points that day. I was

out one night when there was a bit of a go on, and by the flares the Germans sent up I could see as clearly as by day. The" "strafe" lasted about an hour, and then everything was quiet, It was worth' going a long way to see.

Our guns were assisting the infantry, together with a lot of smaller batteries, and the noise the shells made going through the air was like a dozen expresses tearing along at full belt. I heard later that the "strafe" had been quite successful.

Ernie served with his unit through 1916 and in January 1917 he was evacuated to hospital suffering from rheumatism of the feet. He was evacuated back to England and spent much of 1917 in England, firstly recuperating his health and then helping training new recruits in the camps. He wrote another letter home during 1917.

It is quite, a long while since I last wrote to you from France and a lot of things have happened sínce then. I was just on 12 months out there when I got my blighty (trench feet), and at the time, I wars not sorry to get away. It was in January of this year, and the Somme was just a sea of mud and slush after all the heavy fighting that had taken place. The Siege Brigade arrived on the Somme in June and took part in most of the big bombardments of trenches and villages in that region that are now famous. I bad the good luck, with five others of our battery, to be at the "O P" (observation post) the last few days of June and the first three in July; we had box seats for the famous "hop-over" on July 1. It was a wonderfully inspiriting sight. The guns had been going for six or eight days, and the din at times was something awful.

Early on the morning of the great attack the gun-fire increased about

double what it had been during the preliminary bombardment, and every calibre of gun and from 18 pounder to the giant 12 in. naval gun and 15 howitzers were pouring metal and death into the German trenches. We had a splendid "O. Pip.," but shortly after we had seen the infantry advance nothing but flares could be seen for-dust and smoke. It was absolute hell; it is wonderful how men can live under

such terrific fire, let alone fight. The Germans (to use a "first-wave"
wounded man's expression) had a machine-gun in -every sand bag;" they
also replied with some very heavy artillery, but it was infinitesimal compared with ours. Later in the day (10am.) we heard that the British and French had broken through in several places further to the south of us towards and on the opposite side of the Somme river. We were on the

left wing of the offensive, the most stubborn resistance being kept up by the enemy directly in front of our position, where an English division, that made itself famous on Gallipoli, along with the Newfoundlanders, bore the brunt of the fighting. The result of

it all you already know. Our airmen were having the time of their lives, and for several days at a time we would never see a Boche plane, and, when they, did come over they would be at an enormous height.

Three German kite balloons were brought down in flames a day or two

previous to July 1 and Fritz was very chary about sending any more up

for the next few days, so the air part of the business was entirely in our hands, and never during the seven months that I was on the Somme did they gain anything like the air supremacy. We lost quite a number of planes, but to every enemy machine there were eight to ten British. My pal and I counted 106 English ma-chines in the air at once and 50 odd kite balloons one evening, and we could see no German planes and only seven or eight kite balloons. It was the same for weeks on end.

I will never forget the first appearance of the Australian Infantry and

Field Artillery on the Somme. If I remember rightly it was on July 19,

they went straight into the trenches near Pozieres, and then the great

bombardment started prior to the great attack and capture of that Village on July 23 and 24. The Germans must have been very, sore about losing Pozieres as it was one of the places they directed some terrific artillery fire against and kept it up. The barrage in what was known as Death Valley was so heavy that time after time Pozieres would be blotted out with smoke and dust, and for hours at a stretch it was impossible to see a thing from the "O. Pips.'' Another spot he was fond of shelling was Sausage Gully, well known to all Australians who were there at the time, especially Field Artillery men. It felt like being at home with all the "Aussie" boys about after being so long with English, Irish, and Scottish troops. There used to be some great

hunts for pals and relations in other units, but they don't always meet with success, as it is so easy to miss a fellow hy a few yards or minutes, and everybody looks the same in a tin hat and a suit of khaki in the distance. Our brigade, however, still remained on the -Somme with the boys of the maple leaf, and it was with them that we first saw the famous tanks in action. To see them crawling along puts you in mind of some prehistoric monster, and it is hard to keep from laughing at their queer antics; in fact, I think everybody laughs on first seeing a tank. They took part in what is, known as the "Second Phase of the battle of the Somme," on September 13: A few days before they arrived there were only vague rumors about them, while quite a lot thought the whole thing only a joke: on the other hand some went to extremes, describing them as having 11in. armor plate and other equally exaggerated details. I have two bullets out of the tank C4, one of the first to he disabled on September 15. Some of them had proper jaw-breakers for names. One that my pal and I saw waddling along

the Albert-Bapaume-road was named "Oetttopooicpttt Metapoffaa," Some name; eh!

What with tanks, aeroplanes, heavy artillery, and superb infantry Fritz got a rough handling on September 15, 16 and17, and the thousands and thousands of prisoners that were seen moving back to the cages testified to a "Great British "Victory," a notice, by the way, that was carried by one of the tanks as it went into action. German prisoners

were passing our battery every day for about a week, and on one occasion, when the battery was firing ten to the dozen, a large batch of prisoners went by only a few yards from the guns, the look of awe and wonder when they saw stacks and stacks of 9.2 ammunition dumped all over the place plainly showed that they now knew they were playing a losing game.

Along the track they had to go there were about a dozen heavy siege batteries and thousands of shells; the further back they got the greater was the surprise in store for them—huge ammunition dumps, stacks and stacks of stores, and battalions of fresh men. The manner in which the artillery and aeroplanes work together is wonderful, nearly all the long-range shooting being done by 'planes with splendid results. The traffic on the roads leading to the Somme seems almost impossible, scores and scores of vehicles being on the go day and night, huge motor lorries, motor cars, and cycles G.S. and ammunition wagons, with a

good sprinkling of other conveyances making a never-ending procession.
The Infantry curse the traffic as it makes things very awkward when
marching in hot weather. I thought Kalgoorlie dusty, but France can give

it a run for first place. At different points out of range of their own guns German prisoners keep the roads in repair. I would like to be able to read their thoughts when they see what the British Empire can do, and is still doing.

As the winter progressed rheumatism and trench feet became rather

prevalent, and it is a wonder that everybody did not contract one or the other. German dug-outs and gun positions are exceedingly well built and protected, and they came in very handy during the cold weather. Five of us lived in one during December, and we often blessed Fritz for being so good to us, for it was shell-proof and as dry as a bone; Chitter Brown can tell you a few yarns about the same dug-out, he was one of the five. lt was connected by a passage to several other apartments, which were also very much appreciated by our boys. These dug-outs saved hundreds of British lives, the heaviest shell could do them no harm, unless it landed right in the entrance, and as

most of them had three or four entrances it did not matter if one got

blown in. Up to the time of writingthe Siege Brigade have got one D.S.O., three D.C.M.'s, and five Military Medals, which is not bad going for 16 months. My father and elder brother are now in France, and so far they are getting on O.K. My young brother is in the hospital at Bury St Edmunds, in Suffolk, he has had rather a rough time of it. and we are

hoping that he will be sent back to Australia when he is fit to travel; he

was 10 months in France. I left the line on January 3, arriving at Southhampton on the 12th, and was taken to Clandon Park Hospital, Surrey, where I had a very good time. On both occasions that I have landed in England I have been carried off on a stretcher. I spent my sick-leave (14 days) exploring Scotland, and had a very interesting holiday.

Ernie rejoined the 55th Battery of the 36th Heavy Artillery Group on the 16th November 1917. The Siege Brigade were then in the midst of the Battle of Cambrai.

In March 1918 Ernie was detached from his unit to attend a course regarding the use of pigeons in signalling but apart from that course Ernie remained with his unit for all the fighting in 1918.

In October the Siege Brigade boys were still in action but were then pulled from the line for a rest period.

On the 3rd November 1918 Ernie was hospitalised with influenza. He was taken to the 42nd Field Ambulance and then to the 11th Casualty Clearing Station. From there he was admitted to No.83 General Hospital at Rouen France. He was still there when the Armistice was announced.

Fortunately he soon recovered and was back with his unit by the 2nd December 1918. A few days later he was granted a fortnights leave to England.

Ernie returned to his unit on the 20th December 1918 and he remained with his unit for the next few months, apart from another period of leave which he took in Paris. He was promoted to Corporal during this time.

On the 10th March 1919 Ernie returned to England to await for a berth on a transport ship back home. However once he arrived in England Ernie requested a period of Non Military Employment. This Non Military Employment was offered to soldiers so they would have something useful to do while waiting for shipping which could take months.

Ernie requested to be trained in Wool Classing and it appears he went up to Leeds for this. This took place between July and October 1919.

Ernie eventually embarked for Australia on the 30th October 1919 and arrived in Fremantle on the 6th December 1919.

Ernie Loney was discharged from the AIF on the 6th February 1920.

In 1926 in Perth Ernie married Gertrude Marion Elson.

Ernest Stirling Loney died on the 26th June 1974.