Hocking, Benjamin Booth
15119 Driver Benjamin Booth Hocking - 16th Battalion AIF
Benjamin Booth Hocking was born in Bendigo Victoria in 1895 to Benjamin and Milcah Hocking, being one of seven siblings.
The family came to Western Australia in the 1900's and took up residence at 47 Arundel Street Fremantle. (Later renumbered to 3 Arundel). His Father was employed at Trades Hall Fremantle.
Ben completed his education in Fremantle and after leaving school he took up a Butchers apprenticeship with the Baker Brothers in Fremantle for three years. When he finished his apprenticeship e then began working as a butcher. During this time Ben had also served in the 86A Cadets of the Citizens Military Forces and then the 86th Regiment.
Ben had tried to enlist early in the war but was knocked back due to insufficient chest measurement. However he tried again on the 6th October 1915 and was this time accepted. The medical examiner recorded Ben's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 4 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 123lbs;
Chest Measurement - 32-34 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Dark Brown.
Upon his successful enlistment, Ben was sent to Blackboy hill Camp where he was assigned to No.32 Training Depot. After a few weeks of basic infantry training Ben was assigned to the Artillery reinforcements. As the Artillery was being trained in Victoria, Ben and the other WA artillery reinforcements were sent east. On arrival in Melbourne they were sent to Maribyrnong Camp.
Ben was being trained as a Gunner but then was trained as a Driver. This was an important role in having the responsibility in moving the artillery batteries to different positions. Ben would train in Melbourne for a few months and was then assigned to the 2nd Reinforcements to the 10th Field Artillery Brigade. This group left from Port Melbourne on the 4th May 1916 aboard the troopship Port Lincoln. The ship then set sail for Egypt and after arriving there in June 1916 the men were disembarked and sent to an Artillery School at Tel-el-Kebir.
On the 1st August 1916 Ben left Egypt from Alexandria and set sail for England. Upon arrival Ben was sent to the Australian Artillery Camp at Parkhouse. He was in England for a few months as he was now reassigned to the infantry and transferred camps to the 4th Training Battalion. ben still had the rank of Driver and would be joining the transport section of the 16th battalion AIF.
It was not until the 28th November 1916 that Ben was sent over to France. He initially went to the 4th Australian Division Base Depot Camp at Etaples. However he was not there for long as on the 6th December 1916 he fell ill with influenza and bronchitis and was sent to the 51st General Hospital at Etaples.
On the 28th December 1916 was then transferred to the 26th General Hospital. He had a week here but was then shipped to England, where upon arrival he was admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital at Wandsworth. It was severe illness as Ben was here till the 23rd March 1917. He was then transferred to a hospital specialising with enteric at Woolwich.
Ben would be under medical treatment till the 24th July 1917. He was then transferred to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth. Ben was almost sent home medically unfit, but his health improved and on the 31st August 1917 he was transferred to No.4 Command Depot Camp. Ben was there till the 23rd October 1917 when he was sent to the Overseas Training Brigade Camp at Longbridge Deverell.
He had a few weeks here to prepare for service on the Western Front, being sent to France on the 10th November 1917. He then went into the 4th Australian Division Base Depot at Le Havre but only had a short time here and then joined the 16th battalion on the 26th November 1917.
The 16th Battalion, as part of the 4th Australian Division, were now moving to Peronne where they spent December 1917. However they returned to Belgium in January 1918. The 16th Battalion were then holding the front line in Belgium south east of Ypres near Hollebeke.
As a result of the German offensive of March 21st 1918 which broke through the British front line further south, the Australian Divisions were sent towards the Somme to help stop this German advance.
The 16th Battalion, as part of the 4th Infantry Brigade, moved to Hebuterne where they joined New Zealand and British units in stopping the German advance in this sector. They also started putting the Germans on the back foot by conducting raids on their positions.
In April 1918 the 16th Battalion moved to the Somme River and Villers-Bretonneux sector. They were in this area till July 1918. On the 4th July 1918 Francois and the 16th Battalion took part in the successful capture of Hamel village. Ben came through this action unscathed.
Ben then took part in the successful advance on August 8th 1918 on the Villers-Bretonneux front. The 16th Battalion advanced on the southern side of the Somme River. During the advance they were getting heavy fire from the flank as the northern side of the Somme had not been cleared of the Germans, yet the 16th Battalion managed to take their objectives.
For the next few weeks, the 16th Battalion were constantly on the advance. They saw their last action of the war near Jeancourt on the 18th September 1918. The 4th Australian Division was then pulled out of the line for a well deserved rest period.
On the 10th October 1918 Ben was given two weeks leave to the UK, returning to his unit in France on the 26th October 1918. They were still out of the line when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918.
As a result of the Armistice, the Germans soon withdrew behind their own lines and the Australians were sent into what had been German occupied parts of France and Belgium.
On the 13th December 1918 Ben fell ill and was sent to hospital but only spent a week away from his unit. He would remain on duty in France for the next few months, only returning to England on the 31st March 1919. On the 1st April 1919 Ben was sent to No.4 Command Depot Camp to await being assigned a berth on a troopship home.
On the 6th June 1919 Ben boarded the transport ship Bremen and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 18th July 1919. Ben was discharged from the AIF on the 30th August 1919.
His Uncle, Ernest Armstrong had also served in the war, with the 16th battalion and survived, returning home in 1917.
Ben then returned to Victoria, taking up residence at Mitcham Flinders. He resumed his work as a Butcher. On the 4th November 1922 Ben married Isobel Margaret Roberts.
Ben died on the 22nd November 1976 at Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital Victoria.