Sources & References
1. LANNING, George. 'Dorsets First World War Australians' in The Dorset Year Book pp.59-65
2. LANNING, George. 'Through Australian Eyes' in The Dorset Year Book 1998 p47
3. PEDERSEN, Peter. The ANZACS -Gallipoli to the Western Front Viking Press 2007
4. McCosker, Anne. Lieutenant Martin's Letters published 2013 (see her web site below)
5. Chickerell-"Yer Tiz" - a booklet compiled by Chickerell Parish Council & printed by Sherrens Ltd, Weymouth about 1998.
6. 'The Australian in Weymouth' - a monthly newsletter from June 1918 to inform Anzacs of news & events in Weymouth & the wider world. Copies held by Dorset History Centre and Weymouth Museum.
Links to web sites
Commonwealth War Graves Commision
National Archives of Australia
The Imperial War Museum Centenary Project
Federation of FHS WW1 Centenary - Useful Local Sites
Lieutenant Martin's Letters Fred Martin was Anne McCosker's uncle - her mother's only brother. He joined the A.I.F. (Australian Imperial Forces) in 1915 after being part of the ill-fated Kennedy regiment expedition to help seize control of German New Guinea. He fought at Gallipoli, and the Western Front. He was killed at Polygon Wood, Passchendaele in 1917. Anne is editing her uncle's wartime correspondence to his family and placing individual letters in their historical context. She wrote this book in Weymouth, Dorset, England, a mile from the Westham Anzac camp where her uncle convalesced for six months in 1916.
Useful Links to AIF & Great War
UK Home Hospitals 1917, Southern Command http://www.scarletfinders.co.uk/172.html
http://www.dontforgetthediggers.com.au/
The WW1 diary of Regimental Sergeant Major George Beck
Royal Victoria Hospital & Military Cemetery Netley
This excellent site contains details of many Anzacs buried at Netley near Southampton, Hampshire.
Sutton Veny Village & The Anzacs This site is in many ways twinned with ours, as Sutton Veny, near Warminster was chosen as AIF Command Depot No.1 for training and assembly of Australian troops sent to the Western Front in WW1. There was much interchange of troops between the two depots. Many lie buried in the CWGC cemetery beside the village church.
http://worldwaronelink.com.au/
http://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/ Discovering Anzacs with the NAA & Archives of New Zealand. Enhance a profile of someone who served in WW1 or the Boer War. Donate your electronic images. An excellent site.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01p352m The BBC story of the Weymouth Anzacs told through interviews, music and song.
Letters home from Cpl. Smythe who spent several periods at Weymouth Camps. Here is an example:
22 March 1916
S.S.# ?? At Sea. Cpl Smythe 1175. ‘A’ Co 3rd Bn A.I.F
On Active Service Abroad
Dear Mum & Dad & Brothers & Sisters
Well we’ve left Eng at last and are now on our way for our second dose of Turkish Delight. We left Monte Video camp Thursday morning – 114 men & an officer, in pouring rain. All our mates & a lot of people from Chickerell lined the road & cheered us off. The Dorset Regt’s Band was to meet us & play us into Weymouth but something must have happened to prevent them as they failed to turn up. A corporal of the Dorsets whom two of us had become acquainted with got leave & in spite of the rain marched in with us to see up off. Mrs Morgan, the mother of one of my “A” Co. signallers was on the station too to see us off. We went by train to Portsmouth & boarded S.S.###. The ### has had a fair share of excitement – she’s been chased by submarines twice & got away without a scratch each time. We lay in harbour till Friday morning & then left accompanied by two destroyers. They remained with us until we got out of the danger zone & then left us. As soon as we left I got horribly sick – the worst I’ve ever been & missed three meals in succession but I’m pretty right now thank goodness. The sea now that we’ve passed the Bay of Biscay is very calm & smooth. We expect to reach Gib sometime tomorrow where this letter will be posted.
There are a lot of Tommies on board – I don’t know exactly how many but there’s the Royal Garrison Artillery, 5th Essex Regt, Royal Army Med Corps, Royal Engineers, Signal Service Corps & Army Service Corps. They all seem pretty decent chaps.