Egan, Horace John

3103 Lance Corporal Horace John Egan MM - 48th Battalion AIF

Horace John Egan was born in Fremantle WA on the 23rd June 1896 to John and Mary Egan. He was one of five siblings, with, Lillian 1898, Hilda 1899, Mary 1902 and Irene 1905.

Shortly after Horace's birth the family moved from Fremantle in 1898 to Subiaco and then the Goldfields in the early 1900's.

The family then returned to live in West Perth. Horace completed his education in Perth, after which he took um employment as a Gate Maker. During this time he had served in the 88A Cadets and then the 88 Regiment of the Citizens Military Forces.

On the 6th July 1915 Horace enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 5 & 1/2 inches tall;

Weight - 115lbs;

Chest Measurement - 33-36 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Light Brown;

Hair - Auburn.

Upon his successful enlistment Horace was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.15 Depot Company. He only spent four days there and was then assigned to the 10th Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion AIF. It appears that Horace was assigned as a Signaller.

Horace trained with this group in WA for the next few months while they waited for their embarkation orders to arrive. On the 15th October 1915 Horace and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Themistocles. The ship then set sail for Egypt, arriving there in early November 1915.

After their arrival the men would have been expecting to be sent on to Gallipoli, but with plans underway to evacuate that battlefield, Horace's reinforcement group were retained in Egypt instead.

Horace would spend a few months in the reinforcement camp and joined the 16th Battalion on the 5th February 1916. He spent the next few weeks training with his unit, but in early March 1916 Horace was transferred to a new unit called the 48th Battalion.

Horace was a signaller for this new unit which meant that his role was to maintain communications between Battalion HQ and the forward companies, either by running messages or via other communication methods such as telephone lines.

the 48th Battalion would train in Egypt from March through to May 1916. In early June the 48th battalion were sent to France. After their arrival in Marseilles, the men were entrained north for Armentieres.

They soon went into the firing line at Fleurbaix where they had their first experience of the Western Front. They remained in this sector until mid July when they were relieved by the 5^th Division. The 48^th Battalion as part of the 4^th Division then moved south to the Somme battlefield.

The 48^th Battalion went into the line at Pozieres in early August when they relieved the 2^nd Division. Upon their arrival the Germans launched a counter attack which was initially successful, though the 48^th with support from the 14^th Battalion restored the position and pushed the Germans back. The counter attack was supported by very heavy artillery fire. Horace had a hard time maintaining communications in this action with so much shell fire but he came through safely. He also participated in further action around Mouquet Farm later in the month. Horace came through physically unscathed.

In September 1916 Horace and his unit were sent to Belgium where they held the front line near Ypres for around six weeks. They then returned to the Somme battlefield where they would spent the freezing cold 1916/17 French winter. During this period, the 48th battalion spent much time in the front line area of the Somme near Flers and Delville Wood.

In March 1917 the Germans began their withdrawal to their pre-prepared defensive position known as the Hindenburg Line. The Australian and British units pressed their withdrawal all the way and several sharp actions occurred before the Germans reached their defensive barrier.

On the 11th April 1917 the 48th Battalion was one of the units assigned to break the German line at Bullecourt. The 48th Battalion entered the German trenches but was unable to stay there due to the Germans surrounding the Australians. The 48th Battalion had large casualties though Horace came through unscathed.

In June 1917 the 48th Battalion were moved to Belgium where they would take part in the Messines offensive. They saw much action at Messines and were in this sector from June to August 1917. On the 28th June 1917 Horace was appointed to the rank of Lance Corporal.

In September 1917, the 48th Battalion were moved to Ypres where they would take part in the current offensive. Horace and his unit saw action at Polygon Wood, Broodseinde Ridge and Passchendaele. On the 12th October 1917 the 48th Battalion took part in an unsuccessful advance on Passchendaele and casualties were very heavy. Horace was recommended for distinction for his actions. The recommendation reads;

At Passchendaele Ridge on October 12th 1917. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He ran telephone lines to Company Headquarters in front line during the attack under very heavy artillery and machine gun fire and maintained signals for several hours the next day. He showed great devotion to duty by operating telephone for 18 hours without any relief.

Though he was not rewarded with a medal Horace received a congratulatory card from the Divisional Commander.

The 48th battalion remained near Passchendaele through to November 1917. In December 1917, as part of the 4th Australian Division, they moved to Peronne in France. Horace was given a fortnight's leave to England, leaving on the 14th December and returning on the 30th December 1917.

By January 1918 the 48th Battalion were back in Belgium. From January to March 1918 the 48th Battalion were holding the front line south east of Ypres near Hollebeke.

On the 21st March 1918 the Germans launched their Spring Offensive which broke through the British lines further south. As a result the Australian Divisions were sent south to help stop this German advance. The 48th Battalion were sent to the sector around Albert and Dernancourt. In late March 1918 they came into contact with the Germans. Horace survived the initial encounters safely. On April 5th 1918 the Germans launched another large assault on the Australian positions. They made some initial success but the Australians held firm. Horace was again recommended for distinction. The official recommendation reads;

For gallantry and devotion to duty at Albert on April 5th. L/Cpl Egan worked tirelessly to maintain communications with Brigade Headquarters, being continually exposed to shells and machine guns. Although more than once knocked over by concussion he carried on with his work with the utmost coolness and disregard to personal safety, showing a very fine example to the men under his control.

Horace was awarded the Military Medal for his actions this day.

The 48th Battalion then moved to the vicinity of Villers-Bretonneux from May 1918. They fought an action at Monument Wood on the 3rd may 1918 and would remain in this sector for the next few months and were in support positions when Hamel village was successfully captured on July 4th 1918.

Horace then participated in the 8th August 1918 advance from the Villers Bretonneux front which broke through the Germans lines. He was in action with his unit from August 8th to September 18th 1918. He came through all these actions unscathed.

The September 18th action at Le Verguier was the 48th Battalion's last action in the war. They were then pulled out of the line for a rest period and the Armistice was announced before they could return to the front. After the Armistice was announced the 48th Battalion went to what had been German occupied parts of France and Belgium.

On the 16th November 1918 Horace was granted a fortnight's leave to England, returning to France on the 5th December 1918. Horace then remained with the 48th Battalion for the next month.

On the 15th January 1919 Horace returned to England and was sent to No.1 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny. On the 7th February 1919 Horace was transferred to Codford Camp. A few days later he fell ill and was sent to Codford Camp Hospital but was released from hospital in time to board the ship home.

On the 28th February 1919 Hoarce boarded the transport ship Anchises and set sail for home. During the voyage home he was sent to the ship's hospital ward suffering from venereal disease. He spent around 24 days in hospital on the ship but was released by the time the ship reached Australia.

On the 7th April 1919 Horace was disembarked in Albany and was then entrained north for Perth. Horace was medically examined at No.8 Australian General Hospital in Fremantle.

Horace was discharged from the AIF on the 3rd June 1919.

He then returned home to Subiaco.

By 1925 Horace was working at Kalgoorlie as a boring engineer/contractor for the miens.

He married in 1934 to Ethel Gardner and they spent a few years in Nedlands where they lived in Clark Street.

By 1943 Horace was working in Derby in the States northwest as a boring contractor. He remained here through the next thirty years

Horace died in 1965 in East Kimberley WA aged 68.