Baynes, Herbert
685 Sergeant Herbert Baynes (MID & Croix de Guerre) - 44th Battalion AIF
Herbert Baynes was born in Guildford Victoria in 1877 to William and Sarah Baynes. He was one of eight siblings and he was educated in Guildford and grew up there.
After leaving school he took up work locally as a labourer.
On the 7th August 1900 he married Katherine Herd at the Church of Christ in Malvern Victoria. Vera was born in 1901 followed by Herbert Hollows in 1903 and Muriel in 1906.
Herbert, Katherine and the children then moved West and took up residence at East Fremantle.
After their arrival another son called Eric was born in East Fremantle in 1914. At this time Herbert was working as a Dairyman in Coogee just south of Fremantle.
Herbert had tried to enlist early in the war but was knocked back due to his teeth. On the 13th February 1916 he tried again and this time was successful. He was passed as fit by the medical examiner who recorded Herbert's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 9 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 164lbs;
Chest Measurement - 35-42 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Dark Brown.
After his successful enlistment Herbert was sent to Claremont Camp and was assigned to "D" Company of the 44th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA for the next few months.
On the 6th June 1916 Herbert and the 44th Battalion went to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Suevic and set sail for England, reaching Plymouth Harbour on the 21st July 1916.
After being disembarked the 44th Battalion were sent to the 3rd Australian Division training grounds on the Salisbury Plains. They would train here for the next few months.
On the 25th November 1916 the 44th Battalion left Southampton England for France. They were then sent to the Armentieres region of Northern France where they had their first experience of trench life on the Western Front.
On the 27th January 1917 Herbert was appointed to the rank of Lance Corporal. The 44th Battalion served in the Armentieres region from January through to March 1917 and on the 13th March they conducted a trench raid on the Germans. While the raid achieved some of it's aims it wasn't fully successful. Herbert was Mentioned in Despatches for his work that day. The recommendation reads;
At Armentieres on the night of 13th/14th March 1917, Lance Corporal Baynes was a member of the Reserve Party to the Raiding Party. After the raid he went into No Mans Land and assisted in the rescuing of wounded men under heavy machine gun fire. Although exhausted by the heavy work in the mud he went out again and again, continuing his fine work and was in No Mans Land for a period of no less than 4 hours.
After this raid Herbert was promoted to Corporal. In April 1917 the 44th Battalion moved up into southern Belgium at Ploegsteert. They would remain here for the next two months as in June 1917 the large offensive at Messines would begin. Herbert had now been promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
On the 4th June 1917 the 44th Battalion conducted a raid on the Germans trenches at Ploegsteert. Due to this they did not take part in the opening day of the offensive on 7th June 1917 but came into action in the ensuing days.
On the 8th June 1918 Herbert was wounded when shrapnel hit him in the leg and thigh while at Messines. He was given medical treatment at the 9th Field Ambulance and then sent on to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station. He was then sent to the French town of Rouen where he was admitted to the 11th Stationary Hospital. He had a few days here receiving treatment and was then sent to England, where upon arrival he was sent to the 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham.
Fortunately the wound was not severe and Herbert was released from hospital on the 10th July 1917. He was given a two week furlough and then reported to No.3 Command Depot Camp at Hurdcott on the 24th July 1917.
On the 20th August 1917 Herbert returned to France and rejoined his Battalion in Belgium a week later.
In September 1917 the 44th Battalion moved up to Ypres as they were to take part in the current offensive operations taking place there. On October 4th 1917 the 44th Battalion were in action at Hill 40 at Zonnebeke. For his actions that day Herbert was recommended for his bravery. The official recommendation reads;
For devotion to duty. On the morning of October 4th 1917 in the advance from near the village of Zonnebeke, Corporal Baynes, then Platoon Sergeant was blown up by bursting shells on two occasions and severely shaken. Notwithstanding this, when informed that his Platoon Commander was wounded, Bayne took command of the Platoon and successfully led them on to the final objective through very adverse conditions. As the casualties in the NCO's was very severe, this placed a considerable amount of extra work on Baynes, who reconnoitered the line day and night through heavy hostile shelling, attending to and helping the wounded. Corporal Baynes was responsible for saving the lives of many men.
Herbert was awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre for his bravery.
He was then promoted to the temporary rank of Company Sergeant Major. On October 12th 1917 the 44th Battalion were holding the front line when the 9th Australian Brigade went forward through the line to attack Passchendaele. As a result the Germans unleashed a heavy barrage on the 44th Battalion positions. Herbert again emerged unscathed, at least physically.
From December 1917 to March 1918 the 44th Battalion held the front line in positions in Belgium south east of Ypres.
On the 9th November Herbert had requested to return to the rank of Sergeant rather than Company Sergeant Major. On the 15th December Herbert attended the 2nd Army School and sat some exams from the course which he passed.
In February 1918 Herbert wrote to his Company Commander requesting that he be allowed to return to the ranks and become a Private. Herbert wrote;
'Sir, owing to the state of my nerves through being shook up at Ypres I wish to be released of my Sergeant Stripes and revert to the ranks, trusting you will give this your favourable considerations'
Herbert's Company Commander discussed this with him as did the Battalion CO. They allowed Herbert to resume as a Private. On the 2nd March 1918 Herbert was granted a fortnight's leave to England, returning on the 20th March 1918.
As a result of the German offensive on March 21st 1918 which broke through the British front line further south, the Australian Divisions were sent to the Somme to help stop the German advance. The 44th Battalion were sent to an area near the Somme River at Sailly-le-Sec and Sailly Laurette. The 44th Battalion advanced till they met the Germans in the field near Sailly Laurette and though the German fire stopped the 44th from advancing, the Germans were also stopped.
Herbert and the 44th Battalion were in this sector for the next few months. On the 4th July 1918 the 44th Battalion took part in the successful capture of Hamel village. Herbert came through this action unscathed.
Since he had requested to be reduced to the ranks, Herbert had continued to serve well in his unit and on the 9th July 1918 was promoted back to Corporal and shortly after to Sergeant
On the 8th August 1918 the 44th Battalion took part in the successful advance from the Villers-Bretonneux front and they took their objectives. The 44th Battalion advanced continually for the next several weeks, seeing action around Bray, Clery and Peronne.
On the 13th September 1918 Herbert was evacuated sick with bronchitis. He was sent to the 6th General Hospital at Rouen and after a few days was shipped to England. Herbert was sent to the 2nd Southern General Hospital at Birmingham. He remained here for the next month, being discharged from Hospital on the 21st October 1918.
Herbert was then sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth and was still here when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918. On the 14th November 1918 Herbert was transferred to No.1 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny.
Herbert would remain here while he waited to be assigned a berth on a troopship home. On the 14th January 1919 Herbert boarded the ship City of York and set sail for home, disembarking in Fremantle on the 18th February 1919.
Herbert was discharged from the AIF on the 3rd April 1919. He then returned home to Spearwood and resumed Dairy Farming. His Son Lawrence was born in Fremantle in 1923.
In 1925 the Baynes family were living as 30 Rose Street South Fremantle (later renumbered 6 Rose St).
It appears that Herbert then moved back to Victoria with the family, but after eighteen months Katherine and her three youngest children returned to Fremantle. Katherine and the children then moved to 336 South Terrace South Fremantle. Herbert came back for a brief visit but they soon officially separated.
In 1928 Herbert was living at Blyth in Victoria and in 1931 was at Prahran.
Herbert died on the 22nd November 1933 and was buried in Burwood Victoria.
Katherine Baynes died on the 26th June 1941 at 20 Queen Victoria Street Fremantle.
Two of Herbert and Katherine's children served in World War Two, Hollows (N181081) and Lawrence (WX41999) both survived the conflict. His other son Eric was working at State Shipping in Fremantle.