Allpike, Ernest
395 Private Ernest Allpike - 11th Battalion & Provost Corps
Ernest Allpike was born in 1884 in Fremantle to Henry and Julia Allpike. There were several siblings, Hannah (1877), Ethel (1878), Henry (1880), Hilda (1881), William (1882d 1883) William (1883), Effie (1887), Vivian (1889), Bertie (1890) and Percival (1898).
The Allpikes were Horse Trainers/ Saddle Makers and most of the children would subsequently work in the industry. After leaving school Ernie took up an apprenticeship in Saddle making and was living with the family at 29 Wardie Street South Fremantle. (now 14 Wardie)
In 1912 in Fremantle he married Jessie Elizabeth McKenney in Fremantle and they continued to reside in Wardie Street. As well as being a saddler, Ernie also found work as a Mariner on local shipping.
In 1913 a son called William was born.
Ernie enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force on the 15th August 1914 in Fremantle. He was accepted as fit for service by the medical officer Captain Brennan (ex Fremantle Hospital) and was sent to the new camp being set up at Helena Vale called Blackboy Hill Camp.
Captain Brennan had recorded Ernie's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 8 inches tall;
Weight - 10 Stone 9;
Chest Measurement - 37 & 1/2 inches;
Complexion - Dark;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Iron Grey;
Distinctive Marks - Tattoos on each forearm.
Ernie was assigned to "D" Company of the newly forming 11th Battalion AIF. He trained with his battalion in WA until the end of October 1914. They then received their orders to depart and so packed up camp at Blackboy Hill and entrained for Fremantle where they boarded the transport ship HMAT “Ascanius” on the 31st October 1914. The ship then moored in Gage Roads and departed on the 2nd November 1914. The ships Ascanius and Medic departing from Fremantle then met the rest of the convoy which had come from Albany and sailed with them to Egypt.
After arriving in Egypt in early December 1914 the men were disembarked and sent to camp at Mena near Cairo. The eight Companies were now changed into four companies with e result that Bertie was now a member of "B" Company of the 11th Battalion. He also took part in the famous photo of the 11th Battalion on the pyramid.
The 11th Battalion remained in Egypt until early March 1915 when they were shipped off to Lemnos Island, off the coast of Turkey. A further six weeks training took place here in preparation for a landing on the Turkish coast.
As part of the 3rd Brigade the 11th Battalion had been chosen to make the initial assault. In the evening of the 24th April the transport ships left Lemnos and made their way to Gallipoli.
The 11th Battalion landed early in the morning of April 25th at what is now known as North Beach. Bertie and the men made their way inland up the ridge between Plugges Plateau and Russel’s Top. The fighting was confusing and vicious as the Turks and Australians tried to get the high ground. During the first day's action Ernie was wounded by shrapnel in the chest and back.
He was given rudimentary first aid on the Beach at Anzac and was then taken back aboard the transport ship which ended up taking Ernie back to Egypt. He was then admitted to the 15th General Hospital in Alexandria. On the 16th May 1915 Ernie was then shipped for further treatment in England.
After being disembarked in England Bertie was entrained for Manchester where he was admitted to the 2nd Western General Hospital.
Unfortunately during his time in England the medical authorities reported to his wife that Ernie had died of his wounds in England, though this was not the case it took some time to rectify.
Ernie remained in Hospital in Manchester till November 1915 when due to the state of his wounds the medical authorities decided that Ernie would take no further part in the war so arranged for him to be returned to Australia.
On the 7th November 1915 Ernie boarded the transport ship Runic and returned to Australia, arriving in Fremantle on the 21st December 1915.
Ernie was then sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for a medical check up. He was subsequently discharged from the AIF on the 25th July 1916.
After his return home, Ernie and Jessie had another child called Jessie. They lived for a short time in 1916 at 56 Mandurah Rd South Fremantle
(Pictured below the three Allpike brothers that served, Bertie, Ernest and Henry)
After his return home Ernie's health improved and he and Jessie were living in Fairfield New South Wales.
He enlisted in January 1917 for home service and was assigned to No.2 District Guard where he served through to July 1917. Having proved to himself that he was once again fit for service, on the 30th July 1917 Ernie enlisted once again for service in the AIF.
He was accepted as fit, though recorded under the distinctive marks category he now had two large scars on his back and chest.
He was assigned to the 10th Reinforcements to the 56th Battalion AIF. On the 31st October 1917 he departed from Sydney with this group aboard the transport ship Euripides. After the long sea voyage the ship arrived at Devonport England on the 26th December 1917. After being disembarked he was sent to the 14th Training Battalion at Hurdcott Camp.
Ernie spent the first three months in England and on the 1st April 1918 proceeded over to France. On arrival at the Base Depot in France, Ernie was now re-assigned to join the 13th Battalion and was taken on strength by them on the 17th April 1918.
The 13th Battalion had been fighting at Hebuterne but were now heading for the Villers-Bretonneux front. His records show another error as he was reported as AWOL from his unit in July 1918 but this was later corrected as the report was made in error. In reality Ernie served with the 13th Battalion for the remainder of their fighting service in the war.
Ernie served at Hamel on July 4th 1918 as well as the successful August 8th advance along the Somme River and the subsequent actions against the Germans which culminated at Le Verguier on 18th September 1918. After this action the 13th Battalion were pulled out of the line for a well deserved rest.
On the 21st October 1918 Ernie was sent to the Divisional Sanitary School for a week's detachment, but returned to the 13th Battalion shortly after. Ernie was with the 13th Battalion when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November and two days later he returned to England.
He was seconded for duty with the Australian Provost Corps. This lasted until January 1919 when he was informed that he could return home.
On the 19th February 1919 Ernie boarded the transport ship Orca at Liverpool and set sail for Australia, arriving at Sydney on the 3rd April 1919. He was discharged from the AIF for a second time on the 15th September 1919.
Ernie and Jessie had a third child when Gwendoline was born in Sydney in 1920. After Gwen's birth the family returned to WA, initially living back with the family at 29 Wardie Street.
By 1925 the family were now living at Arthur Road in Hamilton Hill, just south of Fremantle, and Ernie was working as a labourer.
Sadly their daughter Gwen died at their residence in 1928 at Hamilton Hill aged just 8.
By 1936 the family was living at 21 Wardie Street South Fremantle and they were there through to the 1950's. During this period Ernie was working as a labourer.
Jessie Allpike died on the 23rd May 1952 and Ernie followed on the 3rd February 1955 at Hollywood Hospital. He was buried at Fremantle Cemetery Plot ANGLICAN MON A3 0186