Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

When William Hugh Lennox was born on 19 June, 1893, in Corryong, Victoria, his father, Hugh (1863 to 1907), was 29 and his mother, Margaret, nee Harris (1868-1938), was 25. His father, Hugh, was a police constable. He had three brothers and two sisters. After his father died in 1907, his mother married Richard Paul Dignan in 1910. William’s siblings included: Via Jane Orr (1891 to 1959), William Hugh (1893 to 1958), Ruth May (1896 to 1969), Horace Gilchrist (1898 to 1915), Colin Steele (1900 to 1926) and Norman (1903 to 1982)

Upon enlistment on the 14 December, 1914, at Melbourne, Victoria, Bert was a 21-year-old, single, blacksmith living at 75 Bowen St, Moonee Ponds, Victoria. He stood 5 foot and 9 inches tall (175 cm) and weighed 11 stone and 5 lbs (72 kg). His complexion was given as fresh, eyes blue and hair brown. His records show that he had the distinctive marks of a scar on the left cheek and another on the right forearm. His religious denomination was given as Presbyterian. Bert was allocated the service number 300 and put on strength with A Squadron of the 13th Light Horse.

Bert embarked on HMAT A34 Persic on the 28 May, 1915, sailing from Melbourne, Victoria. The trip would take him across the Great Australian Bight to Fremantle, on to Colombo, in Ceylon, before finally disembarking at Suez, at the southern end of the Suez Canal, in Egypt.

After an initial training period in Egypt, Bert embarked on HMT Megantic and proceeded to join the MEF at Gallipoli on the 4 September, 1915. Upon arriving on the Peninsula, the 13th spent some time at Shrapnel Gully becoming familiar with the fighting conditions. On 27 October, they relieved the garrison at Lone Pine where they experienced a welcoming present of heavy shelling from the Turks. Other duties undertaken by the 13th included fatigue parties which were used for carrying supplies and materials to different parts of the front line. Finally, in December of 1915, the Allied Forces all along the Peninsula evacuated their positions and proceeded back to Egypt. Prior to the main evacuation, Bert had been admitted to the 5th Field Ambulance suffering from mumps. He was placed on board the Oxfordshire and sent back to Alexandria to recover.

After returning from the Dardanelles Campaign, the AIF went through a restructure. The Infantry was expanded to four divisions while the 13th Light Horse was divided up to provide a divisional cavalry squadron for the 2nd, 4th and 5th Divisions. Early in the new year, the 13th Light Horse was sent to join the BEF in France. Bert left Alexandria on the 17 March, arriving at Marseilles on the south coast of France six days later. During mid-May, he was taken on strength with the 1st ANZAC Mounted Division.

Illness and injury, including a fractured fibula, resulted in Bert spending the next six months in either hospital or convalescent camps recovering. In late December of 1916, Bert finally rejoined his unit in France and one month later was promoted to Shoeing Sergeant.

Leave away from the front line was always welcomed by the soldiers. In some cases, it was so welcome that they overstayed their leave pass. On the 4 December, 1916, Bert was found guilty of being AWOL (absent without leave) from parade. He was awarded 7 days confined to barracks. On the 4 August, 1917, he was given 11 days leave in France, followed two months later by a similar period of leave which he undertook in the United Kingdom.

While at the Western Front, the 13th Light Horse carried out a number of different tasks, the terrain and nature of the war limiting their roles as mounted troops. Tasks such as traffic control, rear area security, prisoner escort duties and, when weather and terrain permitted, reconnaissance.

The 11 May, 1919, saw Bert embark on the SS Zealandia bound for Australia. He would be discharged on the 30 September of that year. For his service in World War 1, Bert was awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. At this stage, not much is known of Bert’s life after he returned from France. It is known that he died on 3 November, 1958, at the age of 65.

Extract from "Light Horsemen of the Upper Murray", Year 5 and 6 Project, Corryong College.